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2014 NFL Draft: What if the Philadelphia Eagles had the No. 1 Pick?

Who would you take if the Eagles had the No. 1 pick?

Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

It's been a long, long time since the Philadelphia Eagles owned the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft. 65 years, to be exact. Back in 1949 the Eagles drafted Chuck Bednarik who would go on to be a franchise legend and Pro Football Hall of Fame member. The Eagles also owned the No. 1 pick in the first two years of their existence as a franchise: 1936 (Jay Berwanger) and 1937 (Sam Francis).

The good news here is that this means the Eagles have rarely been the worst team in the league. The bad news, if you want to call it that, is that the Eagles rarely have had the chance to pick any player they desire from a given draft class. The Eagles picked fairly high last year in 2013 (No. 4) and ended up with what seems like a good selection in offensive tackle Lane Johnson. This year the Eagles are picking at No. 22 following an impressive first season from head coach Chip Kelly. Given the supposed depth of the 2014 NFL draft class, the Eagles should be presented with some appealing options when they're on the clock.

But sometimes it's fun to dream about drafting one of the players at the top of the class who will be long gone before the Eagles make their pick. So let's pretend the Eagles had the success they did in 2013 but also owned the No. 1 draft pick this year. Who would you take?

There are a number of exciting options. Jadeveon Clowney stands out as the most obvious. He would be an instant upgrade to a lackluster Philadelphia pass rush. Or how about Khalil Mack instead? Perhaps he would be the better fit as a 3-4 outside linebacker. And let's not forget about the other side of the ball. How about adding a playmaker like Sammy Watkins to Chip Kelly's offense? What about throwing caution to the wind and shocking everyone by taking Johnny Manziel? (Because maybe you just love controversy.) Any other choices that you would consider?

I'm sure some of you wouldn't mind passing on the No. 1 pick and instead trade down for more picks. Or maybe even a current NFL player. But would it be worth it if the players at the top could be truly special?

Let's hear what you have to say. It's fun to dream.

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