May 14, 2023
Let's squeeze every last drop out of the mock draft page view cash cow, shall we?
A former Oregon transfer, James was a pleasant surprise last season. He did a great job limiting big plays and will enter this season with an early-round projection.
#JimmySays: Darius Slay will be 33 and James Bradberry will be 30 this time next year, so cornerback makes sense.
Joey Porter went to the team that drafted his dad back in 1999 (Pittsburgh) this year, so why not project Trotter to go to the team that selected his dad in 1998 next year? The younger Trotter is coming off a great season and could join Nakobe Dean to fill the hole left up the middle after the departures of T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White. He has great instincts and 6-foot, 230-pound size. Trotter had 91 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, 7 pass breakups, 2 interceptions and a forced fumble last year. He does it all.
#JimmySays: McShay mocked Bijan Robinson to the Eagles several times in the leadup to the 2023 draft, despite knowing full well that Howie Roseman wasn't taking a running back with the 10th overall pick. I imagine he also knows full well that they aren't likely to go linebacker either, even if the Trotter fit is fun and it's a position of need.
McShay has the Eagles picking 30th and the 49ers picking 31st, by the way.
The Philadelphia Eagles use two tight end sets to put defensive coordinators in a bind. Cade Stover was an outside linebacker for the Buckeyes who moved to tight end. He showed flashes in 2022, and his potential is obvious. With all of the attention toward Ohio State’s talented wide receiver group, Stover should have opportunities to get the football thrown his way. Look for Stover to take a major step this season and show scouts he could land in the first round.
#JimmySays: The Eagles drafted Dallas Goedert when Zach Ertz was still in his prime. Goedert has panned out as a player, but the Eagles' heavy usage of two-TE sets was painfully boring to watch from 2018 through 2020. I'm not so sure they want to relive that.
It was a relatively down year for Worthy, whose 70.1 receiving grade in 2022 was more than 10 points lower than what he posted in 2021 as a true freshman. Despite seeing 10 more targets this past season, the sophomore recorded 224 fewer receiving yards and four fewer touchdowns than his dominant 2021 year.
He became much more of a downfield receiver this past season, with his average depth of target being 17.6 yards, which ranked seventh highest in the Power Five. That dwarfs his 13.4-yard figure from 2021, which was 69th in the same group. By making him more of a downfield threat, Texas took away one of Worthy’s best attributes: his ability after the catch. As a true freshman, Worthy’s 526 yards after the catch were the 10th most in the Power Five. He fell to 41st this year with only 324 yards after the catch.
#JimmySays: One of the positions of need that the Eagles didn't address in the draft was wide receiver. I think they believe in Quez Watkins more than the general public does. If Watkins doesn't bounce back from a rough 2022 season, more wide receiver depth could indeed be a focus.
Worthy is rail thin at 6'1, 164.
Spraggins flashed last fall while we were watching Darnell Wright. If he can have a Wright-type leap over the summer he could make his way into the top-50 conversation.
#JimmySays: Javontez Spraggins is a made up name, right?
Also, the Eagles are picking 30th, 49ers 31st.
If the Eagles are fine with Cam Jurgens at guard to replace Isaac Seumalo, they should be thinking about 35-year-old Jason Kelce's successor at center. Van Pran is a highly athletic anchor who doesn't give up on his blocks. Plus, he's a Bulldog, so that tracks.
#JimmySays: Jurgens is the successor at center. Also, I guess we're going to be seeing more Georgia players mocked to the Eagles.
Another Georgia Bulldog heads to Philadelphia, as the Eagles snap up Lassiter at No. 31. With the NFC champions' secondary aging, Lassiter is a great fit as a depth piece before becoming an eventual starter.
#JimmySays: Yep, Georgia again.
Based on how Howie Roseman and the Eagles have drafted the past two years, is it as easy as simply projecting the best player from the University of Georgia here? Thomas began his college career at Mississippi State, grabbing 12 touchdowns over his first two seasons.
#JimmySays: Georgia. 🙄
The Eagles are picking 29th here, 49ers 31st. I don't get it. The 49ers aren't even the second-best team in the NFC, much less the best. Who is their quarterback?
Depth along the offensive line is never a bad thing to have, and some shuffling might be in order next offseason if All-Pro center Jason Kelce finally retires. Colby is a massive guard with great size and strength, and drafting trench warriors from this program usually turns out well at the next level.
#JimmySays: We all know it'll be an offensive line draft next year, right? Lane Johnson has said that he plans on playing two more seasons. The 2024 draft feels like the time to begin to groom his successor. So, they're on the right track here with the O-line, but they have just pinpointed the wrong player who needs a succession plan.
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