2016 NFL Draft Mailbag: Thoughts on Trevone Boykin, Eagles trading down, and more

With 2016 NFL Draft season kicking into full gear, I wanted to make myself available to answer questions every week about my thoughts on players, the team's process and whatever else tickles your fancy. We can talk about safeties, we can talk about guards or we could even talk about how you would give up your first born for a second round pick back ...

"What are your thoughts on Eric Striker from Oklahoma? Could he be a target for the Eagles?" - @mass_45

Eric Striker seems like the classic case of a tremendous college player who doesn't translate well to the NFL. He is incredible undersized to play defensive end at six foot and weighing under 220 pounds, but he lacks any special athletic tools to compensate or thrive at linebacker. He does have excellent technique, which has helped him at the college level, but I do not think his game will transfer over to the NFL. At best, he seems like a day three talent who you move around your defense and see if he sticks, while he can also be a special teams asset.

"Could Philly trade down and get a second round pick?"- @WAR_DOG

Ugh. Yeah. I guess. But it would be dumb. The way a lot of people are looking at this second round pick conundrum is all wrong. Of course, second round picks are important, but nowhere near as important as a top fifteen pick. It's not even a conversation between whether I would rather have a second round pick and a top 25 pick or have just a top 15 pick. The Eagles shouldn't go into the first round prioritizing the reclamation of that second round pick. Prioritize getting a great player. The Eagles also have two high third round picks and I guarantee if there is a player they love in the second round, they will move on them. Relax.

"Would Andrew Billings (DT, Baylor) be as awesome here as I am picturing?"- @Ionis119

Hell yeah! Andrew Billings might be my favorite player in the whole class. I actually had him as my top prospect for a good part of the year until he said he was going back to school. Of course, he changed his mind on that and I will probably write him up soon, but I think he is tremendous. He is one of the strongest players I have evaluated despite being him being only 19 this season and his strength is basically a car bomb that gets set off in the middle of an offensive line. He destroys centers and guards like it ain't no thing. The idea of putting him at 1-tech next to Fletcher Cox sounds amazing. I am not sure what the possibility is of that happening because I think Bennie Logan will be very good in that role, but Billings would definitely fit.

"Thoughts on (Trevone) Boykin as a QB prospect?"- @Jerrytheazzman

I think at this point, no quarterback prospect is as underrated as Boykin. He is a bit skinny for a quarterback, but he has all the tools necessary to be a quality NFL starter. He has tremendous mobility, an awesome deep ball, poise in the pocket, has a high football IQ and flashes nice touch over the middle of the field. He still needs to clean up aspects of his game, but the rate at which he has improved in college gives me hope for him as an NFL quarterback. He is a lot better than some of the guys getting hyped up right now and I would be ecstatic if Philly could draft him.

"Is Shaq Lawson the best 4-3 pass rusher?"- @Hardheadallday

In short, no. I think Lawson is a very good defensive end prospect in terms of having a very complete game, but from a pure pass rush perspective, no player in this class is as good as Noah Spence. Spence is the best pure pass rusher of the 2016 draft. On the flip side, I like Lawson a lot as a classic strong side defensive end who can be disruptive in the running game as well as contribute to a pass rush. This isn't to say he can't rush the passer, he most certainly can, but I Spence stands atop the rest of the class in that facet.