The 2019 NFL Draft is a great opportunity to rebuild the Eagles’ offensive line

The Eagles offense has a lot of places that could stand to be upgraded, but it is fairly obvious that some youth along the offensive line is incredibly important. Jason Peters’ Hall of Fame career could be coming to an end, leaving Lane Johnson to potentially move to left tackle or leaving a gaping hole on the roster at the position. Brandon Brooks, in all his greatness, suffered an Achilles injury in the Eagles playoff game against the Saints and his chances of returning early in the season at full health are questionable. The other guard spot is a wide open competition with few on the roster who can seize the position for the future. Finally, there is the Eagles All-Pro center, Jason Kelce. The Philly legend is playing his best football right now, but rumors floated earlier this season that retirement was on his mind. While Kelce said a decision hasn’t been made, it is hard to just leave that idea alone.

Long story short, the Eagles could ameliorate concerns along their offensive line by adding youth and depth. Matt Pryor and Jordan Mailata were added in last year’s draft which is a great start. However, Pryor and (more so) Mailata are developmental guys the team wouldn’t want to put in on a moment’s notice. Luckily for the Eagles, they have a lot of picks in a draft that has a lot of depth along the trenches and the Eagles would be smart in spending some resources to add some future starters. While this is only a taste of what this class has to offer, here are some names that the Eagles (and you all) should keep eyes on.

Offensive Tackles To Watch

• Greg Little, Ole Miss: Jonah Williams might be outside the Eagles range in the first round, but Greg Little is not a bad consolation. He is a huge, athletic player with tremendous upside. With the right coaching, he could be a star.
• Cody Ford, Oklahoma: Ford is a powerful blocker with a serious mean streak. NFL teams might consider the shorter armed player a guard; but he has the feet and technical ability to play tackle.
• Yodny Cajuste, West Virginia: Cajuste is another “smaller” player (6’4”, 315) who teams might consider inside. However, his blend of strong technique and a nasty streak would be intriguing to teams anywhere on an offensive line.
• Jawaan Taylor, Florida: Jawaan Taylor could be a big riser through the draft process this year. He is an athletic player with great size and is an excellent pass protector. In the coming weeks, he could be inching up mock drafts.

Offensive Guards to Watch

• Beau Benzschawel, Wisconsin: One of Wisconsin’s many draft prospects on their offensive line; Benzschawel is a road-grader that teams will love for his strength and run blocking ability.
• Michael Dieter, Wisconsin: Wisconsin’s second starting guard is no less as good as Benzschawel. Dieter is a tough blocker who can grind defenses down every quarter.
• Chris Lindstrom, Boston College: Lindstrom is someone who will definitely this draft cycle. He is a polished player with great strength and teams will love the way he plays through the whistle.

Center to watch

• Elgton Jenkins, Mississippi State: Jenkins is a good athlete who catalyzed a lot of production for Mississippi State this season. He is a good technical blocker as well and could easily be the best center in this draft.