As we've done for the past 7(ish) years, the NFL bloggers here at SB Nation have gotten together to do a mock draft. The setup is simple, each writer plays GM for his team and makes the pick. There are no trades. The draft goes two rounds deep.
The Eagles' first round pick is now posted. As you can see, I chose Virginia Tech cornerback Kyle Fuller. My reasoning:
The Eagles’ defense allowed the second-most opponent passing yards per game in 2013. With that said, it’s time to upgrade their much-maligned secondary. Cornerbacks Cary Williams, Bradley Fletcher and newly added Nolan Carroll may be serviceable starters on the outside, but none appear viable as long-term options. Kyle Fuller gives the Eagles a young corner who will provide immediate depth and even contend for a starting job. Fuller’s length and physicality fit exactly what the Eagles like out of their cornerbacks.
To be quite honest, there were no slam dunk picks for me left on the board. Brandin Cooks was my primary target. I would have been tempted to trade down if that option was possible, but for the sake of this mock it wasn't. Other players I considered include Marqise Lee, Odell Beckham Jr., Dee Ford, and some of the the other top cornerbacks. My pick of Fuller made him the first corner off the board. NFL draft analyst Mike Mayock currently has Fuller ranked as his second overall cornerback.
With all of that said, I still feel confident about my pick. Not only did I feel it was good value, but I also think it's realistic. Eagles defensive coordinator Bill Davis was reportedly "all over" Fuller at Virginia Tech's pro day. Davis also personally introduced Fuller to Chip Kelly.
Fuller is long and athletic. Read more about him in BGN's scouting report. Check out his spider graph:
In an ideal world, Fuller will win a starting job on the outside in his first year. Perhaps more realistically I see him contributing off the bench in a rotational role and then taking over as a full time starter in 2015. The BGN staff war room feels like Fuller could also make the transition to safety in the future if needed.
SB Nation's Mocking the Draft writer Dan Kadar liked my pick, so that's pretty cool. You can vote on how I did in the poll below this post.
Other than Brandon Boykin, who is a star in the slot, the current group of Eagles cornerbacks are bad. There. It's been said. While there would be nothing wrong with drafting a wide receiver, cornerback is the smart play. Fuller is a highly talented physical press coverage cornerback. He can handle himself against bigger wide receivers, but has the hip flexibility to stick with undersized speed receivers. Wide receiver is the fun choice. Cornerback is the right choice.
Here's how the draft looks so far. For a full explanation and reaction to each pick, check out the entire StoryStream.
Pick | Team | Player |
---|---|---|
1 | Houston Texans | Teddy Bridgewater, QB, Louisville |
2 | St. Louis Rams | Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M |
3 | Jacksonville Jaguars | Jadeveon Clowney, DE, South Carolina |
4 | Cleveland Browns | Greg Robinson, OT, Auburn |
5 | Oakland Raiders | Blake Bortles, QB, UCF |
6 | Atlanta Falcons | Khalil Mack, OLB, Buffalo |
7 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson |
8 | Minnesota Vikings | Derek Carr, QB, Fresno State |
9 | Buffalo Bills | Mike Evans, WR, Texams A&M |
10 | Detroit Lions | Jake Matthews, OT, Texams A&M |
11 | Tennessee Titans | Anthony Barr, OLB, UCLA |
12 | New York Giants | Taylor Lewan, OT, Michigan |
13 | St. Louis Rams | Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, S, Alabama |
14 | Chicago Bears | Calvin Pryor, S, Louisville |
15 | Pittsburgh Steelers | Aaron Donald, DT, Pittsburgh |
16 | Dallas Cowboys | Zack Martin, OT, Notre Dame |
17 | Baltimore Ravens | Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon St. |
18 | New York Jets | Eric Ebron, TE, UNC |
19 | Miami Dolphins | C.J. Mosley, LB, Alabama |
20 | Arizona Cardinals | Kony Ealy, DE, Missouri |
21 | Green Bay Packers | Ryan Shazier, OLB, Ohio State |
22 | Philadelphia Eagles | Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech |