Grocery shopping: Five college players to watch who could interest the Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft

Throughout the season, as long as you were watching college football action on Saturdays, we would profile five players to watch who could make some sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2017 NFL Draft. The college football season is over, but since the week of Senior Bowl practices is coming up this week, let's take a look at five guys we missed who will be down in Mobile, Alabama.

To note, the Eagles currently have eight draft picks in the 2017 NFL Draft, listed here.

Forrest Lamp, OG/OT, Western Kentucky (6'4, 300)

Lamp played LT at WKU, but most see him as a guard at the next level. Interestingly, NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah sees Lamp as the 16th best prospect in this draft.

Here's Lamp's game against Alabama. To note, Alabama could have as many as five players in their front seven drafted on Day 1 or Day 2 of the draft.


Earlier this week, we reported that the Eagles are considering moving on from Jason Kelce, which would prompt Isaac Seumalo to slide in at center in his place. We did not mention this in our report, but the Eagles are also potentially moving on from Allen Barbre, which would come as a surprise to some, since Barbre can play a number of positions and isn't exactly breaking the bank.


MORE ON THE EAGLES: Your team's first round picks since 2010, if Mel Kiper's initial mock drafts were perfect | NFL Conference Championship playoff picks | Eagles Mailbag: Is the Birds' best draft strategy to try to trade back and accumulate more picks? | Chris Christie: Eagles 'suck' and their fans are 'angry, awful people'


If indeed the Eagles go that route, Lamp is a player who could slide in as a starter at LG. He would also have the ability to kick out to LT in a pinch. But would the Eagles draft a guard that highly in the first round?

Isaac Asiata, OG, Utah (6'3, 323)

Earlier this year, we profiled Utah's LT, Garett Bolles. Utah's LG, Asiata, is a pile-moving run blocker. Here's his game this year against Washington, who has a very talented interior defensive line.


If you'll notice, Asiata puts a lot of guys on the ground. He too ends up on the ground quite a bit. But certainly, more often than not, the line moves in Asiata's favor at the point of attack.

The question for Asiata will be whether or not he can handle quick interior pass rushers, which the Senior Bowl week of practices has a way of exposing every year.

Daeshon Hall, DE, Texas A&M (6'5, 270)

A few weeks ago, we profiled five free agents who might make sense for the Eagles this offseason. Among them was 6'7, 275 pound Devin Taylor, who the Lions selected in the fourth round of the 2013 NFL Draft, which was during Jim Schwartz's tenure. 

In his time as the defensive coordinator for the Tennessee Titans and Buffalo Bills, as well as his time in Detroit, Schwartz has employed some rather large defensive ends. For example:

 PlayerYears Height Weight 
Devin Taylor 2013 6'7 275 
 Kevin Carter2001-2004 6'6 305 
 Mario Williams2014 6'6 300 
 Dave Ball2008 6'6 275 
 Jason Jones2008 6'5 272 
 Ezekiel Ansah2013 6'5 271 
 Lawrence Jackson2010-2012 6'5 261 
 Willie Young2010-2013 6'5 251 
 Kyle Vanden Bosch2005-2008 (Titans), 2010-2012 (Lions) 6'4 278 
 Antwan Odom2004-2007 6'4 277 
 Jevon Kearse2001-2003, 2008 6'4 265 


As you can see, Taylor was the tallest of the bunch. At the University of South Carolina, Taylor played opposite college mega-star Jadeveon Clowney, and still only managed 18.5 sacks over four years. Similarly, Hall played opposite college mega-star Myles Garrett, who is likely to be a top three pick, and could go No. 1 overall, like Clowney did. Over his four-year career at Texas A&M, Hall had just 15 career sacks.

I don't love Hall as a player, but he fits a "Jim Schwartz type."

Antonio Garcia, OT, Troy (6'6, 302)

Garcia has great length at 6'6 with long arms, and he's both agile and coordinated in pass protection, which is clearly his strength. Against National Champion Clemson this season, Garcia didn't allow a single pressure:


To note, Clemson had 49 sacks in 2016, behind only Florida State and Alabama. 

Garcia would be a pick who likely wouldn't play right away, as the Eagles are set at OT for at least one more year, assuming Jason Peters doesn't retire. And they'd probably have to take him in the second round. However, the Eagles are going to have to address the OT position at some point, depending on whether or not they think Halapoulivaati Vaitai is a long-term starter at RT.

Takkarist McKinley, DE, UCLA (6'2, 258)

If/when the Eagles move on from Connor Barwin this offseason, they're going to have to add to their pass rush stable, and McKinley was productive at UCLA. In 2016, he had 61 tackles, 10 sacks, 18 tackles for loss, 6 batted passes / pass breakups, and 3 forced fumbles.

A highlight reel:


There will be questions as to whether McKinley can be effective as a 4-3 DE because of his lack of ideal size, but if he's there in round two, his appeal as a pass rusher may be worth the gamble.

Previously profiled players

• September 1

  1. Zach Cunningham, LB, Vanderbilt
  2. Mitch Leidner, QB, Minnesota
  3. Jonah Persig, OT, Minnesota
  4. Sean Harlow, OG, Oregon State
  5. Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple

• September 3

  1. Samaje Perine, RB, Oklahoma
  2. Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU
  3. Elijah Hood, RB, North Carolina
  4. Adoree' Jackson, CB/PR/KR/WR, USC
  5. Zach Banner, OT, USC

• September 10

  1. Dorian Johnson, OG, Pittsburgh
  2. Deatrich Wise, Jr., DE, Arkansas
  3. Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
  4. Jalen Hurd, RB, Tennessee
  5. Royce Freeman, RB, Oregon

• September 17

  1. Damore'ea Stringfellow, WR, Ole Miss
  2. Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
  3. James Conner, RB, Pittsburgh
  4. Charles Harris, DE, Missouri
  5. Mike McGlinchey, OT, Notre Dame

• September 24

  1. Desmond King, CB, Iowa
  2. Malik McDowell, DT, Michigan State
  3. Jalen 'Teez' Tabor, CB, Florida
  4. Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford
  5. Johnny Caspers, OG, Stanford

• October 1

  1. Jourdan Lewis, CB, Michigan
  2. Freddie Stevenson, FB, Florida State
  3. Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
  4. Cordrea Tankersley, CB, Clemson
  5. Mike Williams, WR, Clemson

• October 8

  1. Dan Feeney, OG, Indiana
  2. Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
  3. Josh Reynolds, WR, Texas A&M
  4. Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee
  5. Donnel Pumphrey, RB, San Diego State

• October 15

  1. Ryan Switzer, WR, North Carolina
  2. Joshua Dobbs, QB, Tennessee
  3. Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
  4. Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
  5. Raekwon McMillan, LB, Ohio State

• October 22

  1. Amba Etta-Tawo, WR, Syracuse
  2. Dawaune Smoot, DE, Illinois
  3. Sidney Jones, CB, Washington
  4. Dede Westbrook, WR, Oklahoma
  5. Evan Engram, TE, Ole Miss

• October 29

  1. John Ross, WR, Washington
  2. Vita Vea, DT, Washington
  3. Taywan Taylor, WR, Western Kentucky
  4. Montravius Adams, DT, Auburn
  5. DeMarcus Walker, DE, Florida State

• November 5

  1. Anthony Walker Jr., LB, Northwestern
  2. Adam Bisnowaty, OT, Pittsburgh
  3. Sam Rogers, FB, Virginia Tech
  4. Curtis Samuel, RB, Ohio State
  5. Ethan Pocic, C, LSU

• November 12

  1. Nick Chubb, RB, Georgia
  2. Greg Pyke, OG, Georgia
  3. James Washington, WR, Oklahoma State
  4. JuJu Smith-Schuster, WR, USC
  5. Jeremy McNichols, RB, Boise State

  1. Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
  2. Isaiah Ford, WR, Virginia Tech
  3. Damontae Kazee, CB, San Diego State
  4. Tyler Orlosky, C, West Virginia
  5. Chad Wheeler, OT, USC

• November 26

  1. Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State 
  2. Pat Elflein, C, Ohio State
  3. Amara Darboh, WR, Michigan
  4. Chidobe Awuzie, CB, Colorado
  5. Marquez White, CB, Florida State

• December 3

  1. Jordan Thomas, CB, Oklahoma
  2. Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
  3. Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida
  4. Jarrad Davis, LB, Florida
  5. Wayne Gallman, RB, Clemson

  1. Cooper Kupp, WR, Eastern Washington
  2. Billy Brown, WR, Shepherd
  3. Gerald Everett, TE, South Alabama
  4. Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell
  5. Keionta Davis, DE, Chattanooga

  1. Steven Taylor, LB, Houston
  2. Nico Siragusa, OG, San Diego State
  3. Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo
  4. Michael Roberts, TE, Toledo
  5. Elijah McGuire, RB, Louisiana Lafayette

  1. Jeremy Cutrer, CB, Middle Tennessee State
  2. Harold Landry, DE, Boston College
  3. Garett Bolles, OT, Utah
  4. Hunter Dimick, DE, Utah
  5. Lowell Lotulelei, DT, Utah

  1. Marlon Mack, RB, USF
  2. Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
  3. Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan
  4. Erik Magnuson, OT/OG, Michigan
  5. Roderick Johnson, OT, Florida State

  1. Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
  2. Kevin King, CB, Washington
  3. Tyquan Lewis, DE, Ohio State
  4. Joe Mixon, RB, Oklahoma
  5. Carl Lawson, DE, Auburn

  1. Dalvin Tomlinson, DT, Alabama
  2. Carlos Watkins, DT, Clemson
  3. Tyrone Crowder, OG, Clemson
  4. Jordan Leggett, TE, Clemson
  5. Jadar Johnson, S, Clemson

  1. Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
  2. Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
  3. Chris Godwin, WR, Penn State
  4. Corn Elder, CB, Miami
  5. Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia


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