Philadelphia Eagles First-Round Mock Draft: Week 16 Edition

The Philadelphia Eagles are coming off of a convincing victory over the Washington Football Team, and just like that, they’re back in the thick of the playoff race.

Now, the next few weeks will be crucial, but the vibes in Philadelphia are positive moving forward (at least with the Eagles) after Jalen Hurts’ rebound performance last night. There is no longer a Quarterback controversy as, despite a shaky start, Jalen Hurts almost certainly sealed his starting job for the rest of the season.

This team, however, still has a multitude of missing pieces before they can truly be labeled a contender, primarily on the defensive side of the ball, which should be the focus of the draft this offseason.

Officially now with three first-round picks, the Eagles are in a great position come draft time.

That’s right after the Colts’ victory over the New England Patriots; Indianapolis quarterback Carson Wentz has officially played the projected 75% of snaps for the team’s season. This means that the second-round pick the Eagles traded Wentz for is almost certainly now a first-rounder.

This gives the Eagles a fantastic amount of ammo early in the draft, something that playoff contenders are not accustomed to. Philadelphia will have a tremendous opportunity to set this team up for long-term success.

There are still several areas where the Eagles could improve, especially when one considers pending free agents/aging players on the roster. Defensive end, cornerback, and of course, linebacker are all still questionable positions moving forward, and that’s just the defensive side of the ball.

When it comes to a draft philosophy, Howie Roseman should focus on returning the Eagles to their days as one of the premier defenses in the NFL.