2018 Eagles-Only Mock Draft
PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - Here is 973espn.com's 2018 Eagles-only mock draft:
Round 1 (No. 32 Overall) - LB Leighton Vander Esch, Boise State - Plans A, B and C for the Eagles are trading down to acquire extra picks and that remains the likely scenario with someone jumping up to get a fifth-year option on Oklahoma State quarterback Mason Rudolph.
That said, Philadelphia loves Vander Esch and a slight cervical issue puts him back in play for Philly. In fact, some around the league believe the Eagles are one of the organizations playing up the medical narrative in the hope Vander Esch slides. If it does happen, it's not exactly Sophie's Choice but Howie Roseman will have a decision to make.
Round 4 (No. 130 Overall) - TE Troy Fumagalli, Wisconsin - The Eagles, of course, have moved on from Brent Celek and lost Trey Burton in free agency to Chicago. They did add Richard Rodgers but there is still need at the position. Like most modern tight ends Fumagalli is a receiver first but playing at Wisconsin he was asked to block quite a bit and that gives him a leg up.
Round 4 (No. 132 Overall) - RB Bo Scarbrough, Alabama - If the Eagles do ultimately fall back into the second round the intent is likely to pick up a running back like Ronald Jones, Sony Michel or Nick Chubb. If that doesn't happen they will look for a diamond-in-the-rough in the middle rounds again and Scarbrough is the anti-Donnel Pumphrey, a 6-foot-1, 230-pound bruiser who is more advanced than most young backs when it comes to pass protection.
Round 5 (No. 169 Overall) - OT Alex Cappa, Humboldt State - Cappa is a small-school prospect who impressed at the Senior Bowl. Joe Douglas indicated environments like that are important for players at lower levels so you can compare apples to apples or oranges to oranges. Physically and athletically, Cappa checks off all the boxes.
Round 6 (No. 206 Overall) - DT Kentavius Street, North Carolina State - The Eagles took an injured player last year in Sidney Jones who why not roll the dice again with much less risk? Street tore an ACL while being worked out by the New York Giants and could project as a really impressive interior pass rusher down the line, something the Eagles don't need right away but could be in the market for next year.
Round 7 (No. 250 Overall) - S Jeremy Reaves, South Alabama - One of the unsung heroes of the Eagles defense last season was veteran safety Corey Graham, a player who enabled Jim Schwartz to use Malcolm Jenkins like a Swiss-Army knife. Reaves is a former cornerback who moved to safety and excels in run support, showing versatility and toughness. And before you say, yeah but Schwartz isn't going to trust a rookie seventh-round pick, see Jalen Mills. Philadelphia also brought Reaves in for a pre-draft visit earlier this month.
-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen