As the NFL Draft quickly approaches, we will be taking a look at some players at each position that could interest the Eagles.
Today, we take a look at the linebackers:
Kenneth Murray, MLB, Oklahoma (1st round):
Murray has become a popular player to the Eagles at No. 21 overall in mock drafts. Standing just under 6-foot-1 and weighing 234 pounds, Murray is one of the most complete linebackers in draft. He is physical enough to be a factor against the run, as evident by his 17 tackles behind the line of scrimmage in 2019, and 29.5 overall the last two seasons. Murray seems to always been around the ball, coming away with a whopping 254 tackles the last two seasons. He was also a weapon as a blitzer for Oklahoma, totaling nine sacks and 45 quarterback pressures over the last three seasons despite only being sent after the quarterback on about 11% of his snaps.
What separates Murray from the other linebackers is that he is not only strong against the run but is a great athlete in coverage as well. Murray has excellent sideline-to-sideline speed and is athletic enough to stick with tight ends or running backs. He would project as a Day 1 starter for the Eagles and could be a difference maker right away for them.
Patrick Queen, LB, LSU (1st round):
Queen is one of the quickest and most athletic linebackers in the draft, falling in line with the Eagles' clear plan this offseason of adding speed to their defense. Queen proved to be strong against both the run and pass last season for LSU, finish with 12 tackles for a loss, three sacks and giving up just one touchdown in coverage. He has the ability to play both outside and inside, but would likely be a better fit for the Eagles on the outside. Queen is extremely physical and consistently delivers big hits. He could be the playmaker and tone setter the Eagles have lacked in the middle of their defense over the last few years.
Malik Harrison, MLB, Ohio State (3rd round):
Harrison, 6-foot-2, 246 pounds, has both the size and speed to be a three-down linebacker in the NFL. He is best against the run, frequently shedding blocks and getting to the ball carrier. He spent a good portion of last season behind the line of scrimmage, finishing with 16.0 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks. He needs work in coverage, but has the size and speed to run with the pass-catching tight ends in today's NFL.
Akeem Davis-Gather, LB, Appalachian State (3rd round):
Davis-Gather could step onto the Eagles tomorrow and be the best coverage linebacker they have. The 6-foot-1, 219 pound linebacker has the speed and athleticism to play man coverage, and the football IQ to drop into zone if needed. While his speed can be an asset against the run, he is a bit undersized, which can be an issue when trying to shed blocks. One thing that will definitely appeal to the Eagles? Davis-Gather should be able to come in and be an impact player right away on special teams.
Jordyn Brooks, MLB, Texas Tech (4th round):
Brooks is one of the better coverage linebackers in the draft due to his elite-level athleticism and great sideline-to-sideline speed. He gave up just two touchdowns in four seasons at Texas Tech despite spending plenty of time in pass coverage, including a decent portion of that time in man coverage. Brooks' speed also shows up against the run, as he is a smart player that makes quick reads and uses his burst to get behind the line of scrimmage on running plays. He finished 2019 with an impressive 21.5 tackles for a loss. Brooks could drop in the draft because of a shoulder injury he suffered in 2019, but if healthy, he could be a steal in the midrounds.
Markus Bailey, LB, Purdue (4th round):
Bailey makes sense for the Eagles for a number of reasons. First, he has the ability to play both middle and outside linebacker. Second, he has great instincts, football intelligence and leadership qualities. Finally, he has suffered two torn ACLs. The health concerns are obvious, but when he is was on the field in college, Bailey consistently made big plays —13.5 sacks, six interceptions, 26.5 tackles for a loss and two forced fumbles in four seasons. A prime example of a player that if healthy would be going much earlier than the fourth round, but does come with some risks due to his injury history.
Davion Taylor, LB, Colorado (5th round):
Taylor turned in the third-quickest 40-time at the NFL Combine among the linebackers, running a blazing 4.49. That will definitely get the Eagles attention as they try to add speed to their defense. Taylor is a bit of a project, as he has only played football for four years, but has already shown he has a ton of potential, notching 17.5 tackles for a loss over the last two seasons. Taylor could be a steal if the Eagles coaches get the most out of him, and should be able to contribute right away on special teams.
David Woodward, LB, Utah State (6th round):
Woodward (6-foot, 235 pounds) has the speed and athleticism to step up to the line and cover linebackers in man coverage, but isn't very strong against the run. He could be a third-down linebacker for the Eagles that contributes on special teams right away while they work on coaching him up against the run. Woodword does have some injury concerns as he suffered two fractured vertebrae in high school and has had concussion issues.
Rashad Smith, LB, Florida Atlantic (7th round):
A speedy linebacker that makes impact plays. Smith has come away with seven interceptions over the last two seasons, while also making 17.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage and totaling 5.0 sacks. He could be a hybrid player for the Eagles as he stands just 6-foot-1 and weighs 217 pounds, which fits right into the team's desire to have interchangeable players this season on the defensive side of the ball. Smith is definitely worth a chance in the seventh-round if he is still on the board.
Jordan Fehr, MLB, Appalachian State: (7th round):
Two of the reasons the Eagles fell in love with linebacker TJ Edwards last season were his leadership qualities and football smarts. They could take a late-round flyer on Fehr for the same reasons. Fehr is viewed as one of the smartest linebackers in the draft, and could eventually become the quarterback of the Eagles' defense. Fehr relies on making the correct reads to be a playmaker, as he isn't an elite athlete and isn't great in space, but has the leadership qualities the Eagles look for.
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
