Each year, we list Philadelphia Eagles’ top 10 options with their first round pick, and we’ve found that while the player they’ve picked was at times surprising, their basic strategies were predictable.
For instance:
• In 2020 it felt pretty clear that the Eagles would choose a wide receiver, and they did.
• In 2019, we correctly diagnosed that the Eagles were likely to trade (Option No. 1). They chose who they thought would be Jason Peters’s successor (option 8).
• In 2018 it felt like a year to trade out of the first round (option # 1), which is what they did, and finally chose a tight end (option # 7).
• In 2017, we were a little more specific, letting the Eagles stay in place and draft Derek Barnett as Option # 3.
Now that we’ve taken that little journey through memory, let’s take a look at the Eagles’ top 10 options in 2021.
10) Our annual linebacker interview
It feels like there is a linebacker or two every year whose likely draft position closely matches the Eagles’, and design experts endlessly project the Birds to line them up, seemingly unaware that they haven’t taken a linebacker in the first round since 1979.
Last year it was Kenneth Murray and Patrick Queen. In 2017 it was Reuben Foster. This year it’s Penn State’s Micah Parsons
Since Jonathan Gannon, Eagles’ new defensive coordinator, is a student of Mike Zimmer, there’s a good bet that Eagles linebackers will get more chances as blitzers. There is also speculation that Gannon will be spinning a lot of Cover-2, meaning those linebackers are also better able to play zone coverage. So there is an argument that the linebacker position might get some priority points in the front office view.
That said, forget it. They don’t take linebacker on the 12th overall pick. Won’t happen.
9) A quarterback couldn’t still be in the game, right?
When the Eagles still held No. 6, drafting a quarterback was seemingly still in play, and there was a report (since deleted) that the Eagles tried unsuccessfully to step up for BYU’s Zach Wilson. Now that they’ve come out of the No. 6 pick, a quarterback is seemingly out of the game.
But what if the San Francisco 49ers picked Alabama’s Mac Jones at Pick # 3, and somehow a guy like Trey Lance of North Dakota State or Justin Fields of Ohio fell all the way to 12? Can they bring one of those guys?
Obviously, if the Eagles really liked one of those guys, they would have either been at pick # 6, or tried to trade it in for one of them. Still, while they clearly didn’t like the idea of getting one guys in sixth place, maybe at pick # 12, with an extra 2022 first round pick in their pocket, would Lance of Fields make it more attractive? Is that so crazy?
But again, we’re talking very low probability here.
8) Trade-in
Would the Eagles trade back to just trade back again? I think they did in 2018, when they traded out of the first round from pick # 32, and later made a modest rise in the second round for the Cowboys to take on Dallas Goedert. But trading 6 to 12 and then back to the top 10 wouldn’t be exactly the same.
If there was a player the Eagles thought was worth trading for in the top 10, they probably wouldn’t have traded out of the top 10, you know. Let’s not think about it too long.
7) Take one of the tackles that are likely to become guards
There are a few prospects in this draft who were standout tackles in college, but who are likely to play guard in the NFL. They are from Northwestern Rashawn Slater and USCs Aliyah Vera-Tucker
If the Eagles had a gaping hole at the guard, then selecting one of the two players would probably not be popular, as taking a guard in the first round is boring. In the end, most would probably accept it.
However, the Eagles’ roster, as currently compiled, offers no starting opportunities at guard, so both guys would sit as rookies, assuming the Eagles have a healthy OL Week 1. Otherwise, the Eagles would have to find a way. to trade Brandon Brooks for appropriate compensation.
The bet here is that the fanbase would be outraged if the Eagles took on a guard who wasn’t even scheduled to start out as a rookie. While I certainly couldn’t blame them, there may be some logic to hiring a guard. Jason Kelce is a threat to retire any off-season, and Isaac Seumalo’s impending move to downtown would open a spot at LG. Meanwhile, Brooks has had three major injuries in an 18-month period:
- January 13, 2019: In the Eagles’ division round against the Saints, Brooks tore his judge Achilles.
- December 29, 2019: Brooks sustained a seasonal shoulder injury during the Eagles’ NFC East clinching Week 17 victory of the Giants to undergo surgery.
- June 2020: Brooks tore his left Achilles.
If the Eagles think Slater or Vera-Tucker has All-Pro careers ahead, then they would make sense as a long-term game.
Ultimately, the belief here is that the Eagles have a better chance of making a crowd-friendly choice this year. Look at the answers to literally everything the Eagles tweet. You will see at least half a dozen fans respond, “Fire Howie.” They undoubtedly see that. While I don’t believe the Eagles front office cares much about what the fans think when it comes to roster decisions (and they shouldn’t), there is still little doubt that Roseman is under heavy pressure to adopt this concept. grab and take a guard. has no juice.
6) Trade back for even more choices
We discussed this last week, but while we think the Eagles move from 6 to 12 will still make the Eagles a good player, the feeling here is that there is potentially a bigger drop-off from who the Eagles could land at pick # 12 and who they should settle for later in the teens.
If there was still a top 5 quarterback available on pick # 12, and a quarterback-needy team like the New England Patriots or the Chicago Bears came calling, and the offer was too good to pass up, the Eagles would be certainly do. be smart to consider all options.
Another option to transfer an extra choice would be to deal with the Chargers at pick # 13. The Chargers urgently need an LT, so if Sewell and another interesting player for the Eagles are both on the board could perhaps coax the Eagles into something like a third or fourth round pick from the Chargers so they can be sure to get their man on while the Eagles still bring in a player they can be happy with at option no. 13.
But in the end, with 11 tips in 2021 and 9 tips as early as 2022, the Eagles should have no urgency to go back.
5) Take another tear on a long-lasting LT
Jordan Mailata played in 15 games in 2020, starting 10 of them, and showed that he belongs in the NFL as one of 32 starting LTs in the entire league, with the potential to get really good. While Mailata was a rare ray of hope in an otherwise disastrous season, it’s not like he was either Anthony Muñoz out there too. By our count, he gave up seven sacks, leading the Eagles offensive linemen. It’s also worth noting that he had to be shut down early in each of the 2018 and 2019 seasons, with back injuries.
Meanwhile, after the team traded in for Andre Dillard in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, he was bad as a rookie (at both LT and RT, just to be clear), missing the entire 2020 season with a torn bicep .
The Eagles have a lot of potential at LT, but that’s not certain. Like Oregon Penei Sewell slipped to 12, perhaps too hard for the Eagles to pass given the importance of the position.
4) Proven defense line construction
The Eagles have taken either an edge rusher or an inner defensive linemen in the first round in eight drafts since the beginning of the Andy Reid era in 1999.
- 2017: Derek Barnett
- 2014: Marcus Smith
- 2012: Fletcher Cox
- 2010: Brandon Graham
- 2006: Brodrick Bunkley
- 2005: Mike Patterson
- 2003: Jerome McDougle
- 2000: Corey Simon
If the Eagles don’t take an edge rusher or inner defensive lineman in the first round of the 2021 draft, it will be the longest gap during that period when they didn’t.
The Eagles also need a line of defense. Graham and Cox are getting older, while Barnett and Josh Sweat are both in contract years. Besides those guys, the Eagles have Javon Hargrave, and not much else.
It’s just … this defensive line group in the 2021 draft isn’t very attractive this year, especially at the top of the first round. Taking one in 12 would be a range.
3) Fill the obvious glaring need for cornerback
I mean this is the depth map in the corner now:
| Eagles CBs | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| CB | Kill Darius | Michael morning coat | Jameson Houston |
| CB | Craig James | Kevon Seymour | |
| Slot CB | Avonte Maddox | Lavert Hill | Shakial Taylor |
Cornerback is the Eagles’ most glaring need, and there can be attractive options at 12, in Alabama Patrick Surtain or South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn
2) Another first round wide receiver
Can the Eagles become the receiver? again after getting one in the first round last year (three WR selections in total), and one in the second round in 2019? They certainly could, if they finally want to get it right.
As you all well know, the top three receivers in this design are LSUs Yes’Marr Chase, Bama’s Jaylen Waddle, and that of Bama DeVonta SmithWe may also be able to deploy TE Kyle Pitts, which is like a giant WR, but probably won’t be available on pick # 12. It’s all very, very good prospects.
As we outlined a few weeks later, as long as all three of these recipients are not included in the first seven choices, there is a good chance that one will still be present at Choice No. 12. If indeed one is present, the shouldn’t be a difficult decision. Get him.
1) Paste and choose
As we detailed last week, barring a bid they can’t refuse, the Eagles would probably be best served to stick with Pick 12 as there is a significant list of players who would (a) make sense for the Eagles , and (b) would represent the correct value for choice # 12. There is little need to play games or get cute. Paste and choose.
Just for your information, there is some overlap of the above discussion in the episode “BGN Radio # 177” below. Please listen and thank you.
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