Eagles Draft Buzz: Mock Roundup

As the NFL draft inches closer and more mock drafts are released, one thing is becoming clear: the Eagles can go a lot of ways with their first-round pick. Here is the latest draft buzz, including seven new mock drafts that have the Eagles taking seven different players.

Lance Zierlein of NFL.com thinks that Alabama safety Landon Collins makes the most sense for the Birds:

There are several different directions the Eagles could go in here, but Collins makes them tougher and substantially better on the back end.

Pete Prisco of CBS Sports has the Eagles addressing their secondary needs by picking LSU CB Jalen Collins:

Their secondary has to improve and they can get better by adding a long corner who can play man coverage. They could also go receiver here.

Former Eagle and current NFL.com analyst Brian Baldinger sees Chip Kelly reuniting with his former quarterback, Marcus Mariota:

Whether it’s here at pick No. 20 or through a trade, Mariota gets reunited with Chip Kelly and the Eagles keep on Ducking.

Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz of USA Today has the Eagles taking Texas DT Malcom Brown:

Brown doesn’t seem to fit the bill of a Chip Kelly pick, but he would be hard to pass up at this point. Wide receiver and cornerback could be addressed on Day 2.

But Middlehurst-Schwartz’s colleague, Steven Ruiz, mocks Missouri/Oklahoma WR Dorial Green-Beckham as the Eagles first round pick:

Green-Beckham may be the most intriguing prospect in the class. He left Missouri for Oklahoma, where he didn’t play a snap so there’s not an abundance of tape on him. The little tape he does have shows a big, dynamic target, just what Chip Kelly’s offense is missing.

Mark Eckel of NJ.com thinks the Eagles will target Arizona State WR Jaelen Strong with their first pick:

Strong, 6-2, 217, draws favorable comparisons to current Eagles receiver Jordan Matthews, and we all know how much Kelly likes him. Strong caught 82 passes for 1,165 yards and 10 touchdowns for the Sun Devils last year. He’s also one of the most ready to play receivers in the draft.

Meanwhile, Eliot Shorr-Parks has the Eagles taking another Pac-12 wide out, USC’s Nelson Agholor:

I have been pretty persistent in saying that if the Eagles are sitting on the clock at No. 20, and safety Landon Collins if off the board, the pick will be USC WR Nelson Agholor. Agholor has “Chip Kelly guy” written all over him, and won’t be on the board with the team’s second round pick. Agholor can play the inside and outside, and will add a playmaker to an Eagles’ receiving unit that is one short after losing Maclin. Agholor’s off-the-field personality makes him the pick over Strong.

Charles Davis of NFL.com is dreaming of Chip swapping picks with the Titans in order to nab Mariota:

Count me among those that are curious to see if the “match made in heaven” really would be as heavenly as some expect. Mariota, who was coached by the Eagles’ Chip Kelly at Oregon, could go to a bunch of different spots, assuming the Buccaneers don’t stun everyone and take Mariota over Jameis Winston at No. 1. Will it be the Titans taking Mariota at No. 2? The Redskins at No. 5? The Jets at No. 6? The Rams at No. 10? To be safe, the Eagles would have to deal with Tennessee to land their man. Obviously, it would be a very costly move for Philadelphia, and Kelly has said he won’t mortgage the future to get Mariota. It sure would be fascinating if he changed his mind, though.

Pete Prisco re-graded the Eagles 2012 draft, bumping them up from a B+ to an A:

The Skinny: The Eagles landed Fletcher Cox in the first round and he has become a force on their defense. Their next four picks were: Linebacker Mychal Kendricks, pass rusher Vinny Curry, quarterback Nick Foles and corner Brandon Boykin. They also got running back Bryce Brown, now with the Bills, in the seventh round. Kendricks is a starter, while Boykin is the nickel corner and Curry is a rotation player on the line. Foles was the starter last season, but he was traded for Sam Bradford in March.

How I did: I really liked this draft, highlighted by Cox, which I made the team’s best pick. I questioned the pick of Foles, but he was better than I expected. Sort of. My third-day gem was Boykin.

Will Brinson of CBS Sports named Mike Mamula the Eagles’ worst first-round pick since 1990:

 Great stretch for the Eagles in the first round, both with Andy Reid and thus far with Chip Kelly. Some speed bumps, including Danny Watkins (23rd overall in 2011) but nothing as bad as Philly falling for the combine workout of Mike Mamula in 1995 and taking him 7th overall. The Eagles traded with the Buccaneers to get Mamula; Tampa drafted TWO Hall of Fame defenders (Warren Sapp, Derrick Brooks) later in that round.

Jason Cole of Bleacher Report gave his opinion on the Eagles-Johnny Manziel rumors and what it may mean in the long run (via Bleeding Green Nation):

However, in talking to a source within the Browns organization, yes, there has been some discussion of Manziel possibly being traded. But that’s not what the Eagles are really looking for. Because if the Eagles are going to make this trade, and send [Sam] Bradford on to get Manziel on to get draft picks back, the whole point is to put together a package of draft picks that will eventually get them to Marcus Mariota. That’s the plan as of now for the Eagles. Johnny Manziel is not in the front of their thinking.