The NFL Combine is officially underway, and the Philadelphia Eagles should have their eyes on plenty of prospects. The Eagles have a good roster as is, but they’ll need to hit on a good percentage of their draft picks to take their roster to the next level. The NFL Combine isn’t the be-all, end-all when it comes to scouting, but it’s a large part of the process. Nobody knows exactly what Howie Roseman will do, but these prospects should be on Philadelphia’s radar.
Philadelphia Eagles NFL Combine Prospects to Watch
Wide Receivers
The Eagles don’t stand much of a realistic chance at landing Jerry Jeudy or Ceedee Lamb, but all eyes should be on Henry Ruggs. While not quite as good as Jeudy, Ruggs possesses game-breaking speed and, as discussed in our draft profile, is more than just a one-trick pony. Ruggs’ draft stock appears to be climbing, so Eagles fans should be rooting for a poor combine. Ruggs is supposedly capable of running a 4.24 40-yard dash, and if he hits that mark, he probably won’t be on the board at pick 21. However, if he lands in the 4.30 range, the Eagles stand a chance at grabbing him.
If the Eagles cannot get Ruggs, Laviska Shenault and Tee Higgins could be nice consolation prices. Most NFL Draft analysts have these two as the fourth and fifth-best receivers in the class, in some order. Shenault has a bit of an injury history, so he needs a strong combine to justify the first-round pick. Higgins, meanwhile, specializes at overpowering defensive backs and winning contested catches. This skillset doesn’t always translate to the NFL, but he could reduce some worry if he tests well at the Combine.
Cornerbacks
The 2020 cornerback draft class isn’t nearly as stacked as the wide receivers. If the Eagles choose to pick a cornerback in the first round, it will probably be one of Trevon Diggs or Kristian Fulton. These two are similar prospects, with Fulton measuring in at 6’-0” and 200 pounds and Diggs coming in at 6’-2” and 207 pounds. Both cornerbacks have ideal builds for the position, can force incompletions, and can hold their own in press coverage. Choosing between the two is just a matter of preference, and the NFL Combine could go a long way in determining who ends up hearing their name called first during the 2020 NFL Draft.
Safeties
The 2020 NFL Draft doesn’t have any elite safety prospects, so everyone is on the table for Philadelphia. Grant Delpit looked like a sure-fire prospect in 2018 but suffered a relatively underwhelming 2019 campaign. The LSU product has ideal range for the position but struggled with tackling. If Roseman and company decide that Delpit’s tackling issues were due to a high-ankle sprain, then he could end up being a steal at 21.
If, however, they feel that Delpit’s 2019 is more reflective of who he is moving forward, the Eagles could go with the safer pick in Xavier McKinney. McKinney could solve two needs at once, as the Alabama product has the ability to play both safety and slot cornerback. While he may not have an elite ceiling, he can do a little bit of everything at a solid level.
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