Building the Eagles' draft board: 60 players of interest, ranked by round

By the time the Eagles whittle down their draft board from thousands of college prospects to the players they deem draftable, their board should have about 180 names on it. Below, we'll take a look at 60 players I believe the Eagles are most likely to target in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Carson Wentz is going to to be the Eagles' pick at No. 2 overall. If the Rams shock the world and take Wentz No. 1 overall, then the Eagles will take Goff.

DRAFT PREVIEWS: S | CB | LB  | DT | DE | OG/C | OT | WR | RB | QB 

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• Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State (DRAFTED BY EAGLES): Wentz is big and sturdy, he has a great arm, a quick release, he's surprisingly athletic and very smart. Even if you dock him for playing at a lower level in college, Wentz operated in an offense that had pro-style concepts, prompting some to believe he's more pro-ready than other quarterbacks who played in more remedial offenses at a more competitive college level.

Full breakdown of Wentz here.

• Jared Goff, QB, Cal: Goff, meanwhile, is widely thought to be the quarterback in this draft most likely to start from Day 1. His pocket presence is outstanding, and he is more experienced than Wentz, having thrown more than 500 pass attempts in each of the last three seasons.

Spriggs' athleticism in games is obvious. However, he had a somewhat disappointing week of Senior Bowl practices, as he was often beaten in pass rush situations by power moves. Spriggs could use a year with NFL coaches to correct some of his deficiencies before throwing him to the wolves on the edge, but there's a lot of athleticism to work with here.

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• Cody Whitehair, OT/OG, Kansas State: 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 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.

At one time, Whitehair was thought of as an option for the Eagles at pick No. 13, which was always absurd. If he falls far enough into the second round, however, maybe the Eagles could be aggressive.

• Joshua Garnett, OG, Stanford: Garnett has over 40 games of experience playing for Stanford at guard. He is not the most athletic guy, but when he gets to the second level he looks to put defenders on the ground. One thing the Eagles lack along their interior offensive line is someone who can move a defensive lineman off the line of scrimmage against their will. That's Garnett. He will not come with a high ceiling, but he should have a high floor. Garnett could be a steady player who may be able to step in and play from Day 1, although he is unlikely to fall to the third round.

• Emmanuel Ogbah, DE, Oklahoma State: In 2014, Ogbah had 11 sacks and 17 tackles for loss. He also batted down five passes. In 2015, he had 13 sacks, 17.5 tackles for loss, and four batted passes. At 6'4, 275, Ogbah has good size, and his production is undeniable. Recent reports suggest Ogbah could slide in the draft.

• Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech: Dixon was really impressive during the week of Senior Bowl practices, especially as a receiver out of the backfield. He'll enter the NFL a more polished receiver than most of the running backs already collecting paychecks in the NFL. Safeties and linebackers couldn't cover Dixon, and often looked silly trying. If Doug Pederson's offense is anything like Andy Reid's, he'll want his running back to be a weapon in the passing game. Dixon can be that for the new regime. As a runner, Dixon is tough and physical, as evidenced by his 72 career rushing touchdowns. 

: Prosise was moved to wide receiver from safety early in his career at Notre Dame, before eventually landing at running back. Over the last two seasons, he racked up 55 catches for 824 yards, a 15-yards per catch average. Prosise has receiver skills, but not a lot of experience in the backfield, as he had just 166 career carries in college. However, he made the most of his time at RB, gaining 1158 yards (7.0 yards per carry), and 12 TDs. 

As a player new to the position, the biggest concern teams will have with him will be in pass protection, which is a must have skill in a west coast type of system. Prosise would make a ton of sense as a mid-round guy the Eagles could develop for 2017 and beyond.

: Perkins has a lot of LeSean McCoy in his game, as he is a very shifty runner who often makes defenders completely whiff on tackle attempts. Perkins is also effective as a receiver, as he had 80 receptions over his three-year college career, although those mainly came on simple short passes.

Perkins is probably not a three-down back, as he is not a runner who is going to consistently fall forward after contact. That is likely going to force him off the field in short yardage and goal line situations at the pro level. There will also be concerns about his ability to pass protect because of his small size, although he was a willing blocker at UCLA.

• Le'Raven Clark, OT, Texas Tech: Clark has extremely long arms, measuring in at 36 1/8" and with 11 7/8" hands. He also flashed impressive athletic ability at the Senior Bowl, but he will be a complete projection to the NFL as he played in Texas Tech's spread offense. I would not want Clark starting for me in 2016, but if you give him a year or two to learn the game at the NFL level, there are going to be coaches around the league who will think they can make him into a Pro Bowl player.

• John Theus, OT, Georgia: This guy has some Runyan in him. All week long at the Senior Bowl, Theus was getting in fights with his defensive line teammates. In the actual game, per my buddy Tommy Lawler if IgglesBlitz.com, he yanked Notre Dame's Sheldon Day to the ground by his dreads. Again, this was in an all-star game. Being feisty doesn't exactly make him good. However, Doug Pederson has in the past noted that he likes his offensive linemen to have "piss and vinegar in their neck." Theus was the 23rd highest rated player in the country coming out of high school, according to Rivals.com, and he has started at OT in the SEC since he was a freshman. That is some incredible experience.

• Christian Westerman, OG, Arizona State: Westerman is a former big-time high school recruit (27th in the country by Rivals.com), who is an athletic freak. Westerman reminds me a lot of Evan Mathis, in that he is a beast in the weight room, and wins on the football field with athleticism and technique.

• Joe Dahl, OG, Washington State: Dahl is an offensive lineman with positional versatility. At Washington State, Dahl played both at guard and tackle. He'll almost certainly move back to guard in the pros. While Dahl does not have great athleticism, he's the kind of "try hard" player head coaches love.

• Carl Nassib, DE, Penn State: Despite missing three games, Nassib led the nation with 16 sacks in 2015 and his draft status has skyrocketed as a result. At 6'7, 277, Nassib has excellent size. In the past, Jim Schwartz had good 6'6 pass rushers in Mario Williams and Kevin Carter. Curry (6'3), Graham (6'2), and Barwin (6'4) don't have that kind of height, so it will be interesting to see if Schwartz will prefer varied sizes and shapes along his defensive line. While Nassib had 16 sacks in 2015, he was a "one-year wonder" who had 1.5 sacks over the rest of his career.

• Bronson Kaufusi, DE, BYU: Kaufusi, like Nassib, is a big edge rusher at 6'6, 285. Kaufusi played both at OLB in the Cougars' 3-4 defense, as well as along their defensive line. In 2015, he played DL, where he racked up 11 sacks (seventh in the nation), 3 forced fumbles, 16.5 tackles for loss, and 5 blocked kicks/punts.

• Chris Jones, DT, Mississippi State: Despite that lack of statistical production and occasion lack of effort, Jones is strong, and a very athletic player for his size, with the versatility to play anywhere along the defensive line. Because of his raw size, strength, and athleticism, Jones would normally not be available in the third round in any normal year. However, in a year in which the draft is absurdly stacked with defensive line talent, there could be a few interior defenders available this late who might have otherwise been second round picks.

• Adolphus Washington, DT, Ohio State: In the Eagles' former 3-4 scheme, Washington would not have been a consideration. However, as a one-gap penetrating DT, he makes sense in an aggressive, attacking 4-3 scheme under Jim Schwartz. Washington's interview process will be important as he was arrested for solicitation last December and suspended for the Buckeyes' bowl game. In a wide-nine scheme, Washington can use his lateral agility to beat interior offensive linemen.

• Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas: Ridgeway had six sacks from his interior defensive line spot in 2014, and has talent as a pass rusher. However, he had a variety of injuries in 2015 and had conditioning issues at Texas. If the Eagles think they can motivate Ridgeway and still believe in their sports science program with Chip Kelly gone, Ridgeway could be a good value in the third round if teams pass on him because of those concerns.

• Javon Hargrave, DT, South Carolina State: The Eagles will draft a small school guy in North Dakota State's Carson Wentz in the first round. Another very intriguing small school prospect is Hargrave, who comes from FCS school South Carolina State. Hargrave destroyed his smaller school competition last season at his DT spot, racking up 13.5 sacks, 22 tackles for loss, 59 tackles, and two forced fumbles. That came a season after he had 16 sacks and 24 tackles for loss.

• Deion Jones, LB, LSU: Jones does not have good size, but he does have good speed, a little thump in his game, and excellent cover skills. In that sense, he can be a three-down linebacker in the NFL although you may have to use him creatively. He is also a guy who can contribute on special teams from Day 1.

• Cyrus Jones, CB, Alabama: At 5'10, 197, here's another Jones who does not have good size, and his athletic measurables do not exactly make up for it. However, in 2015, Jones had four punt return touchdowns, which was one away from an NCAA single-season record. He also has had five interceptions and four forced fumbles over the last two years. He just makes big plays, and often in big spots.

• Jeremy Cash, S, Duke: Cash doesn't play a ton of deep safety, and is almost more like a linebacker. He has good size for a safety and plays with a physical demeanor. Cash's numbers are awesome. In 39 games over the last three seasons, Cash had 38 tackles for loss and nine forced fumbles. If Jim Schwartz is open to adding a linebacker/safety hybrid type, Cash could be a great fit.

• Darian Thompson, S, Boise State: Thompson is a more traditional safety than Jeremy Cash above (although still versatile), and a ball hawk. Throughout his college career, Thompson had 19 interceptions. He also has great size, at 6'2, 208, and can play in the box.

• Sean Davis, S, Maryland: Davis played CB at Maryland, and he reminds me a bit of Eagles CB Eric Rowe, in that he has great size and he lit up the Combine. The difference is that Rowe showed good coverage ability in college while Davis often struggled in man coverage. At the next level, he'll likely move to safety. Davis is a big hitter who is willing to throw his body around. Over the last three seasons, Davis has racked up an extraordinarily impressive 306 tackles, and in 2015, he forced five fumbles as a cornerback.

*The Eagles don't presently have a fourth round pick. However, these are guys I could see going in either the third or fifth round. They'd be slight reaches in the third, great value in the fifth.

• Kenyan Drake, RB, Alabama: Drake was stuck behind Heisman Trophy winning Derrick Henry in 2015 and had to find other ways to get on the field. Alabama used Drake in a variety of ways, including as a running back, a slot receiver, a kick returner, and on coverage teams. He's probably not an every-down back in the NFL, but he has some Brian Westbrook-like qualities to his game, in that he's versatile and tougher than you might expect.

• Jonathan Williams, RB, Arkansas: Williams did not play in 2015, but he was elected a team captain by his teammates even after he was lost for the season after having surgery to insert two screws in his foot to help repair damaged ligaments. In 2014, he rushed for 1190 yards and 12 TDs on 211 carries. Unlike the other running backs on this board, Williams does not have impressive reception numbers, but he is a physical runner.

• Devonte Booker, RB, Utah: Booker tore his meniscus this season, but not before racking up 1261 rushing yards as Utah's workhorse back. He turns 24 in May, which will turn teams off, so if he fell to the fifth round (unlikely), that would constitute good value.

• Charone Peake, WR, Clemson: At 6'2, 209, Peake has an impressive size-speed combination, but put up average numbers at Clemson, due in part to having to sit behind other talented receivers, and injuries. Peake lacks polish and has iffy hands, but his impressive measurables make him a high upside guy.

• Kolby Listenbee, WR, TCU: Listenbee was a track star at TCU, and averaged 19.9 yards per catch in 2015. In Indy at the NFL Combine, he ran a blistering 4.35 40. He has elite speed but needs a lot of work as a receiver.

• Kyle Murphy, OT, Stanford: Murphy played RT for Stanford as a junior and moved to LT this season. With Peters' career winding down, Murphy could follow in the footsteps of Lane Johnson, who played both RT and LT at Oklahoma.

• Landon Turner, OG, North Carolina: Turner isn't very athletic (he ran a 5.58 40), and is likely going to have pass protection issues early in his career in the NFL, especially when teams move quicker edge rushers inside on obvious passing downs. However, Turner would give the Eagles something they don't currently have much of on their roster – a road-grading interior offensive lineman who can move defenders off the line of scrimmage against their will.

• Max Tuerk, C, USC: Tuerk is a great fit for the Eagles for his versatility. His primary position before he went down with an ACL tear last season was at center, but he has also played left tackle, left guard and right tackle. He's a rare player you can plug into play all five positions along the offensive line.

• Evan Boehm, C, Missouri: Athletically, Boehm is not going to remind anyone of Jason Kelce. However, what Boehm does is move defensive linemen off the line of scrimmage against their will, which is a rare trait for centers in the NFL these days. He also played 52 consecutive games at Missouri, both at LG and C, which means he'll play through pain, and he is regarded as a very smart player. From the Eagles' perspective, Boehm could compete for a starting job at guard while also serving as a backup to Kelce.

• Ronald Blair, DE, Appalachian State: My friend Tommy Lawlor of IgglesBlitz.com is an App State alum and, therefore, biased, but he likes Blair as a fit in Jim Schwartz's defense as the #NextTrentCole. Blair was the Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year in 2015 when he had 7.5 sacks and 19 tackles for loss. At 6'2, Blair's short stature could turn some teams off, so he could be available in the middle rounds as a rotational defensive lineman.

• Demarcus Robinson, WR, Florida: Robinson was suspended four times during his career at Florida. As a result, his career numbers are unimpressive. For example, 27 receivers had more TD receptions last season than Robinson had in his entire collegiate career. Still, Robinson does have talent. He is thought of as a speed guy, although he only ran a 4.59 40 at the Combine.

• Malcolm Mitchell, WR, Georgia: Mitchell ran the fifth-best 40 time at the Combine among a group of 44 receivers. In his final season at Georgia, he caught 58 passes for 865 yards and 5 TDs. Mitchell was a player who impressed me during the week of Senior Bowl practices. His health will be evaluated as much as his play on the field, as he tore an ACL in 2013.

• Mike Thomas, WR, Southern Mississippi: Thomas ran a 4.4 at his pro day, and averaged an extremely impressive 19.6 yards per catch on 71 catches. It's important to note the number of catches here. Oftentimes receivers might have very high yards per catch averages, but it's misleading because they have a low number of catches. Averaging nearly 20 yards per catch on 71 catches shows a higher level of consistency getting down the field and making big plays.

• Brandon Shell, OT, South Carolina: Shell is a relative of Art Shell, the former OT and head coach of the Raiders. He played both LT and RT at South Carolina, and was also a four-year starter in the SEC, so he has extensive experience facing off against now-NFL pass rushers. In the NFL, Shell is probably best suited at RT. 

• Cole Toner, OT, Harvard: At Harvard, Toner played LT and RT, and he said that he has begun working on snapping in case NFL teams see him as a potential fit center. Doug Pederson has already stated that the Eagles will prioritize versatility in their offensive linemen, and Toner could be a late-round developmental player who can pay multiple positions.

• Isaac Seumalo, C, Oregon State (DRAFTED BY EAGLES): Seumalo's primary position is at center, where he has started since he was a freshman. In his sophomore season (2013), he moved to RT for two games after Oregon State suffered injuries along their offensive line. He broke his foot at the end of the 2013 season, which cost him the entire 2014 season.In 2015, Seumalo played RG and LT. Like Max Tuerk above, he is a unique player who can play all five spots along the offensive line.

Full breakdown of Seumalo here.

• Dadi Nicolas, DE, Virginia Tech: Nicolas often could not hold the point of attack at Virginia Tech in the run game as a 235-pound defensive lineman, and probably shouldn't have been asked to. In the NFL, he'll have no chance as he'll often be battling offensive tackles outweighing him by around 100 pounds. However, he is a very good pass rusher with 35 1/2" arms who gave OTs competing at the Senior Bowl fits all week with his speed off the edge. In Jim Schwartz's wide nine looks, Nicolas could be very difficult for opposing tackles to deal with when given a lot of space to work. He could be an interesting fit as a situational pass rusher.

• Yannick Ngakoue, DE, Maryland: In 2015, Ngakoue had 13 sacks, however, that number is a little misleading. If you watch Ngakoue's highlight reel, you'll see that most of his sacks came on plays in which he was either unblocked or the quarterback held onto it for an excessive amount of time. Still, the Eagles are likely to load up on "fastballs," and Ngakoue could be a mid-late round target.

• Joe Schobert, LB, Wisconsin: Schobert finished his season with 10 sacks as an edge rusher in Wisconsin's defense, but at 6'2, 236, he's probably going to have to transition to a 4-3 linebacker in the NFL. Schobert is a good athlete, so I don't foresee that being an issue.

• Nick Kwiatkowski, LB, West Virginia: The Eagles gave Kwiatkowski a little extra attention at the Senior Bowl, and then they reportedly met with him at West Virginia's pro day. And then they had him in for a pre-draft visit to the NovaCare Complex. Obviously, the Eagles have interest. Over the last three seasons, Kwiatkowski has racked up 275 tackles, with good pass breakup numbers in 2015 from his linebacker spot.

• Rashard Robinson, CB, LSU: In 20 career games at LSU, Robinson had 33 tackles, 1 INT, and 4 pass breakups. In other words, he didn't exactly rack up numbers like some of the other corners in this draft. That's because Robinson didn't play all that much. He was suspended indefinitely from the team in November of 2014 and was arrested in July of 2015. He missed the entire 2015 season because of off-the-field incidents.

• James Bradberry, CB, Samford: Bradberry is a corner who likes to be physical in press coverage at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles gave Bradberry some extra attention at the Senior Bowl.

• KaiVerae Russell, CB, Notre Dame: Russell does has red flags that will push him down draft boards. He missed the 2014 season because of an academic fraud investigation. After returning for the 2015 season, Russell broke his tibia and was done for the season. However, Russell came in at No. 8 on Bruce Feldman's "Freaks" list this past offseason, so the athletic ability is there.

• Dan Vitale, FB, Northwestern: The Eagles are likely going to have a fullback on the roster this year, and while Trey Burton will get a crack at it as well (I personally think Burton has more value as a tight end), I could see the Eagles adding a fullback either very late in the draft or as an undrafted free agent. Vitale is an intriguing fit in a West Coast offense as he caught 135 passes over his career at Northwestern and tested very well at the Combine.

• Spencer Drango, OG, Baylor: Drango has been Baylor's starting left tackle for four years, and he began the season as a highly rated prospect. However, after a down year and struggles at the Senior Bowl, his stock has fallen.

• Quinton Jefferson, DT, Maryland: At 6'4, 289, Jefferson is probably a three-technique in a 4-3, but he could also play some DE. During the week of Senior Bowl practices, Jefferson had his moments in which he was a disruptive and able to make plays in the backfield. Jefferson probably isn't going to be a starter in the NFL, but he could fit in nicely with the Eagles as a versatile rotational defensive lineman in the later rounds.

• Steven Daniels, LB, Boston College: In 2013, Daniels finished third on his team with 88 tackles. In 2014, he was second with 72 tackles. And in 2015, he led the Eagles' defense with 82 tackles. Daniels will not wow anyone with his measurables, as he is only 5'11, and he ran a 4.86 40 at the NFL Combine. However, much like some of the defenders the Eagles have brought into play in Jim Schwartz's defense this offseason, Daniels can thump.

• Daryl Worley, CB, West Virginia: Worley led the Mountaineers with six INTs in 2015, a season after picking off three passes in 2014. He has very good size at 6'1 to go along with 33.5" arms, and good ball skills. However, he ran a terrible 4.64 40 at the NFL Combine. He also has some character concerns, in that he missed a bowl game for academic reasons, and has an off-the-field incident in which he was accused of assaulting a female. Teams will have to investigate what happened there.

• K.J. Dillon, S, West Virginia: Dillon was the lesser-known of WVU's safeties. However, at the Senior Bowl, he showed impressive cover skills and had a few nice pops on running backs. He could be a late-round developmental player.

• Keenan Reynolds, RB, Navy: Much like Vikings backup running back and former Georgia Southern quarterback Jerick McKinnon, Reynolds will likely make the transition to running back in the pros from being an option quarterback in college. Reynolds' transition to the NFL could take some time as Navy's offense runs the ball 125 percent of the time. He'd have to learn how to become a receiver and pass protector out of the backfield.

• Jakeem Grant, WR, Texas Tech: The Eagles specifically targeted speed when they signed Chris Givens in free agency. Additionally, the receivers they have reportedly had in for pre-draft visits to the NovaCare Complex so far have been speed guys. Which brings us to Jakeem Grant. While Grant is likely to be the smallest player drafted (he's 5'6, 161), he is also the fastest.

• Cody Core, WR, Ole Miss: Core is 6'3, he has 10 3/8" hands, he ran a 4.47 40, and he was a special teams standout. He could be a developmental project who can potentially make the roster by contributing on special teams.

• Tyler Johnstone, OT, Oregon: Johnstone would be a developmental player who could serve as a swing tackle early in his career, competing with Dennis Kelly for a roster spot.

• Parker Ehinger, OT/OG, Cincinnati: Ehinger has a good height-weight combination for a tackle, and while I believe he's more athletic than some give him credit for, he'll probably have to move inside to guard at the next level.

• Antonio Morrison, LB, Florida: Morrison, is an intense player who will throw his body around. However, he ran a 5.1 40 at his pro day, which is going to raise huge concerns about a serious knee injury Morrison suffered in 2014.

• Juston Burris, CB, NC State: In his last season at NC State, Burris was credited with a grand total of zero missed tackles. The Eagles could look at Burris as an immediate contributor on special teams as well as a depth at corner.