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November 03, 2018

Grocery shopping: Five college players to watch who could interest the Eagles in the 2019 NFL Draft

The college football season is in full swing, as we are now into the tenth week of a full slate of games.

As long as you're taking in some of the action, here are some players who could make sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2019 NFL Draft, in which the Birds are projected to have 11 picks.

A.J. Brown, WR, Ole Miss (6'1, 230): South Carolina at Ole Miss, 12:00 p.m.

Brown is a junior wide receiver who put up big numbers in 2017, and is poised to surpass them this season.

 A.J. BrownRec Yards YPC TD 
 201629 412 14.2 
 201775 1252 16.7 11 
 201860 805 13.4 


At 6'1, 230, Brown has a thick body type, and while he's not likely to run a blazing 40, watch him break tackles and get yards after the catch:


He reminds me a lot of a bigger Golden Tate, for his competitiveness and unwillingness to go down once he has the ball in his hands. He's probably going to be a first round pick, and if the Eagles like Tate, they should love Brown. 

Dre'Mont Jones, DT, Ohio State (6'3, 286): Nebraska at (10) Ohio State, 12:00 p.m.

Jones in an undersized defensive tackle at 6'3, 286, but as you might imagine, he wins with quickness. The following is a very small sampling, but you can see his speed here: 


So far in 2018, Jones has 23 tackles (9 for loss), 5.5 sacks, a forced fumble, 2 fumble recoveries, and a pick six. He would fit the mold of the disruptive interior pass rusher in the Eagles' defensive scheme.


MORE: Eagles likely to play 'the compensatory pick game' (again) next offseason | Sports betting with 'The Philly Godfather': Smart money likes Bucs and more in Week 9 | Fantasy football: Start DeSean Jackson, sit Ben Roethlisberger in Week 9


Lukas Denis, S, Boston College (5'11, 185): (22) Boston College at Virginia Tech, 3:45 p.m.

Denis is a small safety prospect at 5'11, 185, but as Jim Schwartz has shown, he doesn't care much about size at that position. While his production is down in 2018, Denis had 88 tackles, 7 INTs, 10 pass breakups and 2 forced fumbles in 2017.


The Eagles needs at safety are obvious, even if Rodney McLeod returns to the team next offseason. 

Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan (5'11, 181): (14) Penn State at (5) Michigan, 3:45 p.m.

Hill doesn't have much in the way of college stats, but that's partly because teams have shied away from throwing at him. For his career, Hill has 36 tackles (6 for loss), 3 INTs, and 11 pass breakups. He is credited with giving up 2 TDs over his career. He has been a starter since the 2017 season.

Hill, if he comes out, he will probably be a top 10 corner prospect is this upcoming draft because he is sticky is coverage, and does a good job both locating and making plays on the ball in the air.


He's also something a confident player, which as you know will appeal to Schwartz. On the downside, Hill is a smaller corner at 5'11, 181, which again won't bother Schwartz much, though it's worth pointing out that Hill will make the occasional "business decision." 

Julian Love, CB, Notre Dame (5'11, 193): (4) Notre Dame at Northwestern

Love's biggest strength, by far, is his ability to get hands on the football. In 2017, he had a highly impressive 20 pass breakups. So far in 2018, he has 12. He also has three career return touchdowns (2 on INTs, one on a fumble recovery).


Assuming he tests well enough at the Combine, Love could be a first-round pick.


Previously profiled players

• August 25

  1. Carl Granderson, DE, Wyoming
  2. Justice Hill, RB, Oklahoma State
  3. Nate Herbig, OG, Stanford
  4. T.J. Edwards, LB, Wisconsin
  5. David Edwards, OT, Wisconsin

• September 1

  1. Nick Bosa, DE, Ohio State
  2. Devin Singletary, RB, Florida Atlantic
  3. David Sills V, WR, West Virginia
  4. Damien Harris, RB, Alabama
  5. Raekwon Davis, DT, Alabama

• September 8

  1. Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
  2. Nick Fitzgerald, QB, Mississippi State
  3. Deebo Samuel, WR, South Carolina
  4. Deandre Baker, CB, Georgia
  5. Cameron Smith, LB, USC

• September 15

  1. Marquise Brown, WR, Oklahoma
  2. Dexter Lawrence, DT, Clemson
  3. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
  4. Dakota Allen, LB, Texas Tech
  5. Zack Moss, RB, Utah

• September 22

  1. Anthony Johnson, WR, Buffalo
  2. Jaylon Ferguson, DE, Louisiana Tech
  3. Bryce Love, RB, Stanford
  4. Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
  5. N'Keal Harry, WR, Arizona State

• September 29

  1. Clelin Ferrell, DE, Clemson
  2. Mitch Hyatt, OT, Clemson 
  3. Dalton Risner, OT, Kansas State
  4. Parris Campbell, WR, Ohio State
  5. Jalen Jelks, DE, Oregon

• October 6

  1. Ross Pierschbacher, OG/C, Alabama
  2. Jaquan Johnson, S, Miami
  3. Joe Jackson, DE, Miami
  4. Benny Snell, RB, Kentucky
  5. Montez Sweat, DE, Mississippi State

• October 13

  1. Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame
  2. Darrell Henderson, RB, Memphis
  3. Mecole Hardman, WR, Georgia
  4. Taylor Rapp, S, Washington
  5. Rashan Gary, DE, Michigan

• October 20

  1. Kavontae Turpin, WR/KR/PR, TCU
  2. Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson
  3. Isaiah Buggs, DT, Alabama
  4. Myles Gaskin, RB, Washington
  5. Connor McGovern, OG/C, Penn State

October 27

  1. Austin Bryant, DE, Clemson
  2. David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State
  3. Emanuel Hall, WR, Missouri
  4. Elgton Jenkins, C/OG/OT, Mississippi State
  5. Jeffery Simmons, DT, Mississippi State


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