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The NFL Scouting Combine has come and gone, and to be honest, the Philadelphia Eagles’ big board shouldn’t have changed much.
While measurables are certainly important to some degree, most of the evaluation process should come down to what’s on the game tape. We’re not even privy to details from arguably the most important aspect of the combine—the interviews.
That being said, we did learn a thing or two about prospects from the way they ran and jumped in Indianapolis. For instance, a week ago, we had versatile Washington linebacker Shaq Thompson on the Eagles’ first-round big board, and while he’s still a prospect the Birds should keep their eye on, did he cement himself as a Round 1 selection?
Thompson dropped. For the most part, however, our board for the Eagles remains unchanged.
As we look at the current top five, one thing to keep in mind is there’s a good chance most of the players listed here may not make it to Philadelphia’s pick at No. 20. That’s sort of the idea. If it’s all about landing the best possible prospect in the draft, the Eagles have to aim high and either move up or hope one of these names falls to them.
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Once again, I don’t believe Marcus Mariota to the Eagles is plausible. I’m not even totally convinced the Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback slips by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at No. 1 overall. If he does, I’m not sure he makes it past the Tennessee Titans at No. 2, and even if Tennessee or another team is willing to trade, why fall all the way back to No. 20 when there are likely higher suitors who would pay just as much?
That being said, nobody could blame Chip Kelly for wanting the signal-caller he knows fits his system. Obviously, the Eagles aren’t running the exact same offense Kelly used when he was the head coach at Oregon, but there are enough similarities that Mariota would have a head start in terms of his development.
If Mariota starts to drop on draft day, there’s a slim chance the Eagles may make a move. He needs to make it past the New York Jets at No. 6 for it to become a realistic possibility, and if this kid is all he’s been cracked up to be, I don’t see why that would happen. If it does, though, look for the Birds to make a big move up the draft board.
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In all honesty, there’s almost no way Vic Beasley will still be around when the Eagles are on the clock, either. Some pre-combine rankings may have made it seem like a possibility, such as ESPN’s Scouts Inc., which had the Clemson product 21st overall. Then Beasley arrived in Indianapolis.
We said not to overvalue combine performance, but Beasley set himself apart. His 4.53 40-yard dash was the best among all linebackers. His 35 reps in the bench press were also the best at his position. His vertical and broad jump were third. His times in the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle took home fourth.
Add in Beasley’s 44.5 tackles for loss, 25 sacks, nine pass breakups and six forced fumbles over the past two seasons, and it’s possible he vaulted all the way into the top 10.
So why even put him on Philly’s board? Well, there is a glut of pass-rushers at the top of the draft this year, so somebody is going to fall within the club’s reach. If Beasley does start tumbling down the board, the Birds have to consider him. Outside linebacker is a need regardless of what happens with Trent Cole and Brandon Graham in the offseason, and Beasley has the potential to be an impact player at the next level.
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Is offensive line a first-round need for Philadelphia? In my opinion, it is. If I had to re-rank the team needs as of right now, I’d be tempted to put the line second, behind only the secondary. It doesn’t matter who’s dropping back to pass or carrying the football if you can’t protect him or pave lanes, and with three starters well into their 30s, the Eagles are in danger of encountering serious issues up front.
O-line is an area where the team can add help later in the draft, particularly along the interior, which is the most pressing issue for the Birds. However, if La’el Collins were to drop to No. 20 or thereabouts, he would be difficult to pass up.
It could happen. Collins isn’t viewed as a left tackle at the next level by everybody, which is usually the most coveted spot at the top of the draft. With Jason Peters now and Lane Johnson in line to take over, that’s one position the Eagles appear to be settled at. Collins could play guard for at least the first few seasons of his career and then potentially take over for Johnson at right tackle when the line of succession takes place.
Collins displayed the athleticism at the combine to play in Philadelphia’s uptempo offense. The LSU product ran reasonably well at least, posting a 5.12 in the 40-yard dash—tied for sixth among linemen. Whether he lasts remains till No. 20 to be seen, but if he’s still hanging around when the Eagles are on the clock, he's an option.
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The top of the board remains unchanged. Even if and when the Eagles sign a cornerback in free agency, it’s still the team’s most pressing need. Besides the newcomer, only 2014 fourth-round pick Jaylen Watkins is under contract beyond 2015.
Marcus Peters didn’t hurt his cause with the way he tested at the combine. He measured in at 6’0”, 197 pounds with 31.5-inch arms, giving him the size and length the Eagles prefer. He didn’t run amazingly well, posting a 4.53 in the 40-yard dash, but when you post 27 pass breakups and 11 interceptions in three seasons at Washington, those are the numbers that really stand out.
Whether Peters has a realistic chance of being the Eagles pick likely comes down to how he interviewed at the combine, if the team even met with him. Peters was kicked off the football team in November 2014 for butting heads with the coaching staff, which won’t sit well with Kelly, who values culture as much as anything else.
Still, there’s no denying the Eagles need an infusion of talent on the outside, and Peters would give them that. He’s arguably the best corner in the draft, and if he lasts to No. 20, he’ll be part of the discussion in the war room.
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Trae Waynes did nothing to change the fact that he should be at the top of the Eagles’ board. In fact, what he did do at the combine was make it more difficult for the Eagles to land him with the 20th overall selection.
Waynes already was arguably the top cornerback prospect in the entire draft, but he confirmed it with his impressive combine performance. The Michigan State product ran by far the best time in the 40-yard dash for his position—an impressive 4.31. He also tied for fourth in the bench press and tied for sixth in the vertical jump while measuring 6’0”, 186 pounds with 31-inch arms.
Waynes recorded 13 pass breakups and six interceptions as a two-year starter at Michigan State. And unlike Peters, he has none of the off-field baggage.
Unfortunately, with impressive numbers like those, Waynes is almost sure to rise up draft boards elsewhere, if he wasn’t highly sought after in the first place. It’s hard to envision him being around at No. 20, which means if the Eagles want him, they may have to move up a few spots to get him.
For a potential shutdown corner, it may just be worth it.
All combine results courtesy NFL.com.
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