time2rock Posted April 28, 2022 Posted April 28, 2022 2022 Eagles First Round Preview Posted: April 28th, 2022 | Author: Tommy Lawlor This is a critical draft for the Eagles. They have a solid core in place, but also have some key veterans who could be in their final season of wearing midnight green. Howie Roseman, Andy Weidl and the scouts really need to get this right. The good news is that they have the resources to do just that, including a pair of first round picks. I always think it is important to look at what the Eagles already have in place. Here is my guess at the depth chart for now, focusing on projected starters and key backups. WR DeVonta Smith ..… WR Jalen Reagor …… Zach Pascal WR Quez Watkins ….. Greg Ward QB Jalen Hurts …….. Gardner Minshew RB Miles Sanders ..… Boston Scott … Kenneth Gainwell TE Dallas Goedert …… Jack Stoll …… J.J. Arcega-Whiteside LT Jordan Mailata …….… Andre Dillard LG Isaac Seumalo …….. Nate Herbig …. Sua Opeta OC Jason Kelce ………. Jack Anderson RG Landon Dickerson … Jack Driscoll … Kayode Awosika RT Lane Johnson ……. DE Brandon Graham …. Tarron Jackson DT Fletcher Cox ……….. Milton Williams DT Javon Hargrave …… Marlon Tuipulotu DE Josh Sweat ………….. Derek Barnett WB Kyzir White ……… Davion Taylor ….. JaCoby Stevens MB T.J. Edwards ……. Shaun Bradley SB Haason Reddick ….. Patrick Johnson SS Anthony Harris ……. K’Von Wallace FS Marcus Epps ……… Andre Chachere CB Darius Slay ……… Tay Gowan CB Zech McPhearson …… Craig James …. Kary Vincent NB Avonte Maddox …… Josiah Scott P Arryn Siposs K Jake Elliott LS Rick Lovato NEEDS The Eagles have drafted a WR in the first round the past two years. Before that, they spent a second round pick on J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. Unfortunately, there still is a need at WR. JJAW has changed positions and will try his hand at TE. Jalen Reagor has struggled and could be changing teams. DeVonta Smith is a stud and Quez Watkins is a good #3 receiver. The team still needs someone to take over the #2 WR role. They could go for an explosive player like Jameson Williams, a technician like Chris Olave or a big dude like Drake London. The bottom line is that they need someone good. *** Safety is a huge hole. The Eagles have not invested resources here and it shows. The big question is just how much they value safety. Would they use 15 on Kyle Hamilton if he fell? Could they trade back from 18 and take someone? Will they wait for the middle rounds? *** Linebacker is a big need as well. There is some hope with young players like TJ Edwards, Kyzir White and Davion Taylor. None of them will be going to the Pro Bowl without a ticket, but there is at least something to work with. The problem is that Jonathan Gannon’s scheme leaves a huge hole in the middle of the defense. His DL are attacking up the field and the safeties are back in Delaware making sure no one gets behind them. That leaves a huge chunk of field to cover. White has the combination of speed and experience needed to handle that, but he’s here on a 1-year deal. Adding a speedy playmaker to the middle of the defense would make sense. *** Daris Slay and Avonte Maddox have two of the three corner spots under control. Will Zech McPhearson be the other starter? Is he ready? Is he good enough? We don’t know what the Eagles want at CB. It is possible they could go for one in the first or they could wait a round or two. This is a talented class and there should be good players on Day 2 and possibly into the fourth round. *** Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox might be playing their final seasons in Philly. The Eagles could go for a DT or a DE. Or both. Recent Super Bowl teams have had difference-makers up front. The Eagles have a solid DL, but need to get even better if they want to compete with the best teams. *** I don’t see the Eagles going QB, TE, RB or OL in the first round this year. TARGETS DT Jordan Davis – Georgia – 6-6, 340 Rare physical talent. Has the potential to become a dominant, disruptive DT. Davis is huge, but is also explosive and incredibly agile. He would be an ideal replacement for Fletcher Cox. WR Jameson Williams – Alabama – 6-2, 179 Arguably the most explosive receiver in the draft. Do the Eagles need another deep threat, though? Williams also has outstanding RAC ability and Nick Sirianni knows his team has to get better at that. Williams is dealing with a torn ACL, but will play in the upcoming season. If healthy, he would be WR1 in this class. Even on the mend he could be the first to go and would be an excellent addition for the Birds. DE Jermaine Johnson – Florida State – 6-5, 254 Johnson was a backup at Georgia in 2020. He transferred to FSU and became ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Johnson built on that by having a dominant Senior Bowl and then lit up the Combine. Johnson would give the Eagles a young talented DE to pair with Josh Sweat (who also went to FSU). FS Kyle Hamilton – Notre Dame – 6-4, 220 Most expected Hamilton to be a Top 5 pick when projections started last summer. Hamilton had a good season, but safety is an awkward position and teams aren’t always comfortable spending a high pick on one. Hamilton could fall to 15. It certainly isn’t likely, but is a consideration. He would make a lot of sense for the Eagles, giving them someone to cover a lot of ground and make plays. Gannon saw Harrison Smith up close in Minnesota so he can appreciate what a top safety can do. DE George Karlaftis – Purdue – 6-4, 266 I could see the Eagles loving Karlaftis. He has a thick, strong build. He can move around and do a variety of things. Karlaftis has a good motor and feels like a player Sirianni would love. Some question why he didn’t post better numbers at Purdue. They had him do a lot of different things. He wasn’t just flying up the field every play. Could be a terrific pro. WR Chris Olave – Ohio State – 6-0, 187 The best route-runner in the draft. He also runs 4.39, so he can stretch the field. The only downside with Olave is that he feels awfully similar to DeVonta Smith. That’s hardly a terrible thing. If you gave Jalen Hurts two guys that know how to get open and have excellent hands, that’s a big help. Olave feels like a polished receiver who could contribute right away. CB Trent McDuffie – Washington – 5-11, 193 I don’t think the Eagles will get a chance to take the top 2 corners. McDuffie would be the most realistic target. He only picked off 2 passes in college so he’s probably not the kind of playmaker they covet. He is a good tackler and plays hard. McDuffie has short arms, which will turn off some teams. He doesn’t feel like a likely pick, but McDuffie is a good player and would improve the secondary. WR Drake London – USC – 6-4, 219 London would make a ton of sense for the Eagles. He would give them a big body to go with the smaller, speedy players they already have. London can play in the slot or outside. He’s not just big. London is a tough, physical player who battles for every yard. I’m sure Sirianni loved watching his college tape. It is hard to get a great feeling for his value, but it seems like London will probably go in the Top 10. Would the Eagles like him enough to trade up? LB Devin Lloyd – Utah – 6-3, 239 Could this be the year the Eagles take a LB in the first round? Lloyd and Nakobe Dean are the top two LBs. They could go anywhere in the 15-40 range. Lloyd can blitz, cover and play the run. He would be the most talented OLB the team has had in a while. You can debate the value, but Lloyd is a terrific prospect. LB Nakobe Dean – Georgia – 5-11, 229 Dean was the MLB for Georgia’s elite defense. He made a ton of plays and was the leader of a championship group. There is a lot to like about him. Dean is a high character prospect and is another guy that you could see Sirianni just loving. FS Lewis Cine – Georgia – 6-2, 199 I’m throwing out a player who I project to go later in the first round, but who could be a wild card to go earlier than expected. When you watch UGA tape and focus on the front seven, this guy wearing #16 keeps making plays and diverting your attention. Cine is an outstanding tackler and good cover safety. I think he would be an excellent fit in the Eagles scheme. ON THE MOVE There are lots of rumors about the Eagles wanting to move into the Top 10. The hot rumor has them going after Jameson Williams. Think about Cincy and their trio of young receivers. Think about the Rams with Cooper Kupp and OBJ. Think about Tampa with all their talented receivers. If you want to have a strong offense, it helps to have a deep, talented group of receivers. Going after an top talent would make sense. I know some have speculated about the Eagles trading up for a corner. This just doesn’t make sense to me based on the way the Eagles used CBs last year and the needs they have in other areas. I would love to see the Eagles move back from 18 into the 20s. They could target Cine or WR George Pickens, two guys I love. They would have plenty of other options. I would love to know if the Eagles have interest in DE Arnold Ebiketie. He’s only 6-2, 250, but he had a great year and is a talented, productive pass rusher. Would the Eagles take him over bigger, more athletic guys who weren’t as productive? GOALS The Eagles have a solid core. They should be looking for difference-makers. That’s what makes Jameson Williams so interesting. He’s got that kind of potential. Jordan Davis has that kind of potential. If they need to move up to get those guys, I can understand that. It would kill me to give up picks, but there would be logic to it. MY IDEAL SCENARIO 15 – DT Jordan Davis 18 – (trade back into the 20’s) WR Jahan Dotson Davis would give you a tremendous talent to add to the front of the defense. He could develop into a dominant DL and those guys are invaluable. He is worth the risk. As for Dotson, he makes a ton of sense for the Eagles. He has great hands and is a terrific route-runner. Dotson has the speed to get deep, but also has great RAC ability. Use him on WR screens and he can make plays. Dotson was a good PR at Penn State and could give the return game a major boost. He can play in the slot or outside. If there is any way to come away with Davis and Jameson Williams, that would truly be ideal. ***** I’ll post my preview for the rest of the draft on Friday. http://igglesblitz.com/2022/04/eagles-first-preview/
weko Posted April 28, 2022 Posted April 28, 2022 I completely agree. Davis is the guy I want and I would package a 3 and move up if necessary then trade down from 18 to recoup a pick
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