Philadelphia Eagles Draft | 10 Senior Bowl Players to Watch
Dion Dawkins, OT, Temple
Dawkins is another offensive lineman who should interest Philadelphia in the middle of the draft. Built like a refrigerator (6’3, 307 lbs, 84.5″ wingspan), draft experts will debate his fit at the next level. While he played left tackle–and played it well–at Temple, his lack of foot speed and stiff kick-slide may necessitate a move to guard. I expect the Eagles to fall in love with Dawkins’ versatility (as they did with current OL Matt Tobin and Allen Barbre).
Dawkins loves to pave the road in the run game and finishes blocks well, playing with great power that would translate to guard, should he make the switch. I expect him to shine on the bench press at the Combine, as his long arms regularly forklift defensive ends into the second level.
Dawkins played well in pass-protection at Temple, showing patience and nice punch on the outside. When he engaged squarely with an edge rusher, he rarely lost. However, watching his kick-slide gives makes you cringe–it’s robotic, slow, and beatable. He’ll regularly get smoked by speed rushers on the outside at the next level, and when he feels he’s losing position, he starts to lunge instead of riding the defenders around the hoop. During North team practices, he’ll strive to show improvement on the edge in 1-on-1 reps. Any team that drafts Dawkins as a tackle needs to be aware of these issues and have a plan in place to mitigate them.
If Philadelphia grabs Dawkins, they’ll likely give him a shot at tackle–given his size and collegiate success, I know I would. He could grow into the third option behind OTs Lane Johnson and Vaitai, with the ability to play guard in a pinch. The Eagles value versatility–I think they’ll look for the Philadelphia-grown product early on Day 3.
Projected Round: 4th
Nico Siragusa, G, San Diego State
Donnel Pumphrey, one of the earlier players on this list, owes his spot in part to guys like Nico Siragusa, the left guard on the line that so often opened up running lanes in San Diego State. A multi-year starter, Siragusa’s got a thick lower half and plays with nice leverage, often winning off of the snap. He moves with surprising agility for a man his size (though nobody would exactly call him a fluid athlete), and he can pull effectively in the run game. He shows nice power when down blocking or moving to the second level.
In the passing game, Siragusa can anchor but needs to learn how to settle his weight and keep balance. He often gets caught over-reaching, and while he moves his feet well and re-anchors in the face of twists, stunts, and blitzes, defensive linemen on the next level are going to push-pull Siragusa into oblivion unless he learns how to punch more effectively and patiently. Siragusa must prove to the South team coaches that he can win 1-on-1 pass-rushing drills against a variety of rushers.
Next: Philadelphia Eagles Draft | 6 Shrine Game Targets
A lot of revamping and revitalization is on the horizon for the Eagles’ offensive line. If the new coaching staff and front office choose to continue developing an athletic, smaller line–as I expect they will–Siragusa could fit nicely as a mid-round pick. The Philadelphia Eagles under previous HC Andy Reid had a habit of taking mid- to late-round linemen consistently, to promote continuity and depth in the trenches. Given the OL selections last year (Isaac Seumalo in the 3rd, Halapoulivaati Vaitai in the 5th), I expect more of the same.
Projected Round: 4th