On Wednesday, former Philadelphia Eagles scout and current NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah spent a couple hours answering questions from reporters about the 2024 NFL Draft. Some of those questions were about the Eagles. I was interested to read through his thoughts on the Birds, so maybe you are too? 🤷♂️
Here's what Jeremiah said, and I'll throw in my two cents as well.
Q. Someone asked what teams could be aggressive in making trades during the draft.
Jeremiah: "In terms of other teams to be aggressive, I mentioned Washington, top of the second round, being a team that could jump back up and make a move. I never sleep on Howie Roseman as a potential to go north or south. I always keep an eye on them. I think they have a pretty obvious need there at corner.
"You have somebody like Terrion Arnold or even Quinyon Mitchell, if either of those guys start to drift a little bit, I wouldn't sleep at all on the Eagles being an aggressive team and going up there and trying to get one of those corners."
#JimmySays: The Eagles don't feel very likely to move south. But north? Absolutely. Arnold and Mitchell would make sense. In my opinion, both of those players are much better fits for the Eagles than Nate Wiggins, for example, who should be available at 22.
Q. Offensive tackle question that's kind of coming from an Eagles perspective. They look for offensive linemen that have at least one really unique physical trait typically, and then hopefully they have good football character as well, and then they let Jeff Stoutland work on them. I'm curious which of the offensive tackles in this class you think have one exceptionally unique trait compared to other offensive tackles in the class?
Jeremiah: "If you're asking me who the Stout guys are in this draft, Taliese Fuaga would be way up there. I don't think that he's going to be in their mix. If we're looking at the reasonable guys that they could have a shot at, JC Latham, Amarius Mims, and Tyler Guyton. I think all three of those guys have exceptional physical traits. They're all enormous and long. And by all accounts are coachable. To me, I would be you could try and split hairs there, but I think all three of those guys, they're 18, 22, and 23 on my list, and I think all three of those guys would be Jeff Stoutland approved in terms of the ability they have.
"I think Latham is a little bit further along in the progression than Mims and Guyton, but I think any of those three guys are there, I would think that Stoutland would absolutely get the best out of them."
#JimmySays: As a disclaimer, that was my question. I was looking more for the traits that those guys possess, but whatever. DJ was like an hour into his Q&A by that point and probably wishing it were over, lol. But I agree that all three of Latham, Mims, and Guyton all have highly intriguing physical traits. On size alone, Latham is 6'6, 342, Mims is 6'8, 340, and Guyton is 6'8, 322.
Q. Kind of follow-up to your Eagles conversation just there with the tackles and Stout. With Lane Johnson still playing at a high level, Jordan Mailata just got $66 million, they might prefer someone who can start at guard and just kick out. Are any of those guys that you mentioned equipped to start inside than the others?
Jeremiah: "Of those three that I said, I would say Latham. Between Latham, Mims, and Guyton, that's a lot of man inside. All those guys are big, but you're talking about almost 6'8" with Mims and Guyton, where it's almost 6'6" with Latham. To me, Latham would be the one that could kick in, but the two that could really do it are Fuaga and Fautanu. Those two guys, plug and play at guard and graduate to tackle whenever Lane walks away. You'd have to move up a little bit to get that done. Howie's been more than willing to do that over the years too. He'll move either way. I wouldn't rule that out if one of those guys started to drift. That's an easy plug-and-play guard for sure."
#JimmySays: In addition to Mims and Guyton not being ideal fits at guard because they're so tall, neither guy has a lot of playing experience either. Mims had 8 career starts at Georgia. Guyton had 14 career starts at TCU and Oklahoma. They're going to be projects at offensive tackle, much less a second position at guard.
Q. What do you think position-wise the Eagles would benefit most from with their late-round picks in terms of adding value for the long run? And which players do you think might the Eagles target with some of their Day 3 picks?
Jeremiah: "Day 3 usually you start with guys who can help contribute on special teams while they're developing and growing. You look at corners and you look at off the ball linebackers. Those would be the places I would start.
"When you start talking about Day 3 guys, corners, guys like Josh Newton from TCU, Jarvis Brownlee from Louisville. Those are a couple off the top here that I really like. I love Andru Phillips from Kentucky. I think he's going to end up going on Day 2. He's a really, really good player. Those are some of the names at the corner position.
"Then linebackers, Day 3 linebackers that can help you immediately on special teams and then continue to grow and develop, I like Edefuan Ulofoshio from Washington, JD Bertrand from Notre Dame, Darius Muasau from UCLA. Those are some guys that to me are day three players that not only can help you on teams right away, but they're guys who I think have the potential to be solid starters in time."
#JimmySays: Phillips had 0 career INTs and only 10 pass breakups, so his ball skills must improve, however, Senior Bowl wide receivers couldn't shake him all week down in Mobile back in January. He was on them like glue, and I was impressed with his week. Slot corner prospect.
Newton has some inside-outside versatility, so I like his fit as well.
Q. When you look at the Eagles, they have, with those two second-round picks, on offense they're set at a lot of those spots, especially receiver and running back. They have DeVante Parker and Parris Campbell, both one-year deals, and Kenneth Gainwell's contract ends next year and there's a slot potentially open for a third running back. Are there any skill guys that you see potentially being in the spot of them taking them Day 2? If not, who would be a guy Day 3 they can potentially pick up to fill one of those roles?
Jeremiah: "I'll put it this way, the Eagles will draft a running back on Day 3 or I'll buy you lunch, Chris, next time I see you if I see you anywhere. If they have not drafted a Day 3 running back – not a fancy sit-down lunch, but a sandwich place. But I think you'll see the Eagles take a running back on Day 3. The guy I like, I just did the other day, I was going through the non-Combine guys, Blake Watson from Memphis. I know when I worked there Howie was always big on explosives, like he wanted to see how many explosive runs guys had, catches. Like he wanted guys that could go the distance as running backs and have some juice. This is a guy who ran 4.4 flat, has a ton of production both rushing and catching the ball. That's a day three back that would be a fun one.
"When you're looking at receivers, I go back to, like, Quez Watkins as being a good hit for them late. Looking for late receivers with traits, big-time speed that could go, you could get to Anthony Gould, who can return from Oregon State. Ran 4.39. He's undersized, but it's a fun flyer to take late in the draft on somebody who has return value and also has the ability to get on top of coverage. Those types of players are fun. That's the fun part of scouting is trying to find those guys on day three that can, first of all, make your team and hopefully carve out a role."
#JimmySays: I assume "Chris" is Chris Franklin from NJ.com. I'm going to remind Chris about that free lunch if the Eagles don't take a running back on Day 3, but I do think Jeremiah is right that they will.
Also, that note about Howie loving running backs with good explosive run stats is an example of why Jeremiah is so good. He can hang knowledge-wise with locals whereas most other national types have no chance. I can remember Howie being really fired up about Wendell Smallwood leading college football with runs of 10+ yards in his final season at West Virginia.
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