2020 NFL Mock Draft: Eagles get Laviska Shenault

There are 93 days remaining until the 2020 NFL Draft. What better way to kill some time than by looking at who the Philadelphia Eagles might select at pick No. 21? Here’s the latest mock draft from SB Nation’s Dan Kadar:

21. Philadelphia Eagles: Laviska Shenault Jr., WR, Colorado

Speaking of receivers with star potential, the Eagles could get a steal with a receiver like Shenault. In most years Shenault would be a top-15 pick or higher. But with this draft being loaded at the position, teams will get lucky in the middle of the first round.

Hey, another wide receiver! Who could’ve guessed?

Shenault’s an interesting player. You might not think that a 6-2, 220 pound receiver is necessarily the most dangerous after the catch but that’s the case with Viska. Some notes from Pro Football Focus:

Shenault is special with the ball in his hands, but Colorado has just struggled to get the ball to him. He’s broken 42 tackles on 132 catches over the past two seasons and averaged over 7.5 yards after the catch.

Shenault battled through a number of different injuries this season and still caught 56 balls for 764 yards while breaking 15 tackles. It wasn’t quite the dominance we saw in 2018, but his role also changed significantly, moving from the slot to outside. Colorado simply couldn’t get the ball to him accurately down the field this year.

The Eagles obviously need to add more explosion to their offense Shenault might be able to help in that regard.

I am a little wary about this idea of a player who doesn’t create separation but can be tough to tackle. That description makes me think of Golden Tate and how the Eagles weren’t able to successfully incorporate him into their offense. I’m not saying Tate and Shenault are the same players but I just think it’s so important for the Eagles to find the right fit for their offense.

There are a number of good things that stand out about Shenault besides the YAC ability. He has good hands and ball tracking that he can use to make contested catches. He has experience lining up in both the slot and the outside — in addition to being a wildcat quarterback — so he offers some versatility.

Shenault’s injury history is worth noting. The 21-year-old missed several games in his college career and played through nagging issues at other times.

Overall, I’m intrigued by Shenault’s talent. I’ll be interested to see his athletic testing results during the pre-draft process. He could certainly be in play at No. 21.

What say you?