Each year, we present the top 10 Philadelphia Eagles options with their first round, and we found that while the player they chose was sometimes surprising, their basic strategies were predictable.
E.g:
• In 2020, it was pretty clear that the Eagles were going to choose a wide receiver and they did.
• In 2019, we correctly diagnosed that the Eagles were likely to change (option 1). They chose who they thought would be Jason Peters’ successor (option 8).
• In 2018, it felt like a year to trade in the first round (option no. 1), and they did, finally choosing a tight end (option no. 7).
• In 2017, we were a little more specific and had the Eagles stay put and draft Derek Barnett as option no. 3.
Now that we’ve made that little trip to memory, let’s look at the Eagles’ top 10 options in 2021.
10) Our annual conversation
It seems that every year there is one or two backbackers, whose design position probably aligns with that of the Eagles, and the project experts endlessly project Birds to write them, apparently unaware that they did not take a linebacker in the first round of 1979. .
Last year it was Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen. In 2017, it was Reuben Foster. This year it’s Penn State’s Micah Parsons.
Since the new Eagles defensive coordinator, Jonathan Gannon, is a disciple of Mike Zimmer, there is a decent bet that those in the Eagles line will have more opportunities as blitzers. There is also speculation that Gannon will run a lot of Cover-2, which means those linebackers will also be able to play coverage of the area. So, it must be argued that the backbacker position can gain some priority points in the front office vision.
That being said, forget it. I’m not taking a linear in the 12th general election. It’s not happening.
9) A defender couldn’t be in the game anymore, right?
When the Eagles still had option no. 6, the drafting of a defender seems to have been still in play and there has been a report (since it was deleted) that the Eagles have tried unsuccessfully to stand up for BYach’s Zach Wilson. Now, after leaving option no. 6, a defender seems to be out of the game.
But if the San Francisco 49ers selected Mac Jones of Alabama in election no. 3 and somehow a guy like Trey Lance from North Dakota or Justin Fields from Ohio would fall to the end 12? Could he take one of those guys?
Obviously, if the Eagles really liked one of those boys, they would have been fighting over choice no. 6, or would have tried to exchange for one of them. However, while they clearly did not like the idea of taking one of these the boys from the sixth ranking, maybe at choice no. 12, with an additional choice in the first round in 2022 in your pocket would make Lance or Fields more attractive? Is he so crazy?
But again, we’re talking about a very small probability here.
8) Transaction
Would eagles change back just to trade back immediately? I suspect they did this in 2018, when they came out of the first round of election no. 32, and then made a modest move in the second round before the Cowboys to take on Dallas Goedert. But trading from 6 to 12 and then a backup in the top 10 would not be exactly the same.
Logically, if there was a player that the Eagles thought deserved to be traded in the top 10, then they, you know, probably wouldn’t have traded in the top 10. Let’s not reconsider.
7) Take one of the attacks likely to become guards
There are a couple of perspectives in this draft that have been outstanding approaches in college, but are likely to play guard in the NFL. I’m from the northwest Rashawn Slater and USC Alijah Vera-Tucker.
If the Eagles had a gaping hole in their guard, then selecting any player would probably be unpopular, because, well, it’s boring to take a guard in the first round. In the end, most would probably accept this.
However, the Eagles list, as it is currently being built, offers no opportunity to start on guard, so any of these boys would stand as novices, assuming the Eagles have a healthy OL week 1. Otherwise, the Eagles would he needs to find a way to deal with Brandon Brooks for adequate compensation.
The bet here is that fans would be furious if the Eagles took on a guard who wasn’t even designed to start as a rookie. Although I certainly couldn’t blame them, maybe there’s a logic to guarding. Jason Kelce is a threat to retire every off-season, and Isaac Seumalo’s imminent move to the center would open a place at LG. Meanwhile, Brooks had three major lesions within 18 months:
- January 13, 2019: In the Eagles’ divisional loss to the Saints, Brooks broke his right Achilles.
- December 29, 2019: Brooks suffered a shoulder injury at the end of the season, in the NFC Eagles victory in week 17, won in front of the Giants, which required surgery.
- June, 2020: Brooks broke his left Achilles.
If the Eagles think Slater or Vera-Tucker have All-Pro careers ahead of them, then it would make sense as a long-term play.
Finally, the belief is that the Eagles are more likely this year to make a pleasant choice for the crowd. Look at the answers to what the Eagles literally broadcast. You will see at least half a dozen fans responding: “Fire Howie”. No doubt I see that. While I don’t think the Eagles ’main office cares too much about what fans think when it comes to roster decisions (nor should they), there’s still little doubt that Roseman has strong pressure to catch this draft and take a guard has no juice.
6) Go back for more options
We dealt with this last week, but although we believe the Eagles move from 6 to 12, it will still be an Eagle a good player, the feeling here is that there is potentially a more substantial drop from who could land the Eagles in election no. 12 and who should be content with later in adolescence.
If a top 5 defender were still available at choice no. 12 and a team in need of a defender would come, such as the New England Patriots or the Chicago Bears, and the offer would have been too good to give up, then surely the Eagles would be smart to consider all options.
Another opportunity to siphon an additional choice would be to deal with the chargers of choice no. 13. The Chargers desperately need an LT, so if Sewell and another player of interest to the Eagles were both on the board, the Eagles could probably convince something like a third- or fourth-round pick in the Chargers. , so they can be sure they are taking their type, while the Eagles still land a player they can be happy with at choice no. 13.
But in the end, with 11 picks in 2021 and 9 picks already in 2022, the Eagles should have no further urgency to return.
5) Take another crack at a long-term LT
Jordan Mailata played in 15 games in 2020, starting with 10 and showed that he belongs to the NFL as one of the 32 starts of the LTs in the entire league, with the potential to become very good. While Mailata was a rare bright spot in an otherwise disastrous season, it’s not like it was Anthony Muñoz, be there. According to our number, he gave up seven sacks, which led the Eagles to line officers. It is also worth noting that it had to be closed early in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons, with back injuries.
Meanwhile, after the team traded for Andre Dillard in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he was bad as a rookie (both LT and RT, to be clear) and missed the entire 2020 season with a break. biceps.
Eagles have a lot of potential in LT, but nothing for sure. If Oregon’s Sewell’s penis slipped to 12, it might be too hard for the Eagles to move on, giving importance to the position.
4) The tried and true construction of the defensive line
The Eagles took either a defensive lineman or an inside defensive lineman in the first round in eight innings since the beginning of the Andy Reid era in 1999.
- 2017: Derek Barnett
- 2014: Marcus Smith
- 2012: Fletcher Cox
- 2010: Brandon Graham
- 2006: Brodrick Bunkley
- 2005: Mike Patterson
- 2003: Jerome McDougle
- 2000: Corey Simon
If the Eagles do not take a boost or an inside defensive line in the first round of the 2021 draft, this will be the longest gap in that period in which they have not.
Eagles also need a defensive line. Graham and Cox are getting older, while Barnett and Josh Sweat are both in contract years. Beyond those guys, the Eagles have Javon Hargrave and then not too much.
It’s just … this defensive line group in the 2021 draft isn’t very appealing this year, especially at the top of the first round. Getting one at 12 would be a goal.
3) Fill the obvious need around the corner
I mean, this is the corner depth chart right now:
| Eagles CBs | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| ? B | Darius Slay | Michael Jacquet | Jameson Houston |
| ? B | Craig James | Kevon Seymour | |
| CB slot | Avonte Maddox | Lavert Hill | Shakial Taylor |
Cornerback is the Eagles’ most obvious need and there could be attractive options at 12 in Alabama Patrick Surtain or from South Carolina Jaycee Horn.
2) Another wide receiver in the first round
Eagles could receive the receiver again after taking one in the first round last year (three WR selections in general) and one in the second round in 2019? Surely they could, if they want to understand in the end.
As you all know, the first three receivers in this project are LSU Ja’Marr Chase, Of Bama Jaylen Waddle, and Bama’s DeVonta Smith. We could also throw TE Kyle Pitts, which is like a giant WR, but which is unlikely to be available at choice no. 12. They are all very, very good prospects.
As I pointed out a few weeks ago, as long as all three receivers are not taken in the first seven elections, there is a good chance that there will be at least one in election no. 12. If one is really there, it should not be a difficult decision. Take him.
1) Paste and choose
As I pointed out in detail last week, with the exception of one offer I can’t turn down, the Eagles would probably be best served to stay in pick 12, as there is a sizable list of players that would make sense for Eagles, and (b) would represent the appropriate value in choice no. 12. No need to play games or become cute. Paste and choose.
Also, just FYI, there is some overlap of the above discussion in the episode “BGN Radio # 177” below. Listen to this, please and thank you.
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