Philadelphia Eagles Draft | 6 East-West Shrine Game Targets
Here’s a guy that the Eagles have been meeting with a ton. Mike Kaye of First Coast News reported it first:
Everyone talks to everyone here but an Eagles scout just grabbed Gators DE Bryan Cox and has had roughly 20 min convo since end of practice.
— Mike Kaye (@mike_e_kaye) January 17, 2017
The thing about Cox isn’t the talent–he’s fluid, quick, and explosive–it’s the consistency. During the East Team drills, Cox demonstrates all of the physical traits necessary to excel at 4-3 defensive end in the NFL; during live work, Cox can vanish for extend periods of time. His motor will come into question, as will his temperament–he’s already gotten into a scuffle at St. Petersburg–but the upside is there for him to develop.
If the Eagles miss on Hendrickson, Cox is a late-round guy they could take a flyer on. Don’t forget, they did the same with his teammate, DE Alex McCalister, last year.
Projected Round: 7th
Austin Calitro, LB, Villanova
Another member of the East Team the Eagles have taken a look into. Turron Davenport of The Eagles Wire had the report:
#Eagles personnel had a lengthy conversation with Villanova LB Austin Calitro. He's a fit for them at ILB for sure. Special teams as well.
— TURRON DAVENPORT (@TDavenport_NFL) January 17, 2017
Another potential special teamer for Philadelphia. Remember, the Eagles picked up Joe Walker, MLB out of Oregon last year, and he had a great camp until an ACL injury cut his rookie season off. Calitro is one of the biggest linebackers at the Shrine Game, weighing in at 250 lbs–meanwhile, Walker’s a touch undersized for the position and might benefit from a move to outside linebacker, where the Eagles lack depth. Calitro does an excellent job sifting through traffic and plays with great range for his size. He’s a natural MIKE.
Calitro would take stud MLB Jordan Hicks‘ backup position permanently, while Walker would back up WLB Mychal Kendricks for the foreseeable future.
Projected Round: 6th