By Paul Macrie, Sports Talk Philly staff writer 
With only two weeks remaining until the much-talked about NFL Draft in Philadelphia, it is time to make a best effort at determining the Eagles' selections in the first three rounds.
Of course, it will be very difficult — almost impossible in fact — to completely peg down who the team decides to add to their roster from April 27-29, but free agency has possibly narrowed down the targets.
Will the Eagles opt to stay at No. 14 in the first round, or will they be trading up or down? The best bet is that they remain at 14, but it is much likelier they trade down to accumulate an extra pick in the middle rounds, then trade up.
There have been hundreds of mock drafts published in recent weeks with first-round picks ranging from Christian McCaffrey, to Reuben Foster, to Gareon Conley, to Tre'Davious White to Derek Barnett, amongst others. So, the picks range from selecting a running back, a linebacker, two corners, a defensive end, while receivers have been less connected with the Eagles, at least in the first round.
The team's offseason moves thus far may give us some clues to the ultimate plans in the upcoming draft. For instance, the additions of wide receivers Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith is a potential indicator that the strategy is to address additional needs with the first-round pick. That doesn't mean the Eagles will neglect the position throughout the draft, but it has become less of a necessity to select one in the top 15.
The three receivers that appear worth selecting in the first round are Corey Davis, Mike Williams and John Ross. The trio has great upside at the NFL level, but after that the drop-off in talent is noticeable. It remains possible the team takes one of these receivers at 14, depending on where these players are positioned on the draft board, being assembled by Vice President of Player Personnel Joe Douglas. Adding two receivers in free agency that are expected to make significant impacts this season indicates the need isn't as dire as it was pre-free agency.
Of course, the best player available principle applies during any draft process. The Eagles simply can't limit themselves to targeting a few positions in the draft, especially since numerous needs remain on both side of the football. But if the team has Reuben Foster rated high than John Ross, theoretically speaking, then they are taking Foster. Linebacker is a big need due to the lack of depth.
Foster is certainly an intriguing target at No. 14 for the Eagles. He can play all three linebacker positions, though inside is probably his best bet at the next level. The defensive coaches could opt to keep Jordan Hicks in the middle, where he has excelled during his first two seasons as a pro, or they can slide Hicks outside and put Foster in the middle.
Selecting Foster will add much-needed depth to the position, along with position versatility. Mychal Kendricks, who played limited snaps last season at Will linebacker, could be traded or released after the draft, though his salary has already been guaranteed for this upcoming season.
The Eagles made several moves this offseason to augment the defensive line depth. They signed veteran defensive end Chris Long to a multi-year deal, and traded for young and promising defensive tackle Tim Jernigan, formerly of the Baltimore Ravens, in exchange for a swap of third-round picks. The team has moved down 25 spots to add a defensive tackle, which fills the void left by the departure of Bennie Logan, who signed with the Chiefs this offseason, and Beau Allen is expected to miss significant time after injuring his pectoral muscle in a workout. It is severe enough that he could miss a portion of 2017.
With those additions to the defensive line, it is unlikely the Eagles select a defensive tackle at No. 14. Defensive end, however, remains in play, especially after Vinny Curry largely disappointed in 2016. Curry was already put on notice with the addition of Long, but it can intensify with an early-round pick at the position. Expect Derek Barnett and Haason Reddick of Temple to be in play in the first round.
The running back position lacks depth, to say the least. Ryan Mathews remains on the team, with one year remaining on his contract, but a major back injury ended his season in December, and it is unknown if he will be healthy anytime soon. That leaves the team with second-year player Wendell Smallwood and the ageless wonder Darren Sproles.
Smallwood flashed some promise his rookie season, but he remains a relative mystery, and Sproles has never been an every-down back. This position will be addressed sometime during the first two days of the draft.
Arguably, the biggest need for the Eagles is at the cornerback position. Currently, the team's notable corners are Jalen Mills, Ron Brooks, C.J. Smith and offseason signee Patrick Robinson. Robinson has the most starting experience, but is far from an elite option, while Mills showed promise during his rookie season. Brooks was a serviceable slot corner last season before a torn quad ended his season prematurely. Smith was a rookie last season, who made some noise during the preseason. He appeared in 10 games, but only recorded one tackle in limited time.
Thankfully for the Eagles, the corner position in this year's draft is regarded as the deepest in years, according to draftniks. It is very possible the team selects multiple corners in the draft, but not necessarily in the first round. It could be a combination of middle round selections, or even late-round picks. The organization must stick to the board, and not deviate and stretch to take a defensive back just because it is one of their biggest needs.
For example, unless they have a center rated a few spots higher than a corner, but they don't have a true need for a center, then take the corner. But if it is a noticeable difference from player A (center) to player B (corner), then it is a different story.
Here is my best shot at the Eagles first three picks in the draft, without possible trade scenarios in play. The Eagles have the 14th, 43rd and 99th selections in the first three rounds.
This will sure to be wrong, but hey, every other draftnik who mocks will be far from perfect, too.
1st Round (No. 14) – Reuben Foster, ILB, Alabama
2nd Round (No. 43) – Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama
3rd Round (No. 99) – Rasul Douglas, CB, West Virginia
