October 05, 2019
As long as you're taking in some college football action this Saturday, here are some players who could make sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Gladney appears at No. 13 on Bruce Feldman's freaks list:
The top cover man in the Big 12, Gladney had the lowest passer rating allowed (46.9), according to PFF and had a team-high 13 pass breakups, which placed second in the Big 12. The 185-pound Gladney isn’t just extremely fast — he ran a 4.34 in the 40 this offseason — but he’s insanely strong for his size. According to the Horned Frogs staff, he squats 620 pounds, benches 400 and cleans 400.
In 2018, Gladney had 41 tackles and 2 picks to go along with the aforementioned 13 pass breakups. A highlight reel:
Not only is Gladney perhaps a corner who can run down the field with big-league receivers, but his work in the weight room will give him a better chance of staying healthy than most of the corners already on the Eagles' roster.
Bredeson is approaching 40 starts over his college career, all at LG, which is a negative from the Eagles' perspective in terms of versatility, unless they're open to finding a starter replacement for Isaac Seumalo.
He's not the most athletic guard you'll find in this class, but he's a powerful blocker who plays with good balance both in the run game and in pass protection (he was a widely recruited offensive tackle coming out of high school), and he has some nastiness in his game. Here he is in Michigan's bowl game last year against Florida:
If the Eagles feel like Bredeson's extensive college experience puts him in a position to start quickly, Seumalo could serve as a backup who is able to play all five spots along the offensive line.
Betiku is a former five-star recruit from Nigeria who enrolled at USC, played sparingly in 2016 and 2017, got hurt in 2018 (hip surgery), and transferred to Illinois. In his first real full-time action at the college football level in 2019, he is second in nation in sacks after just 4 games, with 7. Here are his 3.5 sacks against UConn earlier this season:
Obviously, the Eagles can use more pass rush production from the edges.
While not a blazer, which you would prefer from a sub-200-pound receiver, Hill is a shifty, smooth slot receiver prospect, with a natural feel for the game. A highlight reel:
Here he is calling his shot twice this year on TDs, in which he pointed out man coverage.
K.J. Hill called his shot again pic.twitter.com/XVJvoLBC47
— Bill Landis (@BillLandis25) September 29, 2019
With Nelson Agholor likely to move on next offseason, the Eagles should be in the market for a slot receiver.
Hanson is considered by some to be the top senior center prospect in the nation, and could be as high as a Day 2 pick. Here he is against Stanford:
Jason Kelce has acknowledged that he has considered retirement in recent years, and the birth of his first child this week probably gives him even more reason to step away from the game. Whether Kelce leaves the NFL this upcoming offseason or after one more year, the Eagles would be smart to prepare for his departure.
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