Eagles-Only Mock Draft 2.0: Post-Free Agency Edition
Howie Roseman has learned his lesson over the years and rarely drafts for need in the first place, a nod to the scouting cliche of ‘need being the worst talent evaluator in sports.’
The Eagles have also now essentially draft-proofed their roster with the signing of players like Rashaad Penny at running back, Greedy Williams at cornerback, Nicholas Morrow at linebacker, and safeties Justin Evans and Terrell Edmunds during Phase II of free agency.
And that means it’s time for an updated mock draft.
We’re still over a month out from the annual selection process so we’ll leave potential trades off the table, for now, other than to say it’s likely Roseman will be moving down somewhere in the first three rounds to eliminate a massive hole in the middle of the draft (the Eagles enter the process without a pick in Rounds 4, 5 and 6).
Round 1, No. 10 overall - DT Calijah Kancey, Pittsburgh - Count me in when it comes to buying the hype on Kancey (6-foot-1, 281 pounds), the undersized pass-rushing menace who is virtually impossible to block.
The NFL is becoming more progressive when it comes to unique prospects not matching up with traditional physical traits and the Eagles tend to be ahead of the curve on such trends. The belief by the Philadelphia coaching staff is that you have to win early on the pass rush to combat quick-release times and Kancey defines that from the interior.
A quick note on Georgia's Jalen Carter: Even if Eagles security chief Dom DiSandro gives the thumbs up on the controversial prospect and Jeffrey Lurie approves it, the thought here is that the floor for Carter would be Chicago at No. 9.
Round 1, No. 30 overall - CB Emmanuel Forbes, Mississippi State - Forbes is skinny at just 166 pounds but he’s long at 6-1 and runs a 4.35 with a 37-inch vertical leap indicating a tremendous explosion.
With Darius Slay and James Bradberry locked in, this might be a luxury pick now but today’s luxury will be tomorrow’s necessity soon enough with Bradberry set to join Slay in the post-30 club.
Round 2, No. 62 overall - S Sydney Brown, Illinois - The Eagles lost both starters in free agency (C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Marcus Epps) and have penciled in Terrell Edmunds and Reed Blankenship as the replacements.
More talent is needed, though, and Brown could be ready to start early in his career because he’s got a ton of college experience as a five-year starter. There are some concerns over a maxed-out body but Brown held up as a box safety in college even though most expect him to be a post in the pros.
Round 3, No. 94 overall - RB DeWayne McBride, Alabama-Birmingham - The Eagles can’t assume Penny is going to stay healthy and the feeling I get from the organization is that Kenny Gainwell is thought of as the third-down and hurry-up back no matter what the fan base or even some media members perceive.
Philadelphia will add a back in what is a deep draft for the position. McBride is the type of value pick that could come in as a third-round pick and be a contributor early. He’s 215 pounds but runs bigger and was awfully productive in college.
Round 7, No. 219 overall - WR Ronnie Bell, Michigan - The Eagles lost Zach Pascal in free agency and need some real competition to push Quez Watkins as the WR3 after a down year.
Bell (6-foot, 190) would be nice value at this point and a worthy dart throw. He's a player who showed a well-rounded presence in his game at Michigan. He worked in the slot, got deep on occasion, and even made some defenders miss on the manufactured stuff.
Round 7, No. 248 overall - OT Richard Gouraige, Florida - When you’re this late in the draft why not give the lump of clay to your best assistant? Add in a prospect from Roseman’s alma mater and you have a perfect fit in Gouraige (6-5, 306), a prospect who showed a natural affinity for pass-blocking and zone-blocker schemes. Jeff Stoutland could make something out of that.
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Football 24/7 and a daily contributor to ESPN South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
