March 09, 2022
On Tuesday, we published our third Philadelphia Eagles-only mock draft of the offseason. With the 2022 NFL Combine now in the books, we'll take a peek around at some of the national guys and see who they have going to the Birds at 15th, 16th, and 19th overall.
Pick 15: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: Let's fill some holes for Philadelphia, which has three first-round picks and problems at a few spots on its roster. The Eagles made a run to the playoffs last season, winning six of their final eight games, but their defense was exposed along the way. They allowed quarterbacks to complete a whopping 69.4% of their passes, which ranked last in the league.
McDuffie, who didn't allow a single touchdown in coverage over the past two seasons, could play the spot opposite Darius Slay. He also has the ability to play out of the slot.
Pick 16: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: The Eagles ranked 31st in the league with 29 sacks last season; they have to get better there. Getting pressure on the quarterback is a way to improve the entire defense. Ojabo is a pure pass-rusher who is still developing as a run defender. He had had 11 sacks and five forced fumbles, wreaking havoc opposite potential No. 1 pick Aidan Hutchinson. I'd feel better about taking Ojabo in the middle of Round 1 vs. the top 10 because he can get swallowed up in the run game, but his edge-rush upside is undeniable.
Pick 19: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: One more Round 1 selection for the Eagles, who I gave defenders at Nos. 15 and 16. This could be a spot to take another receiver, their third straight draft to take one in the first round. Jalen Reagor, the No. 21 pick in 2020, has underwhelmed -- I thought it was a reach at the time -- while DeVonta Smith, the No. 10 choice last year, had a good but not great rookie season.
I would get Jalen Hurts a different kind of receiver in Burks, who is big and physical (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) and could complement Smith's speed. Burks had 1,104 yards and 11 touchdowns for the Razorbacks last season. I'm really curious to see his athletic testing numbers at the combine; it's not out of the question that he rises even farther up the board.
#JimmySays: McDuffie is good, but I'm not taking a 5'11 corner with sub-30" arms and 2 career INTs in the top half of the first round.
Pick 15: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: The Eagles need to refresh the defensive line and Ojabo has an incredible burst off the ball. He's raw but he has as much upside as any edge rusher in the draft.
Pick 16: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia: Wyatt is going to surprise when he tests at the NFL Scouting Combine. He's a dynamic athlete and was a force in practice at the Senior Bowl.
Pick 19: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: Wilson would pair with DeVonta Smith to provide an excellent young duo for Jalen Hurts.
#JimmySays: I think Ojabo is the most likely player in this draft to become an Eagle. Jeremiah published this before the Combine, which means he hadn't yet seen Wyatt's stellar workout. The guess here is that Wyatt is gone by the time the Eagles pick.
As noted previously, Jeremiah singled out Wilson as a fit for the Eagles.
Pick 15: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: Philadelphia lands one of the cleanest cornerback prospects in the draft with the versatility and talent to play wide or over the slot.
Pick 16: Drake London, WR, USC: London might not have the buzz that the combine speedsters garnered last week, but he's a big ball-winner -- and that is exactly what Philadelphia needs opposite DeVonta Smith.
Pick 19: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: Let's get some pass rush going in Philadelphia! Ojabo may be raw as a run defender, but his instincts and upside as a pass rusher are undeniable.
#JimmySays: Yuck. Zierlein does a phenomenal job with the 300-plus scouting reports he puts together every year for NFL.com, but his Eagles picks at 15 and 16 here are terrible. Again, no way McDuffie belongs in the top half of the first round, in my opinion, and I'm not taking a jump ball WR that high either.
Ojabo makes sense, of course, though the order is a little weird. The Eagles won't chance missing out on an edge rusher they like to take a corner and a receiver.
Pick 15: Kyle Hamilton, S, Notre Dame: The addition of a playmaking safety with range, ball skills and thump would upgrade an Eagles secondary that could lose a pair of starters in the back end.
Pick 16: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: The Eagles have the draft capital needed to make the necessary upgrades at wide receiver. Olave is a polished route runner with the potential to flourish as a WR2 opposite DeVonta Smith.
Pick 19: Jermaine Johnson, DE, Florida State: The Eagles need to find a replacement for 33-year-old Brandon Graham on the edges. Not to mention, Derek Barnett's hitting the open market. Johnson could get the call as an athletic pass rusher with a non-stop motor.
#JimmySays: I think these three picks are fine, but again, the order in which they're picked is weird. In this scenario, Johnson is the fifth edge rusher off the board. I can't see the Eagles passing on the last very good edge rusher prospect at picks 15 and 16 in favor of a safety and a receiver.
Pick 15: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: The sub-30 inch arms are far from ideal and could break a tie if teams have him closely ranked with Sauce Gardner or Derek Stingley on their cornerback board. Nonetheless, he is a top-tier athlete with inside-outside versatility and the football intelligence that makes him an immediate NFL starter.
Pick 16: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue: With three selections in the top 20 and pass rusher being the strength of this draft class, it would be a shock if the Eagles don’t draft an edge defender in the first round. Karlaftis plays with outstanding lower body explosion, motor and hand skills that will translate well to the pro game.
Pick 19: Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: The Nick Sirianni-led offense prioritizes technically proficient receivers who are where they need to be at the exact moment they need to be there. That description fits Olave like a glove. He is as smooth as they come with his routes and timing while also offering the 4.3 speed to keep the coverage honest.
#JimmySays: McDuffie again? I guess I have to watch this guy some more and try to see what I'm missing.
Pick 15: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: It’s definitely rare for a team to take a first-round wide receiver in three consecutive drafts, but Burks is too good to pass up here. He’d be a perfect complement to DeVonta Smith, providing both run-after-the-catch and physical jump ball elements that no one else on that roster can. He could help Jalen Hurts make a jump as a passer in year three.
Pick 16: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: With their second of back-to-back picks, the Eagles bolster their edge rush group. Derek Barnett and Ryan Kerrigan are both headed into free agency, so Ojabo could earn a rotational pass-rush role from day one.
Pick 19: Trent McDuffie, CB, Washington: With their third pick of the round, the Eagles address another massive need and grab one of the top corners in this draft. Steven Nelson is slated to be a free agent and 31-year old Darius Slay isn’t getting any younger, so the versatile and athletic McDuffie gives Philly a piece they can build their secondary around.
#JimmySays: Burks and Ojabo would be something of a dream scenario at picks 15 and 16. McDuffie at 19 is at least slightly more palatable at pick 19 than he'd be at 15 or 16.
Pick 15: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia: This continues to be a popular pairing in our weekly mocks, partly because the Eagles could use Dean in the middle of their D (even if, historically, they don't draft off-ball linebackers in Round 1), and in part because Dean was so dominant during the '21 season. And while he played on the best defense in the country, don't be fooled -- he didn't ride on the coattails of a dominant Georgia defensive line, Dean was a huge reason for their success. There are questions about his size and how that translates to the NFL, but his tape tells a different story.
Pick 16: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: David Ojabo isn't a finished product -- he didn't come to the States until 2015 -- and that's what makes him so exciting. He was incredibly disruptive for Michigan last season and he's only going to get better once he understands what he's supposed to be doing, which won't take long for the Academic All-American.
Pick 19: Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama: The Eagles have used first-rounders on wide receivers the last two years, but they'll only have four wideouts under contract after the season, and that includes J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. Williams tore his ACL in the national title game but he's still one of the best players in this draft class and should be ready to contribute next October.
#JimmySays: As we've said, if there's one year in which I think there's a possibility the Eagles go linebacker in the first round it's this year, because (a) the Eagles still have a major need there, (b) they have three first-round picks, and (c) there are players worthy of a one of those picks. We all know it's still not happening though, right?
Pick 15: Tyler Linderbaum, C, Iowa: Let's get Linderbaum on the Eagles to replace Jason Kelce. How it was meant to be.
Pick 16: David Ojabo, DE, Michigan: Ojabo should crush his workout, which would solidify him as a top 20 selection, and the Eagles have to address their edge-rusher spot.
Pick 19: Kyler Gordon, CB, Washington: Gordon is a freaky specimen. Long, fluid player who attacks against the run and has high-level ball skills.
#JimmySays: If Kelce doesn't retire, I'm not taking a center and having him sit for a year before he can play. If Kelce retires, sure, then we'll talk, but even then... pick 15... on a center? Eh, no thanks.
Pick 13 (trade up with Cleveland): Derek Stingley, CB, LSU: Baltimore is a team that has been linked to cornerbacks in this draft class and Cleveland likely knows it has a few players it would not mind taking so it is willing to move back a few spots for Philadelphia to move up and take the falling Stingley. The Eagles are able to retain their other two first-round choices while also getting a blue chip talent when healthy.
Pick 16: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue: The fortune continues for Philadelphia as it lands a top 10-caliber talent in my eyes. Karlaftis is a physically mature pass rusher and should soak in all that the veterans on that roster have to share with him.
Pick 19: Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah: Philadelphia caps its first round haul with the addition of Lloyd. The Eagles address all three levels with Karlaftis, Stingley Jr. and Lloyd. All three are potential impact players for the coming season but also important pieces to the NFC East franchise's defensive future.
#JimmySays: In my opinion, the two most likely trade-up scenarios for the Eagles are either for a quarterback, or if they feel that when they pick there won't be any edge rushers left that they really like. I can't see them trading up for Stingley.
I think this is the type of draft that the "stick with Jalen Hurts and build the defense" crowd would love.
Pick 15: Kenyon Green, OG, Texas A&M: The Eagles need to replace retiring Brandon Brooks with an upgrade with someone who can also start for a long time. Green is a well-rounded interior run blocker with solid size, strength and technique.
Pick 16: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia: The Eagles also need to reinforce their defense as part of their three first-rounders and should they go offensive line in Green a pick before, Dean would be more of an immediate-impact choice than going for depth at either end or tackle. Dean was the active playmaking leader of the Bulldogs' national championship defense and can fit anywhere alongside T.J. Edwards, most likely upgrading from Genard Avery on the strong side.
Pick 19: Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati: The Eagles are getting nice late-career play from Darius "Big Play" Slay and Avonte Maddox has been good, too, but they could use a further boost in the secondary from Gardner. He can move around to help them in subpackages before settling as an outside starter to succeed Slay, who's entering his Age 31 season.
Pick 51: Arnold Ebikete, DE, Penn State: The Eagles need to address the edge with Brandon Graham aging fast coming off a ruptured Achilles', Derek Barnett being a free agent and Josh Sweat not providing much. Ebikete has a good blend of strength and explosiveness to emerge as a complete player soon.
#JimmySays: I appreciate the hustle of going two rounds deep, but 🤢. At guard, the Eagles have Landon Dickerson, Isaac Seumalo, Jack Driscoll, Nate Herbig, and Sua Opeta. Unless Kelce is retiring and Dickerson or Seumalo is moving to center, why would the Eagles take a guard in the top half of the first round? And even if Kelce did retire, the Eagles still have plenty of depth there.
Pick 15: Devonte Wyatt, DT, Georgia: As the second (of three) Georgia defensive linemen picked in the top 20,Wyatt earned a career-best 84.0 pass-rush grade to go along with his fourth consecutive 72.0-plus run-defense grade.
Pick 16: Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: There has been a steady drumbeat around the possibility of Burks being the first wide receiver taken in this year’s draft, as his 6-foot-3, 225-pound frame and yards-after-catch (YAC) ability remind many of Titans wide receiver A.J. Brown. A poor showing at the combine and questions around his capacity to consistently win on the outside dropped his stock a bit but not too far.
Pick 19: Derek Stingley, CB, LSU: A rare football talent, Stingley has dropped a bit in recent mocks as he recovers from foot surgery that will keep him from training at full speed until his pro day on April 6th. Stingley earned an elite 91.7 grade as a true freshman at LSU and even pushed to play wide receiver in subsequent seasons. While he never quite lived up to his debut college campaign, he has the potential to be an impact player from Week 1.
#JimmySays: Stingley's drop into the teens is something that I believe is a legitimate possibility.
Pick 15: George Karlaftis, DE, Purdue: George Karlaftis didn’t put together a complete NFL Combine showing, but he remains a first-round prospect in the aftermath of the Indianapolis showcase. Perhaps one of the biggest questions surrounding Karlaftis was his burst. I’ve been of the mind that it passes the threshold required from a starter. Karlaftis delivered on that expectation with a 38-inch vertical and a 121-inch broad jump.
Beyond his initial burst, Karlaftis brings many other valuable traits. He’s a strong defender with power and heavy force in his hands, and he also has some measured ankle flexion around the edge. He lacks elite bend, but he has shown he can reduce his surface area a bit and accelerate around the apex. The Eagles will soon need to revamp their EDGE room, and in this 7-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft, Karlaftis makes a lot of sense.
Pick 16: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: As deep as the 2022 NFL Draft’s wide receiver class is, there’s no Ja’Marr Chase or Jaylen Waddle. That was only made more clear by athletic testing results. There’s truly absurd depth, especially on Day 2, but we might not see the first receiver taken until the teens. Even so, Garrett Wilson remains one of the front-runners after a strong Combine showing, which featured a 4.38 40-yard dash, a 36-inch vertical, and a 123-inch broad jump.
Wilson weighed in a bit lighter than expected, coming in around 5’11 3/4″, 183 pounds. But for his size, Wilson has great proportional length with 32-inch arms. On the field, his play is eerily reminiscent of Buffalo Bills star Stefon Diggs. With his high-end explosiveness and twitch, Wilson can easily displace DBs. He attacks blind spots, has the acrobatic catching ability to make plays downfield, and is a slippery RAC threat. Alongside DeVonta Smith, Wilson could do damage.
Pick 19: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia: Three first-round picks can put a lot of pressure on a franchise. The last time a team had that much capital on Day 1, it didn’t go very well (sorry, Dolphins fans). But there are also plenty of opportunities that come with this situation. For the Eagles, it’s a chance to infuse the roster with blue-chip talent en masse. If they can take advantage, it could be key in reclaiming the NFC East.
With their third first-round pick in this 7-Round 2022 NFL Mock Draft, the Eagles select Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean. We don’t have testing numbers for Dean yet, but we don’t need them. On tape, he pops as an explosive, high-motor leader on the Bulldogs’ defense. There have been concerns about his size, but Dean measured in at 229 pounds with his 5’11 1/4″ frame, confirming that he’s dense enough to compete in close quarters. On top of that, he’s an incredibly smart player who can command the Eagles’ defense.
#JimmySays: "Ankle flexion" might remind some here of the traits attributed to Derek Barnett when he was coming out of college.
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