April 23, 2020

Eagles final mock draft roundup: Local writer edition

By Jimmy Kempski
PhillyVoice Staff

Throughout the pre-draft process, we have done a number of mock draft roundups, but they were always focused on who the national draft analysts thought the Philadelphia Eagles might take in Round 1. Here we'll take a look at who the local writers think the Eagles will take. (None of us successfully projected Andre Dillard last year.)

You can find PhillyVoice's final mock draft here.

We'll order each writer below by their beat writer question face-off rank.

Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma (John McMullen, Sports Illustrated)

The drought is over. The Eagles simply need more at LB to deal with Ezekiel Elliott and Saquon Barkley.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Jeff McLane, Philadelphia Inquirer)

I see the Eagles dropping for a receiver more than I see them taking one here. But Jefferson makes more sense than a move-up.

Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU (Sheil Kapadia, The Athletic)

Given how the offseason has played out, I have a hard time seeing the Eagles going in a direction other than wide receiver with their first pick. I don’t believe the buzz about one of the top three guys — Jerry Jeudy, CeeDee Lamb or Henry Ruggs III — falling to No. 21. Justin Jefferson? Maybe, but still unlikely. I think the Eagles will be deciding between Reagor and Arizona State wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk at this spot. I’m giving them Reagor.
I would be a big fan of this pick. I ranked Reagor as my No. 4 overall wide receiver. He was hurt by poor quarterback play last year but had 72 catches for 1,061 yards and nine touchdowns in 2018. Reagor (5-11, 206 pounds) is a smooth route runner with speed who consistently creates separation. He has “make you miss” ability with the ball in his hands and a 42-inch vertical to win on contested catches. Others may disagree, but I don’t think he’d be a reach, at all, at No. 21.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Tim McManus, ESPN)

I have too much to do today to transcribe Tim, but here's what he said:

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Zach Berman, The Athletic)

It’s a popular prediction for good reason: Jefferson is a complete wide receiver and checks off the boxes the Eagles want — college production, athletic testing and size profile. The question is whether he can play on the outside in the NFL or if his best work will be in the slot. The Eagles must feel comfortable that he can play both. But for a team that needs help at wide receiver, Jefferson is a Day 1 starter who upgrades the unit.
I’m not convinced the Eagles stay at No. 21. They could trade down to add more picks and still draft a talented wide receiver. But I’m guessing there’s an early run on offensive tackles, and a wide receiver the Eagles want will still be on the board at No. 21.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Dave Zangaro, NBC Philly)

For a long time, I thought the Eagles could sit at 21 and get Jefferson, but I’m not convinced anymore. I think there’s a good chance they’ll have to move up a little bit to take one of the top four receivers in this class and I think it’s worth it. If not, then I’m not sure there’s a receiver really worth the 21st pick. It’s not that I dislike Denzel Mims, but I want more of a sure thing and Jefferson fits.
There has been some smoke around the Falcons’ wanting to move up but if they’re unable to, why wouldn’t they trade out? If they’re willing to move up it’s probably because they don’t love the value at No. 16. And with just six picks, they could pick up another fourth-rounder.
So here’s the trade:
Eagles get: 16, 229
Falcons get: 21, 127, Rasul Douglas
So this is basically a swap of a fourth-round pick for a seventh-rounder and the Eagles throw in Douglas for a team that needs more depth at cornerback. Douglas has reportedly been available in a trade and his long frame might be a better fit for Atlanta’s Cover 3 scheme.
In 2018, the Bills traded up from No. 22 to 16 and did so with a swap of third- and fifth-round picks. The Bills got 16 and 154, while the Ravens got 22 and 65. I sort of based this trade on that one.
As for Jefferson, I just like the player. I know some people are worried about the fact that he projects as a slot receiver first at the NFL level. But that doesn’t bother me as much. He was explosive at that position at LSU and he can be very productive at that same spot in the NFL. This isn’t some 5-foot-10 volume receiver. He can be a game-breaker playing inside and has the type of speed the Eagles desperately need everywhere.
(If the Broncos decide to take Jefferson at 15 and Henry Ruggs III is still available, the Eagles would obviously be happy to do this trade for him too.)

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor (Reuben Frank, NBC Philly)

Howie Roseman has never drafted a wide receiver in the first round. Jeremy Maclin was the year before he took over as GM, and Nelson Agholor was Chip’s. Howie finally gets the Eagles the elite young wide out they desperately need.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Martin Frank, Delaware News Journal)

Trade with Atlanta
Roseman knows he has to get ahead of Miami at 18 to get Jefferson, so he swings the deal and Carson Wentz thanks him profusely.

Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State (Les Bowen, Philadelphia Inquirer)

Welp. I’ve given away the top four WRs in the first 20 picks, which is why I think the Eagles might move up. If they don’t, then I would bet they move back. They might take Aiyuk, but I don’t think it will be at 21. He has elite traits, and also some learning to do. Not a terrible reach, but not a knock-your-socks-off pick, either. At least, not right out of the box. DeAndre Hopkins was a 27th overall pick in 2013, so who knows?

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Paul Domowitch, Philadelphia Inquirer)

This will be one of the easiest decisions Howie Roseman ever has made if Jefferson still is on the board at 21.

Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU (Bo Wulf, The Athletic)

* Eagles trade No. 21 to Green Bay for No. 30, a third-round pick (No. 94) and a fifth-round pick (No. 175)
I can see this going three ways. If Jeudy, Lamb or Ruggs falls within range for the Eagles to move up without giving up their second-round pick, I think they’ll probably do it. If they stay at No. 21 and Jefferson is on the board, I think they’ll take him. And I think the most-likely scenario is for them to move up a few spots to draft Jefferson after the first three have been selected.
But as I worked through projecting the first half of the round, my sense is the top wide receivers are going to come off the board out of the Eagles’ reach. So they’ll be forced to draft the next receiver on their board at No. 21 or move down, which they do here. Now, No. 30 is a long way to go with teams eager for wide receiver help littered throughout the 20s. The Eagles will have to be comfortable settling for any of three or four receivers at No. 30. Given the compensation, I think they’ll take that risk and prepare to move up in Round 2.
As for Reagor, he has enough juice for an offense ravenously thirsty for it, and he checks enough boxes to be a reasonable bet — he’s a fast underclassman with a productive-enough career at a big school. He’s not enough alone to fix the position, but he frees the Eagles up for the rest of the draft.

Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor (Mike Kaye, NJ.com)

The Eagles trade the 21st overall pick to the Packers for the 30th, 94th (3rd) and 175th (5th) overall picks.
The Eagles land a talented outside wide receiver after trading down for significant draft ammo in the later rounds. Mims offers a rare blend of size and speed, and he should be a strong target for Carson Wentz moving forward.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Ed Kracz, Sports Illustrated)

(No explanation).

Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson (Eliot Shorr-Parks, 94.1 WIP)

Eagles Trade: No. 21, No. 103 and a 2021 3rd (projected 1,053 points)
Colts Trade: No. 34 and No. 44 (1,020 points)
Even though the Eagles don’t pick in the first round, they end up with three second-round picks, and three shots at finding young, talented receivers to grow with Carson Wentz.
On Wednesday I predicted the Eagles would take LSU’s Justin Jefferson with their first pick, and I still think that is the most likely outcome. If Jefferson is out of reach, however, I think trading back is the right move.
Even while moving back, the Eagles land a receiver I think has a chance to be an absolute stud for them.
No receiver has been a bigger victim of the pre-draft process than Higgins. Having dominated college football for two seasons, Higgins has the size, hands and wingspan to be an elite-level, No. 1 receiver on the outside. Although his 40-time might have scared some off, Higgins has a quick first step and didn’t look slow during his time at Clemson when he averaged more yards-per-catch than Henry Ruggs did. Heading into the 2020 season Higgins was viewed as one of, if not the best, receivers in college football. There is a reason for that.
Higgins is the receiver everyone will be wondering in a few years why he was drafted so late.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Brandon Gowton, BGN)

I already made my case for the Eagles drafting Jefferson last week. Is he the most ideal fit in a perfect world? No, he’s not the burner the Eagles could really afford to add. But the Eagles don’t just need pure speed. They also need some receivers who are just legitimately good players and everything about Jefferson’s profile suggests he’ll be able to make a successful transition to the NFL. His projection should be valued by an Eagles team that’s regularly failed to draft and develop receiver talent under Howie Roseman. Given the barren state of the receiving corps, Philly can’t afford another flat out bust. Jefferson is a high floor, high ceiling prospect. Adding him to the roster would give Carson Wentz a receiver who’s actually reliable ... unlike Agholor.

Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU (Daniel Gallen, PennLive.com)

Well, he made it here somehow. Plenty of mock drafts have Jefferson going to the Eagles at this spot (or earlier via trade up), but in this exercise, Jefferson is here, and the Eagles get the best wide receiver available for quarterback Carson Wentz.

Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama (E.J. Smith, Philadelphia Inquirer)

The Eagles get the speedster they so desperately need in this draft by the skin of their teeth. They can thank the Raiders for taking Herbert and the Broncos for drafting Jeudy instead of Ruggs.