The first wave of free agency is officially in the book, which means the NFL Draft is the next big event on the offseason calendar. In just over one month, the Cincinnati Bengals will officially be on the clock, and the dreams of 100\u2019s of collegiate athletes will finally come true. Trying to predict what will happen during the draft requires a lot of luck, as there are so many variables to account for. However, this Philadelphia Eagles mock draft takes a look at the players the Eagles could go after when April rolls around.<\/p>\n
Note that this Eagles mock draft does not include any trades due to the obvious issues with trying to simultaneously make decisions for two separate teams. Also note that this exercise was performed using the Draft Network\u2019s Mock Draft Simulator<\/a>, so all of these players have a decent chance of being on the board when Philadelphia is on the clock.<\/p>\n The Philadelphia Eagles need to do better for Carson Wentz<\/a><\/strong>. The former second-overall pick managed to singlehandedly carry the offense despite a lack of talent at receiver, and Philadelphia cannot let that happen again. Justin Jefferson<\/strong><\/a> is capable of dominating from the slot as an above-average route runner and has the catch radius and ball skills to bring in anything thrown in his general direction.<\/p>\n Justin Jefferson NFL Draft Profile<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Darius Slay<\/a><\/strong> will help Philadelphia\u2019s secondary, but the longtime Detroit Lion is not a long-term fix at the position. The Eagles could stand to add some youth to the cornerback room, and they take the best one left on the board. A.J. Terrell<\/strong><\/a> is a strong press coverage type of cornerback that should compete to start opposite Slay in Week 1. Even if he\u2019s not starting to open the season, it won\u2019t be long before he\u2019s a regular in the secondary.<\/p>\n A.J. Terrell NFL Draft Profile<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n Philadelphia addressed their secondary with the selection of Terrell, now it\u2019s time for them to address the linebacker position. Troy Dye<\/strong> is a solid tackler with above-average coverage skills and the speed to go sideline-to-sideline. He reportedly has a strong football IQ and would be a first- or second-round pick if it weren\u2019t for his undersized frame. He might struggle against the run, but his athleticism and coverage skills make him an easy selection with the 103rd<\/sup> pick.<\/p>\n It\u2019s hard to find a player with as much upside as Alton Robinson<\/strong> in the fourth round. The edge defender has all the athleticism you\u2019d ever need for the NFL combined with a strong first step and a high-powered motor. While he\u2019s too raw to be a three-down player right out of the gate, he\u2019d make a lot of sense as a situational pass-rusher in the short-term. If he adds another move or two to his pass-rushing repertoire and cleans up his technique, this pick could be an absolute steal.<\/p>\n Carson Wentz throws one of the prettiest deep balls in football, so you might as well pair him with one of the fastest players in the draft. Devin Duvernay<\/strong> ran a 4.39 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, but the film suggests he\u2019s capable of even more. While he\u2019s anything but polished at this point in his career, his speed is legitimately dangerous and he hardly drops anything. You could do a lot worse in the fourth round.<\/p>\n If any franchise knows the importance of the backup quarterback, it\u2019s the Philadelphia Eagles. Nick Foles<\/a><\/strong> is out of town, and Josh McCown<\/a><\/strong> probably won\u2019t be back in 2020. This leaves Nate Sudfeld<\/a><\/strong> as the primary backup, and that is not a good thing. Anthony Gordon<\/strong> is an aggressive downfield passer with solid touch and impressive pocket presence. While his arm strength and decision making leave something to be desired, he could probably keep the team afloat if Wentz misses a short amount of time with an injury.<\/p>\n J.R. Reed<\/strong> won\u2019t impress you with his athletic ability, but reports say that his football IQ is off the charts, and that shows up on the tape. The Georgia product excels at diagnosing where the ball is going to go and breaking down route combinations. He can be a solid backup, but his underwhelming athletic profile ensures that he\u2019ll never be a true starter.<\/p>\n At this point in the NFL Draft, you should just keep throwing darts at important positions and see what sticks. Lamar Jackson<\/strong> has ideal size and length, but needs to dramatically refine his technique before he\u2019s ready to become an NFL contributor. The Eagles need all the help they can get in the secondary and Jackson could be a nice multi-year development project for the coaching staff.<\/p>\n Main photo:Philadelphia Eagles Seven-Round Mock Draft<\/h2>\n
First Round (23rd<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU<\/h3>\n
Second Round (53rd<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 A.J. Terrell, CB, Clemson<\/h3>\n
Third Round (103rd<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 Troy Dye, LB, Oregon<\/h3>\n
Fourth Round (127th<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 Alton Robinson, EDGE, Syracuse<\/h3>\n
Fourth Round (145th<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas<\/h3>\n
Fourth Round (146th<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 Anthony Gordon, QB, Washington State<\/h3>\n
Fifth Round (168th<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 J.R. Reed, S, Georgia<\/h3>\n
Sixth Round (190th<\/sup> Overall) \u2013 Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska<\/h3>\n
\nEmbed from Getty Images<\/a>