Eagles 2 Round Mock Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles have been in a “Rebuild” for just a little over a year now. After a lackluster 2020 season from former QB Carson Wentz, the Eagles officially began their rebuild.

Let’s jump forward one season, and see where we are:

The Eagles traded Carson Wentz for a 2022 First Round Pick (16) from the Indianapolis Colts. The Eagles later traded down from the number 6 overall pick in 2021 for the number 12 pick where they used a late round pick to move from 12 to 10 to select WR Devonta Smith who became the Eagles all time rookie receiving yards leader for the team. They also gained a 2022 First Round pick (15) from the Miami Dolphins. They also dealt TE Zach Ertz to the Arizona Cardinals for a 4^th Round pick. 

These are all clear signs of a rebuild, however, the Eagles went 9-8 in Jalen Hurts first year as QB1 and made the playoffs! In a year that the team was supposed to be rebuilding, they made the playoffs and proved to the rest of the football world that they are here to play. 

The Eagles have the potential to build a roster dominant for years this offseason. They have cap space, plenty of draft capital, and the building blocks of a young roster. 

Looking to the draft, here is what I see the Eagles doing in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft:

Round 1, Pick 15- Devin Lloyd, LB, Utah

The Eagles need linebackers and that has never been clearer. This year, there are two headliner linebackers between Lloyd and Nakobe Dean from Georgia. Dean is my LB1 in this draft, but I see him going anywhere from 7 to 13. Lloyd is my LB1B, as the only thing that gives Dean the edge is his ability to drop back in coverage. Lloyd is physical, he is fast, and he can stop the run as well as protect the middle on passing plays. Lloyd will be a dominant player in the NFL for years.

Round 1, Pick 16- Ahamad “Sauce” Gardner, CB, Cincinnati 

Slay and Sauce, Sauce and Slay, that’s something that I can get used to. Gardner has had a near perfect career at Cincinnati and finished it off with one last dominant performance against Alabama, shutting down Jameson Williams. 

Round 1, Pick 19- Traded to TB for Pick 27, 2023 First Round Pick, and a 2022 3^rd Round Pick

The Bucs need a lot. Tom Brady retired, so they need a QB desperately, Chris Godwin is likely to test free agency, and Antonio Brown is long gone, so WR is another position of need. With names like Matt Corral, Sam Howell, Desmond Ridder, and maybe even Kenny Pickett likely to be available at 19, as well as wide receivers like Chris Olave, Trylon Burks, and Jameson Williams, the Bucs will do anything to trade up and fill one of those needs. 

Round 1, Pick 27- Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State 

The Eagles need a wide receiver badly. They have Devonta Smith, but then it just gets ugly. Next on the depth chart is Jalen Reagor, who has dropping issues, struggles to get separation, even with his elite speed, and looks like a failed project in only his second year in the league. Then there is Quez Watkins. Watkins gave the fans hope after the preseason that he could easily be the WR2 on the team, but somehow, he fell back below Reagor on the charts. Lastly there is JJ Arcega Whiteside. He was picked over DK Metcalf, Dionte Johnson, Terry McLaurin, and more. He needs to be replaced. That’s where Dotson comes in. Dotson is everything you can want in a wide receiver. He has elite speed, great separation, precise route running, and has strong hands and few drops.  He can return kicks and or punts, and line up outside or in the slot. He is a utility tool when it comes to the wide receiver position and getting him at 27 could be a steal. 

Round 2, Pick 51- Jaquan Brisker, S, Penn State 

The Eagles double dip on Nittany Lions in this mock draft. Brisker is a first-round talent sliding due to injury concern. Though he didn’t miss many games during his career at Penn State, he frequently exited games due to injury, though most of the time he returned. He also played through many injuries as well. Brisker fits what the Eagles need. He is a fast, physical safety with great ball skills, a strong ability to track the ball, and can even line up at LB at times as well as rushing the QB from either position. In other words, Brisker is a stud, and to some is a day 2 steal. 

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Eagles vs Panthers Preview

With three consecutive losses in the books, the Birds look to get back on track this Sunday as they travel down to Charlotte in an attempt to upset the Carolina Panthers. While things have been largely negative in Philadelphia, the opposite is the case in North Carolina. Even after a loss in which they gave up 36 points to the Cowboys, the Panthers still sit tied atop the NFC South with an impressive 3-1 record. Big name offseason acquisitions and young talent have exceeded expectations to bring them to this point. Things won’t be getting much easier this week for the Birds, but expect plenty of fight from a team that desperately wants to avoid falling to 1-4.

Offensive Outlook:

The Panthers defense has the ability to be one of the most swarming in the league. They have playmakers at every single level that have the ability to make game altering plays at any given moment. Their two leaders in the back seven, Jeremy Chinn and Shaq Thompson have embraced important roles; both players have missed just a combined five snaps so far this season. Both players possess the speed and size to cover both Running Backs and Tight Ends. Expect them to make the screen game difficult with their sideline to sideline speed.

Their defensive line is headlined by Brian Burns who is probably their best defender. Burns and Haason Reddick are tremendous edge rushers, and Derrick Brown and DaQuan Jones are stout up the middle against the run. The Panthers starting Defensive Line is one of the best in the entire league, but they are on the field entirely way too much. Their defensive line depth is terrible, so the starters are often gassed. If Nick Sirianni is smart, he will run the ball and control the clock to tire out their front, but that is unlikely.

The Panthers’ achilles heel are their Cornerbacks. Newly added Stephon Gilmore is not eligible to play until week seven, so the only capable Corner they currently have is Donte Jackson. Eighth overall pick Jaycee Horn recently suffered a long term foot injury, so they are depending on a washed up A.J. Bouye, recently acquired C.J. Henderson, and other low end roster players. The Eagles need to do what they did last game and take what the defense gives them. They tried to force big plays against depleted secondaries the previous two weeks, but had a much smarter approach last week.

The Eagles should be looking to run a lot of 11 personnel once again to spread out the defense, give Jalen Hurts easier reads, and force Carolina into nickel or dime coverages. Donte Jackson is a good Cornerback, so Devonta Smith may have a tough day. Hurts will need to look to his secondary weapons like Quez Watkins and Dallas Goedert. If the Panthers have Jeremy Chinn playing more of a traditional deep safety position, then Goedert should have a big game running intermediate routes, but if they decide to have Chinn play more as a hybrid, there will be some big play opportunities downfield.

Defensive Outlook:

The Panthers’ offense has been extremely impressive and are now likely to have star Running Back, Christian McCaffrey back in the lineup. The Stanford product went down week three with a hamstring injury and was initially projected to be out through this week, but is now expected to play. He brings their offense to another level and will be nearly impossible to cover; he is what makes the offense good rather than decent.

Joe Brady helped evolve Joe Burrow into a Heisman winner and first overall pick when he was at LSU. He is now working the same magic on Sam Darnold. Darnold, selected third overall by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft, was stuck in a terrible situation for the first three years of his career. Now that he has been placed in a properly run offense with weapons, his true potential is beginning to show.

The Eagles secondary has been underrated so far this season but are yet again going to be put to the test. Robby Anderson and D.J. Moore have been one of the best Wide Receiver duos in the game and are complemented by Terrace Marshall, a rookie second round pick who is a more than capable WR3. Darius Slay should not have too much trouble, but there is a good chance that Steven Nelson will. Don’t expect many deep shots down the field as Carolina will most likely take the easy reads that the Eagles give them underneath.

This is not a game that will be won in the trenches. The old cliche is normally very accurate, but not in this game. The Panthers Offensive Line is not too accomplished, but they often play outside of the tackles. The Linebackers will be tasked with defending Christian McCaffrey against both the pass and the run. That is a sentence no Eagles fan wants to hear. However, if Jonathan Gannon’s zone defense can properly defend him, the Birds have a good chance at limiting Carolina’s offense. However, that is a very big “if”.

Final Verdict:

Christian McCaffrey simply adds way too much to the Carolina Panthers. He is the difference maker in this game. I truly believe that the result of this game depends on his health; if he is 100%, I think the Panthers win, but if he is not then the Eagles should win. Aside from McCaffrey, the Eagles match up very well with Carolina on both sides of the ball. Regardless, this is still a very winnable game. If the Eagles increase their efficiency in the red zone and on third down, they should be in this game until the very end.

Score Prediction:

Eagles 23, Panthers 28

Offensive Player of the Game:

Dallas Goedert

Defensive Player of the Game:

Darius Slay

Eagles vs 49ers Preview

The 1-0 Eagles are back in front of a packed Lincoln Financial Field to host the 1-0 San Francisco 49ers! Fans have been anticipating this moment for well over a year and it’s finally here. The Linc is going to be rocking especially given last week’s thrashing of Atlanta.

Offensive Outlook:

The Eagles are coming off a win in which they were very balanced and methodical. Nick Sirianni can’t get away from the run game, but if the Eagles have success on offense it will be through the air.

San Francisco is stout up front. Their defensive line possesses the likes of Nick Bosa, Arik Armstead, Dee Ford, and Javon Kinlaw. Fred Warner is also maybe the best linebacker in football. Those guys are going to make it very difficult to run the ball with success.

The 49ers lost their best cornerback, Jason Verrett last week and will also be without their second best Cornerback, Emmanuel Moseley. Their secondary was sub par to begin with but is now banged up as well. Jalen Hurts and company must take advantage of this. If the Eagles can indeed take charge with a high flying passing attack, that will open up the entire field. The second that the 49ers come out with an extra defensive back to help accommodate, then it’s time for the Birds to run the ball down their throats to keep the game plan balanced. It is important that they don’t start looking for the big play too often. Even if it might be there, they still need to run the ball and take what is given to them on shorter routes.

If played right, expect the Eagles to have another successful day on offense.

Defensive Outlook:

This is where the Eagles need to be concerned. San Francisco’s head coach, Kyle Shanahan has the best running scheme in the NFL. The Eagles run defense was very bad in the first half of last week’s game. The defensive line got better as the game progressed, but the linebackers still have yet to show that they can be trusted. This game largely depends on how well the 49ers run the ball – which will most likely be very well. Shanahan’s scheme is incredible, but their talent up front is no joke. Not only does their offensive line have big names like Trent Williams, Alex Mack, and Mike McGlinchey, but Kyle Juszczyk and George Kittle are two of the best blockers in the league at their respective positions. The Eagles defensive front is going to be put to the test today.

The pass defense will also be put to the test. There are questions about second year wide receiver, Brandon Aiyuk, but Deebo Samuel is one of the most underrated in the league. Darius Slay and Avonte Maddox will have their hands full with him today. Lastly, George Kittle. The man is a matchup nightmare and no one on this team can cover him. It will be interesting to see what Jonathan Gannon draws up to defend him, but odds are Kittle will have a big day.

Final Verdict:

The Eagles and 49ers are built very similarly to each other – Strong offensive lines, multiple talented running backs, dominant tight end groups, and stout front sevens with question marks in the secondary. Even Jalen Hurts and Jimmy Garoppolo have very similar games. Considering the talented offensive minds and injuries in the secondary that both teams have, there should be an offensive showdown at the Linc today. The Eagles will move the ball well, but San Francisco will likely have a better grasp on the game. Their success on the ground will keep Kyle Shanahan in control and George Kittle is an x-factor that will probably be too much for the Eagles to handle. However, this is anyone’s game. It will certainly be up for grabs and should be close until the final whistle.

Score Prediction:

Eagles 28, 49ers 34

Offensive Player of the Game Prediction:

Dallas Goedert

Defensive Player of the Game Prediction:

Brandon Graham

Eagles vs Falcons Observations

The Nick Sirianni and Jalen Hurts led Philadelphia Eagles handled the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday by a score of 32-6. There is a lot to unpack from this game.

Offensive Observations:

Jalen Hurts had complete control of this offense. The highlights of his beautiful passes are what will have people excited, but what is most important is the poise he showed. Smart reads were made on the backside Defensive Ends in the run game and he went through his progressions in the passing game. He read the pocket effectively, escaping at the perfect time – not to early but also not too late. Many times Carson Wentz would remain stationary too long which would result in a sack, but we saw none of that from Jalen Hurts. When pressure got to him or the coverage was like a blanket, he didn’t force the ball down field, yet he found his check down instead. A+ effort from our QB1.

After Jalen Hurts, the next impressive is Nick Sirianni. His play calling and grasp of the situation at hand was masterful. From the precisely calculated first drive, to the two minute drill to close out the first half, to running the clock towards the end, he was in control all game and executed his game plan. Props to the new head coach.

With that being said, it all starts up front. If your linemen don’t do their job, good quarterback play and coaching does not matter. Although they desperately need to cut down on penalties, the offensive line had an incredible day.

There were many questions in the offseason regarding the Birds’ skilled position players. Not only was there drama surrounding Zach Ertz, but there were major question marks about the lack of experience at wide receiver, and there was also plenty of criticism surrounding Miles Sanders and his drop issues. Not one skilled player had a bad game. Devonta Smith obviously stands out as the Eagles’ most productive weapon on Sunday, but even Jalen Reagor matched his reception total with six grabs. Both guys notched a touchdown on top of that. Quez Watkins’ speed was showcased early and even J.J. Arcega-Whiteside had an excellent day. The third year wide out failed to record a catch, but he was a dominant blocker in the run game and on screens (which were very successful throughout the game). Like past Eagles teams, multiple tight ends and running backs were utilized. Rookie Kenneth Gainwell provided a nice change of pace and found the end zone for his first career NFL Touchdown.

Defensive Observations:

Not to be the bearer of bad news, but this defense will need to improve going into the home opener this week. There are plenty of positives to discuss, however the run defense is a major concern.

The Falcons accumulated one hundred yards on the ground by the second quarter. This coming against a front that is known for shutting down the run. The defensive line was able to pad their stats in the second half once Falcons head coach Arthur Smith abandoned the run, but their play prior to that is a major concern. If this is not fixed soon, Kyle Shanahan will have a field day against them. With that being said, Javon Hargrave looks to finally be 100% healthy and he had an amazing day up the middle.

The Linebackers collectively as a unit were very disappointing. Eric Wilson didn’t seem to position himself too badly, but came up short on too many tackles. Genard Avery is still receiving playing time which is baffling considering it seems as if he still has yet to learn how to properly fill a gap. Alex Singleton once again looks like this team’s best linebacker.

On the flip side, the secondary needs to give themselves a huge pat on the back. Every player played Jonathan Gannon’s zone scheme precisely how it was drawn up. Darius Slay looked to be back to his normal self and his counterparts Steven Nelson and Avonte Maddox also impressed. Anthony Harris was the most important member of the secondary. In his first game with wings on his helmet, he was all over the field playing a major role with both Rodney McLeod and Marcus Epps sidelined.

At the end of the day, the defense gave up a lot of yards early, but did a phenomenal job in the red zone and gave their offense time to gain a significant lead.

Special Teams Observations:

Special Teams cannot be taken for granted! Although the coverage on kick and punt returns was non existent, Sunday was a day to be celebrated. Jake Elliott nailed every extra point and field goal he attempted after an abysmal 2020 season. Arryn Siposs shined in his first game as an Eagle, landing three punts inside the ten yard line. That is an incredible performance from the punter that will be overlooked.

Overall, great game from the Eagles. The offense and special teams were outstanding and the defense also had a good outing despite some issues that will be talked down.

Eagles vs Falcons Preview

Eagles football is back.

The Eagles travel down to Atlanta to take on the Falcons today at 1 PM ET to kick off their 2021 season.

There is much skepticism to start off this season considering there haven’t been this many unknowns on the roster in at least half a decade. Expectations are low, but the potential is high. Putting aside all the drama from the offseason, this Eagles team has the pieces to contend for the playoffs right now. The Birds remain strong in the trenches, have added youth and speed to their skilled positions on offense, and have also added proven veterans to sure up holes on all three levels of the defense.

How the Birds will match up on offense:

This is likely to be a high scoring game. All the talk out of camp has been about how stellar Jonathan Gannon’s defense has looked, but the offense is primed to be the unit that shines today. As cliche as it is, if the Eagles win today it will likely be because of the running game. Running the ball today is important for a multitude of reasons – It will allow Jalen Hurts and this young offense to settle in, it will give the defense a chance to get rest, and simply put, the Eagles should dominate the Falcons upfront. The Falcons defensive front contains good players like Marlon Davidson and Dante Fowler, but the real disrupters are Grady Jarrett and Deion Jones. If the Eagles confuse and contain Jarrett and get to the second level to block Jones, Miles Sanders and company should have themselves a day on the ground.

As for the passing game, Jalen Hurts should have a lot of options to throw to. Giving Hurts easy reads against a bad secondary should be Nick Sirianni’s focus. Atlanta’s defense will most likely be using Deion Jones and one of their Safeties (likely Duron Harmon) to contain Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz. Expect a lot of sparring with the Eagles running the ball often to set up big plays. Also expect the running backs to be used out of the back field a lot. This will distract the safeties and ideally set up plenty of one on one matchups on the outside.

How the Birds will match up on defense:

The key to defense today will be shutting down the run and playing good red zone defense. The Falcons have a good offense. They are going to put up yards. Matt Ryan is still one of the best quarterbacks in the game, and although they lost Julio Jones, Calvin Ridley remains and Kyle Pitts may be an even more effective option than Jones. Russel Gage can’t be forgotten either. Marcus Epps is going to be in at safety for Rodney McLeod today which makes these matchup nightmares even more hellish. Darius Slay is likely to not have much safety help against Ridley and no one on the Eagles can cover Kyle Pitts man on man. Very few players in the NFL can. The Falcons are likely to put up a massive number of yards through the air.

However, the Eagles once again are the better team up front. Just like the offensive side of the ball, our line is better than theirs. Atlanta’s offensive line features many high round picks that have been serviceable but haven’t quite lived up to expectations. The Birds could potentially dominate up front which is important because Atlanta’s head coach Arthur Smith likes to run the ball. If they take that away, Atlanta’s entire game plan will begin to crumble. Additionally, a good pass rush will also cause Matt Ryan to hopefully miss open receivers down field (because there will be plenty).

Final Verdict:

This is set up to be a high scoring game. The over/under is currently set at 49 which should get absolutely crushed. Neither team’s secondary is good and both Arthur Smith and Nick Sirianni are coaching in their first game as an NFL head coach. Neither defensive coordinator has a book on their opponent. Ultimately this game will come down to red zone efficiency, third down efficiency, turnover differential, time of possession, and special teams.

Score Prediction:

Philadelphia Eagles 34, Atlanta Falcons 30

The Eagles are too strong up front. They should win the battle of the trenches and as a result win the time of possession battle as well. The best defense the Eagles have today is for the offense to have long drives to keep Matt Ryan off the field.

Offensive player of the game: Quez Watkins

Defensive player of the game: Javon Hargrave

Stock Up/Down: Camp Edition (Offense)

It’s been nearly two weeks since the Philadelphia Eagles reported to training camp. Us fans have finally gotten a look at the sort-of “new-look” Birds since they were eliminated by the Washington Football Team back in January. At last, we’ve been able to see the newest additions to the Eagles and how they’ve performed — whether they’ve exceeded or fallen below expectactions.

Keep in mind, its not been long — teams just started reporting to training camp on July 28th. However, the Eagles’ first preseason game against the Steelers is just 4 days away. Training camp prepared the team’s young players for these moments to make their mark, to show why they deserve playing time when it’ll truly matter. Before this chaos begins, let’s take a look at how training camp impacted the “Stock” of several players.

Jalen Hurts – Stock Same

Jalen Hurts has had a very confusing camp to this point. It’d be an exaggeration to say he’s been bad, because he hasn’t…but at the same time, we can’t necessarily say Jalen has been good, either. He experienced a shaky start to camp, completing just 5/14 passes, but gradually got better until just recently; he had his worst day of practice, as did the entire offense. We continue to see some beautifully placed passes from Hurts, but it may be followed by him missing simple passes. Due to this unpredictable play, Jalen’s stock won’t be touched for now.

Nick Mullens – Stock Up

From what I’ve been hearing, Nick Mullens has looked good in training camp thus far; he’s impressed the coaching staff, but has certainly had his ‘bad’ moments. However — as far as I’m concerned — these mistakes are easily fixable, and likely confidence more than anything else. Point being, Mullens’ overall camp performance has been positive.

Miles Sanders – Stock Same

When healthy, Miles Sanders is a phenomenal back. That’s been established. However, during camp, his poor play in the air attack — an issue that’s seemingly carried on from last season — is very prominent (mainly easy drops). This is unacceptable, especially after he was very effective in this area during his rookie season. It cannot happen, but at the same time, it’ll certainly not be something that holds the Eagles back.

Jason Huntley – Stock Up

Jason Huntley’s supposedly looked really, really good in training camp. He’s flashed great speed in the open field on multiple occasions. There haven’t been any negative comments regarding Huntley, and by the looks of it, he can very well make the 53-man if he keeps up his stellar play.

Kenneth Gainwell – Stock Up

Rookie, Kenneth Gainwell’s also been looking spectacular, particularly in the pass game. He’s constantly been a factor in the air attack, and Hurts has reportedly been targeting him at times as well. Gainwell can also pose a threat when rushing the ball with his explosiveness. It seems as if the Eagles have found another gem in this crowded backfield.

Jalen Reagor – Stock Down

Jalen Reagor’s camp has looked…well, bleak, to say the least. It began with a failed conditioning test, though, he wasn’t in the best mental state either. However, Reagor hasn’t been eye-opening once his mental state supposedly improved. There’s been several wide open drops talked about by the media. The sophomore’s definitely had his moments, including a sweet catch over Slay in 1o1’s, but there’ve been far too many simple mistakes that outweigh the nice moments.

Travis Fulgham – Stock Down

Travis Fulgham emerged as a reliable pass-catcher for this Eagles offense during the 2020 campaign, but unfortunately his role decreased as Alshon Jeffrey became healthy. Now that Jeffrey’s gone, it was expected that Fulgham would make a leap and flash his true potential. While its unfair to say he’s been a complete non-factor, there have been quite a few wide open drops, similar to Reagor. Difference is — due to expectations — Fulgham’s stock doesn’t take nearly as big a hit as Reagor’s.

Quez Watkins – Stock Up

Quez Watkins has been one of the few bright spots in this young WR core. He’s been able to expand his game from just using speed to beat defenders to winning at the line of scrimmage more often. During one play, Watkins completely burned his defender, Steven Nelson, along with the entire Eagles secondary for a 40-yard bomb from Hurts; this was just one of the few eye-catching plays he made. Watkins must be doing something right to be getting this much appreciation from the Philly media. He seems very comfortable in the offense, and could be a critical pass-catcher for Jalen Hurts.

John Hightower – Stock Same

John Hightower’s most definitely had his moments during camp so far. He had a beautiful down-the-sideline catch on a perfectly placed dart from Jalen Hurts in 11o11 and has done well in individual drills too. Unfortunately, Hightower’s also dropped some relatively easy passes and has shown little effort in the run-block…his stock remains untouched.

Jordan Mailata & Andre Dillard – Stock Up & Down

Regarding the LT battle, it’s transparent now; Mailata’s seemingly gotten better and has performed better while Dillard has seemingly gotten worse and played worse; nothing much more than that. Mailata will — barring anything unforeseen — be the Week 1 starter for Philadelphia.

Nick Sirianni – Stock Up (Bonus)

Nick Sirianni has been doing an amazing job with this young Eagles team. On one hand, he doesn’t let players get away with silly mistakes, and is always in their ear if he sees something he doesn’t like. He keeps his guys honest, and that’s something we’ve lacked for quite a while. On the other hand, Sirianni’s always bringing positive energy when someone does something right. The players seem to respect him, and when your group has that type of mutual respect, it’ll almost always translate to the field.

If you made it this far, I appreciate it! If you had to invest in one of these guys’ stocks, whose would it be?

Potential Eagles 2021 Draft Gems, Episode 16: Dillon Radunz

Player Preview:
Dillon Radunz, left tackle
6’5, 304 pounds

High School Career:
Dillon is from Becker, Minnesota where he had a great high school football career. In two seasons of starting, he won back-to-back 4A state championships as their left tackle. At one point, he also finished Top 10 in Mr. Football in Minnesota (the best high school football player in the state) in 2015. The winner was J.D. Spielman, the wide receiver who later played at Nebraska and TCU. Rudunz was also a team captain and All-State, All-Metro, and district MVP.

College Career:
At North Dakota State, Dillion would redshirt his first season in 2016, the only time the Bison didn’t win a national championship in his tenure. In his redshirt freshman campaign, he, unfortunately, got hurt week one with a season ending knee injury. In his sophomore season, he started 15 games at left tackle, with 626 snaps and only allowing 3 sacks while also getting 27 knockdowns in that season, resulting in him receiving 1st Team All-MVFC. His junior campaign is the most important one for him, as he was consensus first-team All-American for the FCS, and unanimous All-MVFC as well. In 16 games, he played 682 snaps, didn’t allow a single sack, and recorded 63 knockdowns, while going on to be a part of the first national championship team that went 16-0 in a season.

Summary of why he would fit in Philadelphia:
With the newest head coach Nick Sirianni previously of the Indianapolis Colts, it seems that it will be a more run-first offense in Philadelphia. With that being said, Radunz is a great run blocking tackle leading the way for one of the top offenses in the FCS. He has some higher class athleticism as well, with the settled mix of power in his hands. He performed against some of the most-talented edge rushers the Missouri Valley offered and succeeded. If they move forward with Jalen Hurts at quarterback, Radunz has great experience blocking for mobile quarterbacks, with protecting Easton Stick (former 5th round pick of the Los Angeles Chargers) and Trey Lance (a projected top 15 pick in this year’s draft.) With his track record of protection only 3 sacks given up in 2 years, you can say he excels in pass protection as well. Lastly, with each year, the Eagles seem to always be snakebitten with injuries. By selecting Radunz, that would endure a safety blanket to the left side of the line and brings in a tackle with some of the best potential in the entire class.

With his solid showcasing at the Senior Bowl, Dillion might have improved his draft stock to high 2nd round to perhaps a sneaky late first-round selection which Philadelphia would have to trade back in to get. This would be a great pick in the long run in my opinion.

Rashod Bateman Would Be A Smart Trade Down Option For the Eagles

Much like last year the theme of this offseason for the Philadelphia Eagles will be wide receiver. With this year’s free agent class being loaded at that position, it is a possibility they could very well sign a starting caliber wide out such as Allen Robinson, Kenny Golladay or the speedster in Will Fuller but with free agency yet to hit, it is still unknown who will get extended or even hit with the franchise tag so right now we have assume the Eagle’s look toward the draft for receiver help. With Alshon Jeffrey presumably out the door as he continues to age, Jalen Reagor’s spotty rookie season and the emergence of Travis Fulgham who seemed to fade down the stretch, the Eagles still need to look for that number one receiver to line up on the outside and Minnesota’s Rashod Bateman is exactly the player who can be that guy.

With the Eagles sitting at six in the upcoming draft the popular choice would be to grab whoever is there for them whether it’s Ja’Marr Chase or Devonta Smith, but with this roster depleted and continuing to age, the best move might in fact be trading down, acquiring more picks, and still grabbing a stud receiver in Bateman to be their number one. Rashod Bateman stands 6’2 at about 210 pounds and really jumped onto the draft radar after his very strong 2019 campaign where he hauled in 60 receptions for 1,219 yards, 12 touchdowns and averaged 20 yards per catch. Bateman only played in 5 games this year before opting out to start preparing for the upcoming draft. In those 5 games in 2020 he caught 36 passes for 472 yards, 2 touchdowns and averaged 13 yards per catch.

Standing 6’2 Bateman possesses the ideal size for a prototypical number one receiver. He possesses the best route running in this upcoming draft, as he does a great job changing levels at the top of his routes to create separation. Really soft/reliable hands, he’s a true hands catcher that catches the ball clean and effortlessly. Very underrated run after catch ability, his combination of size and speed makes him tough to bring down in open space. He’s also a very versatile receiver, his route running and good short area quickness give him the ability to win both inside and out. And he also had a pretty diverse route tree at Minnesota that should make for a small learning curve at the next level. Some weaknesses in Bateman’s game is that he doesn’t possess the deep speed to pose much of a threat over the top for opposing defenses. Seems to have not have much of a vertical to be able to out jumps opposing defenders on 50/50 balls. And because he opted out after only 5 games this season, there is somewhat of a small sample size compared to other receivers in the draft this year.

With Bateman opting out after only 5 games this year I think people, especially box score “scouts”, forget just how good he is when he’s on the field. Bateman has everything it takes to be a number one receiver at the next level in my opinion with his ideal size and polished route running to be able to consistently create separation, and he reminds me very much of Keenan Allen and I can definitely see him putting up similar number to him. Like I said earlier the popular choice for the Eagles would to be them taking either Chase or Smith at 6 but to trade down and acquire more more picks to help out this aging team, and still being able to grab a stud later in the first would be more valuable to this team in my opinion, and would set this team up nicely for future given they would hit on their extra picks acquired from a move like this.

Looking Into the Nick Sirianni Hiring

So, as most of us have heard by now, the Eagles announced that they hired former Colts OC, Nick Sirianni, to be their new HC. Sirianni came into the conversation late, but seemed to have really impressed Jeffry Lurie and the Eagles in his interviews. Let’s look into this hiring!

Coaching Career

To start off, let’s get to know about Sirianni, and where he’s been in terms of his career: From 2004-2005, Nick worked with DBs at Mount Union. He then moved on and worked with WRs at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2006-2008. Sirianni went into the NFL after this, helping with KC’s offensive quality control from 2009-2011. The next year, he stayed with KC, but this time as a WRs coach. After his stint with the Chiefs, Sirianni went to San Diego, and worked on a Quality-Control offense with the Chargers. Nick would go on to stay with the Chargers for the next 4 years, being a QBs coach from 2014-2015 , and being a WRs coach for the next 2. Finally, he became the Colts’ OC in 2018-2020, and is now here as the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles.

Respected

It’s clear that Sirianni is respected around the league. Here’s what former Eagles’ OC, Frank Reich, had to say about him: “He is a brilliant offensive mind. He is a tireless worker. He pays attention to detail. He has a dynamic coaching personality. I think he is going to be a great head coach in this league. It is hard for me to have a higher opinion of Nick.” That’s not all. Field Yates tweeted this after the Eagles made the hiring aware to the public: “That dude worked and worked and worked tirelessly, taking on any task asked. He earned the respect of everyone around him — players and coaches alike. Eagles got a good one.” Another source claimed that Sirianni is “passionate” and “brings juice” on top of being a “brilliant coach.”

Has Had Success

Nick Sirianni has undoubtedly had success in his career, particularly as of late. He had play-calling input for Indianapolis last season, which was a 28 PPG offense. In the last 3 seasons, the Colts’ offense ranked 5th, 16th, and 9th in scoring, and the team reached the playoffs twice. He maximized Jonathan Taylor’s abilities, which is the opposite of what Doug did with Miles this season, and something Miles really needs. Sirianni did a very good job developing the Chargers’ Mike Williams and Colts receiving core; having someone with experience in that area is crucial for the Eagles considering how many young receivers they have. He also helped Philip Rivers reduce turnovers from his game this past season which was one of Carson’s major issues this season. There is no doubt in my mind that this offense & team as a whole can succeed together.

Concerns?

As of right now, I don’t have many concerns for Sirianni. I do have a few, however: Is Sirianni ready to be a head coach? This is mainly due to the fact that he has no head coaching experience (his 10+ years of coaching experience should help, though). Also, could it be a problem that he’s had little experience coaching on the defensive side of the ball? It will be a major issue if Sirianni prioritizes offense for the Eagles; this is a TEAM sport. Finally, what kind of staff will Nick hire? We will have to wait and see the answers to these questions as the off-season progresses and transitions into the regular season.

All in all, Sirianni was not a bad hire for the Eagles. He may have actually been the most ideal hire because of his coaching experiences. Thanks for reading!

Potential Eagles 2021 Draft Gems, Episode 15: Colby Campbell

Player Preview:
Colby Campbell, linebacker
College: Presbyterian
6’0, 230-pounds

Colby is the superstar linebacker for Presbyterian College located in Clinton, South Carolina. He will be entering his fourth straight year as a starter for the Blue Hose. In the 2019 season, he set a Big South record of 150 total tackles in a season. When going up against his best opponent in Kennesaw State, Colby had 20 tackles, which is a Presbyterian College record in a single game. In his career so far, he has accumulated 259 total tackles, 30 tackles for loss, 12 sacks, and 1 interception.

Positives:
What he could bring to Philadelphia is much-needed speed and the ability to get side-line to slide-line. He reminds me a lot of former Eagles linebacker Jordan Hicks. A great athlete and tons of effort on each play. His specialty might just be his ability to cover tight ends and running backs out of the backfield. He also specializes in fundamental tackling, where he rarely misses wrapping up his guy. Colby has serviceable strength and power when delivering hits, which helps with this. I would feel confident in saying he is an instant upgrade over Nathan Gerry, who is a very inconsistent tackler and a liability in coverage.

Summary of why he would fit in Philadelphia: Colby can become a day one starter if we have preseason in the 2021 season. The lack of depth of the Eagles who are in a position where cap space is limited helps his case for starting if he performs well. Colby would be a UDFA (undrafted free agent). He can provide a spark with his overall will and incredible effort on each play. This is a no brainer for Howie to bring him in this upcoming draft.