Draftmas doesn’t stop at twelve days, but goes on. The 13th day of Draftmas is for the Philadelphia Eagles.
Summary
The Eagles had a better than expected year last season, when they went 7-9 with rookie quarterback Carson Wentz at the helm. They played great at home, but only won one game on the road last season, which should improve this season.
Offensively, Philadelphia was average, scoring 22.6 points per game, which was impressive given the amount of weapons that Wentz had to utilize. With a young quarterback, it is good for the Eagles that they have a very good line capable of protecting him. In free agency the Eagles added Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, which will help Wentz improve even more and make the offense a lot better.
Running back is a position that needs to be targeted in this draft class with Darren Sproles aging and not being an every down back and Ryan Matthews getting injured often. Matthews has only played a full 16 games once in his career. In a class loaded with good running backs, it would be wise to take a play-maker at the position at some point.
The defense looked a lot better last season than it did under Chip Kelly, which likely has something to do with not having the defense on the field for what feels like 99% of the game. They only allowed 20.7 points per game and have some good players coming back.
Jordan Hicks is a great young linebacker and is flanked by Nigel Bradham, who is coming off of a good year, and Mychal Kendricks. Rodney Mcleod and Malcolm Jenkins are both solid starters at safety. The defensive line got a boost when they traded for Timmy Jernigan from the Ravens. He will go nicely next to Fletcher Cox one of the best defensive tackles in the game. Brandon Graham is their best defensive end, but Vinny Curry had a decent season last year and Chris Long was signed to provide some depth.
That leaves corners, which is a desperate need for Philadelphia. They might need to take two corners in this draft because they are so desperate.
Picks and Needs
Philadelphia has eight picks in the 2017 NFL Draft, which will be hosted in their own city. The five picks they own in the first four rounds will be crucial to help them get over the hump in the NFC East and get a playoff spot.
First round: (1) No. 14
Second round: (1) No. 43
Third round: (1) No. 99
Fourth round: (2) No. 118, No. 139
Fifth round: (1) No. 155
Sixth round: (1) No. 194
Seventh round: (1) No. 230
These needs are in no particular order.
Offensive Needs:
Running Back- With Ryan Matthews being injured and Darren Sproles aging, the Eagles need to find a good running back in this draft.
Defensive End- With 34 sacks last year, their pass rush was average. Signing Chris Long will help, but they should take another pass rusher to provide depth and to groom for their long term plans.
Targets and Thoughts
The picks here are who the Eagles could realistically get where they are drafting. There will be no trades and I will be looking at just the first three rounds.
First Round:
Pick #14: Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
Marshon Lattimore is most likely going to be off of the board, but Humphrey could still be available. Humphrey is a good man to man corner, who can get confused while playing zone. The defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz likes to play more man to man coverage than zone, so Humphrey will be a good fit for their defense.
Second Round:
Pick #43: Alvin Kamara, RB, Tennessee
Kamara might be off the board, but if he isn’t can be a great value pick in the second round for the Eagles. He will help in more ways than one. He will be a fast running back that can be a change of pace from Ryan Matthews. Wentz will also have another weapon to throw to, as Kamara is a great receiver out of the backfield.
Third Round:
Pick #99: Cameron Sutton, CB, Tennessee
The Eagles have to double up on corners in this draft class. Sutton has a lot of talent, but only played in three games last season due to injury. He is a physical corner, who doesn’t have the greatest speed, but will be able to compete to get on the field early in his career.
Conclusion
For the Eagles, their needs are very apparent. With running back and cornerback as major needs, this draft should be good for Philadelphia because the draft class is loaded with those two positions. They should be able to be competitive in a tough NFC East with Carson Wentz progressing and a good draft.
Thank you for joining us on our 13th day of TGH Draftmas! Check back tomorrow where we will be bringing you the Draft Profile of the Indianapolis Colts!
You can read all of the previous days of Draftmas below!
Draftmas Day 12: Arizona Cardinals
Draftmas Day 11: New Orleans Saints
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