Grocery shopping: Five college players to watch who could interest the Eagles in the 2020 NFL Draft

Normally, we say that as long as you're taking in some college football action this Saturday, here are some players who could make sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2020 NFL Draft. However, with the only game on the D1 college slate being Army-Navy, perhaps this is a good week to look at five smaller school guys.

Omar Bayless, WR, Arkansas State (6'3, 207)

Bayless is second in the country in receiving, behind only LSU's Ja'Marr Chase, with 84 receptions for 1473 yards (17.5 YPC), and 16 TDs. As you'll see in the highlight video below, he has a flair for the spectacular catch.


Also as you can see in the above highlight reel, Bayless makes a lot of contested catches, but he lacks the speed that many of the other burners in this draft class possess. Of course, that will sour some Eagles fans on him, what with the struggles of J.J. Arcega-Whiteside as a rookie, and the Eagles' need for speed.

Personally, I don't think Bayless is a great fit for what the Eagles need, but I felt the same of Arcega-Whiteside a year ago, and as a result never bothered profiling him. Maybe the Eagles just have a type? If so, Bayless could be of interest. 

Bayless will get a chance to compete against top corners at the Senior Bowl.

Alex Taylor, OT, South Carolina State (6'9, 310)

Taylor is a long, lean offensive tackle with good athleticism (he is a former basketball star) who will be competing at the Senior Bowl this year. Here he is against USF:


Of course, the Eagles drafted Andre Dillard, and they just gave Lane Johnson a monster contract extension, so they're set at both starting tackle spots for the foreseeable future. However, with Jason Peters almost certainly in his last season with the team, Halapoulivaati Vaitai potentially leaving in free agency, and Jordan Mailata not showing any significant progress this past offseason, the Eagles could be in the market for a Day 3 swing tackle.

If Taylor falls that far, he would make sense.


MORE: Week 15 NFL betting advice: Take Washington with the points Sunday against the Eagles | Week 15 NFL picks: Rounding up the experts' predictions for Eagles vs. Redskins


Robert Hunt, OG, Louisiana Lafayette (6'5, 322)

Hunt has experience starting for the Rajin' Cajuns at LG, LT, and RT, so the Eagles are going to value that versatility. In the pros, Hunt is likely to primarily stay inside at guard.

Watch him killing guys repeatedly against Georgia Southern. He's No. 50, the RT. Pancake city. I mean, I legit lol'd at least three times watching this:


The Eagles need depth along the interior of their OL, and Hunt has natural strength and nastiness. He could be a developmental prospect, as Jeff Stoutland works on his pass protection skills.

Jeremy Chinn, S, Southern Illinois (6'3, 212) 

In his four years at SIU, Chinn filled up the stat sheet, compiling 243 tackles, 13 INTs (with at least 3 INTs in every season), 31 pass breakups, 6 forced fumbles, and a blocked kick. The Senior Bowl has taken notice:

Chinn has excellent size at 6'3, 212, and experience at both safety and corner, which should get Jim Schwartz's attention. 

Kyle Dugger, S, Lenoir-Rhyne (6'2, 220)

I remember back in the 2012 draft, an offensive lineman name Amani Silatolu from tiny Midwestern State (Wichita Falls, Texas) had a very entertaining highlight reel in which he was just throwing guys around like they were toddlers. It's perhaps worth revisiting, just for fun:


Silatolu went 40th overall and played six seasons, mostly as a backup, before washing out of the league. A guy who has a similar "man among boys" highlight reel is Dugger, who plays for tiny Lenoir-Rhyne (Hickory, North Carolina).


Dugger has 237 career tackles, 10 INTs, 36 pass breakups, 6 forced fumbles, 6 recoveries, 6 punt return TDs, and 2 blocked kicks. He'll compete at the Senior Bowl in January, and at 6'2, 220, I'll bet the Eagles would like to see what he can do in Mobile as a linebacker, in addition to his current position at safety.

MORE: Eagles-Washington final injury report, with analysis | Eagles vs. Redskins: Predictions, betting odds and broadcast info for Week 15


Previously profiled players

• August 24

  1. Lamical Perine, RB, Florida
  2. Jabari Zuniga, DE, Florida
  3. C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
  4. Jonathan Garvin, DE, Miami
  5. Jeff Thomas, WR, Miami

• August 31

  1. Scottie Phillips, RB, Ole Miss
  2. Henry Ruggs, WR, Alabama
  3. Javon Kinlaw, DT, South Carolina
  4. Troy Dye, LB, Oregon
  5. Jeremiah Dinson, S, Auburn

• September 7

  1. Nate Stanley, QB, Iowa
  2. Laviska Shenault, WR, Colorado
  3. J.D. Spielman, WR, Nebraska
  4. Jason Huntley, RB, New Mexico State
  5. Ashtyn Davis, S, California

• September 14

  1. Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
  2. Cohl Cabral, C, Arizona State
  3. Cam Akers, RB, Florida State
  4. Bryce Hall, CB, Virginia
  5. Neville Gallimore, DT, Oklahoma

• September 21

  1. Tyler Biadasz, C, Wisconsin
  2. Shyheim Carter, S, Alabama
  3. Derrick Brown, DT, Auburn
  4. Tylan Wallace, WR, Oklahoma State
  5. Solomon Kindley, OG, Georgia

• September 28

  1. Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
  2. Alex Leatherwood, OG/OT, Alabama
  3. Jacob Eason, QB, Washington
  4. Jaquarius Landrews, S, Mississippi State
  5. Zack Moss, RB, Utah

• October 5

  1. Jeff Gladney, CB, TCU
  2. Ben Bredeson, OG, Michigan
  3. Oluwole Betiku Jr., DE, Illinois
  4. K.J. Hill, WR, Ohio State
  5. Jake Hanson, C, Oregon

• October 12

  1. DeVonta Smith, WR, Alabama
  2. Raekwon Davis, DL, Alabama
  3. Kristian Fulton, CB, LSU
  4. Joe Burrow, QB, LSU
  5. Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State

• October 19

  1. Tee Higgins, WR, Clemson
  2. Larrell Murchison, DT, NC State
  3. Brandon Jones, S, Texas
  4. Steven Gonzalez, OG, Penn State
  5. Lavert Hill, CB, Michigan

• October 26

  1. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Oklahoma
  2. Jeffrey Okudah, CB, Ohio State
  3. Lloyd Cushenberry III, C, LSU
  4. K.J. Costello, QB, Stanford
  5. McTelvin Agim, DT, Arkansas

• November 2

  1. Marvin Wilson, DT, Florida State
  2. Isaiah Simmons, LB, Clemson
  3. Patrick Nelson, S/LB, SMU
  4. James Proche, WR, SMU
  5. Joe Reed, WR/RB/KR, Virginia

  1. K.J. Hamler, WR, Penn State
  2. James Lynch, DT, Baylor
  3. Grant Delpit, S, LSU
  4. Trevon Diggs, CB, Alabama
  5. Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas

  1. A.J. Epenesa, DE, Iowa
  2. Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
  3. Tyler Johnson, WR, Minnesota
  4. Paulson Adebo, CB, Stanford
  5. Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State

• November 23

  1. Binjimen Victor, WR, Ohio State
  2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire, RB, LSU
  3. Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
  4. Matt Hennessy, C, Temple
  5. Julian Blackmon, S, Utah

  1. Kelly Bryant, QB, Missouri
  2. Jerry Jeudy, WR, Alabama
  3. Chase Claypool, WR, Notre Dame
  4. Darryl Williams, OG/C, Mississippi State
  5. Douglas Coleman, S, Texas Tech


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