The first three rounds of the 2019 NFL Drafts are in the books, and so far, the Eagles have only used their picks on the offensive side of the ball.
After selecting Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard in the first round, the team followed that up by taking Penn State running back Miles Sanders at No. 53 overall, followed by Stanford wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside at No. 57. The emphasis on the offensive side of the ball leaves both immediate-and-long term needs at defensive end, defensive tackle and safety.
Here are some of the best players still available at key positions the Eagles could target during the last day of the NFL Draft, a day they enter with just two more picks — one in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Defensive Line:
Charles Omenihu, Texas
Shareef Miller, Penn State
Joe Jackson, Miami
Maxx Crosby, Eastern Michigan
Gerald Willis III, Miami
Analysis: The Eagles have officially struck out on the elite-level prospects that were in this draft along the defensive line. Now, they will go looking for steals in the later rounds. One player that could end up making the front office look smart is Omenihu. Sports Info Solutions, which tracks and grades every college game, has Omenihu as the fifth-best defensive tackle in the draft overall, and on a similar level to players like Christian Wilkins from Clemson. Omenihu finished last season with 42 quarterback pressures and 5.5 sacks while also forcing a fumble. He could be a player the Eagles decide to trade up for.
Safety:
Deionte Thompson, S, Alabama
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, S, Florida
Amani Hooker, Iowa
Sheldrick Redwine, Miami
Analysis: One of the most puzzling things to watch in this year's draft is how many quality safeties have fallen. That good news for the Eagles, however, as there are still plenty of versatile options at safety. Gardner-Johnson and Thompson were mentioned at times as possible options for the Eagles at No. 25 — and they are still on the board in the fourth round. All of the players listed — Thompson, Garnder-Johnson, Hooke and Redwine — spent time at nickel cornerback last season, but still have the speed to play centerfield if needed.
Cornerback:
Amani Oruwairye, Penn State
Isiah Johnson, Houston
Julian Love, Notre Dame
Kris Boyd, Texas
Kendell Sheffield, Ohio State
Analysis: The run on cornerbacks that didn't happen in the first round certainly did take place on Friday night, as six went off the board. The pickings are slim at cornerback at this point, but there are still two players on the board that the Eagles showed interest in prior to the draft — Johnson from Houston and Oruwairye from Penn State.
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
