April 25, 2024
The day of the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft is finally here. In case you missed our final seven-round Eagles-only mock draft or my lone full first-round mock draft, be sure to check those out. Here's who some of the other local beats are projecting to the Eagles in Round 1, submitted without commentary of my own. We'll also include who each beat had the Eagles picking in 2021, 2022, and 2023 mostly for self-serving reasons (I got them right).
Other beats, if I missed yours, I just couldn't find it and I'm sorry.
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo (trade up with Seattle to pick 16): A move up for a tackle might be in play, as well. But with great depth at the position, and not as much at cornerback, Howie Roseman may want to make his move here for either Mitchell or Arnold.
2022: Jordan Davis
2021: DeVonta Smith
Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington: There’s buzz that the Eagles are looking to trade up for a cornerback, but I still expect the offensive line to be the target. J.C. Latham would be the player I’d want, but this is supposed to be predictive and there’s also a realistic scenario in which Latham is off the board in the top 15. Fautanu is a player that I can see the Eagles coveting. His athleticism at the position jumps out, including the best broad jump among the first-round offensive linemen. (The Eagles place a premium on board jump.) The age (24 in October) might be more of a concern for me than the Eagles — most of the offensive linemen Howie Roseman drafted were 23 and older. Fautanu starts from Day 1 at right guard and can be a high-level player early in his career, and there’s long-term optionality to take over Lane Johnson. The position flexibility is a plus. If he stays at guard, the best players at that spot now make $20 million per year. The offensive line is always a priority for the Eagles and Fautanu is one of the best in this draft.
2023: Nolan Smith and a trade out of Round 1 at the 30th overall pick.
2022: Jordan Davis and Chris Olave
2021: DeVonta Smith
Edge Dallas Turner, OL J.C. Latham, CB Terrion Arnold, OL Troy Fautanu. CB Quinyon Mitchell, WR Brian Thomas Jr., DT Byron Murphy III, OL Olu Fashanu, Edge Laiatu Latu, CB Cooper DeJean, OL Taliese Fuaga, TE Brock Bowers, OL Amarius Mims, CB Nate Wiggins, OL Tyler Guyton, WR Xavier Worthy, CB Kool-Aid McKinstry.
(Shrewd strategy by Bo here.)
2023: Christian Gonzalez and Adetomiwa Adebawore
2022: Kyle Hamilton and Travis Jones
2021: Jaycee Horn
JC Latham, OT, Alabama (trade up with Seattle to pick 16): Latham, 21, checks a lot of boxes for the Eagles. For starters, he’s an Alabama offensive player and the Eagles have been drafting a bunch of Nick Saban’s former players on that side of the ball in recent years. Latham might not be the type of unique mover that Fautanu is but he’s also much bigger at 6-5, 342 pounds. He’s a massive man with a ton of upside with 27 starts at right tackle in the SEC under his belt over the last two seasons. Latham would be viewed as Lane Johnson’s eventual replacement at right tackle but he’s also the type of prospect who could fill in as a starting right guard in the interim.
2023: Paris Johnson and Adetomiwa Adebawore
2021: Patrick Surtain
JC Latham, OT, Alabama (trade up with Cincinnati to pick 18): You didn’t really think Howie was going to stay at 22, did you? No way. There are a lot of interesting options for the Eagles, but my guess is that staying at 22 is least likely, after trading up and trading down. I’ll go 20 percent staying at 22, 25 percent trading down and 55 percent trading up. Having two 2nd-round picks gives the Eagles a ton of flexibility, and being able to move up and snag a future franchise offensive tackle like Latham would be huge. The Eagles appear set at tackle with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, but Howie Roseman doesn’t think like that. Johnson is still playing at an elite level, but he turns 34 in a few weeks, and is heading into his 12th season, and there has to be a succession plan in place. Plus, the beauty of drafting Latham is that he can compete at right guard from the jump or back up everywhere on the line except center until Johnson decides to hang ‘em up.
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma: I think it is one of these 3 players: Troy Fautanu, Tyler Guyton or Kool-Aid McKinstry. I think the Eagles are going into this draft looking for an offensive linemen and if they don’t get one they’ll take Kool-Aid at No. 22. I don’t buy that corner is their top target. Fautanu makes the most sense but is also going to be harder to get. Guyton could be there at No. 22 or require a smaller move up the board. Guyton is a special athlete that the Eagles can get ready to be the RT of the future.
2023: Bijan Robinson and Calijah Kancey
2022: Jordan Davis and Jameson Williams
2021: DeVonta Smith
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma: Tackle might not seem like a pressing need at first glance -- Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata have the starting positions locked down -- but a closer look reveals why Guyton is a fit in Philly. With the exception of quarterback, the Eagles prioritize the trenches above all other positions. Depth along the offensive front took a hit this offseason. And with Johnson turning 34 in May, a succession plan needs to be implemented at right tackle.
2023: Paris Johnson and Adetomiwa Adebawore
2022: Jameson Williams and Trent McDuffie
2021: Patrick Surtain
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama: The Seahawks are on the clock at no. 16, and to nobody’s surprise, John Schneider wants to move back. He gets a call from Eagles GM Howie Roseman. The two longtime GMs have done a bunch of deals with each other over the years, and they agree to another one here. The Eagles get picks no. 16 and no. 81 (third round). The Seahawks get no. 22, no. 53 (second round), and no. 120 (fourth round).
The question now is: Are the Eagles trading up for a cornerback or an offensive lineman? It ends up being the former. While Roseman is calling the pick in, team owner Jeffrey Lurie texts Bill Belichick, the man he has pegged to coach the team in 2025 if things don’t work out with Nick Sirianni:
Terrion Arnold?
Belichick likes the message, and Lurie responds with the winking emoji. That’s the pick. The Eagles take the Alabama cornerback at no. 16.
2023: Jalen Carter and a trade out of Round 1 with the 30th overall pick.
2022: Chris Olave and Travis Jones
2021: Kwity Paye
Chop Robinson, EDGE, Penn State (trade back to 27 with Arizona): The Eagles only have defensive end Bryce Huff and linebacker Nolan Smith under contract beyond next season, and Robinson gives them an athletic rusher to add to their edge rotation.
2023: Nolan Smith and Jahmyr Gibbs
JC Latham, OT, Alabama: Latham, who's 6-foot-6, 342 pounds, began his career as a reserve right guard, then started at right tackle for the past two years. So the transition would be much smoother than it was for Tyler Steen, the Eagles' third-round pick last year. Steen, a tackle, had never played guard before, and it showed in his one start last season.
Steen could be better suited as a swing tackle, providing depth behind Johnson and left tackle Jordan Mailata.
2023: Bijan Robinson and Adetomiwa Adebawore
2022: Kyle Hamilton and Devonte Wyatt
2021: DeVonta Smith
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo (trade with Denver to pick 12): Scouts I've talked with have consensusly said Alabama's Terrion Arnold is the better fit for Vic Fangio's zone-heavy scheme. That said, one personnel executive moved me back to the Mitchell camp with a simple suggestion.
"Mitchell is more talented and has the higher ceiling," the personnel executive said. "You never go bankrupt taking talented players and getting caught up in any scheme seems outdated in the modern game. Change is a heartbeat away. Take the better player."
2023: Nolan Smith and Kelee Ringo (trade back into Round 2)
2022: Garrett Wilson and Trent McDuffie
2021: Rashawn Slater
Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama (trade with Seattle up to pick 16): This is it. This is the year the Eagles end the drought of not taking a cornerback in the first round since 2002 when they took Lito Sheppard at No. 26 overall. The drought may have ended sooner had Jaycee Horn or Patrick Surtain not come off the board at picks 8 and 9, respectively, in 2021 and had fallen to No. 12, where the Eagles were slated to pick. They moved up and grabbed receiver DeVonta Smith at No. 10, but maybe it would have been one of those corners instead of Smith.
It's worked out beautifully for Philly and Smith, but this time the Eagles move up to try to grab another Alabama product, one who can learn from Darius Slay and James Bradberry.
2023: Bijan Robinson and Adetomiwa Adebawore
2022: Jameson Williams and Lewis Cine
And just for the record, I have the Eagles trading up and selecting Georgia OT Amarius Mims.
2023: Jalen Carter and a trade out of Round 1 at the 30th overall pick.
2022: Jordan Davis and Treylon Burks
2021: DeVonta Smith
• 3: JC Latham
• 2 each: Quinyon Mitchell, Tyler Guyton, Terrion Arnold.
• 1 each: Amarius Mims, Troy Fautanu, Chop Robinson.
And then all of Bo's guys.
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