NFL Mock Draft 2017: Eagles pick Corey Davis

There are only 72 days until the 2017 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 27. We're going to kill some time with our weekly Mock Draft Monday series from now until then.

Last week, SB Nation’s Dan Kadar put together a three round mock that had the Eagles getting a wide receiver in the first round, a cornerback in the second, and a running back in the third. This week Kadar is giving the Eagles a pass catcher in the first round again.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (via Minnesota Vikings): Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan

The Eagles were willing to take a quarterback from North Dakota State with the second pick last year and shouldn’t hesitate to take a wide receiver from Western Michigan at No. 15 this year. By the time we get to the draft it might be a stretch to see Davis still around here.

This week’s mock features an emphasis on quarterback needy teams. The Eagles obviously aren’t one of those since they have Carson Wentz as their starter. Howie Roseman told SportsRadio 94WIP he hasn’t even studied passing prospects due to having Wentz around.

Still, the Eagles should be hoping that quarterbacks go high in this draft so that there’s a greater chance a non-quarterback prospect they like falls to them. In this mock, Kadar has three signal callers being selected before the Eagles turn in their card.

Davis has been a popular name among Eagles fans this offseason and it’s not hard to see why. The 22-year-old from Western Michigan is an intriguing talent. He has good size at 6-2, 205 pounds. He was also an incredibly productive player at the collegiate level.

The Eagles badly need help at wide receiver (duh). Roseman cautioned against the idea that a first round pick at the position will solve all their problems there, but that’s not the thinking here. The Eagles need to sign multiple receivers in free agency. Even if they do that, that shouldn’t take them out of position to draft a player like Davis if he’s available. The truth is the Birds need as much help at the receiver position as they can get. Carson Wentz needs weapons, dammit.

Check out NFL.com’s scouting summary on Davis:

Bottom line: Touchdown juggernaut who was a four-year model of production and consistency in college. Davis has the route-running and ball skills to become a starter in the league, but it is his competitiveness and production in the red-zone that should make him a good one.

For more on Davis, read BGN’s scouting report on him.

But draft evaluation is more than numbers, it is traits and Davis has NFL skills in spades. What stands out first is his size. The 6’3”, 215 pounder has a large, strong build with long arms and big hands. He uses his body incredibly well both in terms of fighting through contact at the line and also winning with the ball in the air. He has the prototypical possession receiver skills, but there is still so much more. Despite being a big receiver, Davis has excellent quickness and overall athletic ability. He is a savvy route runner who is quick through his breaks and is excellent at exposing soft spots in zone coverage, but he also has really impressive pure speed for his size that allows him to get open deep down the field. His second gear and size also make him dangerous after the catch and he has well above average vision with the ball in his hands to make him a threat to score from anywhere on the field.

You can find individual game performances from Davis via Draft Breakdown. Watch a highlights video of him below.

So, what do you think of this week’s pick?