Simulated 2021 Eagles only draft, version 1.0

As a reminder, the Eagles are projected to have nine choices in the draft this year, with two in the fifth round and three in the sixth, depending on how the projections of compensatory choices go.

Round 1: Ja’Marr Chase, WR, LSU (6’1, 200)

Would the eagles take a receiver in the first round for two consecutive seasons? Well, considering that Travis Fulgham led the team with 539 receiving yards, I would say that it is not such a big effort.

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Chase would be an excellent fit as an X receiver in the Eagles’ attack, and (in theory) he would pair well with Jalen Reagor as the Z, assuming Reagor can live up to his potential.

In 2019, Chase managed 84 passes for 1,780 yards (21.2 YPC) and 20 TDs. He was clearly a better prospect than teammate Justin Jefferson, who was 22nd overall for the Vikings, had 1,400 receiving yards this season and should be the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.

Chase may not run down 4.3 and he doesn’t have 6’5, but he is quite athletic, and he is certainly big enough for the NFL. As far as your skill set is concerned, there is not much to criticize. He has great hands, he runs good routes, he is physical when he hits the press, he breaks tackles and manages to track the ball in the air. Despite being a legitimate star, he also does the dirty work and is considered a good blocker. A look:

Don’t be cute. If Chase is there, just say thank you and take him.

Round 2: Wyatt Davis, OG, Ohio State (6’4, 315)

Davis’s grandfather is the NFL Hall of Famer Willie Davis. He is considered one of the two or three best potential guard players in the country. He is strong, disagreeable and tough, with above-average athletics (though perhaps not elite). Here he is against Clemson:

Davis played on the right side at Ohio State, and the Eagles have a more immediate need on the left side, if Jason Kelce retires and Isaac Seumalo slips into the center. In that sense, it is not a perfect fit, but there is little reason to believe that Davis cannot play LG. He is a plug and play starter, and potentially very good in the long run.

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Round 3: Chazz Surratt, LB, North Carolina (6’2, 225)

Surratt is an interesting prospect, who went from quarterback to linebacker. In his first full season at LB in 2019, Surratt accumulated 115 tackles (15 for defeat), 6.5 sacks, an INT and a forced fumble. In 11 games in 2020, he had 91 tackles, 6 sacks and 3 pass separations. Here’s a look at him as a quarterback and linebacker. As you can see, he does not lack athletic ability.

The Eagles’ linebackers were predictably bad in early 2020, after they didn’t address their position at the free agency, or recruited any ready-made linebackers. When Alex Singleton replaced Nate Gerry, the linebacker’s game improved, but the belief here is that the Eagles still need a legitimate linebacker with three hits. Surratt seems to learn fast and understands the game from a quarterback’s perspective.

Round 5: Elijah Moore, WR, Ole Miss (5’9, 185)

There are a ton of smaller waterbug WRs about to enter the NFL’s 2021 Draft and as such there may be huge values ​​in them on Day 3. One of my favorites is Moore, who had a monstrous 2020 season, making 86 catches for 1,193 yards and 8 TDs in just 8 games.

It is an explosive slot machine receiver that can make plays on the field or on fast launchers as an extension of the racing game. Moore Highlights in 2020:

Yes, we all love Greg Ward’s story, but the reality is that at 8.3 yards per catch (and only 5.3 yards per target), he just doesn’t legitimately threaten opposing defenses as a starting slot. There are too many quality slot receivers in that draft to not get one. I don’t know if Moore will still be there in the 5th round, but someone good will be.

Round 5: Ar’Darius Washington, S, TCU (5’8, 178)

At 5’8, Washington will be a non-automatic for some teams in the safety position, but the Eagles have shown in recent years that they don’t care so much about the height at the rear. If you manage to pass your height, Washington is a very good player, with speed, skill with the ball (5 INT in 2019) and willingness to hit.

He is a candidate for a replacement for Rodney McLeod.

Round 6: Marco Wilson, CB, Florida (6’1, 192)

Wilson plays the “star” position in the defense of Florida, which is a CB-S-LB hybrid role. If you remember, a popular player who mocked the Eagles during the 2019 draft was Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, who played the same role in Florida. Wilson has experience both in the role of “star”, as well as in the outer corner as well. This kind of versatility will appeal to the Eagles, who like their defensive back “out of position”.

Eagles can use only their defensive backs en masse.

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Round 6: Kenny Yeboah, TE, Ole Miss (6’5, 240)

Yeboah is from Allentown, PA, and he was a graduate transferred from Temple who broke out in his last university season at Ole Miss. Your numbers:

To note, these 2020 statistics were in just 7 games.

Yeboah played a more traditional role in the tight end in college. In professionals, he will be more of a “movement TE”, also known as F, and could pair well with Dallas Goedert. A look:

It seems that Zach Ertz’s management with the team will come to an end soon. In that case, the Eagles will need to add depth to the TE, and a Day 3 perspective would make sense.

Round 6: Payton Turner, DE, Houston (6’6, 270)

Turner is an interesting prospect who played mostly about 290 pounds as a 4i technique (lined up on the inner shoulder of the tackle) in his early years in Houston, before moving on to play more like a real DE point as a senior. In just 5 games in 2020, Turner had 25 tackles (10.5 for defeat), 5 sacks and a forced fumble.

He will compete in the Senior Bowl in January and looks like a smart kid in the following interview. Also note the agility of a 270 pound 6’6 rusher:

The Eagles do not have a severe need in DE, at least compared to other positions, but Turner can make sense on Day 3 as a top defender with some experience playing in the countryside.

Round 7: Obinna Eze, OT, Memphis (6’8, 315)

Eze is a long-term, athletic offensive player from Nigeria who is likely to enter Day 3 of the 2021 NFL draft if he is eliminated. In that sense, it fits the theme of eagle shots in large, athletic offensive tackles from the end of Day 3, as they did with Jordan Mailata and Prince Tega Wanogho. Here he is against UCF. As you can see, he is the biggest player on the field:

The offensive attack is not a major need for the Eagles this offseason. At LT, they have Jordan Mailata and Andre Dillard. On RT, they have Lane Johnson and Jack Driscoll.

Ideally, Eze would have experience in both LT and RT, but according to his college biography page, he played only LT. Still, it makes sense as yet another last-round development OT to add to the pipeline.

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