With the 2021 NFL Draft nearly two weeks away, today is the perfect time to complete (yet another) 7-round mock draft for the Philadelphia Eagles. Here, we attempt to manage a worst case scenario, one where all the top wide receivers and defensive backs off the board at pick #12. Do you agree or disagree with the picks? Message Deibs on Twitter @mrcrockpot and let’s talk!
TRADE ALERT
Eagles send #12 (first round) & #224 (sixth round) to the New England Patriots for #15 (first round) & #46 (second round)
Quick Analysis: With all the top WRs (Waddle, Smith) and CBs (Surtain, Horn) off the board, Howie Roseman decides to trade down with the New England Patriots and collect more assets for day two.
TRADE ALERT
Eagles send #15 (first round) #225 (sixth round) to the Chicago Bears for #20 (first round) & #52 (second round)
Quick Analysis: An unbelievable THIRD trade down for the Eagles in the first round of the draft. With the only prospect worth taking here being Micah Parsons, Howie Roseman decides to yet again trade down and collect more assets for day two of the draft. Micah Parsons is a very good talent (no question), but the Eagles have other prospects rates higher on their big board and are focused on injecting a ton of youth onto their roster.
With the 20th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Trevon Moehrig, safety out of TCU.
Quick Analysis: Jalen Mills is no longer in Philadelphia. Rodney McLeod will be a free agent after this season and is coming off two major injuries the last 3 years. While guys like K’Von Wallace and Grayland Arnold have potential, they are still question marks heading in the 2021 season and beyond. Marcus Epps played 14 games for the Eagles last season, accumulating 47 tackles, two INTs, and four pass breakups. Like Wallace and Arnold, Epps definitely showed some upside. However, none of these guys stop me from adding a significant upgrade at the safety position.
Trevon Moehrig’s game is built on speed. In his last 22 games, he had six interceptions and 20 passes defended. He’s got great size at 6’2 and 202 pounds. Tackling might not be Moehrig’s strong suit, but he’s very good technique and shows zero hesitation to play physical. This is a guy who plays with an intensity and swagger you want from the safety position. His leadership and football IQ are off the charts. With the Eagles in transition mode, Moehrig is the perfect addition to rebuild the core of your team on and off the field.
TRADE ALERT
Eagles send #37 (second round), #150 (fifth round) & #240 (seventh round) to the Baltimore Ravens for #27 (first round)
With the 27th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Rashod Bateman, WR out of Minnesota.
Quick Analysis: With all the top wide receivers gone before pick #12, Howie Roseman makes the call to trade back into the first round and nab the promising Rashod Bateman. First things first, Rashod Bateman possesses great size at 6′, 190 pounds. He’s got great hands and experience playing on the outside and in the slot. He’s a very good route runner, but does not possess elite quickness off the line of scrimmage. However, Bateman makes up for that in a variety of ways.
What Eagles fans need to know about Rashod Bateman is that he thrives at attacking the ball in the air downfield. Bateman’s blend of size and speed makes his fit with Jalen Hurts very intriguing. As a wide receiver, he does an excellent job utilizing his plus size and making plays on the ball at the attack point. At his pro day, Bateman ran a 4.39 40-yard dash and posted a 36-inch vertical jump. The playmaking 1-2 punch of Jalen Reagor and Rashod Bateman in the slot and on the outside immediately makes this offense that much more potent and allows Jalen Hurts to breath easier at night.
TRADE ALERT
Eagles send #46 (second round), #123 (fourth round) & #189 (sixth round) to the Atlanta Falcons for #35
With the 35th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Caleb Farley, CB out of Virginia Tech.
Quick Analysis: Caleb Farley can play man coverage with the best of them. No matter how you look at it, the Philadelphia Eagles will never do damage in the NFC if they keep rolling out a terrible secondary. Aside from Darius Slay, the Eagles defensive backfield was essentially swiss cheese. With Trevon Moehrig in the first round and now Caleb Farley, Jonathan Gannon’s defense (former defensive back’s coach) is starting to take form.
Caleb Farley has great size at 6’2 and 210-pounds. He’s a ball hawk with quick feet and possesses one of the highest ceilings out of all the defensive back prospects in the 2021 NFL Draft. When it comes to talking about Caleb Farley however, there is an elephant in the room that must be addressed. The bad news, Farley had surgery due to a back injury earlier in the offseason. The good news, he received great news from a recent physical regarding the condition of his back. For Eagles fans who have endured injury after injury the last few years and might not want to target a prospect with medical red flags, I totally understand the hesitation.
If healthy, Caleb Farley remains one of the top outside corner prospects in the draft. With more expected zone coverage in the cards for the Eagles defense in 2021, Farley’s ball-hawking ability and alpha mentality in coverage makes him the perfect person to develop behind Darius Slay as the team’s future CB1. Farley needs to improve his technique with tackling, but Eagles fans should be doing back flips if Caleb Farley falls to the top of the second round.
With the 52nd pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Gregory Rousseau, EDGE out of Miami.
Quick Analysis: On paper, Gregory Rousseau is a physical marvel. 6’7 frame, 270 pounds and wingspan pushing 7 feet. The biggest concerns about Rousseau as a prospect is that he only played one season at Miami and lacks polish. However, the facts are the Eagles are ground zero at the start of a full rebuild and they can afford to wait.
Rousseau has rare speed for a man his size. His athleticism is the first thing that stands out on tape. One of the major Achilles heels for the Eagles defense last season was getting beat to death by misdirection plays. This is an area where Gregory Rousseau rarely gets fooled. Rousseau also has the ability to be moved around the line, something we know that the Eagles absolutely love.
The Eagles need to add depth to their defensive line, especially on the edge where they lack pass rushers. Derek Barnett is still a question mark and rotation player at best. Josh Sweat flashed potential but yet another rotation player. Gregory Rousseau would bring a jolt of size and talent and starting potential to the Eagles defensive line.
With the 70th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Trey Sermon, RB out of Ohio State.
Quick Analysis: Here is a guy who plays with a physicality and toughness that makes him a great fit for the Philadelphia Eagles. There is a lot to like about Trey Sermon’s game. First up, he has great size at 6’1, 215 pounds and would be an ideal change up back alongside Miles Sanders. Secondly, he’s a tremendous blocker in the passing game. Sermon has great short area burst and doesn’t waste any time hitting the hole to get into the open field.
Miles Sanders took a bit of a step back during his sophomore campaign especially as a receiver. The numbers were down dramatically in this area- 28 receptions for 197 yards vs. 50 for 509 yards and three touchdowns as a rookie for Sanders. In Indianapolis, the Frank Reich-Sirianni offense utilized its runners very well with Jonathan Taylor doing damage on the ground and Nyheim Hines serving as the curveball and receiving threat. I could easily see similar patterns with this in Philadelphia behind Sanders and Sermon. Trey Sermon would bring a toughness to the Eagles offense that is so desperately lacks.
With the 84th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Dylan Moses, LB out of Alabama.
Quick Analysis: I probably don’t have to remind you, but I’m going to do it anyway. When opposing quarterbacks targeted Nate Gerry in the passing game in 2020, they completed 27 of 32 pass attempts for 257 yards, 4 TDs, and a QB rating of 139.7. That’s something. Last’s year’s third round pick Davion Taylor might be something soon, but in no way should Davion Taylor stop you from taking a top notch linebacker in the draft. Alex Singleton was one of the rare bright spots in 2020 but this is a position that needs a clear upgrade.
In this round, the Eagles bring a legitimate mike linebacker into the fold with Alabama’s Dylan Moses. There was a time when Dylan Moses was widely considered a first round pick. However, Moses mossed all of 2019 with a knee injury. Dylan Moses brings everything you want out of an insider linebacker prospect for the Eagles. He’s a great tackler. He plays with a lot of speed, strength and physicality. He plays with excellent speed and physicality. If you’re looking for playmaking linebacker, then here you go Eagles fans.
With the 234th pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select Jaelon Darden, WR from North Texas.
Quick Analysis: The Eagles have added game changers in Rashod Bateman and Trey Sermon. Jalen Hurts is smiling ear-to-ear because he’s getting yet another big time playmaker in Jaelon Darden. Darden doesn’t have great size, but he brings elite quickness and acceleration to the WR group. I know some people are already asking… We already have Greg Ward and Jalen Reagor, who projects to play more in the slot in 2021… Greg Ward is only signed through 2021 and that never stop you from adding a big time playmaker.
