October 03, 2015
Mark Humphrey/AP
Jordan Jenkins could be the fourth Jordan drafted by the Eagles in as many years.
As long as you're taking in some college football games today, here are some players who could make some sense for the Eagles in the 2016 NFL Draft.
To note, if there's a player you have in mind that you think we should have profiled, check the bottom of this post for the players we've looked at in prior weeks. If he's not there, leave your recommendation in the comment section and we'll take a look to see if we agree.
Jenkins has been a contributor in the Georgia defense since his freshman season, as he has appeared in 44 games over his career. He had five sacks in each of his first three seasons, and has three so far in his fourth. Those numbers aren't indicative of an elite pass rusher, but Jenkins absolutely does have pass rush skills, and he does an excellent job against the run.
Here's Jenkins giving Vanderbilt's offense all kinds of headaches:
First, he reads run all the way, and shoots the gap before the RT can block him:
Here he is easily defeating a block from their TE, then hitting the running back with violence:
Here he is working on the the interior of the Vandy OL, where he's too much for their center, and picks up a sack:
And then again, trying to block him with a TE (or even two of them) is just a bad idea:
Here he is with a dip move around the edge, which forces the QB to escape the pocket:
And that move set up the RT for a bull rush, as Jenkins puts him on roller skates back into the quarterback's lap as he tries to throw:
As for the #Culture aspect, Jenkins is thought of as the leader of Georgia's defense, and he is accomplished as a student.
Additionally, the Eagles have drafted a Jordan in each of the first three drafts under Chip Kelly:
| Year | Player | School | Round | Overall |
| 2013 | Jordan Poyer | Oregon State | 7 | 218 |
| 2014 | Jordan Matthews | Vanderbilt | 2 | 42 |
| 2015 | Jordan Hicks | Texas | 3 | 84 |
Jenkins is the best draft-eligible Jordan in the 2016 draft. #JordanBias.
In 2014, former Indiana RB Tevin Coleman ran for 2036 yards on 7.5 yards per carry. He did so with the help of LT Jason Spriggs. When you watch Tevin Coleman highlight reels, you'll see all kinds of impressive blocks by Spriggs. For example:
Here's Spriggs (#78) blocking down on Bowling Green's DT, moving the entire line to the right and opening up a big hole on the left side of the line:
Here's Spriggs (#78) getting outside of Iowa's DE and walling him off, again creating a hole on the left side of the line:
And this one is a good look at Spriggs' athleticism. Watch at the snap as Spriggs runs to a spot and walls off the Michigan State ILB (#34), eliminating him from the play from the back side and creating a huge run for Coleman:
As a pass protector, Spriggs allowed just two sacks in 689 snaps in 2014, according to Brian Bennett of ESPN. Spriggs is also expected to test well at the Combine. Here are some measurables tweeted out by head coach Kevin Wilson:
#iufb OT Jason Spriggs #'s Are NFL Combine Top of the Charts - 40: 4.82 / Vertical: 37.5" / Bench: 455 / 225 Bench: 33 Reps / Clean 365 etc.
— Kevin Wilson (@IUCoachWilson) March 26, 2015
Spriggs should be a clear player of interest to the Eagles. Today he'll have a very difficult matchup against Joey Bosa, who some believe is the best NFL prospect eligible for the 2016 draft.
Whitehair has positional versatility, which is something the Eagles highly value. He played RT, was moved to LG, then back to RT, and finally he has found a home at LT. At just 6'4, he'll probably have to move back inside to guard at the pro level, but will have experience on the edge in a pinch.
Here's his game last year against Auburn. Nothing flashy here, but no Auburn defender sniffs the QB working against Whitehair:
Whitehair will have a very tough test today against...
In 2014, Ogbah had 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He also batted down five passes. So far in 2015, he already has five sacks. At 6'4, 275, Ogbah would certainly qualify as "big people," and clearly the Eagles have a need for depth on the edge at OLB. Ogbah's projection to the NFL as a 3-4 OLB is a little difficult, as Oklahoma State rarely asks him to drop into coverage, but the most important attribute (getting to the quarterback) is there.
Here's Ogbah working against Florida State's professional offensive line a year ago, when he had six tackles, three sacks (one didn't count), and he got his hands on two passes:
Russell came in at #8 on Bruce Feldman's "Freaks" list this season, with the following explanation:
Russell showed off some of his athleticism this offseason with this incredible vault atop six boxes. The 5-11, 196-pound senior also has proven to be a standout DB for Notre Dame. He should put on quite a show after his college career when he gets to the NFL combine. In South Bend, he’s already broad-jumped 11-2 1/2 to go with his 40-inch vert. He’s also extremely strong for his size, squatting 500 pounds, benching 350 and doing 20 reps of 225 -- only two corners did more at the Combine in the past two years.
Here's that box jump:
In 2013, Russell's last full season on the field, he had eight pass breakups, and the Eagles seem to value corners who gets their hands on the football more than most.
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski
