Philadelphia Eagles First-Round Mock Draft: Week 16 Edition

The Philadelphia Eagles are set for the future at two different spots at cornerback. Darius Slay will continue to lock down one side of the field while Avonte Maddox has become one of the premier slot corners in the entire NFL. With that being said, Steven Nelson will likely be gone after the season, and the Eagles’ depth thereafter isn’t exactly convincing.

While Howie Roseman could decide on another bandaid like Nelson, considering the future prospects at corner for the Eagles (or lack thereof), it’s much more sensical to draft someone who can be Slay’s partner in crime for now and also his heir.

Few cornerbacks have impressed this season, like Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner. His size, his speed, his competitive fire, all of these have made Gardner one of the most exciting players to watch on the outside. He’s been able to make steller plays for the Bearcats not just in coverage, but he also ranks first among cornerbacks in sacks (3.0) in all of college football.

That’s just icing on the cake for Ahmad Gardner, though, who could legitimately become a top-flight corner. The general consensus is that Gardner will be better off in a zone-heavy scheme, but he certainly has the ability and the tools to thrive in both zone and man situations.

Gardner could prove to be just the firecracker the Eagles need on the outside and one of the outspoken leaders on the defense for years to come.