Eagles Mock Draft: Why Philly Has Most to Gain This Year
Teams coming off a Super Bowl appearance shouldn’t be drafting in the top 10 just two months later.
However, the Philadelphia Eagles are doing just that after getting the New Orleans Saints' first-round pick in a trade last year, which is No. 10 overall. The Eagles also own the Saints' second-round pick in 2024, so Philadelphia will have two seconds next year.
With two picks in the first round, one NFL Media draft analyst believes the Eagles have the most to gain in this month’s selection process.
The first round begins April 27 and runs through April 29, with the proceedings being held in Kansas City for the first time.
Chad Reuter had this to say about the Eagles and the draft:
“Philadelphia was tantalizingly close to hoisting the Lombardi Trophy last season," Reuter wrote. "To reach the Super Bowl again and beat whichever juggernaut comes out of the AFC, the Eagles must revitalize both lines, find playmakers at the skill positions and add depth at linebacker and in the secondary.
"They've traded away multiple Day 3 picks, however, so I expect them to move down once or twice during the first round to reaccumulate the needed draft capital.”
Reuter backs up his words with his latest mock draft, in which he has the Eagles trading with the Minnesota Vikings and moving back to No. 23 overall while acquiring the Vikings’ third-round pick (No. 87 overall) and a first-rounder next year.
That would allow the Vikings to take Will Levis. Of course, the Kentucky quarterback could be gone by then.
Still ...
With the Eagles’ pick at 23, he has them taking Northwestern defensive tackle Adetomiwa Adebawore.
Reuter also has the Eagles trading their 30th overall pick to the Las Vegas Raiders, who would select quarterback Hendon Hooker from Tennessee. The Eagles would get the Raiders’ 38th overall selection and use it to take Alabama running back Jahmyr Gibbs.
The trade with Las Vegas would also net the Eagles the Raiders’ fourth-round pick, No. 109 overall.
Rounding out Reuter’s four-round mock draft, he has Philly using its own pick at No. 62 overall to take Texas A&M safety Antonio Johnson.
With the Vikings’ pick at No 87, Reuter has the Eagles taking Alabama linebacker Henry To’oTo’o, and, with their own pick at No. 94, the draft analyst has them selecting Ohio State edge rusher Zach Harrison.
At No. 109 from the Raiders, the Eagles would choose offensive tackle Braeden Daniels from Utah.
To recap what the Eagles would get in the first four rounds of the draft and after a pair of trades, per Reuter:
- A first-round pick next year
- DT Adetomiwa Adebawore
- RB Jahmyr Gibbs
- S Antonio Johnson
- LB Henry To’oTo’o
- EDGE Zach Harrison
- OT Braeden Daniels
That's not a bad haul at all. How accurate it will be, well, that remains to be seen.
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter on @kracze.
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