Three Round Eagles Mock Draft: How Do The Birds Fly Again?
The Philadelphia Eagles are in the midst of one of the worst possible collapses in recent memory. The defending NFC champions have lost four of their last five contests entering Week 18, and have significant deficiencies on both sides of the ball.
From a talent perspective, the offense figures to have a far less dire situation. They have an elite QB, solid RB play, and a sensational offensive line. The Eagles could use depth at wide receiver and tight end, but it seems most of their issues can be attributed to ineffective playcalling. Roseman will be tempted to bolster the future of the offensive line but would be better served to address the most dire parts of the roster first.
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Defensive, Philadelphia's situation is dire. Aging cornerbacks Darius Slay and James Bradberry have sharply declined, and the Eagles rank 28th in the league in pass yards allowed (entering Week 18). The linebacker play has been inconsistent, as the Eagles' focus on premium trench positions has led to their second level being exposed. Moreover, Philadelphia ranks 21st in rushing yards per carry (4.3) and needs to inject some youth into their defensive line depth also.
There are many holes on the roster, seemingly overnight. However, the Eagles have two second-round selections and have the resources to address their issues and regroup for the 2024 season.
First Round, Pick 26: Kamari Lassiter, CB Georgia
The Eagles desperately need to address their cornerback position. Kamari Lassiter comes from a Georgia program that Howie Roseman has a proclivity towards, as the players come to the NFL already battle-tested against stellar competition.
The Bulldogs' defensive back allowed just a 37.5% completion rate this season and forced ten incompletions. He had a PFF coverage grade of 86.4, and the Eagles hope that he can be their future padlock at outside cornerback.
Second Round, Pick 45: Edgerrin Cooper, LB Texas A&M
The Eagles must invest in the linebacker position. The NFL has prioritized premium positions more and more as analytics have become a fundamental part of team building and allocating the appropriate resources to a roster.
As a result, General Manager Howie Roseman has been reluctant to use high draft picks or large contract signings on the second level of the defense. The result has been significant struggles and inconsistent play. Nicholas Morrow has been picked on in some games, having two horrendous performances against the Buffalo Bills and San Fransisco 49ers in which he had a PFF coverage grade of under 31 in both games.
Contrastingly, Edgerrin Cooper has a PFF grade above 84.9 in coverage, pass rush and run defense. The Texas A&M prospect has solid size at 6'3", 230 pounds, and had 17 tackles for loss and eight sacks in 2023.
Second Round, Pick 58: Javon Bullard, S Georgia
Another Georgia defender? Roseman will not mind that at all.
The Eagles need an injection of youth and talent into their secondary and must emphasize it with multiple selections in the NFL Draft. As a result, the Eagles snag another battle-tested college prospect who had an 87.2 PFF coverage grade in 2023. Bullard allowed just a 38.5 passer rating when targeted, and had a phenomenal 25.9% forced incompletion rate.
Third Round, Pick 97: Braden Fiske, IDL Florida State
This selection was tough.
The Eagles will find significant value in adding depth to the trenches here. While the offensive line could use additional depth with the likely retirement of veteran superstar Jason Kelce, Roseman drafted Alabama lineman Tyler Steen as a contingency in 2023. As Jurgens moves to center, Steen can slide to right guard.
Alternatively, Roseman may opt to add some depth to an aging defensive line. Braden Fiske has solid size at 6'5", 297 pounds. He had nine tackles for loss last season and six sacks, as well as an impressive 8.9% pass-rush win rate and 8.5% run-stop rate according to PFF. He also exploded for three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss against Louisville.
There is also merit for wide receiver depth here, but that may be an easier position to attempt to find in free agency.
The Eagles must commit significant resources to improve the back seven of their defense. Thus, in this mock draft, the first three picks are all used to improve these roster holes to enter the 2024 season with a far more complete team.
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