PFN Simulator Mock 1.0 - Pre-Combine Mock

[philafan4o8]

I used the Pro Football Network Draft similator to complete this mock.

Trade: Raiders trade #22 Overall and 2023 3rd Rounder for Eagles #19 Overall

Round 1: 

• 15 Overall: Tyler Linderbaum - C - Iowa
  • Perfect replacement for the Jason Kelce. Great athleticism, technique and work ethic. Never take a play off. Can come in day 1 and start. While I anticipate the Eagles to resign Issac Seumalo, both Seumalo and Dickerson can play center but I think it is in the Eagles best interest to keep both of those players at Guard with the Brooks retiring.
• 16 Overall: Ahmad Gardner - CB - Cincinnati
  • Eagles are struggling with depth and a future at the CB position. Slay is not getting any younger and seems to be getting injured more often. Slay is a great player and we should have him mentor his successors. Gardner has the length that I believe Gannon likes at the CB position and the Eagles struggle with turnovers. Gardner has great ball skills and put himself in great position to make plays. With Nelson likely to be gone in FA, Eagles and Gardner are a natural fit.
• 22 Overall: Kaiir Elam - CB - Florida
  • Its time for the Eagles to build this secondary! Elam before the season was a consensus top 3 CB in this draft but his stock has dropped after this season played out. Has great athleticism and physicality and will need to refine his technique to get his game to the next level. High potential with Elam and can battle Gardner for the chance to start opposite of Slay. Either way Gardner and Elam are the future of the CB position for this franchise.

Round 2:

• 51 Overall: Christian Harris - LB - Alabama
  • You dont need to draft a LB in the first round for them to be good. Harris is just as good as any of the LB in this draft. The leader of the defense for Nick Saban and Alabama, Harris jumps off the TV/film everytime you watch Bamas defense. With the success of the two Alabama players the Eagles drafted in 2021, I think they go back to the well this season. We saw some good progress from TJ Edwards at MLB and having Harris as the Will to replace Alex Singleton (who I do like) would be a great move for this LB core. While Davion Taylor did show flashes this season he is always injured. Harris is a day 1 starter on this defense.

Round 3: 

• 83 Overall: John Metchie III - WR - Alabama
  • Yes, Alabama again. It was clear to me and most people that Metchie would have been a 1st round WR this year had he not gotten hurt. Alabama missed him dearly in the National Championship game even before Williams got hurt. Metchie falls this far because of injury in Dec (obviously). This may be a "red-shirt" year for him but when he is healthy, Smith and Metchie can do damage. Great route runner and versitile player can lineup anywhere in the formation. With inconsistancy from all WR not named Devonta Smith, the Eagles must address the WR position.

Round 4:

• 123 Overall: Jeffrey Gunter - DE - Coastal Carolina
  • Defensive end will be another focus this off-season with Brandon Graham getting older and coming off of major injury and Derek Barnett likely leaving the team via FA (thank goodness). Gunter played with Eagles rookie Tarron Jackson at Coastal Carolina but Gunter has more upside. The twist here is that Gunter is very versitile and could potentially be seen as a SAM LB in this scheme and a situational pash rusher at DE. Gunter gives the Eagles some option and provides good size to this LB core.

Round 5:

• 154 Overall: Brian Robinson Jr - RB - Alabama
  • Yes, again. This is nothing more than a replacement for Jordan Howard. The Eagles like Howard but he is not getting any young and is very inconsistent. Robinson does not have that much wear on the tires. He can step in and be the bruser the Eagles were looking for in Howard. If he ends up being more than a rotational back, that is great value for the Eagles. 
• 162 Overall: Bubba Bolden - S - Miami
  • Safety postion is a concern. Harris is a FA and McLeod is getting older. Eagles need to add some youth to the safety position. Bolden is just that. He is a play maker and can play in any defense. Great range and a willing tackler. Issues with Bolden is injury and off the field concerns. Worth a shot and I think can compete for starting job if healthy.
• 166 Overall: Tyreke Smith - DE - Ohio State
  • Smith can add more depth to the DE group. Can be solid situtional pash rusher for the Eagles. He will need to work on his technique in the run game.

Round 6:

• 205 Overall:  Chris Steele - CB - USC
  • Former 5 star CB Steele had an interesting college career and did not live up to the hype. But he does have good size and has that dog mentality. His athleticism is average and he tends to make bone headed mistakes. But with some potential there with some good coaching, he can contribute if needed.

[Rob331]

Love it-but. If you draft 2 corners in round 1 we don't need one in the 6th round. How about a punter?

I don't think we get value in your trade - the value difference between 19 and 22 is 105 points on the draft value chart. A bottom of the 3rd round pick starts at 190 for 16th and 116 for the 32nd pick. We should get a premium of about double for waiting until next year so 16 is close but it gets worse from there. I think the Raiders would have to throw in a 4th or 5th for it to work for me. 

If Kelce retires this is a very solid draft result. If he comes back, I have mixed feelings, mostly negative, about sitting a 1st rounder for a year. If Kelce is coming back, I'd rather a Trevon Walker, Jermaine Johnson, Daxton Hill, or Jaquan Brisker. That being said - I really like the two corners and hope for a Lito/Sheldon type outcome. 

I would also assume you think we'll get a safety in free agency and resign one of the current starters. We can't expect Bolden to start this year - look at the results we've gotten with K'Von Wallace. While we're on the subject of free agency I'd hope we get a WR also. We need to upgrade from JJAW and you've done that with Watson, but we also need better receivers than Reagor and Ward. 

You're missing a DT to replace Ridgeway, but there are only so many picks. Maybe if Vegas has a 3rd round compensatory pick coming, we tuck that in instead of the pick next year. Just a thought. 

Thanks for the read - I enjoyed seeing your picks and the thinking behind them. 

[Eaglerick55]

Not a fan here at all. If Kelce comes back as expected and 2 corners in rd 1, that means that 2 of 3 first rounders will not play in 2022. Totally nuts. Then you add another corner in rd 6. wasted pick. Alco cannot move Linderbaum to guard--he is too small. 

Retreat!!

[matchew88]

We already have a center ready when Kelce retires in 2023.

[ibleedgreen1990]

I would be pretty stoked, depending on the fa.., if this happened. I really like all the players you took but not sure what holes are left without an off-season 

[philafan4o8]

2 hours ago, matchew88 said:

We already have a center ready when Kelce retires in 2023.

 

3 hours ago, Eaglerick55 said:

Not a fan here at all. If Kelce comes back as expected and 2 corners in rd 1, that means that 2 of 3 first rounders will not play in 2022. Totally nuts. Then you add another corner in rd 6. wasted pick. Alco cannot move Linderbaum to guard--he is too small. 

Retreat!!

 

5 hours ago, Rob331 said:

Love it-but. If you draft 2 corners in round 1 we don't need one in the 6th round. How about a punter?

I don't think we get value in your trade - the value difference between 19 and 22 is 105 points on the draft value chart. A bottom of the 3rd round pick starts at 190 for 16th and 116 for the 32nd pick. We should get a premium of about double for waiting until next year so 16 is close but it gets worse from there. I think the Raiders would have to throw in a 4th or 5th for it to work for me. 

If Kelce retires this is a very solid draft result. If he comes back, I have mixed feelings, mostly negative, about sitting a 1st rounder for a year. If Kelce is coming back, I'd rather a Trevon Walker, Jermaine Johnson, Daxton Hill, or Jaquan Brisker. That being said - I really like the two corners and hope for a Lito/Sheldon type outcome. 

I would also assume you think we'll get a safety in free agency and resign one of the current starters. We can't expect Bolden to start this year - look at the results we've gotten with K'Von Wallace. While we're on the subject of free agency I'd hope we get a WR also. We need to upgrade from JJAW and you've done that with Watson, but we also need better receivers than Reagor and Ward. 

You're missing a DT to replace Ridgeway, but there are only so many picks. Maybe if Vegas has a 3rd round compensatory pick coming, we tuck that in instead of the pick next year. Just a thought. 

Thanks for the read - I enjoyed seeing your picks and the thinking behind them. 

Love seeing the responses. So thank yall!

 

I am pretty sure Kelce is gone. 

"Kelce's contract currently runs through the 2022 season, per Over The Cap, paying the four-time Pro Bowler $5.6 million in 2021 and $5.9 million in 2022. But Fowler reported Tuesday that both sides agreed this offseason that if Kelce isn't cut or retired by June 2, 2022, the Eagles will be required to pay Kelce something like $30 million. In other words, as Fowler put it, "it's just understood that he's probably gonna play one more year there."

That was already the expectation in Philly, where Kelce has openly contemplated retirement for several years. But to have it built into the contract suggests 2021 will, in fact, be the lineman's final go-round, barring another renegotiation. Why? Because in the event Kelce is released, he'll likely also retire in order to finish his career with his original team. The "poison pill" essentially also negates those 2022 financials, making Kelce's current deal more of a one-year pact."

 

Lastly, lets be realistic about draft. Previous picks for the most part should not have any influence on the next pick. You are suppose to pick the best player available. At the time while I did this mock Steele imo was BPA with best upside. QB is really the only position where if you draft one, you probably should steer clear in later rounds. Washington was the one exception with RG3 and Cousins and that didnt make sense. 

 

My mock will likely change as I do more this is just one and I drafted as the board fell

[matchew88]

I thought that too, but the player can choose to amend the contract. He's already signaled he's coming back.

[philafan4o8]

7 hours ago, matchew88 said:

I thought that too, but the player can choose to amend the contract. He's already signaled he's coming back.

Fair enough but I still would not be upset if they drafted his replacement this year in the 1st round. They have a lot of flexibility and are not one position away from challenging for a Superbowl. While Kelce is still playing like a probowler, I wont fault the Eagles for wanting him back. 

[philafan4o8]

14 hours ago, Rob331 said:

I would also assume you think we'll get a safety in free agency and resign one of the current starters. We can't expect Bolden to start this year - look at the results we've gotten with K'Von Wallace. While we're on the subject of free agency I'd hope we get a WR also. We need to upgrade from JJAW and you've done that with Watson, but we also need better receivers than Reagor and Ward. 

I do hope the Eagles target Marcus Williams in FA. They will have to throw him the bag but he is young and would be a great fit. That is, if the Saints do not Franchise tag him but they are projected $61M over cap for 2022 so I am not sure how that will happen for the saints

[Rob331]

On 2/23/2022 at 10:24 PM, philafan4o8 said:

My mock will likely change as I do more this is just one and I drafted as the board fell

It's funny how irrelevant mocks done before free agency and the combine are, but they sure are fun and the conversations they start are even more fun. Mock on !!

[NOTW]

Swap one of the 1st round corners for a DE and I like it more. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

2 corners OK I can see what you've done and I don't dislike it... But no DE?

[Cheesteakitis]

i find it hard to judge a draft without seeing a whole off-season plan even more so one like this that while needs i don’t feel are at the top of the list…

looks to me with the amount of comers taken besides a value stand point maybe you fall into some of the talk about we should trade Slay.

i’d be happy with Linderbaum…. good value and howie has been quoted as saying he will always build from the lines out if they have a player rated higher.. wether he is a day 1 starter or a year 2 starter a player i could see on our radar even if not a sexy pick.

love Sauce he would be my top cornerback sadly i doubt he is on the board.

Elam… i’m not really a fan… i don’t know why i thought it was his size but then i looked it up and he has decent size i just don’t really like him for some reason.

Harris would be a solid pick. after that not bad but i question how many needs you filled.. you say de will be a focus but say your 4th round de probably makes a better sam linebacker so not much focus.