FanPost

Eagles Draft Strategy Updated 9:00 pm**

Last year House of Chip and House of Roseman selected 4 players from the pac12, 2 players from the big 12, 1player from the sec, and 1 player from the acc. This year I've taken all eagles draft prospects that have had either a team visit with or a private visit and created a big board out of them. You will see players names in multiple rounds. The reason I did this is to show the ceiling and floor. Once I created my big board (made only from players we have had visits with), I tryed to find a trend in where the eagles might draft a player in each round. Granted the fact that some players projected ceilings and floors will skew the results, i none the less thought it could be a interesting approach to figuring out what player/position the eagles want to draft in each round this year, and could bear light on some of there draft strategy.

******************************************************************************************************************

244154-dennis_medium

via www.destructoid.com


THE BIG BOARD 2014 EAGLES
1ST ROUND TARGETS Anthony Barr, LB, UCLA Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State Dee Ford, DL/LB, Auburn Kelvin Benjamin, WR, Florida State Brandin Cooks, WR, Oregon State Marqise Lee, WR, USC Odell Beckham, WR, LSU Mike Evans, WR, Texas A&M Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech Johnny Manziel, QB, Texas A&M Darqueze Dennard, DB, Michigan State

2ND ROUND TARGETS Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State Marcus Smith, LB, Louisville Kyle Van Noy, LB, Brigham Young Dee Ford, DL/LB, Auburn Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers Kyle Fuller, CB, Virginia Tech Dontae Johnson, DB, N.C. State Keith McGill, DB, Utah Deone Bucannon, s, washington state Marcus Martin,C USC

3rd ROUND TARGETS Jeremiah Attaochu, LB, Georgia Tech Marcus Smith, LB, Louisville Kyle Van Noy, LB, Brigham Young Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson Dontae Johnson, DB, N.C. State Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida Keith McGill, DB, Utah Deone Bucannon, s, washington state Taylor Hart, DL, Oregon Will Clarke, DL, West Virginia Marcus Martin,C USC Dakota Dozier, G, Furman Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia

4th ROUND TARGETS Devon Kennard, LB,USC Ronald Powell, LB, Florida Adrian Hubbard, LB, Alabama Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana Cody Latimer, WR, Indiana Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson Jaylen Watkins, CB, Florida Aaron Colvin, DB, Oklahoma Taylor Hart, DL, Oregon Will Clarke, DL, West Virginia Wesley Johnson, OL, Vanderbilt Spencer Long, OL, Nebraska Dakota Dozier, G, Furman Charles Sims, RB, West Virginia

5TH ROUND TARGETS Devon Kennard, LB, USC Adrian Hubbard, LB, Alabama Ronald Powell, LB, Florida Jonathan Brown, LB, Illinois Jordan Tripp, LB, Montana Brandon Coleman, WR, Rutgers Tajh Boyd, QB, Clemson Aaron Colvin, DB, Oklahoma Will Clarke, DL, West Virginia Wesley Johnson, OL, Vanderbilt Spencer Long, OL, Nebraska Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill

7TH ROUND TARGETS Devon Kennard, LB, USC Adrian Hubbard, LB, Albama Ronald Powell, LB, Florida Larry Webster, LB, Bloomsburg Philly Brown, WR, Ohio State Quron Pratt, WR, Rutgers Asante Cleveland, TE, Miami Robert Thomas, DL, Arkansas Jesse Joseph, DL, Connecticut Trey Hopkins, OL, Texas Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, OT, McGill

Again, I made this big board only with using players with whom we have had a visit with. Once I established the big board and each players ceiling and floor in each round, I decided I wanted to find a trend. Everyone is curious whether we take a wide receiver in the first, or a olb, or perhaps even a defensive back. So what i did is in each round i broke down how many players at each position there are and find percentages per round of what position ranks the highest to give an idea of which way the eagles might draft in each according round.

I'll give a example before I show all of the results

For instance, in round 3 of the Draft

Theres 4 linebackers, 3 wide receivers, 1 quarterback, 3 cornerbacks, 1 safety, 2 defensive lineman, 1 center, 1 guard, and 1 running back

Thats a total of 17 players with potential to be drafted in round 3 of the draft. so i then proceeded to break it down percentage wise.

17 total players targeted =

25% linebackers

18% wide receivers

18 % cornerback

12% defensive line

6% quarterback/ center/ guard runningback

Analysis: Of the 17 targeted players the eagles have visited, the ones that could be projected to be selected in the 3rd round favors linebackers mostly and wide reiceivers and cornerbacks also receiving great considertion. So I would imagine the eagles plan to target one of those positions during the 3rd round of the draft more than likely. But what happens when we do the rest of the rounds? Can we map out a overall draft stradegy the eagles might take? Lets take a look

First Round

45 % wide receiver

27% linebacker

11 % quarterback / cornerback / safety

Analysis: Seems the Eagles are dead set on going wide receiver or OLB in the first round, 3 other positions got some consideration but pass rush and wide receiver are big holes with the departure of Desean Jackson and a very low sack total overall last year the Billy Davis wants someone that will apply pressure in his blitz heavy defense.

2nd round

38% linebacker

23% wide receiver/ cornerback

7% safety/center/guard

Analysis: Both linebacker and receiver are the top two trends in this round but flipflopped this time. Cornerback also trends way up tying wide receiver. Just by judging the first two rounds, Im starting to think the Eagles could go Wide Receiver in the first round and Olb in the second round based off of percentages, but it is a very close call to make considering cornerbacks trended up in the 2nd round.

3rd round

25% linebackers

18% wide receivers

18 % cornerback

12% defensive line

6% quarterback/ center/ guard runningback

Analysis: Almost identical to the 2nd round results. Im now pretty sure the eagles will be going Wide Receiver, Olb, and cornerback in the first 3 rounds because of the positions trending each round.

4th round:

33% linebacker

13% defensive line/offensive line/ cornerbacks

6%quarterback/wide receiver/ guard/ runningback

Analysis: This is certainly intresting. For the first time linebacker remains at the top, but wide receiver and cornerback trends way down. This assures me that the eagles are pretty high on taking a cornerback and wide receiver in the first three rounds, but also that the eagles might spend more than 1 pick on a linebacker. This is also an area of the draft, depending on what happens to Evan Mathis that the eagles may be planning to take an offensive lineman or even draft a nose tackle or defense end according to the trending up of both positions.

5th round

41% linebacker

25% offensive line

8% quarterback/wide receiver/ cornerback/defensive line

Analysis: Once again linebacker trends up at the top of the round, Im almost certain the eagles pick two linebacker at this point. One in the first two rounds and one near the 4th or 5th round. The other intresting thing is that offensive lineman trend up in this round. Offensive lineman could of been a consideration in round 4, but trending in at 25% this round, im starting to think they go Offensive line in the 5th round and another linebacker in the 4th round.

7th round:

36% linebacker

18% wide receiver /defensive end /offensive line

9% tight end

Analysis: Well no surprise, linebacker tops the list in the the 7th round as well, but wide receiver pops up again along with defensive line and offensive line depth. I suppose the eagles would and could take a flier on a guy whos draft stumbled alot at this point. A high reward loss risk pick, but if they dont I believe they will try to find some defensive line depth here or offensive line depth. Im leaning more towards defensive line depth however.

**************************************************************************************************************

THE ENDGAME

Based on all of my analysis

First three rounds of the draft the eagles will be selecting a wide receiver, cornerback, and outside linebacker.

Rounds 4 and 5 the eagles will be selecting a linebacker again and a offensive lineman.

In the 7th round im inclined to believe the eagles will select interior defensive line help.

So Here is a educated mock draft based off all of the information provided.
First Round Wide Receiver= Kelvin Benjamin, WR,
2nd round OLB = Trent Murphy, DE/OLB,
3rd round CB = Dontae Johnson, DB, N.C.
4th round LB = Ronald Powell, LB, Florida
5th round OL = Spencer Long, G, Nebraska
7th round DE = Shaquil Barrett, DE, Colorodo State