The Eagles hit a home run on Thursday night in the NFL Draft, adding A.J. Brown and Jordan Davis to their roster.
Now, it is time to move to Day 2, where the team has both a 2nd and 3rd round pick to work with.
Here are 12 players they should have interest in:
Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia: Dean dropping to the second round was somewhat surprising, considering he was arguably the best player on the Georgia defense last season. Concerns about his height and speed might be valid, but if the Eagles are going to take a chance on a linebacker, taking a chance on one who excelled at the highest level of football is a smart idea. Dean could be the leader of the Eagles linebacker group and the quarterback of the defense.
David Ojabo, EDGE, Michigan: Ojabo isn’t on the board in the second round if he doesn’t suffer a torn Achilles at his Pro Day back in March. As the Eagles found out with Sidney Jones, a torn Achilles this late into the draft prospect can severely impact a career. Ojabo might be even more of a risk considering how new he is to football. A year off is likely, but with his athletic upside and the fact he is an edge rusher, he might be worth taking a shot at if he makes it down to No. 51.
Andrew Booth Jr., CB, Clemson: Booth is an outside cornerback that lined up on both sides for Clemson, switching sides as needed to stick with the team’s No. 1 cornerback. He has some experience in the slot, giving him position versatility, but is projected to be an outside cornerback. Booth has good speed to stay with quicker receivers down the field and has plenty of experience in press-man coverage.
Drake Johnson, DE, USC: The Eagles want a cornerback, but their top priority in the draft is the same priority they had in free agency — find an edge rusher. Johnson isn’t going to be drafted at the top with the elite pass rushing prospects, but he does check off a few key boxes. He has a prototypical body type for a defensive end, standing 6-foot-4 with long arms and a quick first step off the line of scrimmage. Jackson rushed both as a stand-up rusher and with his hand in the ground. He finished with 12.5 sacks and 25.0 tackles for a loss in 27 games, impressive production for a player that moved around quite a bit in USC’s defense. He also picked off two passes, and could stand up and play some linebacker if needed.
Cam Britt-Taylor, DB, Nebraska: Britt-Taylor is an extremely versatile defensive back that can line up as the deep safety if needed while also having the coverage skills to get up on the line of scrimmage. He is a bit undersized at 5-foot-11, but his versatility will likely be very attractive for the Eagles, who have needs at both safety spots and have a need in general for depth in the secondary.
Phidarian Mathis, DT, Alabama: Mathis isn’t super strong or quick, but there is something to be said for being a consistent player at Alabama. Mathis isn’t great at anything, but he is good against the run and has potential as a pass rusher. Mathis could end up being a very solid starter with the right coaching, and with the talent on the Eagles defensive line, Philadelphia could be the right spot for him to reach his potential.
Troy Andersen, LB, Montana State: Anderson is one of the best athletes in the draft at linebacker, standing 6-foot-4 with a 4.42 in the 40. He has a background on the offensive side of the ball, having played quarterback in 2018, so he is still new to the linebacker position. He has the position versatility to play any linebacker spot but is probably best on the outside where he can use his athleticism to cover tight ends. Andersen is a bit of a project but his athletic tools makes him worth taking a chance on.
James Cook, RB, Georgia: If the Eagles want to take a chance on upside in this draft than James Cook is one of the best prospects to take a flyer on. The younger brother of Dalvin Cook, Cook has the potential to be a dynamic threat right away out of the backfield as a pass catcher. He has to work on his pass protection, and reading the field as a runner, but he has physical tools not many other running backs in this draft class have.
Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati: Pierce brings two special qualities to the NFL — he is 6-foot-3 with great straight-line speed down the sideline. He also has great hands, is a good route runner and showed the ability to win at the line of scrimmage. Add in that he averaged 18.0 yards-per-catch last season with eight touchdowns and there is plenty to like about Pierce. The only real difference between Pierce and London is that London has a proven track record of winning contested catches, whereas Pierce does not. If Pierce didn’t do it in college it is hard to see him doing it in the NFL. Still, the size and speed is there, which gives him a high ceiling, and his route running gives him a relatively high floor as well. Even after adding A.J. Brown, Pierce is good value in the second round.
Jelani Woods, TE, Virginia: Woods checks of plenty of boxes for what teams are looking for in tight ends in today’s NFL. He has elite size at 6-foot-7. He basically played receiver in college, and has a background at quarterback, meaning he has lined up all over the field. Woods isn’t super fast, and is still somewhat new to the tight end position, but his size is something that is worth taking a chance on.
Sam Williams, DT, Ole Miss: Williams has the potential to be an elite pass rusher from the defensive tackle position, and if this draft weren’t so deep along the defensive line, he likely would be picked higher. Williams has some work to do against the run, but his ceiling is so high as a pass rusher that his poor play against the run doesn’t really matter. Williams is lighting quick off the line and should be a problem for opposing offensive linemen right away.
Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan: Moore could be the quick, playmaking slot receiver the Eagles are looking for. Other receivers might have ran faster 40 times, but Moore is one of the quickest receivers in this draft, which shows in his quick cuts and quick release off the line of scrimmage. What separates Moore from other gadget-type slot receivers in this draft is his ability to beat man coverage. He is undersized at just 5-foot-10, so he is likely not going to be able to beat the bigger, more physical corners on the outside, but should have success on the inside. Moore is also a threat after the catch, and he should make some big plays in the NFL over the middle. Moore also has the confident, dynamic personality you want to see from a receiver. The Eagles have been looking for a slot receiver all offseason and had a formal meeting with Moore at the NFL Combine.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com