Draft week has arrived! You know you’re excited for the NFL Draft when you want the weekend to end because you know it brings you a few days closer to the NFL Draft. Since Philadelphia is such a huge football town, the city is always buzzing about the draft come March and April, but this year it’s different. It’s different for one reason, and one reason only, Marcus Mariota. It’s a unique situation during an offseason in which Coach/GM, Chip Kelly, has gone against everything that is considered “normal” in the NFL. He’s pulled off big time player for player trades, parted ways with the two biggest playmakers on offense (Maclin and McCoy), and acquired two very controversial quarterbacks (Bradford and Tebow), both who may never play a down for the Eagles. Common thought in the NFL is that a move from 20 to 2 is pretty close to impossible, but as we’ve come closer and closer to the draft, there’s been more buzz that he’s doing everything in his power to get his former Oregon quarterback. The question is, will he be able to pull it off? Here’s how I think it plays out…
1st Round Pick, #2 Overall (From Tennessee Titans)
Marcus Mariota, Quarterback (Oregon)
Yeah, you read it right. Chip has made a few things clear during his tenure in Philadelphia that lead me to believe he makes this move. He believes in his system, he values certain positions much higher than others, he believes culture beats talent, and he believes Marcus Mariota will win multiple Super Bowls. Going from 20 to 2 is much easier said than done and I believe it will cost Chip Kelly and the Eagles a very great deal. In this scenario, the Eagles ship Fletcher Cox, Mychal Kendricks, Sam Bradford, the #20 pick, next year’s first round pick, and this year’s second round pick. So to summarize, that’s 3 impact players, 2 first round picks, and a second rounder this year.
2nd Round Pick, #36 Overall (From Jacksonville Jaguars)
Byron Jones, Cornerback (UConn)
I know, how are the Eagles going to get an early second round pick from the Jaguars after they just raided the cupboard? I think that the Eagles will trade defensive end Vinny Curry and their third round pick to the Jaguars for the #36 pick. Gus Bradley is a defensive minded coach who needs young 4-3 defensive ends that can rush the quarterback, Vinny Curry fits that mold. I hate to see Curry go because I think he’s a star just waiting for the right system and a solid number of snaps, but he’s not in the Eagles’ long term plans. The Eagles package a young player and a third rounder and snag a big cornerback that they have proven to covet throughout the draft process.
4th Round Pick, #110 Overall (From Buffalo Bills)
Adrian Amos, Free Safety (Penn State)
Despite Amos being a big guy at 6-0 and 218, his strengths are actually in coverage as opposed to run support. The Eagles have had a visit and a workout with Amos and seem to really be interested in the Safety from Happy Valley. The biggest knocks on Amos are that he doesn’t tackle very well, especially in the open field, and he doesn’t have the knack to make the big play. Those are the knocks, the strength are that he’s a very smart player, has very fluid hips, and has great “start-stop” ability. The Eagles don’t necessarily need a playmaker at safety, they need someone they can count on to not give up the big play (which was a major issue last year).
4th Round Pick, #116 Overall
Chris Conley, Wide Receiver (Georgia)
That’s right, the Eagles use the first pick that actually belongs to them entering the draft. Conley would most likely be a late second, or early third round pick in most years, but this draft class is loaded at the wide receiver position for the second straight year. Conley has good size at 6-2 and 213 pounds, but he wasn’t as productive as you would’ve liked to see in college. However, he played in a seemingly run heavy offense at college and put up impressive combine numbers. Conley presents an incredible value here in the fourth round and also fills a need for the Eagles.
5th Round Pick, #148 Overall
Josue Matias, Offensive Guard (Florida St.)
Matias is a guy that never seemed to reach his full potential at Florida St. as a standout star, but was a very nice player during his time in Tallahassee. He didn’t play much his freshmen year, but then went on to start 41 consecutive games. He’s a very polished pass blocker who shows quick reflexes and good technique, but he could use work on his run blocking technique. I don’t see Matias being asked to contribute much in year one, but if he can polish his run blocking techniques, he could prove to be a worthy contributor moving forward and possible replacement for Evan Mathis down the road.
6th Round Pick, #180 Overall
Blaine Clausell, Offensive Tackle (Mississippi St.)
Blaine Clausell is a big bodied offensive tackle that played in the SEC. He blocked for a very heavy run based offense with Dak Prescott this year. Chip Kelly likes to run the ball and should run it even more this year with his new stable of running backs. With his measurables, Blaine Clausell makes for an intriguing prospect.
7th Round Pick, #212 Overall
Tony Washington, Defensive End (Oregon)
Washington is a tall and rangy OLB/DE coming out of Oregon. Many scouts seem to think he’s a poor man’s version of former Oregon player, Dion Jordan. Jordan hasn’t faired well in the NFL, but he was highly touted coming out. Washington is tall, lean, and fluid in his movements, but his strength will be his biggest question mark coming into the NFL. I don’t see Washington making the team necessarily, but if he can put on some weight and polish his game on the practice squad, perhaps he could be a guy to add some depth in the future.
This is the last mock draft I plan on doing, but if something concrete happens before the draft, I’ll be sure to update. Eagles fans aren’t going to want to hear this, but the Eagles are going to go after Mariota with the expectations that they take a step back in the immediate future. However, as Mariota grows and Chip continues to implement his system, style, and culture, I think the future will be very, very bright in Philadelphia. After all, it’s always sunny in Philadelphia…right?
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