Section 215
Fansided

Philadelphia Eagles: Predicting what the team’s “big board” looks like at 12

By David Esser

Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman speaks to the media during the 2020 NFL Combine in the Indianapolis Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2020; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman speaks to the media during the 2020 NFL Combine in the Indianapolis Convention Center. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
3 of 6
Next
Philadelphia Eagles Patrick Surtain II
Jan 11, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back Patrick Surtain II (2) against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2021 College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports /

3. Patrick Surtain II, CB

There’s no real reason for the Philadelphia Eagles to not like Patrick Surtain II, and considering the glaring hole that the team still has at CB2, selecting the standout Alabama corner at 12 (should he still be available) makes all of the sense in the world.

A proper 6-1 boundary corner, Surtain II would have an easy time getting accustomed to Jonathan Gannon’s physical style of defense in the secondary. Surtain II has plenty of experience guarding some of the best WR prospects in the world coming out of the SEC, and his large frame projects nicely to playing on the outside – a trait the Eagles have severely lacked for quite some time now.

It’s worth noting that the Eagles haven’t taken a cornerback in the first-round of the NFL Draft since 2002, and it was only done so at pick 26 (Lito Sheppard). However, Howie Roseman hasn’t been one oblivious to the CB position. He spent a second-round pick on Sidney Jones in 2018, a third-round pick on Rasul Douglas in 2017, and a fourth-round pick on Avonte Maddox also in 2017.

Additionally, Roseman traded away assets for Darius Slay last offseason, soon thereafter making him one of the highest paid cornerbacks in NFL history.

While the Eagles haven’t been an organization to typically prioritize the secondary in the first-round, this year might genuinely be the turning point. The team’s roster is noticeably thin at CB, Surtain II is really good at football, and newly hired defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon has a background as a DBs coach.

Home/Philadelphia Eagles