Philadelphia Eagles Draft | Seven Round Mock 2.0

Round 5: Paul Magloire Jr., LB/S, Arizona

You know the linebacker/safety hybrid that is all the rage these days? Yeah, the Philadelphia Eagles don’t have one. And now they do.

Magloire is a straight athlete, man. Absolutely rocked up at 6’1 and 218 lbs, he has tape coming off the edge as a blitzer, reading keys and shooting gaps as an off-the-ball linebacker, covering TEs, WRs, and RBs man to man, dropping into a zone, and spying the quarterback. He impressed in the Shrine Game with his versatility and will continue to shine at the Combine, where his athleticism will highlight him among all other LBs.

Will he be an NFL starter? Heck no–though his impact on special teams will be immediate. He could develop into a starting role, but I’d be a touch surprised. He doesn’t have a real fit at the next level. He’s a chess piece. That’s the value he brings to an NFL defense.

If (read: when) the Eagles let LB Mychal Kendricks walk, Magloire could immediately replace him as a situational blitzer and pursuit run-stopper while proving much more effective in coverage. His presence allows the Eagles to play the much more flexible 4-2-5 defensive look…while still playing a 4-3. That’s the versatility this kid offers.

An aggressive player, Magloire makes some boneheaded errors and all too easily bites on misdirection/fakes. If he learns how to play with discipline, he could become a 12th man of sorts for the Philadelphia Eagles’ defense. You know those inevitably dominant TE Jordan Reed games that make your stomach turn twice a year? That’s a problem. Meet the solution.