Habecker Mock Draft 1.0

2 March 2017 DRAFT

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If you follow the game of football, you know that some teams draft better then other teams. Take for instance, the Cleveland Browns. How many core team members have the Browns drafted over the past five to ten years? The answer is pretty embarrassing.

But when you look on the other end of the spectrum at teams like the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers, who always seem to draft well, it’s no wonder they are in the playoffs every single year.

If the Eagles hope to contend in the jam-packed NFC East, they need to draft really well. This is especially true for a team that has roughly 12 Million dollars is cap space heading into free agency, which is where the Eagles cap number sits as of now.

At the top end of the draft, teams usually look for a guy who can step in right away and be a major contributor to either the offense or defense. In the later rounds, teams are usually looking for a player labelled as a “project” or a depth piece who can also play special teams.

The Eagles currently have eight selections in the upcoming draft, which will be held in Philadelphia. Here is who I could see the Eagles taking.

Round 1-Sidney Jones (CB)-Washington

This could change to wide receiver depending on how free agency goes, but as the roster sits right now, I think the Eagles go corner in the first. Jones is a tall corner who can play either press or man and plays the run fairly well. His feet may be the best of any corner in the draft and he was able to get a hand on 21.3 percent of throws that went his way. He will need to add strength to be able to handle players like Dez Bryant, but he has all the tools of a number one corner in this league.

Round 2-Gareon Conley (CB)-Ohio State

With Conley and Jones in  the fold, the Eagles cornerback situation should be set for years to come. Conley has ideal size at 6.0′ tall and has good length. He is best in press coverage but is versatile enough to fit different schemes. While his tackling can be improved and he may have some bumps early on, Conley would be a good pick up early in the second round.

Round 3-Zay Jones (WR)-East Carolina

Most fans will have Jones going in the second round, but he has some work to do if he wants to go that high. Jones is the FBS leader in receptions, but that number is a little skewed due to the high volume of short routes and the screen passes. Jones has a NFL pedigree and has good hands, but he’ll need to answer questions about his quickness in the pre-draft process.

Round 4-Joe Mixon (RB)-Oklahoma

It is really hard to determine where Mixon could go due to his checkered past. Purely going off of talent, Mixon is a first rounder without question. He can do it all and would be a huge asset to Doug Pederson and the Eagles offense for years to come.

Round 4 Comp. Pick-Dalvin Tomlinson (DT)-Alabama

Tomlinson falls to the fifth round for a couple of reasons, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a solid player. At Alabama, Tomlinson never played more than 45% of snaps because he was third on the depth chart. While he isn’t a great pass rusher, the Georgia native can really stuff the run inside. If Bennie Logan walks away in free agency, Tomlinson and Beau Allen could step in and fill the void capably.

Round 5-Ethan Cooper (OG)-Indiana University of PA

Cooper played left tackle for IUP, but will move into guard once he gets drafted. The Harrisburg native has impressive size, standing at 6’3″ and weighing 325 pounds. He has impressive athleticism to go along with his big body. Cooper could be probably use a “redshirt” year in 2017, but he could possibly step in at guard if Isaac Seumalo converts to center in 2018.

Round 6-Jerod Evans (QB)-Virginia Tech

Evans could have benefited from another year of college football, but decided to come out as a junior. He has adequate size and athleticism to play quarterback in the NFL and had a pretty good season for the Hokies (41 total touchdowns). He obviously won’t be a starter in Philadelphia, but if he develops nicely he could supplant Chase Daniel, and his hefty contract, in a year or two.

Round 7-Brandon Bell (OLB)-Penn State

Bell may be a little undersized for an outside linebacker, but he has all of the intangibles. He always seems to be around the ball and has a relentless motor. He injured his wrist in the Nittany Lions bowl game and the severity of the injury is still unknown. If he can impress during his pro day, look for him to come off the board on day three.

 

 

 

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Dustin Habecker Cleveland Browns, Dalvin Tomlinson, Gareon Conley, Philadelphia Eagles, Sidney Jones