What I hope happens in the draft

This is based solely off of how I hope the board falls for the Birds. I know players like Ijalima, Carter, and House among all the others may go a little earlier than I have them going. Also I didn’t add the Comp. picks to this one.

1st round: Pick 23: Gabe Carimi, OT, 6’7”, 315lbs, Wisconsin, Gabe Cameri is player in the mold of a John Runyun type, physical, tough blocker with sneaky athleticism, and should be here at this point in the draft with good value. He would start from day one at right tackle with Winston Justice backing up both tackle spots. He can come in and add a dominate presence in the run game as well as be a slight upgrade in the pass game. Justice will then add immediate depth to the OT spot.

Backup pick: Nate Solder or Trade back

2nd round: Pick 54: Ben Ijalima, OG, 6’4”, 317lbs, Villanova, Ben Ijalima would be an OT to OG convert that will start from day one. With some projecting him as high as a late first rounder, he might fall this far due to a late year injury (Groin) that kept him out of senior games and combine workouts, but also might very well be off the board at this point. It would make for a very young but very talented right side of the offensive line. He will be an upgrade at guard with better pass protection and a slight upgrade at run blocking. This influx of young talent along with the coaching of Mudd will change this line from a point of weakness a year ago to a dominate front and help give Vick more time to read the field which will only make him so much more dangerous. MJG will provide backup, which is where he belongs in the first place.

Backup pick: Marcus Cannon, OG, TCU

3rd round: Pick 85: Bruce Carter, OLB, 6’1.5”, 241lbs, UNC, Bruce Carter would come in and if healthy compete to start from day one. He tore his ACL late in the year which is why this first or second round talent possibly falls to the third round. It remains to be seen how healthy he can come into the season and if he will be able to contribute much his first year but if he is here at this point I think it’s too good for the birds to pass on this kind of athletic talent where I can see him filling the roll of WILL. I feel his talent would be an upgrade to Jamar Chaney eventually.

Backup pick: Mason Foster, OLB, Washington

4th round: Pick 104: Devon House, CB, 6’1”, 195lbs, New Mexico State, After great pro day, turning in a 4.35 40, House is most likely gone by now, but he is big physical guy who would fit well with the eagles and the bigger WR of the NFC East. He is also not afraid to get physical against the run. He could come in from day one and have a shot to start at RCB.

Backup pick: Chimdi Chekwa, CB, Ohio State

4th round: Pick 120: DeAndre McDaniel, SS, 6’1”, 217lbs, Clemson, DeAndre McDaniel has the chance to start from day one as he has all the physical talent to start at SS and I believe would be an upgrade over Q. Character concerns could be somewhat of a concern after he was accused in 2008 of choking his girlfriend and punching her in the head but he was young and dumb and has been a good kid it seems like since then. He might actually be the dominating force in the secondary we have so desperately missed since a former Clemson Tiger manned the position for us.

Backup pick: Robert Sands S, West Virginia

5th round: Pick 149: Greg Romeus, DE, 6’5”, 265lbs, Pittsburg, If Greg Romeus were to fall this far he might be the steal of the draft and might turn into a top DE in the NFL, but to start I see him getting thrown into the mix at LDE. He would compete for a starting job which he might actually win. It will all come down to his health and his motor. I feel like with Washburn, he might be able to push him just hard enough to get to his full potential when healthy so I think more of anything it will come down to health. He was on his way to being a top round first or second round draft pick before he came down with a slue of injuries that really sidetracked him. Also the fact that he only played one year of high school football before college just shows the potential and upside this player has. He has the potential to be a pro bowl DE and would seriously consider taking him earlier but this is more of a fantasy mock draft so I’m going to just go with him here.

Backup pick: Jason Pinkston OG/OT, Pitt

5th round: Pick 153: Mark Herzlich, OLB, 6’4”, 244lbs, Boston College, Mark Herzlich is an interesting prospect. I think he could come in and be an upgrade over Moise Fokou at SAM if not immediately, then in the very near future. Coming back from Cancer I still feel and think many other feel he has not totally physically come back yet to full strength but I think by the time next year come around he might be. Before the cancer he was possibly the most promising young linebackers in college football and I feel can easily get back on track to becoming a dominate NFL LBer.

Backup pick: Lawrence Wilson OLB, UCONN

7th round: Pick 228: Jake Kirkpatrick, OC, 6’2”, 301lbs, Texas Christian University, If Kirkpatrick were to fall to us this late then I feel he is worthy of a value pick. There are a bunch of centers that could fall to around this spot who have value especially for the Eagles in that need some depth for this position. He was the 2010 Rimington trophy winner, and is a sturdy, durable player. He could back up center mainly and guard in a pinch and I feel could have potential to start one day, especially with some years of coaching by Mudd.

Backup pick: Tim Barnes, OC, Missouri

Make a huge push in free agency for a top CB like Nnamdi Asomugha, and if not at least must sign a top free agent like: Johnathan Joseph, Antonio Cromartie, Ike Taylor, or Richard Marshall. The free agency crop is solid this year and I think we can find the immediate help here while grooming some of our young guys like Trevard Lindley or somebody we get in the draft.

Lastly sign a reliable veteran backup QB in case Vick goes down like: Marc Bulger, Matt Hasselbeck, Seneca Wallace, Bruce Gradkowski or bring in somebody like an Alex Smith and try to reinvent his career.

If the eagles could somehow pull all this off they would have a totally revamped team with more talent than ever before in the Andy Reid era and should be primed for not only a Super Bowl run, but a win. The draft would see the Eagle’s offensive front line drastically improve and turn it from a weakness to a strong point. It would also give the line great depth as the starters last year would be more than suitable backups. The defensive side of this draft would all have some question marks with them. If they can come back healthy and perform at levels they have once preformed before, it would give the defense a talent pool at hasn’t had in years. I can see at least four to five players out of this draft all worthy of starting on this team if they can come back healthy. Others players in this draft, if not start, could at least push for some major playing time and give the team great depth. Lastly free agency would provide them with the piece they have been missing since they lost the Lito/Shelden combo which is a shutdown corner opposite of the playmaking one. If they were to get Nnamdi it would give them one of the best corner combo’s in the history of the franchise, or if they can’t real him in at least a very good tandem with say a Joseph or a Cromartie. The back up quarterback is also important because it gives them a real option to have fill in for any injury that Vick may receive throughout the year. I also like the idea of what Fat Andy might be able to do with Alex Smith. The kid did have talent, and I feel like with a change of scenery and solid new coaches he might be salvageable as a starting quarterback in this league. The crazy thing is this little fantasy mock idea is not just a fantasy. These picks and players all might, and most probably should be there around each pick, and the eagles have the money to go out and make a splash in free agency if they so choose.