PHILADELPHIA (WIP Sportsradio) — The first night of the 2021 NFL Draft ended with the Eagles selecting Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith with the 10th overall pick, a pick that will go a long way in defining this year’s draft class.
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The draft, however, is far from over.
Howie Roseman will go to work with the No. 37 (second round) and No. 70 picks (third round) on Friday night, trying to address the multiple other needs this team has on the roster.
Who could the Eagles target? Here are 14 players to keep an eye on Friday night:
Asante Samuel Jr., Florida State
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 184 pounds
College Stats: 31 games, 97 tackles, 29 pass deflections, 4 INTs
Projected Round: 1st/2nd
Analysis: Samuel Jr., son of former Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel, is one of the most interesting cornerback prospects in the draft. Standing just 5-foot-10, 184 pounds, Samuel has the same kind of instincts his father did, picking off three passes in eight games last season, and four overall during his final two seasons at Florida State. Also like his father, however, Samuel Jr. is not great against the run. Samuel has experience in both zone-and-man coverage and could be a Week 1 starter.
Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah, LB, Notre Dame
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 215 pounds
College Stats: 25 games, 142 tackles, 24.5 TFL, 7 Sacks, 1 INT, 7 PD, 5 FF
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: Owusu-Koramoah is an explosive athlete that consistently gets into the backfield with a quick first step. He projects as being strong in coverage due to his athleticism and quickness, but can sometimes overreact in an attempt to make a play and get beat. He did have a drop in production in 2020 from 2019, finishing with fewer tackles, tackles for a loss, and sacks in one less game.
Quincy Roche, DE, Miami
Weight/Height: 6-foot-3, 245 pounds
College Stats: 45 games, 182 tackles, 54 TFL, 30.5 Sacks
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Roche, a former Temple product who transferred to Miami, has perhaps the best resume of any defensive end in the draft. Not only do the 30.5 sacks jump off the page, but finishing his college career with 182 tackles shows he is constantly around the ball. Roche brings a solid set of pass-rushing moves to the NFL, which should help him get on the field right away.
Ronnie Perkins, DE, Oklahoma
Weight/Height: 6-foot-3, 247 pounds
College Stats: 32 games, 98 tackles, 32 TFL, 16.5 Sacks
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: Perkins is considered a bit of a “tweener,” as he could play in either a 3-4 or 4-3 defense. If he does land in a 4-3, he might need to put on some weight. What makes Perkins attractive as a pass-rushing prospect is his bend off the line of scrimmage, something the Eagles have mentioned in the past they value in their defensive ends. Perkins has solid, but not spectacular, numbers in college.
Jay Tufele, DT, USC
Weight/Height: 6-foot-3, 305 pounds
College Stats: 24 games, 63 tackles, 10 TFL, 6.5 Sacks
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: Tufele is a great athlete that has an extremely quick first step, something the Eagles have made clear they value in their pass rushers. Tufele’s 6.5 sacks in 24 games don’t jump off the page, but he lived in the backfield during his time at USC, noting 32 hurries and 13 quarterback hits in 24 games. Add in the fact that he is strong against the run and Tufele has the potential to be a high-impact starter at the next level.
Rodarius Williams, CB, Oklahoma State
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 195 pounds
College Stats: 43 games, 169 tackles, 27 pass deflections, 2 INTs
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Williams checks off nearly every box you can look for in a cornerback prospect in the NFL. He has good size, he has good speed and ha shown he is a good enough athlete to stick with all kinds of receivers. He played well in man coverage during his time at Oklahoma State, but also switched over to zone when needed, as well as playing some time in the slot. The issue with Williams? He is going to be 25 years old when the 2021 season comes around — meaning he will be almost 30 when his rookie deal is up. Williams might be able to contribute right away, but for a team rebuilding his age might be a problem.
Paulson Adebo, Stanford
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 192 pounds
College Stats: 22 games, 97 tackles, 27 pass deflections 8 INTs
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Once considered one of the best college prospects at cornerback after a very strong 2018 season, Adebo had a rocky end to his college career. First, he missed time at the end of the 2019 season with an injury. Then, he opted out of the 2020 season. Despite only playing 22 games, Adebo came away with eight interceptions, picking off four passes in both 2018 and 2019. If he played in 2020, he might be a much higher pick, and he definitely represents great value in the middle rounds.
Nick Bolton, Ohio State
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 232 pounds
College Stats: 32 games, 220 tackles, 17 TFL, 4 Sacks, 2 INTs, 12 PD
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: Bolton spent most of his time at Missouri in the outside linebacker spot, but should be able to play all three spots at the next level, and might be the best fit in the middle. Bolton is very strong in coverage and has plenty of experience playing zone, which should catch the Eagles’ attention. Add in the fact that he is a strong tackler in the running game and Bolton should be a Day 1 starter.
Jabril Cox, LSU
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 231 pounds
College Stats: 10 games, 58 takes, 6.5 TFL, 1 Sack, 3 INT, 5 PD, 0 FF
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Cox worked his way up from a redshirt freshman at North Dakota State to a starter on LSU’s defense, which speaks volumes about his work ethic and ability to improve. Cox put up good all-around numbers during his only season in the SEC, totaling 58 tackles, one sack, one fumble recovery, eight passes defended, and one interception. Cox is strong in coverage, displaying the ability to play in both man coverage and drop back into the zone. Cox has good instincts in the run game but struggles to tackle, which could be a major issue at the next level. If he improves as a tackler, however, he projects as a very good three-down linebacker.
Richie Grant, UCF
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 197 pounds
College Stats: 46 games, 290 tackles, 10 INT, 17 PD, 5 FF
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: Grant is likely going to be a safety that spends most of his time in the box at the next level, either playing man coverage in the slot or lining up near the line of scrimmage. Grant doesn’t have the speed to play deep safety, which is going to limit his ability to move all around the field, something the Eagles like in their secondary players. Still, he should be able to play right away in a strong-safety role, as he is a strong, physical tackler in the run game that also spent plenty of time in man coverage in college.
Jevon Holland, Oregon
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 207 pounds
College Stats: 27 games, 108 tackles, 9 INT, 10 PD, 0 FF
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Holland’s ability to make big plays is hard to ignore, picking off nine passes over the last two seasons and forcing five fumbles — a total of 14 turnovers in 27 games. He should be able to cover tight ends and running backs right away in man coverage, as could step into man coverage to cover slot receivers as well. He is going to need time to develop, but his instincts and man coverage skills make him a prospect worth taking a chance on.
Andre Cisco, S, Syracuse
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 216 pounds
College Stats: 24 games, 136 tackle, 13 INT, 14 PD, 2 FF
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Cisco is one of the more versatile safeties in the draft, showing the ability to be deep by himself or move up into the box and play man coverage if needed. Cisco has 13 interceptions in 27 games, and that number would likely be much higher if he didn’t miss the majority of 2020 with a torn ACL. Cisco might not make it out of the first round if he played all of last season, and could end up being one of the biggest steals of the draft if he returns to the same player he was prior to the torn ACL.
Divine Deablo, S, Virginia Tech
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 226 pounds
College Stats: 41 games, 206 tables, 6 INT, 11 PD, 3 FF
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Deablo has great size for the position and it helps him cover plenty of space in the secondary when he is a deep safety. He spent a lot of time in zone coverage during his time at Virginia Tech, and although he can move up into the box to play man coverage if needed, he might be at his best lining up deep. Deablo picked off four passes last season, which was nearly the number of catches he allowed (six).
Hamsah Nasirildeen, S, Florida State
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 215 pounds
College Stats: 35 games, 223 tackles, 4 INT, 9 PD, 3 FF
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Nasirildeen spent almost half of his time on the field last season near the line of scrimmage, either in man coverage or in the box. He is a strong tackler and aggressive against the run, showing the ability to bring down runners in the open field when he is lined up deep. His size is an advantage in coverage as he should be able to deal with the bigger, quicker tight ends that more teams are using in the passing game.