Last Call at Draft Bar, Includes Appetizers and a Mock Draft Main Course
PHILADELPHIA – It’s last-call at the Draft Bar and Grille, where the mock drafts have been served hot and spicy for the last three months.
Before venturing into the haze of a late-April South Philly night, here’s one last helping of some draft appetizers and a heaping portion of the main course, the who-they-taking wings.
First, the apps:
A video of the night Carson Wentz was taken second overall in 2016:
Top five Eagles first-round picks since 1980:
QB Donovan McNabb (1999, 2nd overall)
WR Mike Quick (1982, 20th)
TE Keith Jackson (1988, 13th)
DT Fletcher Cox (2012, 12th)
OT Tra Thomas (1998, 11th)
The Eagles have had some other terrific first-round picks, so honorable mentions to Lane Johnson (2013, 4th), Brandon Graham, (2010, 13th), and Jerome Brown (1987, 9th).
Note: Reggie White was the first pick in the 1984 supplemental draft, but that doesn’t count here.
Top five Eagles first-round busts since 1980:
OG Danny Watkins (2011, 23rd overall)
DE Jon Harris (1997, 25th)
OT Kevin Allen (1985, 9th)
DE Marcus Smith (2014, 26th)
OT Bernard Williams (1994, 14th)
Some honorable mentions here include RB Michael Haddix (1983, 8th) and WR Freddie Mitchell (2001, 25th).
Favorite Eagles draft nugget: Tight end Jason Dunn was taken before future Hall of Fame safety Brian Dawkins in the 1996 draft. Both were second-round picks, but Dunn came with the 54th overall pick, Dawkins the 61st.
Now, the main course:
MY FINAL MOCK DRAFT
CB Jaycee Horn, South Carolina (12)
Edge Ronnie Perkins, Oklahoma (37)
WR Nico Collins, Michigan (70)
OG/C Kendrick Green, Illinois (84)
DL Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA (123)
CB D.J. Daniel, Georgia (150)
LB Dylan Moses, Alabama (189)
QB Ian Book, Note Dame (224)
S Jacoby Stevens, LSU (225)
WR Dazz Newsome, North Carolina (234)
TE Zach Davidson, Central Missouri (240)
I was tempted to take the cheese that Christian Darrisaw set out on Wednesday when NFL Media asked him about his dream position or teammate in the NFL and the Virginia Tech OT said: “My dream position going into the league would definitely be protecting Jalen Hurts Just seeing his journey and motivation, I definitely would like to play with a guy like that.”
Hmmm…makes you wonder if he was told by the Eagles that they’re taking him or if he was just trying to put himself in the conversation to be a top-15 pick. He’s likely a top 20 to 22 pick at the moment, but why wouldn’t he say Dak Prescott or even Jared Goff if he wanted to try to get into the top 10?
Sure, it would create logjam at left tackle with Andre Dillard and Jordan Mailata, but after last season’s injuries, an aging core of O-linemen, don’t be surprised if the Eagles lean in this direction.
I was also tempted to nibble on the words of DeVonta Smith, who told CBS Sports that, “It would be great (to catch passes from Hurts again). Jalen is a very talented quarterback and I'd love to play with him. He is a competitor and going to give you a chance to win every game."
Then the Alabama WR added this about the Eagles and their fan base: “It's a great organization and their fan base is second to none."
I went with Door No. 3 and the accompanying groupthink that Patrick Surtain II will go to the Cowboys at No. 10, the Eagles won’t be able to trade up to get him, and select Horn.
As far as going receiver with the second pick, as so many think will happen should the Eagles go CB in the first round, I veered off course a bit and went with a much-needed edge rusher from a school and coach they know well in Oklahoma and Lincoln Riley.
Like the O-line, the Eagles D-line is in flux with two aging veterans in Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham, and this was the reason for going with another defensive lineman in the fourth round.
The big flaw in my mock is no running back, but that will be a priority add after the draft. Or maybe they swap out Moses in the sixth round for a RB like Oklahoma’s Rhamondre Stevenson or OK State’s Chuba Hubbard. Then add a LB after the draft.
Perhaps they even wait until the draft is over to take another QB and use No. 224 on a RB like Buffalo’s Jaret Patterson or LB like TCU’s Garret Wallow.
Or maybe they make a trade for one.
Either way, the last call for the 2021 NFL Draft is upon us.
Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.
