2017 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles Post-Combine 7-Round Mock Draft
Now that the NFL Combine is over and done with, here is a Philadelphia Eagles post-combine seven-round mock draft.
The Philadelphia Eagles are officially 2-0 in 2017. They defeated the Dallas Cowboys on Jan. 1 and then defeated the Indianapolis Colts on March 3. The Cowboys victory came in Week 17, a game that did not matter much as the Eagles were already out of playoff contention, but the victory over the Colts was more important.
It may not have been a game that counts for the Eagles win-loss record, but the victory will allow them to pick 14th in the 2017 NFL Draft instead of 15th. They had a 50-50 chance to win a coin flip against the Colts, and with general manager Howie Roseman standing on the stage to represent the Eagles, he hit a Rocky-like pose after coin flip landed their way.
Weirdly enough, this pick wasn't originally held by the Eagles. Their first-round pick was sent to the Cleveland Browns in a trade to acquire quarterback Carson Wentz. That pick, the Eagles original pick, is No. 12 in the draft. However, the Minnesota Vikings were in need of a quarterback, so the Eagles sent their former starter, Sam Bradford, to Minnesota for a first- and fourth-round pick.
That first-round pick has become valuable after the Vikings had a rough backend of their season. So, the Eagles got their franchise quarterback by giving up a 2017 first-round pick (and more), then traded their current starter (Bradford) to get a 2017 first-round pick back. And then that pick ended up being only two slots behind their original draft pick. That is a major win for the Eagles and will be big for their franchise.
Philadelphia has a ton of holes on their roster, but with eight picks in the 2017 NFL Draft, they will try to change that. The NFL Combine is part of the process of evaluating talent, but that is now over. Following the festivities in Indianapolis, we look at a seven-round mock draft for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Mar 6, 2017; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back Gareon Conley runs the 40 yard dash during the 2017 NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Gareon Conley
Cornerback, Ohio State
via Minnesota Vikings
Looking at the Eagles roster as a whole, the biggest hole on their team is at cornerback. All season long the Eagles were gashed by opposing wide receivers and their cornerbacks were a huge letdown. They signed Leodis McKelvin in the 2016 offseason, but that band-aid has already fallen off the wound. McKelvin was released not even one year after signing with the team. Nolan Carroll is there too, but he is a free agent and he is a No. 2 corner, at best.
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A lot of people around the Eagles are excited about cornerback Jalen Mills, the 2016 seventh-round pick, but Mills has a lot to work on in his sophomore season. He was burned on countless occasions and there is no way the Eagles can trust him to be their No. 1 cornerback in 2017.
That is why the Eagles must go cornerback with their first pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. This pick is a gift given to them by the Vikings, but the Eagles need to make sure they don't open a pack of socks. Which is exactly why the take former Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley with the 14th pick.
I mocked Conley to the Eagles in my midseason three-round mock and I am sticking to my guns—especially because Conley had a solid Combine to cement what I see on film. Conley may not even be the biggest name at cornerback from Ohio State in this draft class, but I feel like he will be the one we talk about the most when it is over.
Conley is a guy that can come in right away for the Eagles and become their No. 1 cornerback. He measured in at 6-0 and weighed 195 pounds at the Combine. He also had 33-inch arms, which shows on film because he plays with his length well. His is fast twice to the ball and can make a play when the quarterback thinks he has his receiver open. He ran a 4.44-secon 40-yard dash at the Combine, which shows he has the long speed to succeed as well.
His speed, matched with his size and ability make me believe he is exactly what the Eagles need. I said the pick might not be popular in November, and it may not be popular yet in March, but Conley is a perfect fit with the Eagles and should be the guy that select in April.
Jan 28, 2017; Mobile, AL, USA; North squad wide receiver Zay Jones of East Carolina (7) catches a a pass for a touchdown against South squad cornerback Arthur Maulet of Memphis (28) during the fourth quarter of the 2017 Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. The South won 16-15. Mandatory Credit: Glenn Andrews-USA TODAY Sports
Zay Jones
Wide Receiver, East Carolina University
Cornerback is the obvious need for the Eagles defense and wide receiver is the obvious need for their offense. The Eagles decided to make Wentz their franchise guy, but they did not surround him with weapons in his rookie season. That will change in year two, whether it is in free agency, the draft, or both.
Every other day the Eagles are connected to a potential free agent wide receiver, so it looks like they will take that route to help Wentz. There are also rumors that they may trade for New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks, which they should.
However, for this mock draft, the Eagles still haven't traded for Cooks and they haven't signed any free agent wide receivers, so East Carolina wide receiver Zay Jones makes perfect sense. Jones is a stud and is the all-time receptions leader in FBS history with his 399 catches in four seasons. He also has the record for most receptions in a season with 158. Catching that many passes meant one thing: the man can catch the ball.
Jones is a natural hands catcher who should be on an instructional video for catching the football. Everything he does looks so natural when a lot of the times the level of difficulty is so high. He can catch the football in tight spaces and is also able to climb the ladder and high point the ball. The one big question about Jones was his top-end speed, but he silenced the critics running a 4.45-second 40-yard dash at the Combine. The Eagles need a wide receiver like Jones and, if he somehow falls into the second round, the Eagles need to lock him up.
Sep 17, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Chidobe Awuzie (4) rushes on Michigan Wolverines quarterback Wilton Speight (3) and causes a fumble in the first quarter at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Chidobe Awuzie
Cornerback, Colorado
Going cornerback again in the second round was tempting, but since I still had Jones on the board, the Eagles went with a pass-catcher. However, the Eagles need to take two corners in the first three rounds (barring any trades or free agent signings). Ideally, the Eagles will draft their two starting cornerbacks with those two picks in the 2017 NFL Draft, so they add Colorado's former cornerback Chidobe Awuzie with their third round pick.
Awuzie would be a steal in the third round and in my opinion. He could be a starter for any team in his rookie season. His strength is his man coverage and man does he excel at that. He is a guy you could trust to lock on whoever you tell him to cover. You may be wondering why he would still be here in the third round. Well, this cornerback class is so deep that it would not surprise me. It also wouldn't surprise me if he went in the second round, but Philly gets lucky again and gets a major steal in the draft.
He isn't the best run support cornerback, but that doesn't mean he can't tackle. Colorado sent him on a ton of blitzes and he had nine career sacks, eight in his last two seasons. Awuzie also had 265 total tackles in four years at Colorado with six forced fumbles, so this guy can play.
His 4.43-second 40-yard dash at the Combine answered any questions about his speed, so Awuzie is a real target for the Eagles. He even said himself (via Turron Davenport of The Eagles Wire) that he'd like to play for the Eagles. Here, they draft him with the 74th overall pick in the draft.
Jan 2, 2017; New Orleans , LA, USA; Oklahoma Sooners running back Joe Mixon (25) runs down the sideline against the Auburn Tigers in the second quarter of the 2017 Sugar Bowl at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Mixon
Running Back, Oklahoma
Before I even get into this selection, let me start by saying that I do not condone nor do I support men who hit women. It is wrong and disgusting, but a relevant topic in the world we live in (sadly). The 2017 NFL Draft has been a big topic of discussion when regarding domestic violence, mainly because one of the best players in the draft class, former Oklahoma running back Joe Mixon, hit a woman.
Mixon was suspended for a full season but returned to the field after his suspension. However, it did not just disappear, as the video was released years later, showing the horrible decision Mixon made. This has caused an uproar during the draft, so much that he wasn't invited to the NFL Combine. Regardless of what you think, Mixon is a potential draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft and someone will pull the trigger on him. I feel that the team to do it will be the Eagles.
They took Jalen Mills last year, who was arrested for domestic violence in college and also had some interesting choice of words regarding the matter. This leads me to believe that the Eagles feel they have a good group of people to surround players who need the help, especially after they took Mills.
On the field, Mixon is a beast. I think that had it not been for his incident, he would be a first-round pick. He was the No. 1 recruit coming out of high school and that talent is still there today. NFL.com's Lance Zierlein compared Mixon to Le'Veon Bell, and I think that comparison fits him well. He can take games over with his legs, but also can be a threat out of the backfield catching the ball. He would easily be the best running back on the Eagles roster and would be the starter right away.
Oct 22, 2016; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines tight end Jake Butt (88) runs for a touchdown in the first half against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Jake Butt
Tight End, Michigan
via Cleveland Browns
Tight end may not be a position of need when looking at the Eagles, but it could be a position the Eagles can add a first round player in the fourth round. That player is former Michigan tight end Jake Butt.
The 6-5, 246-pound tight end could have been a first-round pick, but a torn ACL in the Citrus Bowl ended that chance. There was no guarantee that Butt would be taken within the first 32 picks, but there was also no chance he would be on the board in the fourth round had it not been for the injury.
Butt is limited when it comes to run blocking at the next level and he struggled in college helping in the run game. However, that isn't Butt's game. He is a guy that can catch passes for you all over the field. His hands are strong and he can high point the ball to make the difficult catches. His ability to go get the ball will make him an immediate red zone target, but his fearlessness to get hit in the middle of the field will make him a guy that teams want on third down.
Philly may already have Zach Ertz and Trey Burton, but being able to add receiving tight end with this ability in the fourth round should be too much for the Eagles not to take him. Butt will most likely sit out most of, if not the entire, 2017 season. Ertz has been a solid tight end, though he hasn't been what the Eagles have needed at times. His numbers are misleading and adding more depth at the position could be important if he doesn't take the next step. The Eagles could save $4.8 million if they moved on from Ertz after the 2017 season and Butt could be the guy to replace him, for an extremely bigger bargain.
Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Alex Anzalone
Linebacker, Florida
I am a little biased when it comes to former Florida Gators linebacker Alex Anzalone. Being from Pennsylvania, I got to watch Anzalone play his high school football. He was a dominant high school player and Rivals had him as the No. 2 linebacker in the country. He then committed to Florida, my favorite college team outside of the Ithaca Bombers, my alma mater. That meant that I watched Anzalone play his college ball too, so I have a good source of knowledge of him.The only problem was is that his injury history is extensive. Anzalone has a ton of talent, but his health is his biggest flaw. NFL.com pointed out that "he spent almost as much time on the trainer's table than on the field during his career," which is actually factual. But when he is on the field, Anzalone is a stud.Just like Butt, Anzalone may go earlier in the draft had it not been for his injuries, but he will definitely drop because of them. He had a great NFL Combine, running a 4.63-second 40-yard dash, which was good enough for the fourth-best out of any linebacker. He can play any position you need him to play and will be an asset for any defense. The Eagles need to make sure his medicals check out first, but if they do, they need to try and get another big steal in the draft. If he stays healthy, Anzalone could easily start at linebacker in the NFL—he just needs to stay healthy.Next: Round 6, Pick 194
Sep 24, 2016; Tempe, AZ, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Davis Webb (7) passes the ball against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Sun Devil Stadium. The Sun Devils won 51-41. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Davis Webb
Quarterback, CAL
Many fans will see that I have the Eagles taking a quarterback in this mock draft and tell me I am stupid. Well, I may be stupid, but a late-round quarterback is realistic for the Eagles with the rumors of them trading backup quarterback Chase Daniel. I believe that Daniel will be dealt, which means the Eagles will need a backup quarterback. They could sign another veteran guy, and they may, but I feel that Doug Pederson and company will add another young arm in the quarterback room. That player is former Cal quarterback Davis Webb.
At the NFL Combine, Webb was oddly similar to the Eagles franchise quarterback:
These numbers are only part of the game, but Webb's similarities to Wentz could be very intriguing for the Eagles. Adding a similar player to Wentz would be huge, but Webb needs a lot of coaching. He is far from Wentz on the field, though, that doesn't mean he can't turn into a great backup quarterback for the Birds. They have a great coaching staff in place for a young quarterback, so he would love to be in Philly to try and master his craft.
I love the fit for Webb and the Eagles and if he is there in the sixth round, this could be a great pick for everyone involved. I doubt he will last this long, I would take him within the first two rounds, but his accuracy issues matched with his inflated offenses could push teams away and have him landing in the fifth to seventh round.
Oct 23, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) lines up behind the offensive line in a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Lincoln Financial Field. The Philadelphia Eagles won 21-10. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jordan Morgan
Guard, Kutztown
The Eagles wait to address the offensive line until their final pick in the final round of the 2017 NFL Draft. This could be a mistake, but their offensive line is good enough to protect Wentz in 2017. There are bigger needs for the Eagles and they can use their 2018 first-round pick on an offensive lineman to play right tackle.
I would not be surprised if the Eagles signed an offensive lineman in free agency to assure them depth in case of an injury. We do not know who they will sign, so for now, they take Division II offensive lineman Jordan Morgan out of Kutztown. Morgan was the best offensive lineman in DII football last season and his invite to the Senior Bown and NFL Combine show that the NFL is taking him seriously.
Morgan could go earlier than this in the 2017 NFL Draft, but after an average showing at the NFL Combine, he could drop to the seventh round. He played left tackle at Kutztown, though, his game is best suited at guard in the NFL. Morgan is a nasty run blocker and has the potential to develop his pass protection in the NFL. He may not start in 2017, but Morgan has potential to become a starter down the road. This would be a great pick for the Eagles in the seventh round and I would bet Morgan makes their roster if he is drafted by them.
