Eagles Mock Draft: What trading down could look like

There are only THREE days until the 2018 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 26. Draft week is here! Things really snuck up on us with the Eagles winning the Super Bowl, huh.

It’s time for our final Mock Draft Monday of the year. For more mock draft madness, check out Sunday’s roundup.

Last week, SB Nation’s Dan Kadar had the Eagles taking a cornerback at No. 32. This week he has them going with a familiar running back.

32. Philadelphia Eagles: Derrius Guice, RB, LSU

The Eagles are in an interesting spot at No. 32. With no picks on the second day of the draft, chances are high the team will move down. If not, they could go after a running back in the first round.

The Eagles showed a ton of pre-draft interest in Guice. We even heard a rumor that Howie Roseman has a first round grade on Guice but doesn’t expect the LSU running back to be there.

Other draft insiders think Guice might not even be the second overall running back selected behind Saquon Barkley. Here’s a surprising tidbit from ESPN:

I can only imagine the reaction if the Eagles pass up on Guice. He’s clearly the popular fan-favorite pick for Philly.

If the Eagles do pass on Guice, it could indicate he has some serious red flags. Such concerns would explain why the Eagles have done so much homework on him.

While it seems like Guice’s stock might be slipping, Sony Michel’s is seemingly rising, as McShay noted. There’s been some recent buzz about the Eagles taking him.

And then there’s Ronald Jones, who the Eagles reportedly brought in for a pre-draft visit. Eagles expert Tommy Lawlor recently mocked the USC running back to Philadelphia in a trade down scenario.

Here is my final mock draft for the Eagles, with them making a trade to move back a few spots and add an extra pick. I have them making a deal with Denver to acquire picks 40 and 106. The Broncos had a terrible year in 2017, but can easily bounce back and be a playoff team. They need quality more than quantity. The Eagles would love to add another mid-round pick to help them fill a few holes on the roster.

Second Round (No. 40 Overall): RB Ronald Jones, USC

Jones would add an explosive element to the Eagles’ backfield. He is the kind of dangerous runner who can go all the way any time he gets his hands on the ball. Jones would be an interesting addition to a backfield that already has Jay Ajayi and Corey Clement.

Ajayi is the biggest and most physical back of the trio. Clement has some size and is the best receiver. Jones is only 204 pounds, but he would be the fastest of the group. He ran for 31 touchdowns over the past two years. Jones averaged 13.4 yards per reception in 2017. He is a big-time playmaker.

As great as the Eagles’ offense was last year, more weapons are always welcome. Coaches will tell you that big plays are invaluable in the NFL. Defenses are just too good for teams to sustain long drives on a consistent basis. Any players who can help deliver chunk plays become highly important. Jones could be that guy for the Eagles.

I don’t know if Jones is the specific target, but I do think Tommy is on to something here with the “trade down and take a running back” idea. Especially since we heard earlier today that the Eagles are reportedly seeking to trade out of pick No. 32.

My extremely boring draft take is that there are a decent numbers of players I’d be fine with the Eagles taking with their first selection, whether that’s at the tail end of the first or early in the second round. It seems like there’s bound to be a lot of players in the same tier at that point. If there’s no big difference, Philadelphia might as well trade down in order to acquire another asset.

What say you?