The Linc – Eagles’ best value pick from the 2024 NFL Draft

Philadelphia Eagles news and links for 5/2/24.

Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links …

The best value 2024 NFL Draft picks for all 32 teams — including Dallas Turner and Adonai Mitchell – The Athletic
Philadelphia Eagles: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo. It’s still somewhat absurd that Quinyon Mitchell fell to the Eagles at No. 22. He was the No. 11 overall player on Brugler’s big board, which underlines the rare scenario that benefited the Eagles thanks to a quarterback-heavy first round in which no defensive players were selected until No. 15 (for the first time ever). The Eagles snagged the draft’s top cornerback without surrendering any draft capital to trade up. That allowed Roseman to instead use his full allotment of selections in eight other draft-day deals for immediate acquisitions and future picks. Not bad at all.

Anonymous scouts weigh in on the Eagles’ 2024 NFL Draft picks – BGN
No surprise to see a focus on the level of Mitchell’s competition. I watched his targets from the referenced Ohio State game and he did get beat a few times but I thought he mostly acquitted himself well. Mitchell allowed a touchdown to Marvin Harrison Jr., who’s obviously an awesome player, where it would’ve been tough for him to defend it much better. This isn’t the first time I’m seeing someone raise concerns about Mitchell’s hands. I heard Brian Baldinger say he needs to get on the JUGS machine to convert some more of these PBUs into interceptions.

NFL Draft full team grades for all 32 clubs after 2024 selections – SB Nation
Pick we liked: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB. Pick that had us scratching our heads: N/A. This was a hard decision, but a selection that stands out from Howie Roseman is Jeremiah Trotter Jr., the Clemson linebacker the team picked at No. 155 overall. Not only is Trotter the son of a Philadelphia legend, but he is a very good football player in his own right. But the top of the certainly stands out. Not only did the Eagles add Quinyon Mitchell in the first round, but they took advantage of Cooper DeJean sliding out of the first round to grab him early in the second round. A fantastic weekend from Roseman and company. Grade: A-

Draft Recap – Iggles Blitz
There are multiple questions with Jalyx Hunt. How will he adjust to NFL competition? How quickly can he learn to play OLB/DE? Hunt was a small guy growing up. He played WR and DB. He was 5-7, 170 entering high school. He grew to 6-2, 195 when he played at Cornell. By the time he transferred to Houston Christian, he was 6-4, 250 and ready to rush the passer. Hunt is a project. I’m fine with that for a few years. First, this was pick 94, near the end of the third round. That’s fine for taking a chance on an athletic project. Next, Vic Fangio really wanted Hunt. The coaching staff has to buy in for a player like Hunt to succeed. Fangio sees a prospect that he can mold into a good player. Finally, pass rusher is a spot where guys don’t need to be polished. That’s a spot where natural ability is critical and Hunt has that. The coaches can teach him how to rush the passer. I also like the fit from a timing perspective. The Eagles have good depth for 2024. Sweat and BG are likely to be gone next year. Hunt can learn for a season with no pressure on him. He’ll then have a chance to join the rotation in 2025. If Hunt turns out to be some kind of freak and earns a role this year, that’s fine as well. But he won’t be expected to do that.

NFL Power Rankings: Who’s up/down after draft? – NFL.com
5) One of the more surprising developments of Round 1 was Philadelphia getting its pick of the cornerback litter without needing to trade up. GM Howie Roseman has inherited a reputation for being aggressive for good reason, and he showed that side in the brilliant Day 2 trade-up for Cooper DeJean. Knowing when to go bold and when to hold back is a drafting art, and Roseman appears to get this as well as anyone. The Eagles’ first two picks were a clear demonstration of that. And, for good measure, they also took their usual approach to the remainder of the proceedings, mixing in a couple of interesting, unusual project picks (edge Jalyx Hunt and WR Johnny Wilson) with some rock-solid selections (RB Will Shipley, LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr., OG Trevor Keegan) to round out a typically impressive draft haul.

2024 NFL Draft: Favorite picks for all 32 NFL teams – PFF
Philadelphia Eagles: CB Cooper DeJean, PICK 40. It was another excellent draft for general manager Howie Roseman, but the one that stood out the most was getting DeJean in the second round. Roseman didn’t let the selection of Quinyon Mitchell in the first round, which was also great, keep the team from capitalizing on DeJean as he fell down the order. The Eagles’ cornerback room was a concern going into the season, and now it feels like it could be a strength.

Cooper DeJean was even more versatile at Iowa than you realized – NBCSP
Cooper DeJean did a lot for Iowa. The Eagles’ second-round pick mostly played boundary cornerback but he slid inside on occasion. He also played safety. And he was one of the best punt returners in the country. But DeJean was about to be even more versatile if he returned to Iowa for his senior season. Hawkeyes head coach Kirk Ferentz says he was prepared to play DeJean quite a bit on offense in 2024. “Had he come back, we probably would have played him on offense next year,” Ferentz said in a Zoom interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Danny Pommells this week. “I don’t know, 15, 20 plays a game. He had play-making ability. And you see it in the punt return game. He has rare ability once he gets his hands on the ball to do some things you can’t teach.” In 2023, DeJean did get a taste on offense. According to ProFootballFocus, DeJean got four total snaps on offense last season — two in the backfield and two in the slot. His only offense touch was an eight-yard pickup on an end-around in a 10-7 win over Northwestern in November.

2025 NFL mock draft: Reid’s early first-round predictions – ESPN+
25. Philadelphia Eagles. Dani Dennis-Sutton, EDGE, Penn State*. The Eagles are always looking to add pass-rushers. Dennis-Sutton’s draft stock is still very much a projection, but he has all the tools to make a major leap in 2024. At 6-foot-5 and 258 pounds, he generated 24 pressures, eight tackles for loss and two forced fumbles in 2023 despite starting only three games.

Dallas Cowboys reportedly declining QB Trey Lance’s fifth-year option – Blogging The Boys
Odds were never high, if existent at all, as noted by Todd Archer here that Dallas would exercise Lance’s fifth-year option even way back when they first originally traded for him in August of 2023. The third overall pick in 2021, Lance’s option number (which would have been fully guaranteed) is extremely high at $22.4M. Given that the Cowboys have not really seen him play much at all outside of practice this was never going to be something that was legitimately explored.

Roster news: Giants sign DB David Long Jr. – Big Blue View
Long was primarily a special teams player early in his career, playing roughly 60 percent of the Rams’ special teams snaps in his first two years and still being a steady presence on special teams for the Rams, Panthers, and Raiders after that. He’ll likely have to make the Giants’ roster as a special teams player as well. Long is a feisty, competitive, and physical defensive back who played press-man corner for the Wolverines. He might be more of a “nickel DB” for the Giants, however, as he lacks the size you commonly see in outside corners. He stands 5-foot-10, 196 pounds with 30-inch arms, which limits his ability to be a press-man corner at the NFL level. The Giants have a number of nickel options on the roster, with Long joining rookie Dru Phillips, Cor’Dale Flott, Darnay Holmes, Jalen Mills, and Nick McCloud. It’ll be interesting to see how the secondary takes shape under Shane Bowen.

What were the traits of Washington’s 2024 draft class? – Hogs Haven
Sorted by athletic score, Washington’s draft class displayed, by a nice margin, the best athleticism in the class, followed by the Steelers and Eagles. Washington’s class is tied for 7th in the league, and it’s interesting to see the other teams that leaned heavily into older recruits.

…

Social Media Information:

BGN Facebook Page: Click here to like our page

BGN Twitter: Follow @BleedingGreen

BGN Instagram: Follow @BleedingGreenInsta

BGN Manager: Brandon Lee Gowton: Follow @BrandonGowton

BGN Radio Twitter: Follow @BGN_Radio

BGN Cameo: Request a video message