February 14, 2022
A couple weeks ago, we published our second Philadelphia Eagles-only mock draft of the offseason. With the full first-round draft order now set, we'll take a peek around at some of the national guys and see who they have going to the Birds at 15th, 16th, and 19th overall.
Pick 15: Kenyon Green, iOL, Texas A&M: With the Eagles likely in need of a replacement for pending free agent Jason Kelce, Landon Dickerson could slide into the starting center role, leaving a spot open for Green. He will become a Day 1 starter as a drive-blocking guard with size, athleticism and toughness.
Pick 16: Drake London, WR, USC: This might not be the pick I would make, but the Eagles need a possession receiver with size and contested-catch talent. London fits the bill.
Pick 19: Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State: Brisker's play has steadily progressed over the last two seasons. He's instinctive, can run and is a terrific tackler on the back end.
#JimmySays: I like Lance and think he does just a great job, but, woof.
Pick 15: Travon Walker, DE, Georgia: Walker has experience on the outside and inside, as well as with dropping into coverage. His burst speed rates in the top 86th percentile. The ability of the Eagles front to be versatile and multiple fits not only where Walker is now, but also the trajectory for where he could go, which reflects a very high ceiling.
Pick 16: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: YAC, running back and Wildcat QB! OK, the Wildcat note is just fun. But Burks' usage on passes of shorter air distance (slants, bubbles and flats), as well as in rushing situations, shows a strong ability to run with the ball in his hands. Considering the buzz generated by 49ers dynamo Deebo Samuel's performance in similar situations, I'm sure we'll hear plenty about this aspect of Burks' game. For me, the most predictive part is his experience and production with the ball in his hands, which would be a big help for Philadelphia. I will be watching some of his deeper receptions as the draft process unfolds, as I don't have much data to evaluate from the full route tree.
Pick 19: Kenyon Green, iOL, Texas A&M: Green played every O-line position except for center at Texas A&M last season, but my models get heart eyes for him as a guard. If Jason Kelce does not return in 2022, Landon Dickerson could move to center, which is what I programmed into my model. So, voila: a guard it is. Per computer vision, Green ranks in the top 85th percentile among guards in maintaining pocket integrity (in terms of seconds).
#JimmySays: It'd be fun to have access to whatever "burst speed" data (and the like) that Cynthia has.
Pick 15: Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State: Johnson is the prospect who helped himself the most at the Senior Bowl, dominating during the two days that he participated in practice. The combination of strength, power and a wide variety of moves off the edge has Johnson's stock climbing. It shouldn't come as a surprise if he enters the top-15 discussion. With Derek Barnett set to become a free agent, the Eagles could be in search of a running mate for Josh Sweat. They have three first-round selections and are in prime position to infuse depth into multiple areas of the roster.
Pick 16: Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, CB, Cincinnati: Philadelphia hasn't selected a cornerback in the first round since Lito Sheppard in 2002, and it's time for that streak to come to an end. With Avonte Maddox and Darius Slay the only consistent starters in the secondary, Gardner brings a potential shutdown presence on the perimeter. He was the best prospect I saw up close when I live-scouted him in 2021. Every bit of 6-foot-2 and 195 pounds, Gardner can play man and zone coverage, but it's his physical traits and body movements at that size that could move him even higher. Based on what I've heard from NFL scouts, don't be surprised if Gardner is the first corner off the board in April's draft.
Pick 19: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa: Whenever there's a great center in the draft, the earliest he is likely to go is in the mid-to-late teens, as shown recently with Ryan Kelly (No. 15 overall in 2016) and Garrett Bradbury (No. 18 in 2019). Linderbaum is seen as a better prospect than both Kelly and Bradbury, however, so he could end up being an outlier. The Eagles already have promising players along the interior in Landon Dickerson, Isaac Seumalo, Jack Driscoll and Jack Anderson, but none possess the upside of Linderbaum, who could take over at center if Jason Kelce retires. Linderbaum, the reigning Rimington Award winner, has the strength and physical tools to be a great player.
#JimmySays: With Kelce feeling like a decent bet to return for one more season, Linderbaum probably wouldn't be an option for the Eagles. I don't think you take a center and have him sit for a year.
Pick 15: Kenyon Green, iOL, Texas A&M: The Eagles need to replace retiring Brandon Brooks with an upgrade with someone who can also start for a long time. Green is a well-rounded interior run blocker with solid size, strength and technique.
Pick 16: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: The Eagles, beyond Derek Barnett's pending free agency, also know Josh Sweat was so-so filling in for Brandon Graham, who is entering his Age 34 season and coming off a ruptured Achilles tendon. They need reinforcements for the tone-setting strength of their defense. Ojabo would give them a flashy, freakish edge player who can contribute initially in a situational role. His speed, explosiveness and energy fueled a big rise behind end-mate Hutchinson.
Pick 19: Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, CB, Cincinnati: The Eagles are getting nice late-career play from Darius "Big Play" Slay and Avonte Maddox has been good, too, but they could use a further boost in the secondary from Gardner. He can move around to help them in subpackages before settling as an outside starter to succeed Slay, who's entering his Age 31 season.
#JimmySays: So, this is now three mock drafters who have Green going to the Eagles. Unless he is absolutely special, I don't like the value of a guard at pick 15.
Pick 15: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa: Linderbaum is the rightful heir to the center position in Philadelphia after the dazzling Jason Kelce era.
Pick 16: Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson: Booth is a springy cornerback who'll thrive in the Eagles zone-happy scheme.
Pick 19: Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State: Johnson rides a monstrous Senior Bowl well into the first round, and the Eagles would love to pair him with the also long and explosive Josh Sweat on their defensive line.
#JimmySays: Johnson is going to become a popular player slotted to the Eagles with one of their three picks, based on positional need, and draft range.
Pick 15: Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State: Philadelphia has a handful of needs to address: cornerback, linebacker, edge rusher and offensive guard. It is possible to address all four positions in the first two rounds. The mission begins with the selection of a Senior Bowl riser.
Pick 16: Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson: The mission continues with Booth. Philadelphia played a lot of zone this season and the Clemson product has comfortability with that role. The Eagles have a dynamic pairing with Darius Slay and Booth in the present with the hope that Booth eventually becomes among the best in the league down the road.
Pick 19: Zion Johnson, iOL, Boston College: Philadelphia continues its march to filling needs with the selection of another Senior Bowl riser. During the week in Mobile, the Boston College product was cross-trained at both center and guard. The Eagles already have a similar player on the roster in the form of Landon Dickerson. With Brandon Brooks moving on and Jason Kelce not far from it, the team is proactive in plugging holes. Having two players with the versatility to play either spot is tremendous value for the organization long-term.
#JimmySays: I actually love the fit of Zion Johnson to the Eagles. I just like it better in Round 2.
Pick 15: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: Someone needs to help the city of Philadelphia forget about drafting Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson in 2020, and Burks can be that receiver. He's a yards-after-catch machine who would give Jalen Hurts, or whoever else starts under center in 2022, another explosive option alongside DeVonta Smith.
Pick 16: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: Derek Barnett is set to become a free agent, meaning the Eagles need another edge rusher. Ojabo would be an exciting replacement, especially if he continues his rapid ascension that included a breakout season playing opposite Hutchinson at Michigan. He and Josh Sweat would cause problems for NFC East quarterbacks.
Pick 19: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: The Eagles' linebacker corps need to be better, so they opt for the rangy, versatile Lloyd to bolster the front seven. The Utah product excels in coverage, is a reliable tackler and can even rush the passer off the edge.
#JimmySays: I had these exact three players in my Eagles-only mock draft 1.0, so I guess you could say that I agree with these picks.
Pick 15: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia: It'd be against type for the Eagles to draft a linebacker in the first round, but they have three picks, so maybe they'll break from the script. Plus, you know, they could use an upgrade at linebacker! Nakobe Dean is almost a carbon copy of former Georgia linebacker and current Chicago Bear Roquan Smith. He's a terrific combination of athleticism and intelligence. When you combine his instincts and speed, he gets to where the ball is going before the ball knows where it's going.
Pick 16, Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama: Jameson Williams is a home run hitter the Eagles can use on offense. Pairing him with DeVonta Smith gives Jalen Hurts a couple of very dangerous weapons to take advantage of, as both know how to take advantage of space, and Williams has the speed to run away from most defenders.
Pick 19: Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State: Johnson found himself buried on the depth chart at Georgia and transferred to Florida State. If you've seen the Georgia defense, that's not a red flag. Once he arrived in Tallahassee, Johnson showed why he was such a highly rated recruit out of high school. His bull rush is powerful, but he needs work on some additional pass-rush moves. Given the energy he shows on the field, you can safely assume he won't be afraid to put the work in to add them.
#JimmySays: Williams will be a fun debate as the offseason continues on. If you think he'll be fine long-term after tearing an ACL in January, go ahead and get him.
Pick 15: Matt Corral, QB, Ole Miss: A bit of a surprise here, but color me a cynic myself. I’m not convinced Jalen Hurts will ever be able to get the Philadelphia Eagles over that proverbial playoff-victory hump. He’s a great quarterback with an underrated arm but has limitations that defenses will only get keener to as the years progress.
Matt Corral enters the fold at pick 15 to take the reins. Corral has a ton of athleticism himself but presents as a pure passer first. He can make all the throws on the field, but what separates him is his ability to make those throws from a variety of platforms. It isn’t always the prettiest, but Corral gets the job done from anywhere on the field. He’s a dominant passer in an RPO offense and would be considered the better passer in a passing league on this Eagles roster.
Pick 16: Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson: With their second pick in back-to-back selections, the Eagles grab the draft’s third CB after grabbing the third QB the pick prior. Andrew Booth Jr. has elite ball skills. He also has a high ceiling after just beginning to realize his talent on the big stage for Clemson as the season went on. Booth can stick with receivers in a bevy of alignments, moving from outside to inside with success.
Philadelphia can deploy Booth on either side of the field and expect to see results all the same. With cornerback a big need, the Eagles need to come away with one within their first-round haul. They could wait until pick 19, but Booth available here is a big steal as he ranks higher on my board.
Pick 19: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Philadelphia’s third pick in five selections is another defensive player. The Eagles nab the best linebacker this class has to offer. Devin Lloyd has been hailed as the best defensive player legendary Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham has ever coached, and that’s praise enough for me. And then you watch the tape on Lloyd. He’s doing things you didn’t think were possible from a massive middle LB.
Lloyd’s best attribute is his coverage ability, dropping back and picking off receivers, routes, and passes all the same. He’s no slouch in the run game as he possesses elite instincts and can go sideline to sideline with the best of them. Lloyd also rushes the passer with great success when given the opportunity. He’s a three-down linebacker tailor-made for today’s NFL.
#JimmySays: I'm honestly surprised that more people aren't mocking quarterbacks to the Eagles, seemingly just because the general manager and head coach said that Hurts is the guy, as if they had any other choice.
Pick 15: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue: George Karlaftis is becoming the forgotten name in this year’s class as he didn’t have the opportunity to play in any all-star events as he is a true junior. Karlaftis is a well-built edge defender who is explosive, powerful, and plays with tremendous technique. He is relentless in his pursuit of the quarterback and also offers versatility as he can reduce inside on certain downs. The Eagles need more help at EDGE and getting Karlaftis here is a steal.
Pick 16: Andrew Booth, CB, Clemson: The Eagles are getting steals left and right. Depending on who you ask, Andrew Booth Jr. is a better prospect than Gardner and offers just as much upside as Stingley Jr. He is ultra-athletic and has rare ball skills. Booth’s ability to excel in either man or zone coverage gives the Eagles a ton of flexibility on defense and also gives the team one of the better corner duos in the NFL with Booth and Darius Slay.
Pick 19: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa: The Eagles need to start preparing for life after Jason Kelce and that starts now with this pick. Tyler Linderbaum is by far the best center in this class and could come in on day one and be an impact starter. He is a technician who has strong hands and offers excellent lateral mobility. He has the makings of a future Pro Bowl center.
#JimmySays: Karlaftis will be a player of heavy interest at the NFL Combine.
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