Philadelphia Eagles: 3 more prospects to keep an eye on in the third round

Tyler Shelvin, DT

Selecting a defensive tackle so early on in the draft may seem counterproductive when you consider the fact that Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave are being paid big money to play the position, but interior defensive line is an underrated need for the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.

Not only is defensive line depth a concern in general, but the expected departures of Malik Jackson and Hassan Ridegway this offseason leave the Eagles with pretty much nobody at that DT3 position.

A 6-3, 362lbs space eater, Tyler Shelvin is likely better suited as a true nose tackle in a 3-4 defensive scheme. However, the Eagles haven’t shied away from converting 3-4 players to 4-3 players in the past, and Shelvin has the athletic makings of someone who could excel as an early-down defensive lineman alongside an elite pass-rusher like Cox.

Shelvin’s college statistics are nothing special due to the role he was being asked to play, but the mountain of a man stands out when studying film due to his ability to eat up blocks. He was double-teamed quite a bit at LSU, which made his defensive line teammate’s lives that much easier.

“Building though the trenches” has long been a philosophy that Howie Roseman has subscribed to. By snagging Shelvin in the third, the Eagles would once again have three above average defensive tackles to rely on in 2021.