How will Davion Taylor Phit in Philadelphia?
Davion Taylor became the ninth outside linebacker selected in the Draft when the Eagles took him with their third round pick, No. 103 overall. While he had to wait until late on day two to hear his name called, he was drafted by a team that’ll maximize his skillset and potential. Furthermore, he offers more upside than many of the OLBs taken before him, especially with his flexibility to shift either inside or to the Mike spot.
"This guy is one of the fastest, most explosive players in the draft," Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman said. "Obviously he’s got some raw in his game that’s why he’s there in the third round. But I think we have a vision for how he’s going to be used in our defense."
Previously, BuffsCountry wrote about why the Eagles would be one of the best landing spots for him. He’ll slide right into Jim Schwartz’s 4-3 defense while having the opportunity to minimally be featured in various packages that focus on stopping short-to-intermediate plays. With a run defense that ranked 30th in the league a year ago, the unit needs more guys who can prevent big plays on the ground, while taking some pressure off a maligned secondary.
This becomes even more important after the division rival Cowboys had receiver Ceedee Lamb fall right into their laps. Taylor’s closing speed and ability to quickly diagnose plays will definitely help in mitigating opposing team’s rushing attacks, while giving quarterbacks less time to throw.
Beyond the schematic reasons that make this a fantastic pick, Taylor will now have the opportunity to grow alongside three linebackers on rookie contracts in Nate Gerry, Duke Riley, and TJ Edwards. Gerry and Riley are young, developing, players who can do a little bit of everything. As the biggest of the bunch, Edwards will likely serve as the primary cover linebacker.
Contextually the pick makes a lot of sense. The team recently converted cornerback Jalen Mills to safety, and added veteran Will Parks in the offseason. Both moves gave them more guys who can play deep, creating a need to find true box hogs in the draft.
Philadelphia got younger and filled that need in commanding fashion by drafting the Mississippi native and Clemson safety K’Von Wallace in the fourth round. Now, the Birds have two young, physical, defenders that can play in a variety of different spots with the ability to make plays in the middle of the field and at the line of scrimmage.
Taylor has a dog mentality that Eagles fans love and is a fantastic fit in the city of brotherly love. As an added bonus, the Eagles were able to take him before Dallas, whose defensive coordinator, Mike Nolan, was visibly impressed with Taylor at his Pro Day.
Overall, this is a great fit for Taylor, as he’ll be playing on an already solid team that’s won the NFC East in two of the past three seasons, including a Super Bowl victory in 2017. It also gives him an excellent opportunity to develop into a solid starter for years to come, which is crucial for players drafted in the middle rounds.
