Philadelphia Eagles Draft | Seven Round Mock 2.0

With the season over and the draft approaching, here’s an updated version of the Philadelphia Eagles’ seven-round mock draft.

Whoo baby, that was a game. If you had to convince someone to watch football for the rest of their life, and you only had one game to show them, you’d show them that game. I resent the Patriots for Super Bowl 39 as much as the next Eagle fan, but you’ve got to respect greatness.

Even though the Philadelphia Eagles have been in offseason mode for almost a month now, New England’s outstanding comeback victory firmly moves the NFL into the postseason. The Combine is in three weeks; the Draft, in eighty days. We call this “draft season,” people. In fall, the leaves change color; in tax season, H&R Block commercials triple in frequency; but in draft season…we just do a ton of mock drafts.

We had our Seven Round Mock 1.0 over a month ago. Players in that mock, like Texas A&M’s DE Daeshon Hall and Western Michigan’s OT Taylor Moton, had exceptional showings at the Senior Bowl, thereby increasing their draft stock and ruining my perfectly laid plan to snag them in Day 3. Clearly, players are reading and reacting to my mocks.

More from Philadelphia Eagles

• 4 Eagles on the Bubble Who Have Clinched Their 53-Man Roster Spots
• Best Pennsylvania Sportsbook Promos: Win $650 GUARANTEED Bonus PLUS $100 off NFL Sunday Ticket
• 3 Punters the Eagles Must Target to Replace Arryn Siposs
• Cowboys Trey Lance Trade Proves How Screwed They Are With Dak Prescott
• Devon Allen Took Britain Covey’s Job on Eagles

In all seriousness, you’ll hear many people questioning the value of these mocks, asserting they’re all for naught, as they couldn’t possibly be predictive of what will actually go down in April. Of course, they’re right. These pre-Combine, pre-Pro days, pre-interview, pre-final grade mocks are purely speculative. But they still have value: they help us understand what trends might occur. They contextualize what it means for a positional class to be “loaded” or “weak.” They clarify how a team might approach their positions of need.

For example, the Eagles’ first round selection in this mock may have not made it down to their pick a week ago, but recent developments might push him to the middle of Round 1. And the ramifications of these recent developments will impact the way the Eagles approach free agency, the needs they address in later rounds, their offensive scheme, so on and so forth.

That’s why you see all of these “Three scouts think Player A isn’t a first-rounder” and “Two GMs wouldn’t touch Player B” reports. Football has always been a game of inches, and getting just one player to drop one slot can have massive ramifications.

Color you intrigued? I hope so.

Before we begin, let me remind you of the Philadelphia Eagles’ needs, pre-free agency:

And the Eagles’ draft order, as it currently stands:

• 1st Round: 14th/15th overall (via Minnesota Vikings) (to be decided via coin flip with Indianapolis Colts at Combine) (there are a lot of parentheses for just this one pick, man)
• 2nd Round: Own pick
• 3rd Round: Own pick
• 4th Round: Own pick
• 5th Round: Browns’ pick (could become conditional 4th)
• 5th Round: Own pick
• 6th Round: Own pick
• 7th Round: Own pick

Alright, let’s get in to the Postseason Seven Round Eagles’ Mock 2.0

Round 1: Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

Barring a ridiculous fall by a top prospect, C-Daves should be the Philadelphia Eagles’ #1 target come April. Numero uno, people.

Every tape that comes out on Davis impresses me more and more. He doesn’t have my highest-graded WR game…or, for that matter, my second-highest either. But he’s as consistent as they come, with only one game in 2016 in which he didn’t dominate (vs. Wisconsin, in the Cotton Bowl. He was regularly doubled).

I did a scouting report on Davis a few weeks ago, but since then his grade has increased. He’s shown more success high-pointing the football–his biggest weakness on tape–and continued to demonstrate game-changing route-running and RAC ability. In the Philadelphia Eagles’ offense, predicated on getting the ball to their WRs in space, he’s the clear fit over Clemson WR Mike Williams, another stud WR with a completely different skill sit. A healthy Corey Davis goes for 1,000 yards in his rookie year. Book it.

A healthy Corey Davis.

Davis elected not to attend the Senior Bowl given a shoulder injury. Now, many players who could do very little to improve their draft stock–like Davis, a consensus Top-15 player–often have ‘injuries’ that preclude them from a presumably fruitless Senior Bowl week. There’s a solid chance Davis was suffering from a case of the ‘I don’t need to go’-es.

But during training for the Combine, Davis injured his ankle and now might not even attend the event. He never had an issue with injuries during a four-year, high-usage college career, but durability is always a quality teams track in their draft targets. And Davis’ might be in question.

If Davis attended the Combine in full health, I expected him to clearly demarcate himself as the WR1. Mike Williams may make a spectacular catch or, you know, seven, but Davis would excel in every physical test and most of the positional drills. His acceleration, flexibility, and straight-line speed shine on tape, and they would glow all the brighter in Indy.

But even if Davis makes it, he won’t be a full go. He can’t risk re-aggravating that ankle. And as such, Williams has an opportunity in March to solidify himself as WR1–or at the very least, muddy the waters of the conversation further. If a WR-needy team falls in love with Williams over Davis (Tennessee, Buffalo), the Bronco standout might fall to pick 14/15. And, if so, the Philadelphia Eagles will have a top-tier offensive weapon for years to come.

Round 2: Forrest Lamp, G, Western Kentucky

Another round, another small-school standout. Just as Davis, you’ve probably heard of Forrest Lamp. An athletic offensive tackle, Lamp dominated in the Hilltoppers’ spread offense, particularly in his standout tape against Alabama’s elite edge-rushers. Many had him projected as a first-round offensive tackle.

But then, Senior Bowl weigh-ins struck.

The commonly held floor for offensive tackle arm length is 33″. Can you play the position at a high level with shorter arms? Probably–I mean, OT Jason Peters has almost exactly 33″ arms, and you have to imagine if he lost 1/8″ he would still be a stud. But you need to have reach as an OT; you must be able to out-punch a pass-rushing technician and stonewall a bull rush. The shorter your arms are, the tougher your job becomes.

Forrest Lamp came in with 31 1/8″ arms. Eek.

It wouldn’t surprise me if, one day in Lamp’s career, he played a few snaps at OT–and it wouldn’t surprise me if he played well, too. But teams aren’t drafting Lamp as a tackle anymore–they’re drafting him as a guard, who may be able to play tackle in a pinch.

Speaking of teams drafting Lamp, drafting Lamp would be an incredibly wise move for the Philadelphia Eagles. They’d gain nice size in the interior line without sacrificing any athleticism. Lamp plugs in and plays at LG on Day 1 and may even compete with OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai for the RT position after Peters eventually retires and OT Lane Johnson moves to the left side.

An offensive line with Lamp, Johnson, and Seumalo could make a case for the most athletic in the NFL. The Eagles could easily run pull blockers outside of the tackle box or regularly move QB Carson Wentz’s launch point–a great strength of the young quarterback.

Round 3: Chris Wormley, DE/DT, Michigan

The more I think about it–and I’ve been thinking about it for a few weeks now–the more of a fan I am of Chris Wormley to the Philadelphia Eagles in the third round.

I previewed Wormley in our Senior Bowl watch list a couple of weeks ago, and he didn’t disappoint over the week of practices. He wins with his hands on almost every rep. He plays with a fantastic motor and outstanding leverage. With ideal size, he rarely gets moved off of his spot against the run. He flashes a pass-rush arsenal.

He can also hip toss, which is important, for some reason.

However, Wormley isn’t a true pass-rusher. He projects more as a 3-4 DE or a 5-technique at the next level. But I’m a touch higher on Wormley than most, and I think his versatility fits really on the Philadelphia Eagles’ front.

On early downs, line Wormley up as a DE. He’ll hold his gap against the run and keep the linebackers behind him clean. Wormley as a DE would, yes, necessitate a move away from the “Wide 9” technique which Jim Schwartz champions. But if you watch last year’s tape, the Eagles really didn’t run their DEs out of a wide alignment that often. They may want to draft that direction and get a pure edge-rusher, to use the wide front more often. But if they’re comfortable with the alignment as it is now, Wormley’s a guy to target.

On later downs, Wormley can drop inside as a pass-rushing DT. He really flashed this past week with his interior rush and versatility, solidifying my belief that he can regularly create interior pressure at the next level. I think Wormley and DT Fletcher Cox rushing together on 3rd down would really cause some headaches for opposing offenses.

An early pick on the defensive line might not be the glamorous selection, but the front six of Wormley, Bennie Logan/Beau Allen/Vinny Curry, Cox, DE Brandon Graham, and LBs Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham have an argument for the best defensive front in the game. And I think, with the addition of Wormley, they could finally play like it.

Round 4: Ahkello Witherspoon, CB, Colorado

I’m officially on the Ahkello train, man. Toot toot.

After ripping on Lamp for his arms, let’s talk about Witherspoon’s measurables: 6’3 with great length (waiting for the official measurement from the Combine), Witherspoon will receive copious comps to the “Seattle mold of cornerbacks.” Don’t buy that.

The Seattle secondary is a physical one. The biggest knock on Witherspoon has to be his physicality. He doesn’t tackle consistently and fails to set edges in the run game. In press coverage, he uses his length effectively, but doesn’t play with any particular violence or domination.

However, in off-man and zone coverage, he possess the football acumen, instincts, and anticipation to really disrupt passing lanes. Not the fastest guy on the face of the planet, he does possess the necessary quickness to close. He led college football in pass break-ups this year, which speaks both to the separation wide receivers were able to create against him, and the length, quickness, and ball skills that bailed him out. While he may not stick to a guy, he can sure cover ground when it counts and make plays on the football.

If the Eagles improve their pass rush in the offseason, Witherspoon is the sort of corner they’ll draft. He could eliminate the short passing game, generate turnovers, and eventually develop into an effective press corner.

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.

Round 5: Will Holden, OT, Vanderbilt

Everyone is lying to you. Will Holden was the biggest riser of Senior Bowl weekend.

Well, okay, not really. But he should have been.

Never heard of him, right? A three-year starter at Vanderbilt, Holden was called up on the last day of Senior Bowl practices after a great Shrine Game week. He flew in and started stonewalling pass-rushers like he was teaching a clinic. Swamped up in the pre-existing storylines, a lot of folks missed it. But if Holden had played in all three practices, you would hear a lot more chatter. There was a great piece done on him here.

Holden excels in the run game and against the bull rush, but does struggle with his kick-slide against quick edge rushers. I do, however, like his movement skills for a 310 lb tackle, love his recovery ability, and appreciate the patient use of his hands.

Holden has ideal size for the position, standing at 6’7 and eeking past the arm length threshold at 33 1/8″. He might also benefit from a move in to guard, but his height could prove a detriment there.

A few folks in the scouting world like to say “It’s only a problem when it is.” Sure Drew Brees is a shorter quarterback–but no more of his passes get batted down than other QBs, so the problem isn’t a problem. A lot of people thought Brandon Graham was too short to play DE–clearly, he disagreed.

While I’m still a big threshold guy, arm length is only a problem when it is. Arm length is predictive of an OT’s ability to pass block, and you don’t really see that issue with Lamp or with Holden. They both showed clean technique and effective edge protection on tape. Their arm length might lower their draft stock, as it makes them a riskier selection. But they still deserve the shot to play the position.

Many tackles who lack length move to the right side, which I anticipate will be the plan with Holden. Both Holden and last year’s 5th-round selection OT Halapoulivaati Vaitai will start the year as backups, before competing for Lane Johnson’s RT spot when he replaces Jason Peters on the blind side.

The Philadelphia Eagles have only drafted five OL in the past five years–but if they go this direction, they will have taken four in the past two. Youth is desperately needed along the offensive trenches. The last thing a team with a promising young quarterback should do is deprive him of adequate protection.

‘Sup, Andrew Luck?

Round 6: James Conner, RB, Pitt

This would be a really interesting pick for Philadelphia. James Conner’s well-documented battle with leukemia can be read and watched here, and there’s simply no questioning his intangibles and work ethic. I’d love to put a guy like this in the locker room and next to QB Carson Wentz.

But on the field, Conner’s a bit of an enigma. You can see significant differences in his 2016 tape compared to that of 2014. That is to say, he returned from chemotherapy a better running back, which is straight nonsense.

I have a lot of questions about his change of direction, vision, and balance, but at 240 lbs he moves with surprising quickness and decent lateral agility (he’s certainly cut weight, though. I’d but him at 220). While he doesn’t play with the best leverage, he’s improved his running style from 2014, and packs a considerable punch when he drops his pad level. You rarely see him fall at first contact. He plays tougher than anyone on the field.

I bring up the differences between 2014 and 2016 because Conner’s a redshirt junior. Given the improvement he showed, I would have loved for him to stay at school for 2017, two years removed from his chemo treatment, and really demonstrate to NFL teams his ability to be a complete back. If he had done so, it wouldn’t be as much of a projection for him.

But given the growth over that hectic 2015, I think Conner has the potential to develop into a spot-starter/strong tandem piece. Think RB Jonathan Stewart-esque. A good RB coach like Duce Staley can help him run with his pads in front and maximize his ability to get moving north and south. If the Philadelphia Eagles believe in 2016 5th-rounder RB Wendell Smallwood as a ‘lightning’ tandem back, this 2017 6th-rounder could bring the ‘thunder’.

Round 7: Freddie Stevenson, FB, Florida State

Yes! Let’s hear it! Pour one out for the fullbacks!

…

I figured as such. Look, Doug Pederson has made it publicly clear: he intends on investing in the fullback position. I fully expect the Philadelphia Eagles to move to a more power-based run scheme (or at least, a scheme more balanced between zone and power) under Pederson, and that movement necessitates a fullback. No more of this 4th TE nonsense. Get a guy who’s good at the position and put him in it.

Freddie Stevenson is good at the position. I went back to my favorite Dalvin Cook plays to find a good Stevenson look–it didn’t take long:

Clemson’s freshman defensive tackle, #90 Dexter Lawrence, is 340 lbs. He was a highly touted prospect, made waves on the Clemson defensive line, and will be drafted–high–when he inevitably declares for the NFL Draft a few years down the road.

Stevenson threw him to the turf like it was nothin’.

Over four years at Florida State, Stevenson showed a presence in the passing game, both as a receiver and a blocker. He grabbed a few totes in his own right, scoring five touchdowns on 25 carries. If the Philadelphia Eagles don’t draft a power back, Stevenson could fit the bill in short yardage situations.

Next: Philadelphia Eagles Draft | Running Back Positional Rankings

Which of the 53 roster spots must the Eagles surrender, should they carry a fullback? The fourth running back of 2016 is the obvious choice. As much as I love the young stable of Eagles runners, players like RBs Byron Marshall, Kenjon Barner, and Terrell Watson may be shown the door.

But hey. We’d have a fullback. That’s always fun, right?