The combine ends today, and although everyone wants to downplay the significance of these workouts, a lot happened which changed the complexion of the draft board. With that in mind, here is a mock draft that I think better reflects what will actually be available and what the Eagles would actually do with their day one picks, and not just what all of us hopes they do.
Just for fun of course. We're still two months away, a lot can change.
21. LT William Beatty - UConn
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Philadelphia sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The biggest problem with most of the mock drafts you'll come across is not enough offensive and defensive linemen are chosen in the first round, especially left tackles. That means all four top prospects at the position are likely to be off the board when the Eagles select. Whether they reach a deal with Tra or not, this is still a huge area of concern for the club.
Before Saturday's workout, Beatty was considered a second rounder who might slip into the bottom of the first. Thanks to a strong showing in the drills and the plummeting stock of another player (Andre Davis Smith), he has worked his way into excellent position to be the fifth lineman off the board, all of which makes it hard for the Eagles to pass on him at 21. It will be very difficult to move high enough to take one of the premiere players, and if they try to wait until their next pick, Beatty could be gone by then.
Not just anyone is a left tackle in the NFL, and after Beatty, the pickings are slim. This might seem like a surprise today, but some team will jump all over this kid if he's there in the mid-twenties.
28. TE Brandon Pettigrew - Ok. St.
Once again, a case where the combine made waves. Brandon Pettigrew ran a slow 40 time, just a 4.85, which isn't exactly a surprise, but should have been enough to keep him out of the top 20. Meanwhile South Carolina's Jared Cook had a hell of a day, showcasing the kind of speed and hops that make wide receivers jealous.
Depending on who's picking, Cook is now the top tight end on the board, which means there's an even greater chance the Eagles could nab Pettigrew. Say what you want about Brent Celek, and I mean no disrespect, but the front office will still consider this a position of need. And when you think about it, Pettigrew could be a very nice complement to Celek in a two tight end set, plus sure up the blocking along the edges.
If Pettigrew is gone, this pick could become Cook, but the secret's out on who the real playmaker is at tight end in this year's draft.
52. RB Donald Brown - UConn
Not certain he'll
be around this long, but Brown would be an absolute steal in the middle of the second
round. Because there is a lot of running back depth and not
necessarily any elite talents, there is a good possibility they can
find a quality player in this spot.
Brown would be ideal though.
Has decent size (5'10" 1/4, 210), ranked near or at the top in most of
the combine drills, and managed to gain over 2,000 yards last year in
one of the worst passing offenses in college football. There are some quality backs that will fall into the third round so the Eagles have options with this pick, including packaging it in a move to trade up, but if Brown is there, he seems to make sense.
Free Agent Bonus: WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh
Frankly, I think the Eagles could do nothing and McNabb would still sign on the dotted line, but that doesn't mean they aren't listening. Prior to Donovan's demands, I felt the front office would probably pass on Housh, but with their tons of money to spend and not much out there to drop it on, suddenly this doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
They'll overpay for a guy who is just another #2, but a good one who could thrive here in the right role. Combined with a draft that focuses on offensive players, two skill guys in particular that can help right away, you've got to think this could be a very dynamic offense next season.