Eagles mock draft: Projecting the team’s first five picks

With the Senior Bowl now behind us and the NFL Scouting Combine three weeks away, the inevitable churn of draft projections has begun.

Some players have climbed up draft boards in the last few weeks, and others have lost some steam. Plenty will change between now and the NFL draft April 28-30, but here’s an early estimation of how the Eagles’ first three rounds could go.

Of all the potential outcomes brought on from the Eagles having three first-round picks, securing an edge rusher at some point on Day 1 seems like an inevitability.

It’s a deep edge-rusher class and the Eagles should have a few guys to choose from at No. 15. Michigan edge rusher David Ojabo’s range seems to start in the top 10 and end with the Minnesota Vikings at 12, so Walker will likely be the best upside play when the Eagles are on the board.

At 6-foot-5, 270 pounds, Walker has the positional flexibility the Eagles coveted when selecting Milton Williams last year. The former defensive tackle played everywhere from the 3-technique to a stand-up edge role. He shed about 20 pounds to play on the edge in college and has the flexibility to gain or lose weight to fit into a specific position.

He’s probably the most versatile defensive end in the class, too. Georgia used him mostly as an edge rusher, but he spent time dropping into coverage and was shaded inside the tackle as an interior lineman at times, which is indicative of his combination of speed and power.

With the Eagles, he could fill that 4i-technique spot where defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon dubiously used Josh Sweat and Ryan Kerrigan, would bring value as a power rusher as an edge, and can hold up against the run.

If he’s going to reach his full potential, the Eagles will need to teach him to work his pass-rushing moves more instead of relying on brute strength or athleticism, but he has the traits to be an impact player if he takes the requisite steps.

While there’s plenty of buzz around corners like Cincinnati’s Ahmad Gardner and Auburn’s Roger McCreary, McDuffie’s strengths align well with what the Eagles do defensively.

Under Gannon, man-coverage skills should take a backseat to the quickness, instincts, and tackling ability necessary for playing off in zone coverage. McDuffie played plenty of zone at Washington and has the versatility to play in multiple schemes.

Combine measurements will be important for his draft stock. He’s listed at 5-11, 195 pounds by Washington, and if he’s measured smaller in Indy next month, it will likely take him off some team’s draft boards.

Regardless of his height, McDuffie doesn’t play small. His college tape quickly shows he’s a willing and physical tackler to go along with his coverage ability. Some Eagles fans will be wary of drafting another Washington cornerback after the way Sidney Jones turned out, but McDuffie’s scheme versatility will make him a first-rounder this April.

Get used to seeing Linderbaum projected to the Eagles.

Whether Jason Kelce returns or not, Linderbaum makes perfect sense as his heir apparent, the worst-case scenario is he’s a high-quality backup at multiple positions while watching Kelce for a year.

“He’s probably the closest thing to Kelce to come out in the past half decade,” Pro Football Focus draft analyst Mike Renner told The Inquirer. “He’s undersized at around 290 pounds and even played earlier in his Iowa career in the 260s. That almost never shows up as a negative, though, with his play strength and wrestling background.”

The Eagles have enjoyed nearly a decade of elite center play with Kelce. Linderbaum would go a long way in making sure the offensive line stays at a high level even once Kelce moves on. Because of his movement skills, he’d also pair well next to Landon Dickerson in the long run. Dickerson moves well for his size, but Kelce and Dickerson proved to be an effective combination because of Kelce’s agility when pulling or getting out on screens.

It has been four decades since the Eagles drafted a linebacker in the first round and the streak continues here. For those of you clamoring for Utah’s Devin Lloyd or Georgia’s Nakobe Dean, Harris is an excellent consolation prize.

He played several skill positions in high school, including wide receiver and cornerback, but he’s plenty physical and powerful at the linebacker spot, unlike some converts. He plays with an edge and has made plenty tone-setting hits in big games over the last few years.

Harris struggled with misdirection and awareness in college and those struggles will be amplified in the league as more teams adopt offensive schemes that rely heavily on misdirection to catch up to 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan’s and Rams coach Sean McVay’s systems. Still, Harris has the physical traits to be an early contributor with a high enough upside to eventually be an impact player.

Getting this deep into the draft without taking a wide receiver or a safety would likely force the Eagles to address those positions in free agency, but taking a wide receiver early for a fourth year in a row seems unlikely.

As far as safeties go, it’s not a great class and it was made worse by a few highly touted guys deciding to return to school. Anyone going outside of the first two rounds is unlikely to be an immediate contributor, which is what the Eagles need at that spot.

Going tight end on Day 2 is definitely a luxury, but Ruckert would give Hurts another big target while also being a plus contributor to the run game right away.

Eagles coach Nick Sirianni ran the third-highest number of plays out of heavy personnel packages (formations with two or three tight ends), behind only the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns. With how much the Eagles use at least two tight ends, having Jack Stoll and Richard Rodgers as the leading candidates for TE2 while Tyree Jackson recovers from ACL surgery is a concern.

Enter Ruckert. He wasn’t heavily targeted at Ohio State but showed promise when the ball was thrown his way. Where he brings his most value, though, is as an in-line blocker. With Dallas Goedert taking on more of a receiving role, Ruckert can be a difference-maker in the run game while also being a small factor as a receiver and continuing to give the Eagles formation flexibility.