Ben Fennell’s NFL draft breakdown: Each position all in one place
Rounding up all eight of NFL Network draft analyst Ben Fennell's position breakdowns in one place.
Ben Fennell is an Emmy Award-winning producer, editor and researcher across several media platforms, including the NFL Network and ESPN College Football. He worked with Mike Mayock on the NFL Network’s draft coverage for five years, and has worked the last two years with Daniel Jeremiah. You can follow him on Twitter at @benfennell_NFL. For the second straight year, Ben has broken down each position in the draft for The Inquirer as part of an eight-part series. Here is a recap...
Running Back and Quarterback
D’Andre Swift (Georgia), Jonathan Taylor (Wisconsin) and J.K. Dobbins (Ohio State) are Fennell’s top three running backs heading into the draft, with scouts confident that each is capable of becoming a three-down back at the NFL level.
The stock has also gone up for player like Clyde Edwards-Helaire (LSU) and Cam Akers (Florida St.) based on what they could bring to the passing game.
“Everybody wants that pass-game contributor,’’ Fennell, who expects only one or two running backs to be taken in the first round, said. “There’s less demand for a scheme-specific guy like [Derrick Henry]. College football, in general, is really shying away from those types of players, and so is the NFL.’’
As for quarterback, the 2020 draft class is pretty top-heavy. Joe Burrow (LSU) is expected to go first overall to Cincinnati, and Tua Tagovailoa (Alabama) and Justin Herbert (Oregon) won’t be far behind with plenty of struggling teams desperate to find a franchise quarterback.
In the second tier are Jordan Love (Utah State), Jake Fromm (Georgia), and Jacob Eason (Washington), who will all likely get a boost in value from that same desperation.
Tight End
Teams, the Eagles included, will be hard-pressed to find the next Zach Ertz or Dallas Goedert this week.
That doesn’t necessarily mean this year’s draft class is completely bereft of tight end talent, just that scouts and GMs have to look much harder to try and find them.
“There are some guys with upside in the pass game like Harrison Bryant [FAU] or Hunter Bryant [Washington]," Fennell said. "But I don’t see anybody here with a first-round pedigree. There are only a few guys with much experience at putting their hand in the ground.”
Wide Receiver
The Eagles are in severe need of a No. 1 receiver, and if there were ever a time to find one, it’s now.
Scouts and analysts believe this year’s receiving class might be the deepest in league history. So whether a team is looking for speed (Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy, Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb, Baylor’s Denzel Mims), size (Clemson’s Tee Higgins, USC’s Michael Pittman, Notre Dame’s Chase Claypool), or a gadget guy (Alabama’s Henry Ruggs, Colorado’s Laviska Shenault, TCU’s Jalen Reagor), someone is there to fit the bill.
“There’s something for everybody with this group," Fennell said. “All different shapes and sizes. Whatever you’re looking for, whether it’s a matchup player, a slot presence, a vertical threat or a gadget guy, this draft has a player for you at every tier. That’s an exciting proposition for a lot of offenses.’’
Offensive Line
This year’s offensive tackle group is extremely deep, too, with three tackles expected to be among the draft’s first 10 picks and up to six that could be off the board by the time the first round is over.
“If not for this legendary receiver group, the tackle group would be stealing the show and we would be talking about how legendary this group is,’’ Fennell said.
Jedrick Wills (Alabama), Mekhi Becton (Louisville), Tristan Wirfs (Iowa), Andrew Thomas (Georgia), and Josh Jones (Houston) make up the top-end talent who are likely to have their new teams by the time Thursday night’s first-round is over.
“And there’s all sorts of mid-round talent and developmental guys on Day 3″ Fennell said. "I could literally rattle off 20-25 names off the top of my head that will get drafted this year.’’
That said, the pool of interior line prospects is lacking.
“There are only a couple of centers that I see getting drafted," Fennell said. "Cesar Ruiz (Michigan) should be a first- or second-round pick. But there just aren’t a lot of other really appealing center-guard options.
Still, with Jason Peters and Halapoulivaati Vaitai gone, and Jordan Mailata still a work in progress, it’d be wise for the Eagles to bring in more depth at tackle with the later rounds.
Defensive Line
On the other side of the ball, options for the interior are just as slim, with Derrick Brown (Auburn) and Javon Kinlaw (South Carolina) being the two best defensive tackles available.
“There’s not a whole lot of upside on many other guys,’’ Fennell said. “Neville Gallimore (Oklahoma), Jordan Elliott (Missouri), and Ross Blacklock (TCU) are starting to get some buzz. But that’s mainly because the position group isn’t that deep."
The edge-rushing group projects to be a bit stronger with Chase Young (Ohio State), K’Lavon Chaisson (LSU), Yetur Gross-Matos (Penn State), and A.J. Epenesa (Iowa) each having first-round grades.
“If you need an edge-rusher, I think this is a really good draft to find somebody at all different levels,’’ Fennell said. “There are guys of all different shapes, sizes, and abilities."
Linebacker
Isaiah Simmons (Clemson), Kenneth Murray (Oklahoma), and Patrick Queen (LSU) highlight a linebacking class for a position that is in flux, with more and more emphasis being placed on pass defense.
“That’s where the NFL is going," Fennell said. “Having those smaller linebackers that look like safeties that can run sideline to sideline and cover for you."
“The game is evolving," Simmons said the scouting combine back in February. “The name of the game now is stopping tight ends. Something has to be done to stop people like Travis Kelce and George Kittle."
Safety
Xavier McKinney (Alabama), Grant Delpit (LSU), and Jeremy Chinn (Southern Illinois) are at the top of the safety class for another position that is in flux at the NFL level, as defensive coordinators increasingly require them switch between different coverages.
“You’ve got a hodgepodge of a lot of guys who aren’t really safeties," Fennell said. “You’re getting a lot of corners who are moving to safety. These are big corners with cover skills and receiver backgrounds that can do a lot of things for you."
Cornerback
Another major area of need for the Eagles despite the additions of Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman a month ago.
Luckily, this is another deep draft group, both on the inside (Clemson’s K’Von Wallace, Alabama’s Shyheim Carter, and Mississippi State’s Brian Cole) and out (Ohio State’s Jeff Okudah, Florida’s C.J. Henderson, and Alabama’s Trevon Diggs).
“There are a lot of guys collectively in this draft at corner, nickel, and safety that teams would love to add to their defensive-back room," Fennnell said.