Philadelphia Eagles: 3 under the radar Day 2 targets in the 2020 NFL Draft

Darnay Holmes, Cornerback, UCLA

What? Three potential Day 3 targets in the 2020 NFL Draft and no linebacker? How is that even possible?

Well, there are a few solid coverage linebackers who could find their way to South Philly on Day 2 – my personal favorite being Oregon’s Troy Dye (more on that here) – but I figured I’d take things a different route.

Why? Because the Eagles really don’t value linebackers.

As things presently stand, the highest-drafted linebacker in the Eagles corps is Jatavis Brown, and he was a fifth-round pick by the then-San Diego Chargers. While adding coverage players has to be a priority regardless of what position they technically play, there are only so many cornerbacks left on the board who fit in Jim Schwartz’s man-press scheme.

Hopefully, Darnay Holmes is one of them.

A three-year starter for – you guessed it- Chip Kelly at UCLA, Holmes solidified his Day 2 draft position by after a fantastic showing at the 2020 NFL Combine, where he ran a 4.48 40 and put up 12 reps on the bench press.

I mean, check out the first play on his highlight reel here: That recovery speed, ball awareness, and willingness to play until the whistle blows is exactly what Schwartz likes to see at cornerback.

Holmes has good hands, great instincts, and the ability to mirror opposing receivers regardless of route. While you’d like to see him break up a few more passes, as he only defensed 17 passes over his three seasons in Westwood, Holmes made up for it by picking off eight passes in 35 games while also forcing two fumbles, scoring two touchdowns on defense, and a third as a kick returner.

Fittingly enough, Holmes’ game reminds me of Adoree’ Jackson, who played his college ball at UCLA’s cross-town rivals USC. Holmes didn’t moonlight as a receiver in college like Jackson, but I imagine he could have been good in that role too if Kelly wanted to get creative.

Like Jackson, Holmes measures in at sub-6-foot and may get pigeonholed as a slot-only player by some teams, but I’m of the belief that he can play on the outside due to his uncanny ability to stick with receivers and keep up with NFL speedsters. Height isn’t particularly important for Schwartz’s scheme, and Avonte Maddox is actually one inch shorter and 15 pounds lighter than Holmes.

Is he my first choice for a Day 2 slot option? No, of the players still available, I’d probably opt for Amik Robertson due to his pension for dropping the hammer on unsuspecting ball handlers (more on him here) or Terrell Burgess as a Malcolm Jenkins-lite do-it-all safety (more on him here), but if the Eagles want to add some electricity to their secondary who actually stands a chance at competing for snaps on the outside, Holmes is a very good option all things considered.

Other options: LA Tech’s Amik Robertson, Utah’s Terrell Burgess

Pro comp: Adoree’ Jackson