Eagles film: Trevor Keegan and Dylan McMahon were drafted on Day 3. Will either find an early role?

The odds were against the Eagles taking an offensive lineman within the first two days of the NFL draft. The team brought in eight offensive linemen for visits over the last couple of months and showed plenty of interest in others, showing up at their pro days to work them out.

But it wasn’t until late in the fifth round when the Eagles took guard Trevor Keegan from Michigan, and later added North Carolina State center/guard Dylan McMahon in the sixth round. By the end of the draft, only two of the nine players selected were along the offensive line, although the Eagles signed former New York Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton on Monday.

At the moment, last year’s third-round pick, Tyler Steen, who started one game last season, is slated to be the right guard. Could either Keegan or McMahon push him for a prominent role? Here’s a look at their skill sets and what they bring to the Eagles’ offensive line.

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The 6-foot-5, 310-pound Keegan, who signed a four-year contract with the Eagles on Saturday, was a three-year starter along Michigan’s offensive line, with 37 starts. He’s a stoutly built, rigid offensive lineman who has a throwback look and feel to him. He’s not a nimble mover in open space, nor does he have overwhelming foot quickness; the lack of it shows up in how he moves laterally.

He’s a tough, rugged lineman who wants to block you in a phone booth. Keegan plays with a physical tenacity and attitude, playing through the whistle while attempting to drive defenders out of the play. Angles are huge for his style of play. He understands how to cut off backside linebackers and defensive linemen by beating them to a spot rather than trying to outrun or chase them.

Most important, and probably the most alluring aspect of his game, is how fast he processes defenses moving pre- and post-snap. His head is constantly on a swivel, looking to assist his teammates in pass protection before clearing out a lane for his quarterback to throw. Michigan asked him to block out in open space with pull blocks, where he’s moving across the line of scrimmage to block edge defenders out of the play, and he attacks the correct shoulder nearly every time, creating lanes behind him. He has average arm length (32⅜ inches) that forces him to play over his toes at times.

Keegan spent the majority of his snaps at left guard and is an older prospect (he turns 24 in August), so some adjustments will be needed if he is competing for the right guard spot. While he must show the ability to handle speed and power rushers at the NFL level, Keegan has the demeanor you want in an offensive lineman. It’s not hard to see why the Eagles wanted to add him to Jeff Stoutland’s unit.

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While Keegan is big and burly, McMahon is completely different in his body type and skill set. Undersize at 6-3, 299, McMahon is all about cutting off defensive linemen and linebackers using his speed (he ran a 5.1-second 40-yard dash) and quickness to win. He also posted a 4.33-second 20-yard shuttle, which is comparable to Jason Kelce’s 4.14 shuttle time. In addition, his smaller frame allows him to play with natural leverage, displaying excellent core strength to stay in front of bigger defensive linemen.

The reason he lasted until Round 6, though, is his arm length (31¾ inches), which is in the fourth percentile according to Mockdraftable, and his wingspan (75⅛ inches), in the zero percentile. His game will never be predicated on controlling the line of scrimmage with his lack of length, and it shows up on his film, as defensive linemen can throw him around with relative ease. His lack of mass, as a player under 300 pounds, also doesn’t allow him to sustain or drive defenders backward. He’s susceptible to bull rushers and push/pull pass rushers because of it.

That doesn’t stop him from being effective, though. McMahon has the awareness and processing to handle stunts, playing all three interior spots in his career, including all 13 games at center last season. His ability to climb to the second level on double-team blocks happens with ease, and he blocks out in open space well. Even if he never becomes a full-time starter, the Eagles have had success with players who are deficient in this particular area (see Kelce). However, as compared with Keegan, McMahon’s expectations should be tempered, despite the athleticism.

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While both players have enticing skill sets, don’t expect either to crack the starting lineup early on. There’s a reason the Eagles added Becton and signed Matt Hennessy, who played both guard and center with the Atlanta Falcons. Few players taken this late find starting roles, as Trey Smith and the Kansas City Chiefs can attest.

For Keegan, though, the path to starting is more likely to happen than it is with McMahon. If Keegan can show he can handle the NFL workload, execute blocks consistently, and mitigate the speed of the NFL game, despite his lack of natural play speed, he might be on the field sooner rather than later. His run blocking and tenacity fit into the culture the Eagles offensive line likes to build.

Meanwhile, McMahon probably ends up on the practice squad, as he continues to add bulk and improve his play strength. He’s more of a developmental option who could potentially find his way into the backup center role in a couple of years. For now, though, McMahon is an exciting player who will need time to develop.

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