Eye on the Defense at Senior Bowl

Here are 10 prospects that may hold some interest to the Eagles as practices begin this week in Mobile leading up to Saturday's game (with roster of defensive players)

The Senior Bowl marks the unofficial start of draft season, and that means it begins this week with practices set to begin Tuesday in Mobile, Ala., followed by the game on the campus of the University of South Alabama on Saturday afternoon (2:30/NFL Network).

With 10 draft picks, including three in the first round – Nos. 15, 16, and 19 - and a second-round pick at No. 51, the Eagles will be fully invested in what’s happening in the deep south.

At the start of the 2021 season, there were 626 Senior Bowl alums on NFL active rosters, which means 37% of all NFL players played in the Senior Bowl.

So, it’s wise to pay attention.

It’s no secret that the Eagles have some holes that need to be filled on defense, especially at edge rusher. They could also use another defensive tackle, to say nothing about linebacker, cornerback, and safety. Basically, every level.

Here are some names to watch on defense at the Senior Bowl:

Jermaine Johnson, Florida State edge. He’s popped up in some mock drafts with the Eagles taking him in the second round. He may not be around at pick No. 51, but would he be worth a first-round selection? 

At 6-5, 262-pounds, Johnson has a good first step and recorded 11.5 sacks this past season for the Seminoles. He began his career at the University of Georgia as a linebacker but got a bit lost on the depth chart, so he transferred for his final season. Before leaving Georgia, he had seven sacks in 16 games over two seasons.

The Eagles need help on the outside, so there is a chance they take more than one edge rusher, with perhaps a first-round eye on some of the bigger names such as Michigan’s David Ojabo and USC’s Drake Jackson then double-dipping again at this position on day two or three.

Arnold Ebiketie, Penn State, edge. Originally from Cameroon, Ebiketie may not even be close to his ceiling, yet. The 6-3, 253-pound Ebiketie played his first three years at Temple, where he played just 16 games and had four sacks. He had a breakout season after transferring to Penn State, notching 18 tackles for loss with 9.5 sacks.

Devonta Wyatt, Georgia, defensive tackle. Who couldn’t use a 6-3, 315-pound specimen who wins with an explosive first step? He had seven tackles for loss with 2.5 sacks in the Bulldogs’ national championship-winning season, but his flexibility and ability to split blockers with his quickness could lead to a larger sack total at the next level.

Haskell Garrett, Ohio State, defensive tackle. He had 5.5 sacks last year and has good size and quickness at 6-2, 300. He has some weaknesses, such as strength and lack of anchoring in the run game, especially against double teams, that would need to be developed, but nothing that should happen at the next level.

Devin Lloyd, Utah, linebacker. Exactly what the Eagles could use, a 6-3, 235-pound athlete. There is no doubting his production at Utah with 111 tackles last season, 22 for loss, seven sacks and four, count ’em, four interceptions. How do you not take him if he’s sitting there at No. 15, unless Georgia’s Nakobe Dean – who is not at the Senior Bowl – is sitting there, too. Then it’s decision time.

Darrian Beavers, Cincinnati, linebacker. Note the school. The Eagles like Bearcats and would have a reason to like this one. He is 6-3, 242 and, In three seasons with Cincinnati and two with Connecticut, where he spent two years, Beavers had 230 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and three interceptions.

Chad Muma, Wyoming, linebacker. At 6-3, 242, he’s another rangy linebacker who can fly sideline to sideline and make tackles, like the aforementioned two. He had 266 career tackles in four years with five sacks and three interceptions.

Roger McCreary, Auburn, cornerback. Like Jermaine Johnson, McCreary is another player who has been linked to the Eagles in some mock drafts, but he may be the top corner off the board. The 6-0, 190-pound McCreary is a three-year starter with 30 passes defended and six career interceptions. He can play whatever coverage is needed, whether it’s press, man-to-man, zone. Playing in the SEC will also serve him well.

Coby Bryant, Cincinnati, cornerback. Another Bearcat to watch at a position the Eagles need help opposite Darius Slay. Perhaps the best part of Bryant – aside from his first name, which his parents gave him as fans of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant - is that, at 6-1, 198, he could also play safety. He won the Thorpe Award as the top defensive back in college. Position versatility and college success, with nine career interceptions and 35 passes defended, will likely see him go in the first round.

Kerby Joseph, Illinois, safety. Played more at free safety for the Illini, and the Eagles are in the market. The 6-0, 200-pound Joseph may not check all the boxes but following him through the pre-draft process isn’t a bad idea.

Here is the roster for defensive players at the Senior Bowl:

Defensive Lineman

American Team

Amare Barno (Virginia Tech)
Zachary Carter (Florida)
Micheal Clemons (Texas A&M)
Kingsley Enagbare (South Carolina)
Neil Farrell Jr. (LSU)
Jermaine Johnson II (Florida State)
DeAngelo Malone (Western Kentucky)
Phidarian Mathis (Alabama)
Josh Paschal (Kentucky)
John Ridgeway III (Arkansas)
Cameron Thomas (San Diego State)
Isaiah Thomas (Oklahoma)
Devonte Wyatt (Georgia)

National Team
Myjai Sanders (Cincinnati)
Travis Jones (UConn)
Dominique Robinson (Miami OH)
Logan Hall (Houston)
Boye Mafe (Minnesota)
Haskell Garrett (Ohio State)
Perrion Winfrey (Oklahoma)
Tyreke Smith (Ohio State)
Esezi Otomewo (Minnesota)
Arnold Ebiketie (Penn State)
Otito Ogbonnia (UCLA)

Linebackers

American Team
Damone Clark (LSU)
JoJo Domann (Nebraska)
Aaron Hansford (Texas A&M)
D’Marco Jackson (Appalachian State)
Jeremiah Moon (Florida)
Channing Tindall (Georgia)
Quay Walker (Georgia)

National Team
Terrel Bernard (Baylor)
Darrian Beavers (Cincinnati)
Mike Rose (Iowa State)
Jesse Luketa (Penn State)
Kyron Johnson (Kansas)
Devin Lloyd (Utah)
Sterling Weatherford (Miami, Ohio)
Chad Muma (Wyoming)
Brian Asamoah II (Oklahoma)
Troy Andersen (Montana State)

Defensive Backs

American Team
Tycen Anderson (Toledo)
Yusuf Corker (Kentucky)
Akayleb Evans (Missouri)
Mario Goodrich (Clemson)
Derion Kendrick (Georgia)
Zyon McCollum (Sam Houston)
Roger McCreary (Auburn)
Leon O’Neal Jr. (Texas A&M)
Alontae Taylor (Tennessee)
Cam Taylor-Britt (Nebraska)
Josh Thompson (Texas)
Tariq Woolen (UTSA)

National Team
Coby Bryant (Cincinnati)
Jalen Pitre (Baylor)
Joshua Williams (Fayetteville State)
Tariq Castro-Fields (Penn State)
Damarri Mathis (Pittsburgh)
Jaylen Watson (Washington State)
JT Woods (Baylor)
Gregory Junior (Ouachita Baptist)
Kerby Joseph (Illinois)

COMING TUESDAY: A look at 10 offensive players at the Senior Bowl

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Eagle Maven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglemaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.