March 20, 2015
Julio Cortez/AP
LSU CB Jalen Collins is a becoming a popular projection to the Eagles. Collins also wears something on his face, apparently. #Analysis
As we noted in our last Eagles only mock draft, all of the below is a lot of wasted text if the Eagles find a way to trade up and draft Marcus Mariota. However, if the Eagles stand pat at pick #20, the following mock drafts give an idea of what players might be available when they are on the clock on draft night.
In case you missed any of the three mock drafts we put out this offseason so far, you can find them below:
• Eagles only mock draft: Version 1.0, per-Combine edition
• Eagles only mock draft: Version 2.0, post-Combine edition
• Eagles only mock draft: Version 3.0, post-free agency edition
Onto the draft guys:
OL Jake Fisher, Oregon - Fisher has played everywhere during his career: right guard, right tackle and left tackle. Offensive line might be the Eagles top need, and they seem to have a type in terms of athletes at the position. Fisher has the athletic fingerprint which fits, and not just because he went to Oregon. Both NFL teams and colleges have types. Ali Marpet could also be a target in as early as round two.
#JimmySays: Josh wins this mock draft roundup, as he picked the same guy as me in my latest Eagles only mock draft. Congratulations to Josh. I also like his mention of Ali Marpet, who I had going to the Eagles in my first mock draft of the offseason.
Chip Kelly is in the midst of remaking the roster, but be it via trade or in free agency he's going to see it won't be easy to simply plug holes at cornerback, an area where the Eagles need help. Collins is a high-upside play as a cornerback with good size, reach and athletic attributes. He can play physical but also turn and run with the fastest wide receivers in the league. He's not a complete package yet, but he can press, play off and shows awareness in zone. This is a big enough need that Collins probably won't be the only CB the Eagles draft.
#JimmySays: Some believe Collins can be a star. He's thought of as a low floor, high ceiling kind of player. Personally, I'm all for taking risks on supremely athletic players.
Kevin Johnson, CB, Wake Forest: Even with the addition of Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond, Johnson is a player who should be on the radar regardless. He has natural cover instincts and skills that make him worthy of consideration this early.
#JimmySays: Bleh. Reaching for a need, in my opinion.
Eli Harold, OLB-DE, Virginia -- They addressed corner, but they need more help from their edge rushers.
#JimmySays: It all depends on what the Eagles think of Marcus Smith's likelihood of panning out, but I can see it. There are five really good edge rushers in this draft: Dante Fowler, Shane Ray, Randy Gregory, Vic Beasley, and Bud Dupree. In this scenario, the Eagles dip into the next tier, with Harold. In terms of importance, edge rushers are perhaps the most valuable players on the defensive side of the ball. If you have a great one, opposing offenses start their week of planning by focusing on how to stop him. As a result, like quarterbacks, edge rushers are over-drafted.
Of course, the Eagles re-upped Brandon Graham to a new contract, but you can never have enough pass rushers. This would be an over-draft, but it wouldn't be a surprise to me.
Arik Armstead, DT, Oregon: Chip Kelly loves his Ducks. If unable to swing a big move for Mariota or unwilling to gamble on the similar athletic Brett Hundley, Kelly and the Eagles may see Armstead as an ideal complement to Fletcher Cox and a developing Philadelphia defensive line.
#JimmySays: Hate it. And really, I'd hate it even if the Eagles weren't already stacked along their defensive line. Armstead is a beast of a man at 6'7, 292, but with a measly four career sacks at Oregon, if I'm drafting a defensive lineman in the first round, he better be an impact player I can't pass up, and Armstead hasn't proven yet that he's that.
It's impossible to predict what Chip Kelly will do, but the Eagles do have a need for another edge rusher.
#JimmySays: That's now two people on the Harold train. Again, it may be a slight reach, which I don't love, but edge rushers are kind of important.
The Eagles gave up too many big plays last year. Collins should cut that down.
#JimmySays: I had Collins as the Eagles' #1 pick in my mock draft, version 2.0, but I've come to disagree with myself. While I like Collins quite a bit, I don't think the Eagles will. I believe they are set on acquiring versatile safeties with can drop down and cover slot receivers man-to-man, and I'm not sure Collins is that guy.
The Eagles have a glaring hole at safety. Collins is the best player at his position in this draft.
#JimmySays: Yeah, but again, does he fit the scheme?
The Eagles' roster looks drastically different than it did when we posted our last mock draft, but I still have Philadelphia going with a cornerback here. Collins was impressive in Indianapolis, coming in at 6-foot-1, 203 pounds and running a 4.43 40-yard dash. He started just 10 games at LSU but had three interceptions and 25 pass breakups. He has all the natural ability in the world and just needs to put it together. Collins has a good build, a bit of an edge and some real play-making skills; this is a good fit for Chip Kelly's new-look squad.
#JimmySays: Another vote for Collins, which again, is risky, but I wouldn't hate it.
After losing Jeremy Maclin to the Chiefs, the top wide receiver in Philadelphia is second-year player Jordan Matthews. He’s solid, but the Eagles need to add talent at the position. Strong is a big, physical receiver who can get vertical and make plays in the red zone. He works over the middle nicely and is hard to bring down after the catch.
#JimmySays: Highly productive receiver at ASU who could be the physical big-body presence on the outside that the Eagles hoped Riley Cooper would be.
The Eagles put some water on their dumpster-fire situation at cornerback when they signed former Seahawks cornerback Byron Maxwell to a big deal, but odds are that the addition of Walter Thurmond won't have the same impact given Thurmond's injury history. Peters, who would probably be a top-15 pick if not for the issues that got him booted off the Washington squad in the middle of the 2014 season, is the best cornerback in this class, and he made enough amends with Huskies head coach Chris Peterson to be invited to work out at Washington's pro day in April. The Eagles would do well to take a flier on Peters if he's still there at this spot.
#JimmySays: I agree that Peters has a lot of talent, but being allowed to work out at your school's pro day is setting the bar kind of low in terms of quelling the character issues surrounding him. The Eagles will do their homework on Peters for sure, but he just seems like a player who has no prayer of being drafted by Chip Kelly, who has shown that he puts an extreme premium on #culture.
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski
