"Dead On" At The DEADLINE PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 2015 NFL Mock Draft
And so, it's the day, it's within hours. And while you will read and fantasize about the many ways the Eagles end up with a certain you know who from you know where, I am not going to punish you by sharing my version of what it will take to get there to do "IT".
But what if "IT" doesn't happen? Well fear not. I've rolled the dice, shaken the daylights out of the magic 8 ball. I've even scared the wits out of my wife when she discovered me outside under the Aurora Borealis tapping the mystic art of the Ouiji board.
And if Mariota is not the pick of the Philadelphia Eagles, these could likely be who we end up with:
Some of the first mock drafts I had read had cornerback Marcus Peters going to Philadelphia, and the cosmos apparently paid attention. Peters is a talented cornerback who showed up time and time again in film as NFL ready. With excellent mentors such as Byron Maxwell, Brandon Boykin, and Walter Thurmond, his volatile temper will be forged into on-field energy. The Eagles will need strong defense to succeed in this NFL. Peters brings them closer to the ultimate prize.
Competition and Excellence. That's what the Eagles get in round two. Originally I did not have Agholor as an Eagles target, but the fans persuaded me to look more closely. Potentially a first rounder who falls to the second round, this could be the steal of the draft. Agholor will compete for the slot receiver position but with time and patience his work ethic and crisp routes could give him better upside than many have assigned to him.
In the third round, I could see the Eagles opening the phone lines to offers to other teams. I don't like the value on the board in the third round, but in a mock simulator that only allows picks, the Eagles go the deep default pick and select an offensive lineman. Grasu is a good one, and his knowledge of Philly's zone read offense cannot be ignored. With Jason Kelce in place, Grasu can learn the NFL comfortably, knowing that he will not be thrown into a starting role prematurely.
The Eagles return to the offensive line when they pick the Big Badger Rob Havenstein. This is another minor steal, as Havenstein has been projected in some mocks as a late pick in round two. Kelly loves offensive linemen, and this kid brings the potential to slide in to start at right tackle when Lane Johnson is asked to assume the left tackle position when Jason Peters retires.
He won't be forced to start too soon, but he will be very good when he does.
The Eagles finally return to the defensive backfield in time to select the free safety from the Nittany Lions, Adrian Amos. Projected as high as round three, this safety is all about coverage. While he needs to gain a physical presence in run defense, he will be more than adequate to compete for a roster spot and assume a role in special teams until his time comes.
Back to the offensive line in round six, the Eagles pick up a good guard in Missouri's Mitch Morse. A huge 6'5" lineman, he is very good and penetrating to the second level on run blocks and has good upside as he grows and develops in the Eagles system. A solid pick up who could end up on the 53 man roster.
The Eagles find a Terrapin in the later round, but he's no turtle. Stefon Diggs is dynamite in space, and is a good player for depth on a surprisignly thin receiver corps. Not only is Diggs dangerous on third downs, but his style gives great intrigue to a special teams return back as well.
And with the last pick of the 2015 NFL draft, the Eagles select a player who could obsolete last year's first round pick when the select an outside linebacker from North Dakota State. He has a small school history, but film indicates he's got NFL caliber moves. He can set the edge, rush the passer and thump runners. And there you have it. A non Mariota NFL draft that, if all free agents remain healthy, could place the Eagles back into a playoff hunt once more.
