As the NFL Draft quickly approaches, we will be taking a look at some players at each position that could interest the Eagles.
Today, the pass rushers:
K'Lavon Chaisson, DE, LSU (1st)
Chaisson, 6-foot-3, 254 pounds, is the premier prospect along the edge in the draft after Ohio State's Chase Young. A tremendous athlete with long arms and good speed off the line of scrimmage, Chaisson finished with 6.5 sacks and 13.5 tackles for a loss last season. He is considered a high character player who wore No. 18 at LSU, a number given out by coaches to a leader on the team. What makes Chaisson so intriguing is that he spent a good portion of his time at LSU standing up, dropping back into coverage at times, and projects to be able to cover tight ends at the next level. The versatility Chaisson brings could be a real weapon for Jim Schwartz if he utilizes him correctly. The concern with Chaisson, however, is whether he will be able to be a consistent edge rusher in a 4-3 defense, which is what the Eagles are looking for.
Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State (1st):
Gross-Matos was an extremely productive pass rusher at Penn State, totaling 17.5 sacks and a whopping 37 hurries over the last two seasons. Gross-Matos is an elite athlete at 6-foot-4 with long arms and great burst off of the line of scrimmage. He was strong against the run as well, totaling 34.5 tackles-for-a-loss the last two seasons. Gross-Matos has a little bit of bust potential, but also has extremely high upside and could end up being a steal at No. 21 with the right coaching. Considered by most to be the third-best pass rusher in the draft, there is a bit of a drop off from Gross-Matos to the next set of pass rushers.
Curtis Weaver, DE, Boise State (2nd):
Weaver, who has a quick first step, totaled 13.5 sacks last season and 34.0 overall in three years at Boise State. He lived behind the line of scrimmage, finishing his time in college with 47.5 tackles for a loss in 40 games played. He not only dropped back in to coverage at times, but actually made a few plays while doing so, totaling six pass deflections and an interception (which he returned for a touchdown) in three seasons. What could limit Weaver is that he is a bit of a tweener, standing 6-foot-1 and not having a great collection of pass rush moves. Still, Weaver's production shows he is an elite-level athlete, and with some coaching could turn into a real difference maker along the defensive line.
Terrell Lewis, DE, Alabama (2nd):
Lewis, 6-foot-5, 252 pounds, totaled seven sacks and 13.5 tackles-for-a-loss in two seasons at Alabama, which six of them coming last season. Part of the reason his production doesn't jump off the page is he played in only 14 games in college due to injuries. Lewis suffered a torn ligament in his elbow in the first game of the 2017 season, then tore his ACL during the summer before the 2018 season. Lewis returned to form last season, however, displaying an electric first step at the snap and an impressive collection of pass rush moves. The Eagles have shown interest in Lewis, reportedly bringing him to the NovaCare Complex for a visit prior to the league shutting down. Lewis is extremely talented when healthy, which is why he is projected to go so high despite a checkered medical history. Lewis would be a high-risk, high-reward pick by the Eagles.
Darrell Taylor, DE, Tennessee (3rd):
Taylor has been an extremely productive player for Tennessee over the last two seasons after seeing limited playing time his first three years. Taylor has totaled 16.5 sacks and 21 tackles for a loss in his 24 college games after finishing with just three sacks in his first three seasons. One advantage of Taylor playing four years at Tennessee is that he enters the draft with an array of pass-rush moves, and can win with either his quick first step off the line of scrimmage or with strength if he needs to. Standing 6-foot-3, 259 pounds, Taylor is an intriguing late-bloomer that could be a mid-round steal for the Eagles.
Anfernee Jennings, DE, Alabama (4th/5th)
Like Taylor, Jennings has had a productive final two seasons after a slow start to his college career. Jennings had only one sacks in his first 20 college games, but finished with 13.5 sacks in his final 28, making a whopping 25.5 tackles behind the line of scrimmage during that span as well. Jennings has good size but isn't considered an elite-level athlete, standing 6-foot-1 and weighing in at 252 pounds. What could interest the Eagles about Jennings is his first step, which is considered one of the quickest in the draft and a quality (among others) that led the team to take Derek Barnett at No. 14 overall in 2017. Jennings projects as a solid NFL player with a relatively high floor that could be a safe pick in the middle rounds, although his ceiling not be as high as other prospects along the edge.
OTHER POSITIONS:
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
