Mel Kiper 2014 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles "Grade: A" Edition

ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. released a new 2014 NFL mock draft this week. It's a little different than his typical mock drafts. Kiper calls this edition his "Grade: A" mock draft (In$ider required). These are the rules, as explained by Kiper:

For this, I'm the GM -- for every team. Typically I'm asked to project picks. But for the "Grade A" draft, I make them. Each pick I select what I might for that team, in that spot, based on who is gone and who is available. Best outcome for each team at each spot.

The ground rules

1. At each slot, I make a pick in the best interest of only the team with the pick. I won't pass on a player at No. 5 just because I like how he fits better at No. 7.
2. There are no trades. I note team needs, but not all picks are specifically to hit a need -- same as the draft.
3. This is NOT A PROJECTION. It's more a look at how I currently value players at each slot

So as you can see, Kiper aims to make the best pick for each team given their circumstance. Here's how the Eagles' first three draft picks played out:

Top needs: WR, OLB, S

Round 1 (22) WR Marqise Lee, USC
Round 2 (54) OLB Jeremiah Attaochu, Georgia Tech
Round 3 (86) CB Aaron Colvin, Oklahoma

Analysis: If Lee seems like an obvious pick for Kelly, a talented player he's faced before at a need position, just remember I'm doing the picking here. But I still like the fit. Lee dealt with a knee injury that slowed him down and concentration issues that caused some drops in an underwhelming junior year, but he's got piles of great tape, is a good route-runner and moves easily and swiftly in and out of his breaks. With the top two safeties off the board, I feel like Lee is a sensible pick in this slot and a player my coach will know how to utilize. Attaochu can be a help at outside linebacker, and I need added depth and talent in the pass rush. Colvin is a value grab in Round 3. He tore his ACL during Senior Bowl practice, but had Colvin been healthy right now, we'd be talking about him as a possible late first-round pick, a good corner with experience at safety, which is a need here. He could help late in the season and be a starter next year.

Lee and Attaochu are two players commonly linked to the Eagles. Both picks make sense from a need perspective but could also turn out to be the best values on the board. Aaron Colvin in the third round is an interesting pick due to his injury status. As Kiper mentions, Colvin will be slow to get on the field this year due to an ACL suffered during Senior Bowl week. It could be worth taking the risk on Colvin due to his future value, however. The Eagles don't necessarily need an immediate starter at cornerback. Colvin would give the Eagles depth later on in the season and could be a future starter in Philadelphia.

To see Kiper's entire three round pick-by-pick draft, click here (In$ider required). Here's how the first round shaped up: