NFL Mock Draft 2019: Three selections for the Eagles in the top 57 picks

There are 80 days until the 2019 NFL Draft begins on Thursday, April 25. We’re going to kill some time until then with our weekly Mock Draft Monday series. You can also check out BGN’s latest mock draft roundup.

Last week, SB Nation’s Dan Kadar had the Philadelphia Eagles taking an offensive tackle at pick No. 25. This week, Kadar has the Eagles taking the same player:

25. Philadelphia Eagles: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State: Left tackle Jason Peters has struggled the past two seasons with injuries, and he could decide to retire this offseason. Even if he doesn’t, the time is now for the Eagles to find his successor. Dillard is an athletic blocker on the left side, and knows how to handle speed rushers.

Same pick two weeks in a row? That’s no fun! Fortunately, Kadar gave us a second-round mock as well. The Eagles currently have two selections in Round 2 thanks to last year’s trade with the Baltimore Ravens.

53. Philadelphia Eagles (via Baltimore): David Montgomery, RB, Iowa State Montgomery is a destructive runner who is as comfortable running defenders over as he is making them miss in space.

57. Philadelphia Eagles: Isaiah Buggs, DL, Alabama: Buggs is another defensive lineman who can play inside and outside.

BGN’s Michael Kist recently wrote about Montgomery when he ranked him as the second best running back in this year’s class.

Proven producer, elite finisher, and a short, stocky frame that generates a lot of movement after contact. Clips of Montgomery melting contact like butter on a cast iron pan likely filled your Twitter timeline during the season. All told, he totaled nearly 3,000 yards for the Cyclones. He beats you up, he wears you down, and he’s tough to get a clean shot on. In the NFL, Montgomery is going to be a nightmare for second level defenders. It’s not that he’ll run away from them, because he doesn’t have that type of home run speed. He’s elusive not due to his lateral agility, though he’s quite balanced in his cuts even if they lack explosion.. he’s elusive because he understands angles and how to set up defenders in a favorable manner. It’s this nuance that accentuates his contact balance and allows him to absorb and reject tacklers at such a high rate ... Summary: I see Montgomery as a productive and reliable “1a” back that will be limited in the passing game.

I don’t love the idea of adding a back who lacks speed and receiving ability to some extent. Those are two areas the Eagles could really stand to improve. But it’s hard to watch Montgomery and not appreciate his style. Tough dude to bring down:

Given how they love to employ a rotation at running back, the Eagles are probably looking for a “1A” type in this draft.

As for Buggs, BGN’s Benjamin Solak noted he stood out in a good way at the Senior Bowl. In his final two years playing for the Crimson Tide, the 6-5, 287 pound Buggs logged 103 total tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. Here’s what The Draft Network wrote about him:

Isaiah Buggs is a burly interior defensive lineman who plays on the edge for Alabama in their base packages on early downs. That role won’t suit his lack of athleticism well in the NFL, but Buggs is a power-playing, slow-burn pass rusher who can discard offensive linemen with his hands or run through them to the pocket as well. He’s a load when he brings it, capable of lining up all over the defensive front as a capable pass rusher and consistent point-of-attack threat against the run. Can Buggs ever be a high-impact player at the next level, especially without special traits?

In all, this week’s mock essentially has the Eagles landing replacements for Jason Peters, Jay Ajayi, and Haloti Ngata. How are you feeling about it?