2021 NFL draft: 10 potential first-round targets for the Eagles

If the Eagles keep the No. 12 pick in the first round of the NFL draft, The Inquirer’s pro football writers believe one of these 10 players are the most likely to land in Philadelphia with that selection.

The Draft Meter scale is 1 to 10, with 10 being more likely that the Eagles will pick that player, and 1 being less likely.

Many of the best players won’t be on this list, but in the top half of the draft, the Eagles and their many needs will have plenty of good choices.

Wide Receiver, Alabama

Les Bowen: DeSean Jackson’s weight coming out of Cal was comparable to Smith’s, and Jackson was an effective weapon into his 30s, so I’m not all aflutter over Smith weighing in at 166 recently. The team that drafts him won’t be running him between the tackles. I might prefer Jaylen Waddle if both are there when the Eagles pick (unlikely), but I’d be happy with Smith as a prime weapon for former Alabama teammate Jalen Hurts. 🔥🏈Draft meter: 7

Paul Domowitch: If both Smith and Waddle still are on the board at 12 and the Eagles have decided to wait until the second round to address cornerback, I think their preference would be Waddle. If Waddle’s gone, then I think they’d take Smith. But they’ve got the same concerns as other teams about Smith’s thin frame. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 7

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Jeff McLane: Yeah, he’s slight. Yeah, the Eagles drafted a receiver in the first round just a year ago. Yeah, they haven’t drafted a skill-position player this high, outside of quarterback, in decades. But Smith could be special and would allow for Roseman to compensate for last year’s Jalen Reagor-over-Justin Jefferson error. 🔥🏈Draft meter: 9

EJ Smith: The Eagles overthought things at receiver last year, going for fit over production. This draft, they’d be wise to avoid repeating the same mistake if Smith is on the board. Smith might be unprecedentedly skinny, but there’s a reason he was the best player in college football last year. There’s a chance Roseman is hesitant to draft a receiver in the first round two years in a row, but Smith’s talent should outweigh that. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 8

Smith’s average draft meter: 7.75

Cornerback, South Carolina

Bowen: You don’t want to draft a guy off his pro day, but Horn’s athletic testing was extraordinary. Opted out late in the 2020 season after his coach was fired. Higher ceiling than Patrick Surtain II, maybe, but will have to stop grabbing receivers as much as he did in college. Like Surtain, would be an impact player right away. Most mock drafts have Surtain going ahead of Horn, but there’s talk that some teams value Horn more. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 6

Domowitch: If Surtain is the top corner, Horn is 1A. He’s a terrific press corner who plays with an attitude. Chances are that only one of them, and possibly neither, is going to make it to the Eagles at 12. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 7

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McLane: Howie Roseman’s record in drafting cornerbacks has been dreadful, hence the Eagles’ positional need. Patrick Surtain would be the safer cornerback to take, but he could be gone. Horn’s inconsistent film could dismay the Eagles, but his type of athleticism doesn’t just fall off trees. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 8

Smith: Horn does possess the freakish physical tools you like to see in high-end cornerback prospects. He combines it with a lengthy list of tough receivers and tight ends he’s covered in his college career. Horn would be a good fit in defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme and would fill one of the team’s most glaring needs. If he pans out, he could easily become one of the best corners in the league. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 8

Horn’s average draft meter: 7.25

Wide Receiver, Alabama

Bowen: Waddle has that burst that could make him a true difference maker. He’s a couple inches shorter but about 15 pounds heavier than Smith, who is the better route runner. Same familiarity with Jalen Hurts. There’s talk the Giants, who pick just in front of the Eagles at 11th, will take one or the other, which could set up a long-running NFC East narrative, who got the better ‘Bama receiver? Howie Roseman might prefer to have his pick of the two, rather than taking what Giants GM Dave Gettleman doesn’t want, which is one reason there is talk of the Eagles trading back up. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 7

Domowitch: Would the Eagles take a wideout in the first round two years in a row? Absolutely. Howie Roseman is on a speed crusade, and the thought of giving Hurts a pair of vertical threats like Waddle and Jalen Reagor to throw to is appealing. Only question is whether he makes it down to them. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 8

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McLane: Some scouts have Waddle the top receiver in the draft, even ahead of Ja’Marr Chase. While that may be a stretch, the Crimson Tide product has great upside. Would he have too much crossover with Reagor? Maybe. But the Eagles shouldn’t talk themselves out of Waddle if he’s the best on their board. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 7

Smith: Many consider Waddle the better player out of the two ‘Bama receivers, and it’s getting more difficult to see how he makes it to the 12th pick. Even if he does, the Eagles would have to completely cast their “fit” concerns aside to bring in a player with a similar build and playing style to Jalen Reagor. That’s not a reason to pass on Waddle, but it does make it a more difficult prediction. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 6

Waddle’s average draft meter: 7.0

Cornerback, Alabama

Bowen: Three players on the meter from Alabama, from which the Eagles haven’t drafted a player since 2002. I don’t think Surtain is going to make it to 12, so if the Eagles stay here, they aren’t likely to get him. If they draft any corner in the first, we’ll be harkening to 2002, which was the last time they did that, with Lito Sheppard. Surtain would be a strong building block for new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon. There’s maybe a little bit of concern about deep speed, but this is a player who could be a high-end starter right out of the box. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

Domowitch: Surtain’s been a popular mock pick for the Eagles at 12. If he makes it down to them – and that’s a big if – it would be hard for the cornerback-needy Eagles to pass on a guy many have rated as the top corner in this draft. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 6

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McLane: If five quarterbacks go in the first 10 picks, Surtain could fall to the Eagles. My guess is Roseman would need little time to hand in the Eagles’ pick. He would address a hole and finally draft a prospect from the hotbed of college football. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 7

Smith: Surtain is the best corner in the draft class because of his rock-solid coverage ability and technique. He doesn’t have the freakish athleticism of some other corner prospects, but he projects as one of the safer picks the Eagles could potentially make. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 7

Surtain average draft meter: 6.25

Offensive tackle, Northwestern

Bowen: An offensive tackle without great length, who might end up as a guard in the NFL. A 12th overall guard? No. I would only draft Slater if I were certain he would be a standout tackle. And if I was pretty sure that Andre Dillard was a terrible mistake. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 4

Domowitch: Slater could slide to the Eagles and might even be more appealing to them than Penei Sewell because of his versatility He can play all five positions, and the retooling Eagles need to start thinking about life after Jason Kelce, Brandon Brooks, and Lane Johnson. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 6

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McLane: Slater is more likely to be available among the top two offensive linemen. His versatility could also make him more attractive than Sewell. But if the Eagles envision him in the interior, I just don’t see the value. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 4

Smith: Slater’s film against Chase Young in 2019 is about as clean as it could be against such a talented edge rusher. His length and weight could lead to him moving to guard in the league. Slater should still be a high pick because interior linemen are growing in importance as defensive tackles get faster and more effective rushing the passer. He probably won’t be there for the Eagles, but if he is, he’d be an excellent pick. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 6

Slater’s average draft meter: 5.0

Edge Rusher, Michigan

Bowen: The evaluations I’ve read of Paye vary greatly. He’s the best edge prospect in this draft, which is not a great draft for edge talent. That would concern me. Howie Roseman loves to draft edge rushers high, though, so there is more than a decent chance. Amazing backstory, born in a refugee camp in Guinea. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

Domowitch: Edge rusher is high on the Eagles’ list of priorities heading into this draft. Paye is the most explosive pass rusher in the draft, but 12 might be a little high for him. If Eagles trade down again, Paye or another edge rusher becomes a bigger possibility. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

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McLane: An argument could be made for edge rusher. Brandon Graham’s career is winding down. Derek Barnett is on a one-year deal. And Josh Sweat might not project as a starter. But is Paye worth the cost at the position in which there doesn’t appear to be great draft depth? 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

Smith: It’s easy to see Paye’s upside and get excited. People as big as him shouldn’t be able to move the way he does. He could easily develop into an impact edge rusher and would fit well in the Eagles’ scheme, but this isn’t a great class for edge rushers, and 12 feels a little early for him. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

Paye’s average draft meter: 5.0

Offensive tackle, Oregon

Bowen: Has the size and the athleticism to be an elite tackle, most mocks say he’s the best o-lineman in this draft. Usually, though, there are very few questions about the play of the top guy, and that isn’t the case with Sewell, who is just 20 years old and opted out of the 2020 season. He needs to work on pad level, balance and strength. Potential certainly is there, but can’t say I’m wowed. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

Domowitch: The quarterback grab at the top is going to push the top position players, including Sewell, down. But all the way to 12? Probably not. Sewell is the best tackle in the draft and has been compared by some to Hall of Famer Walter Jones. Probably doesn’t drop any further than 9. But if he’s there. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 4

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McLane: Sewell might be the top tackle in the draft, but he’s unpolished. He has all the tools, however, and will be hard to pass for the teams selecting in the top 10. If he falls, maybe the Eagles pull the trigger. But that would create a logjam at tackle. 🔥🏈Draft meter: 3

Smith: If Sewell is there at No. 12, the Eagles should sprint the card in. I don’t care what you think of the Pac-12, Sewell dominated most of the league as a 19-year-old in 2019. He should be a Day 1 starter with a special ceiling and a high floor. That said, I can’t see him falling far enough to be there for the Eagles at 12, and a trade up wouldn’t make much sense. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 4

Sewell’s average draft meter: 4.0

Linebacker, Penn State

Bowen: Will the Eagles finally break the Jerry Robinson jinx? He’s the team’s last first-round linebacker, in 1979. Ordinarily this question would merit a preemptive “no,” but we have no idea what new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon values. The Colts had difference-making linebackers. The Eagles certainly don’t, going into the draft. Parsons is that rare three-down beast who can make a difference against the run and the pass. Fans would cheer. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 6

Domowitch: The last time the Eagles took a linebacker in the first round, leisure suits were all the rage. The 6-3, 246-pound Parsons, who can play off the ball and rush the passer, would be an intriguing weapon for Jonathan Gannon’s defense. But I just don’t see the Eagles pulling the trigger on him, even if he’s still on the board. Too many other more pressing needs. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 3

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McLane: There might not be a more talented defensive player in this draft. The Eagles haven’t drafted a linebacker in the first round in more than 40 years, so that alone may disqualify Parsons. But he’s versatile and has edge-rushing ability. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 5

Smith: Parsons is arguably the best linebacker in the draft class and he’s a local kid. He’s 6-foot-3, 246 pounds and moves incredibly well at that size, but I don’t see the Eagles breaking their decades-long hiatus of not taking a linebacker in the first round here. 🔥🏈Draft meter: 2

Parsons’ average draft meter: 4.0

Linebacker/Safety, Notre Dame

Bowen: This would be a nod toward the “positionless defense” trend, but a first-round nod is a pretty darned big nod. Here again, having some idea of what defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon values would come in handy. I don’t really see it unless the Eagles trade back. 🔥🏈Draft meter: 3

Domowitch: The kid would make a great toy for new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme. If you’re still miffed about the Eagles taking Jalen Hurts over Jeremy Chinn in the second round last year, this guy would help you get over it. But they would seem to have more practical first-round needs than a versatile, position-less player. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 3

» READ MORE: NFL mock draft: Eagles take Penn State LB Micah Parsons in 1st round, WR in 2nd, QB in 3rd | Marcus Hayes

McLane: His appeal could come down to what position the Eagles project the Notre Dame product. If they see him as a safety, maybe he’s worth the pick. But if he’s strictly a linebacker, all bets are off. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 4

Smith: Owusu-Koramoah would be an outside-the-box pick but I could get on board with it. The Eagles missed Malcolm Jenkins’ versatility last year and could gain some of it back with the speedy hybrid linebacker from Notre Dame. That’s not to say Owusu-Koramoah and Jenkins are identical players, but you could theoretically build your defense around both. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 4

Owusu-Koramoah’s average draft meter: 3.5

Running back, Alabama

Bowen: A first-round running back for the Eagles, in 2021, when passing is king in the NFL and the team owner is a devout follower of analytics? No. I would be astounded. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 1

Domowitch: I know, I know. The Eagles will never take a running back in the first round, you say. But if Jeffrey Lurie is serious about prioritizing Jalen Hurts’ chances for success in 2021, teaming this big guy with Miles Sanders wouldn’t be a bad idea. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 2

McLane: The Eagles drafting a running back in the first round, especially with the No. 12 pick, is extremely unlikely, but anything is possible. Harris may end up the best of Alabama’s recent crop of tailbacks, but there’s no justification for drafting him in this spot when you already have Miles Sanders. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 1

Smith: The Eagles are concerningly low on young talent at impact positions. Reaching for a running back in the first round would be malpractice. 🔥🏈 Draft meter: 1

Harris’ average draft meter: 1.25