The NFL Draft takes place in just a few days time which means we're now at the final few hurdles when it comes to learning as much about the players who could end up being picked by the Eagles, as possible.
To help with this Mammoth task, I decided to look at every player the team has met with over the last few months, spot any patterns that have emerged and put red circles around players of particular interest.
Quarterback:
R7: Trace McSorley, Penn State: Local Visit
Jeffery Lurie wants to get back to the days of drafting a quarterback every year, or at least every other year. It's interesting then, that the Eagles haven't met with more signal-callers. Easton Stick out of NDSU would be an appealing option here, as would Brett Rypien. None of them have met with the Birds.
Penn State's Trace McSorley headlines a very minimal list where he's the only interviewee of note, but it's worth remembering that the Eagles did just sign former AAF QB, Luis Perez, who had also spent times with Sean McVay after going undrafted last year.
If McVay AND Pederson rate Perez highly (as they certainly seem to), then there's obviously something to the signing. It may be that the Eagles feel Perez can be the team's QB3, without the need for additional competition.
Running Back:
R1: Josh Jacobs, Alabama: Offiicial Visit, Combine, Pro-Day R2: Darrell Henderson, Memphis: Official visit, Pro Day R3: Damien Harris, Alabama: CombineR3: Miles Sanders, Penn State: Pro Day, CombineR4: Devin Singletary, Florida Atlantic: Combine R4: David Montgomery, Iowa State: CombineR4: Justice Hill, Oklahoma State: Official visitR4/5: Trayveon Williams, Texas A&M: Combine meetingR4/5: Rodney Anderson, Oklahoma: CombineR5: Bryce Love, Stanford: CombineR5: Dexter Williams, Notre Dame: CombineR5: Karan Higdon, Michigan: Official Visit, private workoutR5: Darwin Thompson, Utah State: Private workout, Pro Day R6: Tony Pollard, Memphis: CombineR6 Ryquell Armstead, Temple: Official visit, combine, Pro DayR7 Travis Homer, Miami: CombineUDFA Dominick Bragalone, Lehigh: Local visitUDFA– Nick Brossette, LSU: Private workout
The Eagles spent a lot of resources digging as deep as they can at the running back position and you can't really blame them. Even with Jordan Howard in the fold, there are still questions to be answered.
It's interesting that the team met with Josh Jacobs, the top graded running back in this class, three times. Jacobs would hypothetically be on the board when the Eagles are called onto the clock at pick 25, but the Jordan Howard trade, in my opinion, almost eliminates the team drafting a running back higher than they have in over a decade.
Darrell Henderson saw a hefty amount of attention from the team and I think he could be a likely second-round target for the Birds. It all depends how much they value the position, but the fact they've dived so deeply into the class, so far as to meet with talents like LSU's Nick Brossette, tell me that extracting the most value possible is still the priority here.
There are so many names who will be available in round four, with backs like David Montgomery, Trayveon Williams and Devin Singletary likely hanging around. Each of these would fill a different need for the Eagles and slot into the current rotation with ease.
It looks as though the Eagles are set to use one of their mid-round picks on a running back this year, they've met with more players at this position than any other and that's not a coincidence. The Eagles will likely strike in the heart of the NFL Draft to bolster their backfield and there are plenty of attractive options who will do just that.
Continued on the pages below
Wide Receiver:
R2: A.J. Brown, Ole Miss: Official visitR2: Parris Campbell, Ohio State: Official VisitR2: N’Keal Harry, Arizona State: Official VisitR2/3: Emanuel Hall, Missouri: CombineR3/4: Diontae Johnson, Toledo: Official VisitR4: Mecole Hardman, Georgia: Official VisitR4/5: David Sills, West Virginia: Senior Bowl, CombineR5: Jalen Hurd, Baylor: Official VisitR5: Hunter Renfrow, Clemson: Senior BowlR6/7: Olamide Zaccheus, Virginia: Local VisitR7: Alex Wesley, Northern Colorado: Senior BowlUDFA – Ventell Bryant, Temple: Local visitUDFA – Vincent Papale, Deleware: Local visitUDFA – Jesper Horsted, Princeton: Local visit
The Eagles spent six official visits on wide receivers, but there's an even more pressing pattern emerging. The majority of names listed above fit one of two prototypes:
A) 'Big Slot' receiver. (Think Jordan Matthews)B) Speedy WR2 option who can take the top off a defense
Nelson Agholor's $9M cap-hit isn't lost on me here. There is a slim chance he's moved during the draft process and replaced with a name like Parris Campbell or Jalen Hurd in the mid-rounds. Or, the Eagles opt to milk that last year dry and allow one of the aforementioned names to develop underneath him, preparing to take the WR3 throne next year.
The Eagles still don't really know what they have in Mack Hollins and Shelton Gibson and DeSean Jackson won't be around forever. A name like David Sills or Emanuel Hall, who are devout speed-options on the outside would make plenty of sense on day three, given there's no real pressing need any more due to the Eagles thunderous starting trio.
One under-the-radar note would be the bromance between West Virginia and Philadelphia. Wendell Smallwood, Rasul Douglas (and former UDFA C Tyler Orlosky) have all signed with the Eagles in recent years. Could a wide receiver be the next in a growing line of WVU graduates to suit up in midnight green?
Tight End:
R2: Irv Smith, Alabama: CombineR4/5: Dax Raymond, Utah State: CombineR5: Trevon Wesco, West Virginia: Pro DayUDFA: Jerome Washington, Ruthers: Local VisitUDFA: Charles Scarff, Deleware: Private Workout, Local Visit
I've been a big advocate of drafting a tight end this year. What the Eagles lacked in 2018 were those gorgeous 13-personnel sets that saw Ertz and Burton ripping down the seam, while Brent Celek helped carve open running lanes.
Dallas Goedert's development as a blocker really stood out in his rookie year, but the injury to Richard Rodgers limited Pederson's creativity, with only two tight ends eligible to play and both of them becoming key offensive cogs.
It makes sense to target a viable receiving option late in the draft (dare I say it, West Virginia's Trevon Wesco). I can't see the team drafting in the second round or above, as amazing as Noah Fant would be as an Eagle, but a day three pick to add a fourth tight end, the magic number for the Eagles dating back to 2012 in terms of development, is very likely.
Offensive Tackle:
R1: Cody Ford, Oklahoma: Official visit, Private & Pro day workoutR2: Tytus Howard, Alabama State: Official Visit, Combine meeting, Pro Day attendance R2: Dalton Risner, Kansas Combine meetingR2 Kaleb McGary, Washington: Pro Day, official visitR4: Oli Udoh, Elon: Shrine game, Pro Day R5: Tyler Roemer, San Diego State: COmbineR6: Brian Wallace, Arkansas: Shrine ga,eR7: Ryan Pope, San Diego State: CombineUDFA: Brandon Hitner, Villanova: Local visit
The big name here is Alabama State's Tytus Howard, who has not only soared up draft boards in recent months, but also into the heart of Eagles OL coach, Jeff Stoutland, who appears to have found a soft spot for the former quarterback. I don't think Howard will go in round 1 as some reports cite, but the Eagles could leap at the chance to snatch him in round 2...or trade back if they can't find a target at 25.
Oli Udoh is another name that stands out. A true small-school sleeper, Udoh stands at 6’5, 327 lbs…although he was close to 400 lbs during his final season. The man is a total monster who blew up after an impressive Shrine Game performance, earning a Senior Bowl nod in the process. Udoh has the raw power to sustain blocks and the size to compliment. Another developmental talent for Jeff Stoutland to mold…but this is where the reverse draft is beginning to struggle because the Eagles need a fringe-starter here.
The Eagles don't need an immediate starter at tackle and they do have a serviceable backup in Vaitai. Bridging the gap between Vaitai and Mailata will be the aim here.
Offensive guard
R1: Chris Lindstrom, Boston College: Official Visit, Pro dayR5: Hjalte Froholdt, Arkansas: Official visit, Pro DayR6: Joshua Miles, Morgan State: Shrine game R6: Fred Johnson, Florida: Combine meetingUDFA Ethan Greenridge, Villanova: Local visit
No surprises here. Extending Isaac Seumalo was huge for the Eagles and with a developmental talent in Matt Pryor waiting in the wings, there's no real sense of urgency as the linear path to starting center opens. When Jason Kelce does decide to retire, Seumalo will slide inside and Pryor will bump up, in an ideal world.
But with the injury to Brandon Brooks, the Eagles may seek an insurance policy and another developmental talent for Stoutland to groom, hence the late-round focus. Joshua Miles would be a steal in the sixth round if he's still available, but don't expect anything drastic.
