On Wednesday, we published our fourth Philadelphia Eagles-only mock draft of the offseason. Today we'll take a peek around at some of the national guys and see who they have going to the Birds at 32nd overall.
James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee (Mel Kiper, ESPN)
The defending Super Bowl champs lost some key parts of their defense in free agency, including edge rusher Josh Sweat. Being able to get after the quarterback is important for Vic Fangio's defense, and there's a glaring void now on the edge. There are mixed opinions around the league on whether Pearce is a first-rounder, but he has the traits to develop into a speedy disruptor in the right system. He had 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons and ranked second in the nation in pressure rate last season (19.0%).
#JimmySays: Pearce would seemingly be a steal at 32. More on why he might not be in a minute.
Mel did a two-rounder. His second-round pick for the Eagles was Penn State S Kevin Winston, with the following reasoning:
The Eagles could close Round 2 by staying in state. Winston played only two games last season after suffering a knee injury in September, but he had 40 tackles and five pass breakups the prior year. He could help replace C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who was traded to Houston.
If GM Howie Roseman wanted to keep his offensive line strong and potentially even plan ahead for an eventual Lane Johnson replacement, there are some decent O-line prospects still on the board, too. Boston College's Ozzy Trapilo and LSU's Emery Jones Jr. could be worth a look.
#JimmySays: Winston is an instinctive, physical, sure tackling defender who can play deep safety, dime linebacker, or even some slot against bigger receivers, so I do think his versatility would fit in Fangio's scheme.
Jihaad Campbell, LB, Alabama (Field Yates, ESPN)
It hurts me to see Campbell have to wait this long; he's the final prospect on the board who ranks in my top 25. But after recent left shoulder surgery, his health outlook for the start of his career is less clear. But this would be a classic example of the Eagles pouncing on a talented player who fell due to circumstance. Philly struck gold with a no-risk signing of Zack Baun last offseason, and the idea of a linebacker trio eventually composed of Baun, Nakobe Dean (knee) and Campbell is exciting. Campbell had 112 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss, 5 sacks and an interception last season.
#JimmySays: I would file this outcome as "unlikely," mainly because Campbell will very likely be gone, but also because the Eagles believe they have a very good duo in Baun and Dean. If the Eagles believe that Dean's career outlook is in question because of his patellar tendon tear, then sure.
Walter Nolen, iDL, Ole Miss (Rhett Lewis, NFL Network)
Philly's drafting dominance along the defensive line continues with the selection of Nolen, who furthers the Eagles' tradition of stockpiling at positions of strength, reinforcing their championship formula.
#JimmySays: Nolen continues to be a popular projection to the Eagles.
Walter Nolen, iDL, Ole Miss (Chad Reuter, NFL Network)
Acquiring Nolen would be the best way for the Eagles to make up for the loss of Milton Williams. The young tackle can play outside and inside, depending on the called front and any weaknesses in the opposing offensive line. Philadelphia sends its third-round choice to the Rams to make this pick.
#JimmySays: This was a five-round mock. The rest of the picks:
• Round 2: Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech
• Round 3: Traded
• Round 4: Jonas Sanker, S, Virginia
• Round 5: DJ Giddons, RB, Kansas State
• Round 5: Collin Oliver, LB, Oklahoma State
• Round 5: Ahmed Hassanein, EDGE, Boise State
• Round 5: Upton Stout, CB, Western Kentucky
So the Eagles make 7 picks, and none of them are offensive linemen? Eh, alright.
Grey Zabel, iOL, North Dakota State (Maurice Jones-Drew, NFL Network)
Zabel has experience at multiple spots along the O-line but could step in as a Day 1 starter at guard for Philly, replacing the departed Mekhi Becton.
#JimmySays: Zabel will probably be gone, but it wouldn't be surprising at all if the Eagles had interest.
Walter Nolen, iDL, Ole Miss (Nate Tice and Charles McDonald)
Nolen could go 20 spots higher or 20 spots lower and I wouldn’t blink. He’s incredibly talented, but needs to go to a place that will sharpen and hone his talent. The defending Super Bowl champion that has other talent on the defensive line with Vic Fangio as defensive coordinator and Clint Hurtt as defensive line coach is a pretty good landing spot for him!
#JimmySays: I'd be stunned if he went 20 picks later.
Walter Nolen, iDL, Ole Miss (Connor Rogers, NBC Sports)
Nolen is a gap shooter who can out-athlete interior blockers off the ball. However, he runs hot and cold as a pass rusher because he still needs to develop a counter move and he’s on the ground more than you’d prefer. This is a classic case of the Eagles knowing they can continue his development (former number one overall recruit in 2022) while being careful with how much they put on his plate out of the gate.
#JimmySays: 🥱
James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee (Ryan Wilson, CBS)
Pearce is a juiced up, twitchy edge rusher who can win with the bull rush or speed around the edge. He plays with a nonstop motor but off-field concerns might push him down the board.
#JimmySays: I hadn't seen the "character concern" stuff with Pearce until now, but that appears to check out:
Shavon Revel, Jr., CB, East Carolina (Chris Trapasso, CBS)
Howie Roseman strikes again. Revel is eerily similar to Quinyon Mitchell who starred with the Eagles as a rookie at outside corner.
#JimmySays: I really like Revel, and I even think that a third cornerback alongside Mitchell and Cooper DeJean is a low-key long-term need, but not in Round 1. And this wouldn't even be a value pick. Revel is a Day 2 guy, in my opinion.
This was a seven-round mock:
• Round 2: Princely Umanmielen, EDGE, Ole Miss
• Round 3: Jaylin Lane, WR, Virginia Tech
• Round 4: Jack Sawyer, EDGE, Ohio State
• Round 5: Korie Black, CB, Oklahoma State
• Round 5: Mitchell Evans, TE, Notre Dame
• Round 5: Barryn Sorrell, EDGE, Texas
• Round 5: Ty Robinson, DT, Nebraska
The Revel pick aside, I actually like the rest of it.
James Pearce, EDGE, Tennessee (Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today)
Howie Roseman returned to his usual tactics in free agency by buying the dip with one-year deals for a couple of talented edge rushers in Azeez Ojulari and Josh Uche. Here, he can employ the same strategy to find a long-term solution at one of his most coveted spots, with Pearce having the explosive initial burst and closing speed of a top pick despite his occasionally uneven results.
#JimmySays: Howie gets praise for draft picks he hasn't made yet.
PFF mock simulator
Submitted without commentary:
MORE: Jimmy's Eagles-only mock draft, version 4.0
Follow Jimmy & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @JimmyKempski | thePhillyVoice
Like us on Facebook: PhillyVoice Sports
Add Jimmy's RSS feed to your feed reader