Here are ten prospects the Philadelphia Eagles should consider drafting whether it is trading up, staying pat at 21, or trading back a few selections. Philly needs an impact player in round one, and any of these ten selections would be able to see the field day one in the City of Brotherly Love.
10. LB Kenneth Murray Oklahoma
I would be shocked if the Eagles took Murray at 21, but with the glaring hole that they have at LB, they are in need of a guy like Murray in the middle of their defense. Murray is the best LB in this draft, not named Isiah Simmons. Philadelphia doesn't traditionally invest heavy resources into the LB spot, but if they are in a scenario where they feel like they should trade down to the bottom of round one and if Murray is still on the board they might pounce. At 6'3 and 241 pounds he has very good size and should be able to hold up as a three down LB durability wise in the NFL. Many scouts say he is a great run defender and will be a 100 tackle plus guy per season, but he struggles in coverage at times. In today's NFL you have to be able to defend the pass if you want to stay on the field as a LB and that may cause Murray to fall which could allow the Eagles to trade back and still select him if they are interested.
9. CB C.J. Henderson Florida
After investing a lot of equity this offseason in free agency in the defensive back spot, the Eagles might be out of the market for a first round corner. After trading for Darius Slay making him the CB1 in Philly, who is the CB2 though? They Have Avonte Maddox, Rasul Douglas, and Sidney Jones capable of playing the outside, and Cre'von LeBlanc/Nickell Robey-Coleman to play on the inside. But, if Philadelphia believes they need a long term answer at CB to pair with Slay then Henderson might be one of the best options. In many scouts' and analysts' eyes Henderson is the best CB after Ohio State's Jeff Okudah. Henderson is a physical, confident corner who ran a 4.39 40 yard dash which is very good speed to keep up with the burners in the NFL today. Coming from Florida, Henderson has competed against some elite talent from the SEC and is ready to be an impact player in the NFL at an early stage.
8. CB Trevon Diggs Alabama
I prefer Diggs over Henderson due to playing at Alabama and just being a more pro-ready prospect. Henderson might have the better long term potential, but Diggs in my opinion is better suited at this stage to be a starting corner. He has very good size at 6'1, and great ball skills because he was a former receiver and is able to track the ball at an elite level. After playing in an NFL system at Alabama under Nick Saban, Diggs possesses a very good football IQ as well. He is also a very competitive corner, who won't back down to challenges and is aggressive in the run game as well. If the Eagles do elect to go after a CB in round one not named Jeff Okudah, Diggs would be my pick.
7. WR Laviska Shenault Jr Colorado
Playmaker. A word that fits the description of Shenault's playing style, as well as a major need at the receiver position for the Eagles. Shenault is like a Deebo Samuel type from the 49ers. The Colorado product is a guy who can line up all over the field whether it is the slot, outside receiver, the wildcat, in the backfield, and in the return game. He is a very versatile player and can make an impact in a multitude of ways. The one thing harming his stock though is his durability which might force the Eagles to stay away. If Philly is taking a receiver round one they know he needs to be durable and able to make an impact for Carson Wentz from day one. An explosive playmaker like Shenault is exactly what Doug Pederson needs for his offense, and if Shenault is the guy they want he might be there at 21 to snag up.
6. WR Justin Jefferson LSU
Throughout this pre-draft process I have been focusing on the big three receivers in Jerry Jeudy, Cee Dee Lamb, and Henry Ruggs III. That kind of pushed Jefferson under the rug for me, but I have seen many mock drafts linking the Eagles to him at 21. So, I dug a little deeper and noticed Jefferson actually put up astounding numbers with 111 catches, over 1,500 receiving yards, and 18 receving TD's all last season! He went off for LSU and ran a 4.43 yard 40 yard dash at the combine cementing him as a first round pick. At 6'3, he has solid size and has big strong hands when it comes to making tough contested catches. But, putting up those numbers in the SEC is most likely a sign of things to come when he reaches the NFL. Jefferson could be a guy that is Carson Wentz's go-to receiver for the next decade if he keeps working in order to reach his full potential. Keep an eye out for this pick, as it looks like the most likely one if the Birds stay pat at 21.
5. DE A.J Epenesa Iowa
Philadelphia loves to invest in the trenches, and has a track record of using their first round pick on defensive lineman. Epensa is a massive force at defensive end at 6'5, weighing in at 275 pounds. Epenesa isn't much of a speed guy, but a player who wins with power, technique, and effort. If Derek Barnett can blossom this season and develop his game, alongside Epensa coming off the other edge, that could form a solid duo for the foreseeable future in Philadelphia. A defensive line that includes Fletcher Cox, Brandon Graham, Javon Hargrave, Malik Jackson, and the aforementioned Epensa/Barnett would be the best defensive line in the NFC.
4. DE K'Lavon Chaisson LSU
A very raw, and thin pass rusher who exhibits off the chart athletic traits and potential though. Many scouting reports I have read say he has great quickness both laterally and straight off the snap. He has very good length, and is only going to get better as he gets stronger. Philadelphia has always had pre-dominantly pass rushers who are stronger and win at the point of attack, instead of speed rushers. Chaisson would be a great addition to the Philadelphia front-seven as a speed rusher to change things up on passing downs. An area of improvement that he needs to focus on will certainly be in the run game if he wants to be a complete player. Given Howie Roseman's track record when it comes to drafting though, it wouldn't be surprising to see him invest in the trenches yet again and Chaisson would be a great addition.
3. WR Henry Ruggs III Alabama
The word many NFL scouts use to describe Ruggs though is "burner". He has straight line speed and could be the eventual replacement for DeSean Jackson in Philadelphia. Ruggs is more then his 4.27 40 yard dash speed though. He is a solid route runner, and can make plays in the screen game as well. As more anlysts and scouts do their research, opinions are cicrcling that he might be a better NFL prospect then his teammate Jerry Jeudy. Ruggs is a guy that Doug Pederson could fill into the role that Nelson Agholor played that featured a combo of end arounds, screens, and deep passes. Obviously, the hope is Ruggs will have a more successful tenure in Philadelphia than Agholor did, but the future would be bright in Philadelphia if Ruggs joined a promising offensive unit that featured Miles Sanders, Zach Ertz, and Dallas Goedert. It doesn't look like Ruggs will make it past the Broncos at 15, so the Birds would have to give up some draft capital to move up and select him.
2. WR CeeDee Lamb Oklahoma
Lamb out of the three receivers that include him, Jeudy, and Ruggs is probably the most explosive with the ball in his hands. He has a knack for breaking tackles, making defenders miss, and taking the ball to the house. He was the go-to guy for Kyler Murray and Jalen Hurts the past two years and will have little to no issue stepping in as Philly's newest number one wideout. He does have only a 4.5 yard 40 yard dash and that might scare off some teams, but the tape is very impressive and he plays faster then his 40 time indicates. Lamb is another guy, who can be used in multiple ways like Shenault from Colorado and the Eagles could feature him in several roles like Doug Pederson enjoys. Lamb would be the best receiver to come to Philly out of the draft since DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin, instantly making him a fan favorite. His draft stock might be a little too high for the Eagles though and they would without a doubt have to trade up for him. I think as the pre-draft process goes on though, teams may favor the two receivers from Bama over him and he could slide to the 15-17 range making it easier for the Eagles to acquire him if they deem him their "guy".
1. WR Jerry Jeudy Alabama
Jeudy is the most complete receiver to come out of college to me in recent memory. He has the ability to run every route in the route tree, can separate from defenders with technique, as well as speed, and is a big play threat everytime the ball is in his hands. The way he runs his routes so savvy and is sure handed reminds me of a Keenan Allen, but with better agility and long distance speed. A Carson Wentz to Jerry Jeudy duo would be elite in the NFC East for years to come. This past season at Alabama, Jeudy averaged 15.1 yards per reception showcasing his big play ability. There aren't many knocks on Jeudy's game, but he will not be around come pick 21. If the Eagles feel like he is the guy they want to pair with Wentz long term they will have to trade up to at least pick 15 in order to secure the Crimson Tide product.
*All Stats Via ESPN.COM*
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