The 2017 NFL Draft is still a couple of months away, which will take place in the city of Brotherly Love. Unlike last year’s draft, where the Eagles traded up to the second overall pick. All signs point to them sticking with the 14th overall pick.
If the Eagles do stay at No. 14, they will have a lot of options to choose from, as they have holes at cornerback, wide receiver, and running back. In a draft that is specifically deep at cornerback and running back, you may be thinking that the Eagles should go wide receiver with their first round pick.
However, that is not the case, especially in my first mock draft. In my initial three-round mock draft using FanSpeak.com’s On The Clock simulator, I have the Eagles going defense to start off and then attacking the offensive side of the ball in rounds two and three.
Without further adieu, here is my three-round mock draft:
1. Round 1, Pick 14: Ohio State cornerback Marshon Lattimore
This is the draft where the Eagles can shore up their secondary, which was leaking oil throughout the 2016 season. Veteran cornerbacks Nolan Carroll and Leodis McKelvin were average at best and did not instill any confidence that they could be long-term solutions on the outside. Carroll is slated to be a free agent, while McKelvin was released last week.
With those two players gone on the outside, the Eagles need to fill one of those spots as soon as possible. Enter Ohio State’s Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore, who is only a redshirt sophomore had an excellent season, after only playing in three games as a freshman in 2015 due to injury.
Lattimore had 41 total tackles, nine pass deflections, and four interceptions. Also, not to mention, he played in a secondary that includes another potential first round pick in safety Malik Hooker.
When you turn on Lattimore’s film, the first thing that stands out is that he does not let wide receivers get behind him. Throughout this past season, we saw the Eagles cornerbacks let opposing teams’ wideouts get behind them for big plays.
Lattimore does not allow that to happen, often. If it does happen, he has the speed to make up for it. Another reason, why he would fit in with the Eagles is because at Ohio State they played in a 4-3 defense. Defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likes physical cornerbacks and Lattimore fits that mold.
2. Round 2, Pick 43: Eastern Washington wide receiver Cooper Kupp
After getting their cornerback in the first round and not an offensive player. The Eagles in the second round get their wide receiver selecting Eastern Washington’s Cooper Kupp. Just like Carson Wentz, Kupp played in the FCS, dominated the competition, and had an outstanding four-year career.
The Eagles go wideout with their second round pick because both Ohio State’s Curtis Samuel and University of Washington’s John Ross were off the board.
When you turn on Kupp’s film, he will not wow you with his speed but he is a technician. He runs the right routes, gets open, and catches the ball. Over his four-year career, he’s had 93, 104, 114, and 117 receptions. He also has a good frame, standing at 6-foot-2 and 205 lbs.
For example, if the Eagles can add Alshon Jeffery in free agency to pair with Kupp, Jordan Matthews, Dorial Green-Beckham, and Nelson Agholor, that would be a solid wide receiver core. Kupp can play on the outside, while Matthews can go back to playing in the slot.
3. Round 3, Pick 74: Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine
Finally, in the third round, the Eagles stay on offense and select Oklahoma running back Samaje Perine. As I mentioned earlier, this running back class is deep and the Eagles can afford to wait to draft one.
Perine, who is 5-foot-10 and 235 lbs., finished his impressive career at Oklahoma as the school’s leading rusher. He passed guys such as Billy Sims, Adrian Peterson, and DeMarco Murray.
This past season, Perine had 1,060 yards on 196 carries and 12 touchdowns. He also had 10 receptions for 106 yards and a touchdown. Perine shared the backfield with Joe Mixon, who was used as a receiving option at times.
However, despite not being used in the passing game, Perine is a strong running back, who is tough to bring down when he gets a full head of steam. He would be a solid fit in Doug Pederson’s offense.
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