Corner cutting
Cornerback is an extremely popular pick in mock drafts for the Eagles. But this week we’re going to look at the mock drafts that are bold enough to not give the Eagles a CB.
EDGE Jared Verse, Florida State
The Eagles are almost always going to go for a premium position in the first round. With Haason Reddick a possible trade candidate, an open spot across from Josh Sweat may need filling. One candidate is Nolan Smith, a 2023 first-rounder, but the Eagles have never shied from a deep DE room. Verse is of a different style than Smith—bigger, more physical, better against the run and when working through tackles—which gives the Eagles slightly different roles for both of their young rushers.
Nothing Solak says here is wrong. But he left out a key piece about Jared Verse: he’s FROM HERE (well, close enough). Verse went to high school in Bloomsburg, PA.
Jared Verse
Philadelphia is that team every year that makes a pick leaving fans wondering, ‘How did the rest of the league allow that player to fall into their laps?’ Jared Verse could be that player this year. He profiles as a prospect of interest for the Eagles.
“He profiles as a prospect of interest for the Eagles” sounds like it was written by AI.
A week ago I would not have been in favor of taking an edge rusher in the 1st. But with the Eagles telling Haason Reddick they’re taking a break in their relationship (maybe they’ll kiss and make up like they did with Darius Slay), an edge rusher is in play. Unfortunately this draft is weak at first round talent on the defensive line or edge rusher. Except Verse. Verse could have been a 1st rounder last year, and he did nothing to hurt his draft stock. At this point in the draft process is considered a top half of the first round talent.
Here in February I would be stunned if he’s on the board at 22 in April. Take him.
C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
The Eagles likely need to find their heir apparent to Jason Kelce. Powers-Johnson was a center at Oregon, though he doesn’t necessarily have to play center in the NFL. There aren’t many centers that get taken in the first round. Powers-Johnson can play guard at well.
First Round Center! Powers-Johnson is certainly versatile, having played center, right guard, left guard, right tackle, and defensive tackle at Oregon. The Eagles like versatile interior linemen.
But Joel, the Eagles have their replacement for Kelce in Cam Jurgens. Kelce even helped select him! That said, if the team is really happy with Jurgens at right guard, it’s reasonable to want to leave him there and get someone else to play center, so that there is only one moving part on the offensive line instead of two. But even then, the team has more pressing needs than a First Round Center. Have you seen this defense?
WR Keon Coleman, FSU
Yes, the Eagles have A.J. Brown and Devonta Smith, but there is little depth behind them, and Coleman, who also has return ability, showed his ability to take over games in 2023.
Thanks for that detailed write up Ryan.
Coleman is young, he doesn’t turn 21 until after the draft; he has great size at 6’4”; and he could have a good Combine that will have media members and wannabe amateur scouts salivating. Coleman is a human highlight machine, he almost certainly leads all WRs in this draft in spectacular grabs. Check out his Mossing for the game winner against Clemson.
But that’s also the knock with Coleman, that he doesn’t bring a lot outside the contested catch highlights.
He’s reminiscent of N’Keal Harry: similar size, similar age, both returned punts, both were contested catch merchants which doesn’t translate to the NFL.
1st round, no way, not with Cooper DeJean, Kool-Aid McKinstry, Amarius Mims, Tyler Guyton and others on the board. The Eagles have bigger needs.
RT Taliese Fuaga, Oregon State
Taliese Fuaga attended Mount Tahoma High School in Washington state, which makes sense because he is a mountain of man, standing at 6-6, 334 pounds. He is a menace as a run blocker, and he has plenty of upside as a pass blocker. Fuaga could be the long-term Lane Johnson replacement at right tackle. He also has the versatility to play inside at guard.
This is a very good draft for offensive tackles, and I am on board with drafting a potential Lane Johnson replacement and putting him at right guard for the short term, and Fuaga fits that bill.
But right now, it does not feel likely that he’ll even be on the board. It’s just February, but Fuaga is seen as OT3 behind Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu, and the Jets are reportedly extremely high on him. There will not be only two OTs drafted by the time the Eagles are on the clock at 22. So either Fuaga won’t be on the board, or if he is then we’re looking at a potential Andre Dillard-type situation where you have to wonder why a guy expected to not be available in the 20s is available. Hopefully the team does more draft prep on him than a Zoom call five days before the draft.
If he’s available at 22 it’s likely because teams have concerns about him as a pass protector, which makes his long term future in the NFL as a guard. If the Eagles are taking an offensive lineman in the 1st round, it needs to be a player who is a tackle that can play guard, not a guard who can play tackle.
DT Jer’Zhan Newton, Illinois
This is the second straight 2024 NFL mock draft where I’ve gone with a defensive lineman here, mostly because Fletcher Cox‘s contract is set to expire, and the team currently has more financial commitments in the secondary. Philadelphia rotates often on the defensive line, so maybe they’d be willing to stop the slide of one of the most disruptive defenders in the draft.
Fletcher Cox has signed a one year contract in each of the past two seasons, so his contract status is irrelevant. More relevant is that while the Eagles played an odd front on 70% of snaps last season, Vic Fangio played an odd front on just 44%. And of course the Eagles already have a bunch of young DTs.
Additionally, three straight years of a 1st round DT would be an admittance that at least one of the first two aren’t working out. Jordan Davis has been a disappointment, and Jalen Carter’s had a February to forget, but the Eagles are extremely loath to give up on their top picks.
Newton just doesn’t make a lot of sense for them. Someone like T’Vondre Sweat, Kris Jenkins, or Leonard Taylor in the 2nd round, maybe, but this is not the best use of the Eagles 1st round pick when Kamari Lassiter, Nate Wiggins, and Troy Fautanu are on the board.
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