April 15, 2018
Leading up to the 2018 NFL Draft, we'll be taking a look at each of the Philadelphia Eagles' positional groups. We'll determine if the Eagles are likely to select a player at that position with one of their six picks, as well as note some players who make sense. Today we'll look at defensive end.
Previous draft preview positional analysis
Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Tight end
Offensive tackle | Interior offensive line
The Eagles are loaded at defensive end, at least for the 2018 season. A look at their depth chart at DE.
| 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| LDE | Brandon Graham | Chris Long | Steven Means |
| RDE | Derek Barnett | Michael Bennett |
In 2019 and beyond, the Eagles may not be so deep. Why? Well, three of the above players are now at least 30 years old.
In short, the Eagles would be wise to keep loading up their DE pipeline, but that's highly unlikely to happen early in the draft.
In the 2017 NFL Draft, there were six edge rushers taken in the first round:
| Player | Team | Overall |
| Myles Garrett | Browns | 1 |
| Solomon Thomas | 49ers | 3 |
| Derek Barnett | Eagles | 14 |
| Charles Harris | Dolphins | 22 |
| Takkarist McKinley | Falcons | 26 |
| Taco Charlton | Cowboys | 28 |
That edge rusher class was loaded with talent. In 2018, there may only be two edge rushers that come off the board in the first round. They are North Carolina State's Bradley Chubb and UTSA's Marcus Davenport, both of whom will be long gone when the Eagles pick at 32.
Here are some edge rushers who may make sense for the Eagles a little later in the draft:
In 2016, Ejiofor had 50 tackles (17 for loss), 10.5 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 4 batted passes, and a pick. In 2017, he tore his labrum in his right shoulder, which likely occurred the first week of October. Playing hurt all season, Ejiofor's numbers dipped, as he had 43 tackles (17 for loss), 7 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 batted pass. He reportedly had successful surgery to repair his labrum early in February.
Because of his injury, Ejiofor did not work out at the Combine, which for his purposes was probably just as well, since he's not thought of as a special athlete.
Ejiofor doesn't have an explosive first step at the snap, but he does a great job winning with his hand fighting, and he possesses good instincts. He does not have any elite pass rush moves, like Derek Barnett's dip and bend around the edge, but he has a well-rounded repertoire of moves.
A highlight reel:
At Wake Forest, Ejiofor also played inside on obvious passing downs, like Graham and Bennett have done over their careers. He could be a player who the Eagles like as a long-term successor to Bennett.
If Ejiofor were to slide to the fourth round due to athleticism concerns or because of his injury, I could see the Eagles having interest.
Round projection: 3
Nwosu's best fit in the NFL is probably as a 3-4 OLB. On the season, he had 75 tackles, 9.5 sacks, and an absolutely absurd 13 pass breakups, the majority of which were batted passes at the line of scrimmage. Nwosu is basically a volleyball player in a football uniform.
A highlight reel:
So if his best fit is as a 3-4 OLB, why would the Eagles have interest? Well, they brought him in for one of their 30 allotted pre-draft visits, which was interesting. If Nwosu were to slide to one of the Eagles' picks at the back of the fourth round, it would be reasonable to select him there as situational pass rusher in sub-packages.
Round projection: 4
Fitts had an injury-riddled career at Utah, after transferring from UCLA. However, when he played, he was a productive pass rusher. In his first season at Utah (his third in college after a nothingburger season at UCLA and then a lost season of eligibility after his transfer), Fitts had 7 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, and 10 pass breakups.
In one game before being lost for the season in 2016, Fitts had a sack and a half, as well as three tackles for loss. And then in 2017, he had three sacks in another injury-riddled season, as he had ankle issues.
Obviously, there are major durability concerns, but there is also real upside, as Fitts showed impressive athletic measurables at the Combine:
A quick highlight reel:
The Eagles have shown that they will take chances on players with injury concerns, and Fitts could be a high-reward player if he can stay healthy.
Round projection: 5-7
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