Even though the draft isn't until April... it's never to early to check in on the always entertaining Mock Drafts!!
I think we'll do this periodically through the offseason, with it getting more frequent and in depth as we get closer to the draft.
I compiled 27 mock drafts in total.
40% had us picking a LB (11)
33% has us picking a DB (9) mostly safeties or college corners who project at safety
22% has us picking a WR (6)
One has us picking a DT considering we've picked a DT the last 2 years in the first round, why not?
I'd say it's a pretty fair assessment of the team's needs. The line backing corps was flat out terrible, with Lewis likely leaving and Dawkins aging a safety would be a great pick, and if Stallworth leaves like so many are expecting WR would be a need.
The interesting thing about compiling all these mock drafts is to start seeing what names pop up regularly. While one mock may not tell us much, large samplings of them often do reveal some things. Last year we saw the names of Broderick Bunkley and Winston Justice showing up in a lot mock drafts as the Eagles #1 pick... Some common names this go round were:
Michael Griffin Safety, Texas - 5x
Sidney Rice Wide Receiver, South Carolina - 4x
Paul Posluzny Linebacker, Penn State - 3x
Patrick Willis Linebacker, Ole Miss - 2x
This coming week we'll take some early looks at these guys. Without further ado however... let's get to some fake picks after the jump!
NFL Draft Countdown(a god site for draft info BTW)
ILB | Ole Miss | Scouting Report You have to give the Eagle franchise a lot of credit because even though they have been picking late in round one for a while now due to their regular season and playoff success they've still managed to draft well and build not only an excellent core of starters but also tremendous depth as well. Even though they don't have many glaring needs one position that does stand out is linebacker, where Dhani Jones has disappointed, Jeremiah Trotter is getting older and they haven't been able to find a capable guy on the weakside. Patrick Willis is an excellent athlete and one of the most productive linebackers you will ever find and he is versatile enough to project either inside or outside as a pro. In fact, so many teams seem to covet Willis that he could very easily be long gone by this point when late April rolls around. Another possibility would be a safety like Michael Griffin or even a wide receiver if Donte Stallworth leaves as a free agent but it might be tough to pass on the best linebacker in the draft if he fell into their laps this low.
Has a special ability to fly to the football.
The Eagles need to add a linebacker, as Jeremiah Trotter is near the end of his career, and the other starters do little to inspire confidence. Omar Gaither showed some promise as a rookie, but Dhani Jones has limited upside on the outside. The Eagles are set at many positions but could add Posluszny could immediately take over on the outside then move to the middle after Trotter's retirement.
The Eagles' selection will depend on what they do in free agency. If they don't resign Donte' Stallworth, they may look for a receiver at this selection. LSU's Dwayne Bowe is on the board, and he's the perfect West Coast Offense receiver. He's strong, physical and is effective over the middle. Correll Buckhalter is a free agent as well. If he doesn't return, the need for a big running back like Michael Bush is another possibility. But one area that head coach Andy Reid might identify is in the secondary. It appears safety Michael Lewis will leave the Eagles as a free agent and leave a hole in the secondary. Since Texas' Michael Griffin is not available, the Eagles will turn to Griffin's former teammate Aaron Ross. Ross is a big defensive back that could play as a cornerback or a safety. He's also a very reliable kick returner, which is something the Eagles are looking for.
The Eagles have finally developed a consistent running attack, but their receivers are still very mediocre. Meachem isn't the type of guy that can take over a game, but he would be a nice addition in Philly and might give the Eagles the depth at receiver that could finally take them to the next level.
Reid likes to spend his first rounders on the O-line and D-line but both lines looked solid last year. They do however need help at both OLB positions and Timmons can help this defensive as he is a very aggressive tackler, perhaps overaggresive sometimes. However, that's the only knock on this LB who not only made a lot of plays the second half of last season, but frequently took on blockers, which allowed Buster Davis to rack up tackles.
ALSO CONSIDER: CB Daymeion Hughes, CB Chris Houston, WR Sidney Rice, WR Dwayne Bowe, WR Robert Meachem, LB Lawrence Timmons, LB Paul Posluszny
Brian Dawkins is still playing really well, but his skills will quickly erode within the next few years. Meanwhile, Michael Lewis, once a promising safety, was benched in October. Andy Reid must address the safety position.
Fantasy Football Extreme - Paul Posluszny (LB, Penn St.)
Draft King - Sidney Rice, WR, South Carolina
D&J Mock - WR - *Sidney Rice 6-3, 200
FF Cheat Sheet - WR - *Sidney Rice 6-3, 200 South Carolina
Philly's LB is average at best. Trotter is aging and the OLBs are suspect. They need an athletic LB who can go sideline-to-sideline to make the stop and provide quality coverage. Beason is the perfect fit, one of the fastest and most naturally athletic LBs of this class.
The Football Expert did 5 different drafts... The Eagles picked a different guy every time.
Lamarr Woodley. OLB/DE. Michigan.
OLB Rufus Alexander 6'1 230 4.54 Oklahoma
Sidney Rice-WR-South Carolina
Paul PosluznyOLB Penn St.
Draft Notebook - Patrick Willis ILB Mississippi
The Eagles strong safety position is wide open right now due to Michael Lewis losing his starting spot. Sean Considine might be a suitable stop-gap starter but he is not the future of the position. This need is further magnified by Brian Dawkins' age becoming a concern. Philadelphia's defensive scheme requires quality safeties which makes Griffin a good pick. Griffin is a great athlete who is solid in both pass coverage and run stopping. He could slip into the starting strong safety role as a rookie or at worst provide depth for a season.
Huge credit to Matt from the great SBN Dolphins blog, The Phinsider, for finding this exhaustive list of sites!
Update [2007-2-12 14:41:39 by BleedGreen]: PFT did their mock draft and had us taking Zach Miller, tight end, Arizona State. Interesting choice...