Ed Kracz's Eagles Mock Draft 1.0: Full Order Revealed With Release of Compensatory Picks
The Philadelphia Eagles have eight picks now in the NFL draft after the NFL released its compensatory picks on Friday.
So, add to the Eagles' bounty four more picks - a third (No. 97), two fifths (Nos. 170 and 171), and a sixth (No. 210).
In hindsight, the cost to gain those picks was steep. The formula that awarded Philly those four extra picks came at the expense of losing Javon Hargrave, Marcus Epps, T.J. Edwards, Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, Miles Sanders, Isaac Seumalo, Kyzir White, Gardner Minshew, and Andre Dillard in last year’s free agency period.
Their total number of selections is now eight. They are:
- No. 22 (first round)
- Nos. 50 and 53 (second round)
- No. 97 (third round)
- Nos. 160, 170, and 171 (fifth round)
- No. 210 (sixth round)
Now that the order is known, let’s have fun with a pre-free agency mock draft. This will change, of course, before the three-day draft begins in Detroit on April 25. So, call this effort, mock draft 1.0.
Chop Robinson
USA Today
No. 22: Chop Robinson, Penn State, edge rusher: General manager Howie Roseman will try to trade up as he has in the last three drafts and four of the previous five. If he does, I believe his target will be cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. No trades allowed in mock draft 1.0, however.
The Eagles need a pass rusher with Brandon Graham expected to return for one final season, and Haason Reddick possibly on his way out.
At this point of the draft, Robinson makes sense. Though his production wasn’t anything to brag about in State College, and PSU players have struggled to transition to the NFL, some of Robinson’s traits have been compared to Micah Parsons, who definitely did not struggle coming from the Nittany Lions into the pros.
No. 50: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama, cornerback: He should still be here and would be a great value pick. Why not throw him into the CB mix with former Alabama corners Eli Ricks and Josh Jobe?
No. 53: Payton Wilson, North Carolina State, linebacker: Wilson has it all, size, speed, and tenacity. He is considered a strong coverage off-ball linebacker.
No. 97: Zak Zintner, Michigan, IOL: Losing Seumalo last year was big, and this year, the Eagles are likely going to let Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta go in free agency, so they will need to replenish the interior. Zintner is 6-6, 322, a team captain, and an All-American. If he is here, the Eagles need to grab him.
No. 160: Roger Rosengarten, Washington, OT: Different teams feel differently about the 6-5, 308-pound tackle, so perhaps he is gone by this point. If not, he would certainly be worth enrolling in Stoutland University, and maybe the grooming of Lane Johnson’s replacement at right tackle begins.
No. 170: Theo Johnson, Penn State, tight end: Eagles like tight ends to block, and Johnson would be a work in progress in that area, but very few players at his position are polished in that aspect of the game. At 6-6, 259, Johnson can make contested catches and is a solid route runner.
No. 171: Luke McCaffrey, Rice, receiver: Tall slot option at 6-2, 198 pounds, and also has good bloodlines. His brother Christian is a RB for the 49ers and his dad Ed played receiver in the NFL. Throw him in the slot mix with Britain Covey.
No. 210: Nelson Ceasar, Houston, edge: A team captain last year, a trait the Eagles value, he’s a bit undersized at 6-3, 254, but has above-average power and good balance on contact. He could also be developed into an outside linebacker if needed.
REGRET: I couldn’t find a spot to take a running back, but I think that answer will come in free agency. One probably won’t come in the first wave, but look for one in the second, and it will be a two-year deal. Perhaps in mock draft 2.0 a running back will be included.
