Making the case for Eagles not to take a wide receiver in 1st round of NFL draft
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman just has to draft a wide receiver in the first round, right?
After all, it's by far the Eagles' biggest need, something everyone in the NFL knows. And the draft is considered the deepest for wide receivers in years.
So what if the Eagles draft a player at a different position with their first-round pick, at No. 21 overall, on Thursday night?
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NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah got a taste of the outrage Roseman might face. Jeremiah, in his latest mock draft, has Oklahoma linebacker Kenneth Murray going to the Eagles in the first round.
"Everybody in Philadelphia seemed to love that pick," Jeremiah said with a laugh on a recent conference call. "They all really were clamoring for a linebacker over a receiver."
Then he added with a laugh: "Not so much."
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If the Eagles went with a different position, it could mean either their top wide receiver targets were already taken and they decided not to pay the price to move up; or that they feel the depth at wide receiver is so great that they can get a good player with their second-round pick, No. 53 overall.
"We don't want to want to get ahead of ourselves and say just because there's a perceived position of strength that that's where we're going to choose from," Roseman said.
So here's a look at the positions other than wide receiver that the Eagles could draft in the first round, ranked from least likely to most. Let's agree that the Eagles won't use their first-round pick on a punter, kicker, long snapper or quarterback:
6. Running back
The Eagles need to add a running back at some point. But it's hard to see them doing so in the first round.
For one, they haven't drafted a running back in the first round since 1986.
Secondly, the Eagles took Miles Sanders in the second round last season. Sanders ended up leading all rookies in yards from scrimmage with 1,327. He will be the lead back this season, and any running back the Eagles add would be a rotational guy.
Expect the Eagles to sign a veteran free agent such as Carlos Hyde, or perhaps even their own free agent in Corey Clement. They could still draft a running back, but likely not until the fourth or fifth round.
5. Tight end
Zach Ertz is technically signed only through the 2021 season. His salary cap hit is $12.5 million both this year and next. As of now, Ertz is the highest-paid player at his position, and he is among the top three tight ends in the NFL.
But the Eagles also have Dallas Goedert, whose rookie contract expires after 2021. It's hard to see the Eagles paying both tight ends at least $10 million per season beginning in 2022.
So it's possible that the Eagles could look into trading Ertz, while paying Goedert and drafting a second tight end. That doesn't seem likely, however. Chase Claypool, a wide receiver at Notre Dame, and Purdue's Brycen Hopkins are not considered first-round picks.
4. Linebacker
Yes, the Eagles have a need at linebacker, but it's also a position that they don't place a high level of importance in, mainly because they use three linebackers in a game about 25% of the time.
The Eagles allowed their top two linebackers to leave in Nigel Bradham and Kamu Grugier-Hill. They signed Jatavis Brown, who was a spot starter with the Chargers, and they still have Nathan Gerry, Duke Riley and T.J. Edwards.
The Eagles haven't taken a true linebacker in the first round since 1979, so there's little reason to think that will change. That's even if Oklahoma's Kenneth Murray or LSU's Patrick Queen are available at No. 21.
3. Defensive line
The Eagles addressed their needs at defensive tackle next to Fletcher Cox by signing Javon Hargrave and getting Malik Jackson back from a foot injury.
Defensive end could be a different story. The Eagles have Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett returning as starters. But they have unproven depth behind them in Josh Sweat, who had 4 sacks last season; Genard Avery, whom they traded a fourth-round pick for last October; and Shareef Miller, their fourth-round pick last year.
Penn State's Yetur Gross-Matos and Iowa's A.J. Epenesa could be available for the Eagles at No. 21, or even if they trade down about 5-6 spots.
It's hard to see the Eagles doing that, however. They would more likely take their chances with what they have, and possibly sign a free agent still available as a third DE in the role that Vinny Curry served in last season.
2. Offensive line
The Eagles made it clear that they're going with Andre Dillard at left tackle after allowing Jason Peters to become a free agent.
But the Eagles also allowed swing tackle Halapoulivaati Vaitai to leave, so they could use more depth at tackle, even if they're convinced that Jordan Mailata could fill that role. Keep in mind that Mailata, who's 6-foot-8, 360 pounds, had never played organized football until the Eagles drafted him in 2018, and he spent last season on injured reserve.
The Eagles might also need to draft an interior lineman to replace center Jason Kelce, who has contemplated retirement the past few seasons only to return. Kelce did announce his retirement last week ... from arm wrestling, but not from football.
Still, it would be hard to justify drafting an interior offensive lineman such as Michigan's Cesar Ruiz only to have him sit a season behind Kelce when they have more pressing needs.
1. Defensive back
The Eagles could actually use both a cornerback and a safety in the early rounds.
Sure, they traded for Darius Slay as the lockdown corner they desperately needed. But the other side will be manned by either Sidney Jones, Rasul Douglas or Avonte Maddox. So someone like C.J. Henderson, A.J. Terrell or Kristian Fulton would have a chance to start right away.
At safety, the Eagles have Rodney McLeod, Jalen Mills and Will Parks after losing stalwart Malcolm Jenkins. But McLeod is on a two-year contract, while Mills and Parks are on one-year deals. Mills hasn't played safety since leaving LSU after the 2015 season.
Alabama's Xavier McKinney could be available for the Eagles at No. 21, or perhaps someone like LSU's Grant Delpit, or they could trade back and take Minnesota's Antoine Winfield Jr.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.