The Eagles Are Adding Depth at All Positions. From Everywhere.
In the NFL, March is your time to spend money on talent. April is your time to draft it. Filling positions of need not just for this season, but for seasons to come. Building for your future.
Especially when the season didn’t end the way that you wanted.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
Last weekend, the Eagles earned one of the best grades in the NFL at the Draft by adding key talent. In the first round they drafted Toledo cornerback Quinyon Mitchell. In the second round, they added another defensive back Cooper DeJean. In the third round they drafted Jalyx Hunt an outside linebacker from Houston Christian. In the fourth round, they drafted Will Shipley from Clemson. In the fifth round, the Eagles added wide receiver Ainais Smith from Texas A&M, Jeremiah Trotter, Jr. from Clemson, and Guard Trevor Keegan from Michigan. Philadelphia’s draft selections ended in the sixth round with wide receiver Johnny Wilson from Florida State, Guard/Center Dylan McMahon from NC State.
Photo Courtesy of Eagles Nation on X.
Right after the Draft, the Eagles added the lowest amount of UDFA’s in recent memory but still walked away signing Gottlieb Ayedze, OL, Maryland, Anim Dankwah, OT, Howard, Andre’ Sam, S, LSU, Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia, Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor, McCallen Castles, TE, Tennessee.
The week wasn’t done. Time for some additional competition.
Photo Courtesy of Philadelphia Sports Nation on X.
The Eagles rookie minicamp will also have ten additional invites Princeton QB Blake Stenstrom, Ohio State/IPP WR Praise Olatoke, Georgia Southern TE Jjay Mcafee, Wake Forest LB Jacob Roberts, Grambling State CB Cedric Anderson, Ferris State CB Shon Stephens, Clemson CB Sheridan Jones, Mercer CB Tavion McCarthy, UCLA S Kenny Churchwell III, IPP P Harry Mallinder.
The Eagles also invited veteran players for tryouts; WR Jakeem Grant, WR John Ross, DB Terrell Burgess, LB Shaq Quarterman, LB David Anenih, and TE Griffin Hebert.
The Eagles also signed Mekhi Becton from the Jets, adding depth to the offensive line.
To make room for all of these moves the Eagles parted ways with DT Noah Elliss, WR Griffin Hebert, DB Tiawan Mullen, and C Lecitus Smith.
The Eagles have created competition at every position, which is exactly the way that they want it.
The Eagles Aren’t Just Playing Internationally. They Are Looking for Talent Globally.
In the professional world as in life, rules for success keep you focused. If you follow them and stay committed, success generally follows.
Since the Eagles became a Super Bowl contender again in the early 2000s, they’ve learned some important lessons that have kept them as competitive for most seasons. One lesson in particular has help to make them an international contender and the class of the NFC over the last twenty years.
Look everywhere.
Of course, that applies to trends. The Eagles look at new schemes that can help them in all areas of football. If it’s trending in high school, college, or an independent football league — you better believe that the Eagles are scouting it too.
Last offseason, the Eagles brought in international Scottish Rugby Coach Richie Gray. The result, the patented “Tush Push” that looked almost unstoppable for the first half of the Eagles 2023 season.
Searching under ever rock across the globe for game plan improvements like Indiana Jones on an archeological dig for hidden relics isn’t the only thing that the Eagles are looking for. They are also looking for top talent.
In 2018, the Eagles surprised the whole NFL by taking Australian Rugby Player Jordan Mailata with the seventh round 233rd selection in the 2018 NFL Draft. The 6 foot 8, 365 pound Mailata is now a starting tackle for the Eagles.
This week, the Eagles didn’t have to surrender a draft pick to pickup another rugby sensation when they signed offensive tackle and twenty-one year old, 6 foot 5, 318-pound Laekin Vakalahi who has lived in New Zealand and Australia.
The Eagles may be just following history.
The first latino player to play in the NFL was back in 1927. His name was Saturnino “Lou” Molinet.
Will Shipley Has Been Waiting to Burn Up the NFL Gridiron All His Life. Now He’ll Do It In Philly.
Could the Eagles have a plan to let Saquon Barkley be a devastating force while ensuring that he stays healthy into January? Does the plan include not having him touch the ball 35 times per game? You’d certainly think so with offensive weapons like DeVonta Smith, AJ Brown, Dallas Goedert, and Jalen Hurts.
Now here is another reason.
The Eagles selected Clemson running back Will Shipley on Saturday with the 127th pick in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Shipley is an intriguing pick not only for his production but for the versatility that he gives the Eagles running attack.
Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons.
Ranked as the #2 running back prospect in the country by ESPN out of high school, Shipley has always been a specimen of all-around athletic excellence.
At Weddington High School as a defensive back and also a running back he rushed for almost 4,200 yards. In the passing attack, he added another 1,184 receiving yards and a combined 80 scores. On defense he added 43 solo tackles and two sacks. On the varsity lacrosse team, he would play 38 games and add another 49 goals.
When it came time for a son of North Carolina to go to college, Clemson made all the sense in the world. The Tigers had been NCAA Champions in 2016 and 2018, after all. In three seasons, Shipley would rush for nearly 2,800 yards and 31 touchdowns. He would add another 602 yards receiving.
What Shipley gives the Eagles is versatility at running back that allows Barkley to rest. And a number #1 running game paired with the league’s best passing attacks means less extended plays for the quarterback.
During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles made nine draft picks. After it was over, Howie Roseman said that the team added seven additional undrafted free agents. So far, six have been reported. As a disclaimer, while reports of UDFA signings are usually correct, there are occasions in which a player is initially reported to have signed with one team, but instead they end up with another.
The chart below shows a snapshot of the Eagles’ reported signings, and their rankings/grades via Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. We’ll update this if/when more reported signings trickle in.
Player
Brugler
Zierlein
Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor
DT10 (4th round)
DT17 (Round 4-5)
Gottlieb Ayedze, OG, Maryland
OG15 (Round 5-6)
OG13 (Round 5-6)
Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia
RB26 (Priority FA)
RB18 (Round 6)
Anim Dankwah, OT, Howard
OT26 (Round 7-PFA)
OT28 (Round 7-PFA)
McCallan Castles, TE, Tennessee
TE19 (Priority FA)
TE13 (Round 6-7)
Andre’ Sam, S, LSU
S25 (Priority FA)
S23 (Priority FA)
A look at each prospect:
Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor (6’6, 291)
Hall was a player I didn’t didn’t know much about earlier this offseason, but he was a standout during Senior Bowl practices. Push-pull move here:
Swim move here:
Baylor’s Gabe Hall showcasing why he’s one of the most intriguing D-linemen at the Senior Bowl this year. Long and athletic. Lightning fast club-swim here. pic.twitter.com/FOJffXKFBF
He is a tall, lean defensive tackle at 6’6, 291, with an 84″ wingspan.
Hall has some pass rush talent and some intriguing traits, but was a liability at times for Baylor against the run. Still, it’s a surprise that he didn’t get drafted.
Ayedze played LT for four years at Frostburg State (MD), before transferring to Maryland in 2023, where he mostly played RT. At 6’4 with 33″ arms, his home in the NFL will likely be at guard. Ayedze is an undersized lineman who ran a fast 40.
He is a developmental prospect who the Eagles could try to groom as a backup guard/tackle.
Milton is a big, one-cut-and-go sledgehammer-type back who runs through contact and usually falls forward.
His career rushing stats:
Kendall Milton
Rush
Yards
YPC
TD
2020
35
193
5.5
0
2021
56
264
4.7
1
2022
85
592
7.0
8
2023
121
790
6.5
14
One out of every 8.6 of Milton’s carries in 2023 resulted in a touchdown. He also finished off his college career on a hot streak, rushing 64 times for 495 yards (7.7 YPC) and 9 TDs in Georgia’s final five games in 2023. He wasn’t much of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield at Georgia, as he had just 12 career receptions.
At running back, the Eagles have Saquon Barkley, Kenny Gainwell, and Will Shipley, who are all locks to make the roster. Otherwise, if the Eagles keep four running backs, Milton will compete with guys like Tyrion Davis-Price, Lew Nichols, and any further additions for a roster spot.
Decorated left tackle with extremely rare size, mass and length. Dankwah is a human wall with the ability to grind and drive opponents off their turf once he’s centered up and has his legs driving. He moves with adequate initial quickness but will struggle to redirect his weight to make blocks on the move or to recover against quick inside rush counters. Dankwah is too tall to play guard and might not have the lateral quickness to protect the passer at an acceptable level. However, size and power matter to NFL teams, and there is enough on tape for a general manager to invest a late-round pick in him.
Dankwah is probably a multi-year project likely to spend the 2024 season on the practice squad.
McCallan Castles, TE, Tennessee (6’4, 244)
McCallan initially enrolled at Cal in 2018, but entered the transfer portal during the 2019 season. He transferred to UC Davis, and then to Tennessee in 2023. In 2023, Castles had 22 catches for 283 yards and 5 TDs. His most productive season was in 2021 at UC Davis, when he had 27 catches for 387 yards and 4 TDs. There are a bunch of broken tackles in this highlight reel:
34 is a weird number for a tight end, but I digress.
The Eagles currently have four tight ends on their roster — Dallas Goedert, C.J. Uzomah, Grant Calcaterra, and Albert Okwuegbunam. Only Goedert has ever really done anything for the Eagles, so there is some opportunity for an undrafted rookie tight end to make the roster with a good camp.
Sam is a 25-year-old prospect who originally enrolled at McNeese State in 2017, transferred to Marshall in 2022, and then to LSU in 2023. He had 85 tackles and 3 INTs for LSU in 2023, and got a Combine invite.
Last year, one undrafted free agent — CB Eli Ricks — made the initial 53-man roster out of training camp. LB Ben VanSumeren and S Mekhi Garner eventually got added as well. A quick list of the Eagles’ undrafted rookie free agents who made the initial 53-man roster out of camp:
2023 (1): CB Eli Ricks
2022 (3): S Reed Blankenship, CB Josh Jobe, OL Josh Sills
2021 (1): TE Jack Stoll
2020 (0): None
2019 (2): LB T.J. Edwards, OL Nate Herbig
2018 (1): DT Bruce Hector
2017 (1): RB Corey Clement
2016 (4): WR Paul Turner, OT Dillon Gordon, DT Destiny Vaeao, CB C.J. Smith
2015 (1): CB Denzel Rice
2014 (2): TE Trey Burton, K Cody Parkey
2013 (3): OL Matt Tobin, DT Damion Square, LB Jake Knott
2012 (2): RB Chris Polk, WR Damaris Johnson
That would be an average of 1.8 per season. The only season over the last 12 years that no undrafted rookie free agents made the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster was in 2020, when COVID complicated that offseason.
Heading into Day 2 of the draft after selecting CB Quinyon Mitchell in the first round, it felt a lot like the Philadelphia Eagles would address their offensive line, wide receiver, or maybe even linebacker with their two second-round picks at 50 and 53. However, just eight picks into Round 2, the Birds were suddenly on the clock at pick 40 after trading up with Washington. They then double dipped at defensive back, selecting Iowa’s Cooper DeJean.
Pick 40: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa
We’ll get to DeJean in a moment, but first let’s look at the trade, and the value of each pick according to the trade value chart:
Eagles got
Commanders got
Pick 40 (500 points)
Pick 50 (400 points)
Pick 78 (200 points)
Pick 53 (370 points)
Pick 152 (31 points)
Pick 161 (27 points)
731 points
797 points
The Eagles gave up 66 points of value to move up, or roughly the equivalent of a fourth-round pick. In other words, you could say that the Eagles paid a premium of a fourth-round pick to make that deal. They did it because they felt they were getting a player they had rated as a first-round player at pick 40.
“He was a first-round player for us,” Howie Roseman said. “You know, Jeffrey [Lurie] said this tonight, you know, it’s rare for us to be picking in the 20s and to get two first-round players. You know, both those guys were first-round players for us. We didn’t have 32 first round guys, so when you get that opportunity to get two first-round guys, especially picking where we were, we felt like it was an opportunity and it was obviously an area we wanted to address. We felt like we addressed a lot of the areas of our football team through free agency, but that was one area we could address [in the draft].”
If the Eagles had just sat tight, they might not have had another cornerback worth of a mid-second-round pick reach them. And personally speaking, while I liked McKinstry, Lassiter, and Melton, I found DeJean to be a much more intriguing prospect than any of them.
DeJean is an extremely versatile player who can play outside corner, slot corner, safety, or even some linebacker. He was also one of the best punt returners in college football, and he’s an outstanding gunner. He is simply a ridiculous athlete and was a great college football player.
In 2022, DeJean had 75 tackles, 5 INTs (3 pick-sixes), and 8 pass breakups. Here are all five of those picks:
In 10 games in 2023, he had 41 tackles, 2 INTs, and 2 punt return TDs (one didn’t count).
DeJean’s 2023 season was cut short when he fractured his right fibula in practice. He missed most of the pre-draft process, and he likely slid in the draft as a result. It will be interesting to see what kind of plan the Eagles have for DeJean, who Vic Fangio can plug in wherever he sees fit.
Roseman wasn’t very revealing about their specific plans for DeJean.
“He’s such a good player,” Roseman said. “You know, I think whatever he does he’s going to do at a high level. Obviously we’ll get him in here, and like everything else on this team, see how the pieces fit when [Fangio] and his staff get their hands on these guys.”
The Eagles’ secondary depth chart now looks something like this:
Defense
1
2
3
4
5
CB
Darius Slay
Cooper DeJean
Josh Jobe
James Bradberry (likely cap casualty)
S
Reed Blankenship
Sydney Brown
Mekhi Garner
S
Chauncey Gardner-Johnson
Tristin McCollum
CB
Quinyon Mitchell
Kelee Ringo
Isaiah Rodgers
Eli Ricks
SCB
Avonte Maddox
Zech McPhearson
Tyler Hall
Mario Goodrich
Tiawan Mullen
The Eagles’ pass defense in 2023 was atrocious, and the Eagles have put significant resources toward fixing that, beginning with the addition of Chauncey Gardner-Johnson in free agency, and then the selection of a pair of highly-rated defensive backs in Mitchell and DeJean in the first two rounds of the draft. They also still employ Darius Slay, and they have other young players in the pipeline like Kelee Ringo, Isaiah Rodgers, Sydney Brown, and Reed Blankenship. This is a group that can grow and mature together.
Grade: A-
Trade: The Eagles moved back from Pick 78 to Pick 86
Among that group of players, I thought that Puni, Lloyd, and Isaac would have all made sense for the Eagles at that juncture. Smith and Jones would too, if the Eagles hadn’t already drafted two defensive backs.
Side note: The Eagles traded what became “Pick 86” to the Texans last year for a fourth-round pick that was used to select Kelee Ringo. They then re-acquired it, and traded it away again.
Pick 94: Jalyx Hunt, EDGE, Houston Christian
Hunt was a safety at Cornell who transferred to Houston Christian and became an edge rusher. The Eagles announced him as a linebacker. He’ll likely play the SAM position.
The last two seasons (21 games) at Houston Christian, Hunt had 13.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles. He had an impressive Combine performance.
I won’t pretend to have watched Houston Christian games, so we’ll let Lance Zierlein of NFL Network do the heavy lifting on the scouting report here:
Hunt is a small-school edge defender possessing notable athletic traits and the potential to get bigger and stronger. He currently lacks the lower-body anchor and general play strength to go up against NFL opponents, but the team drafting him is likely to view him as a developmental prospect in need of time to build his frame and his game. Hunt’s speed is obvious as a pass rusher and in run pursuit, but proving he can survive against a downhill running attack could be the difference between challenging for a rotational role or hoping to become a designated pass rusher.
The Eagles have plenty of short-term depth on the edges in Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat, Nolan Smith, Brandon Graham, and Zack Baun. Hunt is developmental prospect and likely won’t get much playing time as a rookie. The Eagles will hope that they can get the most out of his raw athletic ability long-term.
“He’s got freaky tools in his body,” Roseman said. “He’s an explosive guy. If you watch his best plays, he’s doing things that are unique. He can bend. He can close. He can finish. He’s long. He’s an extremely smart kid obviously coming from Cornell.
“You know, we feel like we got a good edge rush group. He doesn’t have to come in here – we’re going to develop him like we talk about. This is a perfect developmental guy for us because of the tools in his body and his character and work ethic, and we think we can really find something with him. That’s on us. That’s on how he’s going to work.
“You know, you can say, well, that’s the third round and you’re a good team, why are you doing that? Because these guys are hard to find. We believe in edge rushers and we just felt like there was a tremendous buy-in from our staff about this player. Obviously from the coaching staff, from the front office we thought this guy had tremendous tools. When you get guys like that it’s exciting to see what they can become. Again, we feel like we like our edge group. We didn’t have to add there, but it’s exciting to get a guy like this.”
Because Houston Christian games aren’t exactly easy to find, I can really only have so much of an opinion on this player.
The pessimistic view is that the Eagles have had their share of third-round developmental types who have busted in the past, like Davion Taylor, Curtis Marsh, Bryan Smith, etc.
The optimistic view is that two of the three draft analysts we mentioned above in the DeJean section had Hunt rated at least 24 spots higher than where he was drafted.
On Monday, we published our third Philadelphia Eagles-only mock draft of the offseason. Today we’ll take a peek around at some of the national guys and see who they have going to the Birds at 22nd overall.
The Eagles’ pass defense was atrocious last season. Wiggins is the most natural cover man in this year’s draft.
#JimmySays: To begin, I don’t believe that Wiggins will be available to the Eagles at pick 22, because he’s 6’1 and he ran a 4.28 40. Someone will fall in love with those traits and take him too early. But even if he is available at pick 22, I’d be really concerned that he’s in the 82nd percentile in height, and just the 2nd percentile in weight.
He’s a really good coverage guy, but he can be bullied and he’s a liability against the run. His profile reminds of Emmanuel Forbes (without the ball skills), who got bodied as a rookie all season by NFL receivers. Maybe Wiggins will be an awesome player in the NFL. I don’t know. But I think these non-physical, uber-skinny guys have high bust potential.
This has been an offseason of change for the Eagles, who have new coordinators on both sides of the ball and have seen two stalwarts retire in center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox. And after a rough end to their season, coach Nick Sirianni finds himself with a few holes on his roster. I almost slotted in a receiver to add to Jalen Hurts’ fantastic set of skill-position talent — how about Xavier Worthy (Texas)? — but I see defense as the bigger problem.
Philadelphia ranked 30th in both points allowed per game (25.2) and QBR allowed (55.7), and it was 31st in passing yards allowed to receivers (3,125). Veteran starting corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry are each on the wrong side of 30. Wiggins could step in and play a huge role for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. At 6-foot-1, 173 pounds, he’s slender, but he has elite speed. He ran a blazing 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine.
Broncos receive Pick Nos. 22 and 53; Eagles receive Pick No. 12 and a 2025 third-round pick
Look, you can’t tell me Howie Roseman doing something like this is too crazy to predict. With no second-round pick, the Broncos could aim to move back from No. 12 if they can’t trade up for a quarterback. The Eagles have an extra second-round pick, which could make this a deal. In doing so, Philadelphia — which has always looked ahead when it comes to building in the trenches — could draft a player like Fuaga, who could start at guard early on and then kick out to right tackle when Lane Johnson retires.
#JimmySays: I feel like this is a scenario that like >95 percent of Eagles fans would hate, but in my opinion Fuaga makes a ton of sense for the Eagles, and I could see them doing something like this.
The Eagles have to do something in the interior offensive line following Jason Kelce’s retirement. Powers-Johnson is a good fit here. They could go corner, but they need to replace the heartbeat of the line.
#JimmySays: The Eagles already did something to account for Kelce’s retirement, which was to take Cam Jurgens in the second round of the 2022 draft. Powers-Johnson has guard/center versatility, but his best position is probably at center, where Jurgens will be playing in 2024. So if you’re drafting Powers-Johnson, you’re not only taking a guard in the first round, but you’re taking a guard whose primary position isn’t even guard, and who won’t eventually take over for Lane Johnson down the line. JPJ is a good player, but he makes a lot less sense for the Eagles than he does for other teams.
The Eagles took a guard/tackle hybrid early in the third round last year in Tyler Steen, and Steen is now slated to be the starting right guard entering camp, as Cam Jurgens moves over to center to take the mantle from Jason Kelce. With Fautanu, another college tackle who likely transitions to a guard in the league, the Eagles can hedge their bets. Fautanu and Steen will fight for the starting job, and the losing player will be the sixth OL and back up both tackle and guard spots.
#JimmySays: I think that Fautanu is a reasonable pick as long as you think he can take over for Lane Johnson long-term, and you’re pretty certain he can start out of the box at guard. I do not agree with the selection of Fautanu based on the reasoning above, which (a) does not mention Lane Johnson, and (b) includes a scenario in which a first-round guard could lose a camp battle to a guy who struggled transitioning there last camp.
Offensive line – between the tackles – could be a consideration following C Jason Kelce’s retirement. But EVP/GM Howie Roseman knows his defense needs attention and knows starting CBs Darius Slay and James Bradberry are north of 30. Rakestraw’s physical style would resonate nicely in Philly.
#JimmySays: Rakestraw isn’t one of the 22 best prospects in this draft, and therefore the Eagles shouldn’t take him at 22. Maybe if they get a bunch of picks for trading back? Otherwise, there will be better players available. For example, the four guys Davis has going after Rakestraw are Olu Fashanu, Jackson Powers-Johnson, Tyler Guyton, Laiatu Latu, and Cooper DeJean. I’d take four of those guys over Rakestraw, who is pretty much just an “Eagles need a corner, here’s a corner for them” projection.
If the Eagles trust Cam Jurgens at center, they can pass on Jackson Powers-Johnson here and instead focus on the secondary. DeJean is a big, strong, fast cornerback with return ability.
#JimmySays: DeJean would be an outstanding fit. And yeah, passing on Powers-Johnson is a no-brainer.
Howie Roseman typically adds at premium spots on day one and I expect no different in April. If you’re out on Terrion Arnold because of his 40 time in Indianapolis, please turn on the film. The Eagles need pop at the position and I don’t see how Roseman could feel comfortable with James Bradberry as his CB2 at this point in time.
#JimmySays: Arnold ran a 4.51, which isn’t awful, but it could make him slide to the Eagles at 22. And as Fowler notes, he can play. Arnold could be this year’s Trent McDuffie, who didn’t have great measurables, but was just a really good football player.
As a reminder, the Eagles are currently projected to have 8 picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. While it’s likely that Howie Roseman will move up and/or down the board as he usually does, we’ll play it straight here and simply act as though the Eagles will stick and pick.
You can find our Eagles-only mock draft pick, version 1.0, here, and version 2.0, here.
DeJean can play outside corner, slot corner, safety, or linebacker. He was also one of the best punt returners in college football, and he’s an outstanding gunner. He is simply a ridiculous athlete and football player.
In 2022, DeJean had 75 tackles, 5 INTs (3 pick-sixes), and 8 pass breakups. Here are all five of those picks:
Suamataia came in at No. 3 on Bruce Feldman’s “Freaks” list this offseason, with the following glowing review.
Coaches have always been great resources for this project over the years. That said, it’s been awhile since I stared at a response as long as I did the one I received from BYU offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick this month.
“Kingsley Suamataia is the most athletic and violent OL I’ve ever coached. More athletic than Garett Bolles when I was at Utah. More athletic than Blake Freeland,” he wrote.
Bolles was a first-round pick and has started all 82 games he’s played in the NFL, and the 6-8, 302-pound Freeland, BYU’s left tackle last year, lit up the combine last spring by running a 4.98 40, vertical-jumping 37 inches — a combine record for offensive tackles — and broad-jumping 10-0, which was 1 inch away from the combine record for that, too. More athletic than Freeland, especially in that Suamataia weighs 23 pounds more, seemed like a mouthful.
The 6-6, 325-pound Suamataia didn’t allow a sack last season, a run of 361 pass plays.
“Kingsley is off the charts,” BYU sports scientist Skyler Mayne says. “He’s faster than our linebackers. He’s just a Freak in the weight room. What makes it look different from Blake is that Kingsley just makes it look a little more effortless. Blake was a better jumper, but Kingsley was our fastest lineman by a good bit.”
According to Mayne, Suamataia hit 21.5 MPH last year as a 318-pound freshman. That’s really good for a 218-pounder, much less an athlete 100 pounds more than that.
“He’s so fluid and smooth,” Mayne says. “I think he could run in the 4.8s. He’s definitely a sub-5 guy (in the 40). He’s super explosive and can throw a ton of weight around. You watch him on the field throw a big defensive end around with one arm, and he doesn’t even break stride. If he wanted to be a tight end or fullback, because he’s so naturally gifted and has the agility, he could.”
In addition to being a premier athlete, Suamataia also has plenty of nastiness in his game.
Kingsley Suamataia has all the makings of a first round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.
🔵 Great size (6-6, 315) 🔵 Didn’t allow a sack on 337 pass-blocking snaps in 2022 🔵 MEAN as a run-blocker
As an added bonus, he has experience playing both at LT and RT, which means that he could be a swing tackle off the bench early in his career before eventually taking over for Lane Johnson at RT.
Round 2: Payton Wilson, LB, NC State (6’4, 233)
Let’s get Wilson’s downside out of the way first. He has torn his right ACL twice, he dislocated both shoulders in the same game in 2021 (necessitating surgery), and he’ll be 24 by the time he’s drafted. He’s older than every player the Eagles drafted last year, except Sydney Brown, who is older by a month. He’s two years older than Kelee Ringo and Moro Ojomo. Some teams — and some of my readers — are going to be out on him, and I get that.
So why take him in the second round? Well, he’s a complete linebacker with size (6’4, 233) and speed (4.43 40) who can cover, who can play the run, who can get sideline-to-sideline, and who had outstanding production in 2023 (138 tackles, 17.5 for loss, 6 sacks, 3 INTs, 6 PBUs, 1 FF).
The Eagles have been willing to take swings on injury risk players in the second round in the past, sometime with success (Landon Dickerson), sometime not (Sidney Jones).
Round 4: Theo Johnson, TE, Penn State (6’6, 259)
Johnson didn’t have eye-popping production at Penn State, as he had just 341 receiving yards in his best season in 2023. (He did have 7 TDs).
However, he is thought of as a very good blocker, and he has outstanding athleticism.
Johnson did a nice job creating separation and making a lot of hands catches in Senior Bowl practices. He could be an out-of-the-box TE2 for the Eagles, with upside to develop into a good receiving tight end.
Round 5: Zak Zinter, OG, Michigan (6’6, 309)
Zinter was a First-Team All American at RG for Michigan this season, but he broke his fibula and tibia in a win over Ohio State, ending his season. They were “clean breaks,” so Zinter should be ready to go for training camp. He played his entire career at RG, and could be a reliable starter in the pros. He was a key piece on a great Michigan offensive line who is a brawler in the run game, and who has good length in pass pro.
There are a couple knocks:
• Zinter won’t remind anyone of Jason Kelce athletically. He’s just OK in that regard.
• As noted above, his entire college career was spent at RG, so he’s lacking in versatility. If you draft him and slot him in at guard and he hits, cool. If he doesn’t hit as a starter, he won’t have much value as a backup either because he is probably a guard only.
For the Eagles’ purposes, with Jason Kelce retired and Cam Jurgens moving to center, the Eagles have an opening at RG. Depending on what they think of Tyler Steen, they may or may not be looking for a starting guard. If Zinter can be had at a discount in the draft because of his injury and his lack of versatility, then he would make sense on Day 3.
Round 5: James Williams, S/LB, Miami (6’4, 231)
Williams was a downhill, big-hitting enforcer in Miami’s defense. Fun highlight reel:
In 2023, Williams has 73 tackles, an INT, 5 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles.
The Eagles seem to be into hybrid players this offseason. They signed safety / slot corner hybrid Chauncey Gardner-Johnson and edge rusher / off-ball linebacker hybrid Zack Baun in free agency. Williams is a safety / linebacker who would make sense in a sub-package role.
Round 5: Javon Baker, WR, UCF (6’1, 202)
The highlight of Senior Bowl practices was when an unsuspecting Baker took a Michael Penix laser off the side of his head on a crossing route. I think (?) Baker thought the play was over and stopped paying attention, and… WHAP. You could hear it from 50 yards away lol.
But also, I was impressed by Baker’s ability to create separation, and when I looked up his numbers I discovered that he averaged 21.9 yards per reception in 2023 for UCF.
Howie Roseman likes taking shots on Day 3 deep threats with high yards per catch averages, like Shelton Gibson, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins. The Eagles haven’t yet hit a home run on a guy like that, but I respect the approach, and Baker makes sense as that kind of guy.
Round 6: Jalen Green, Edge, James Madison (6’1, 245)
Green’s season ended early after he suffered a non-contact injury against Georgia State in early November, but before he went down he was leading the nation in sacks (15.5) and tackles for loss (21) in just 9 games. Had he stayed healthy, Green had a chance of breaking Elvis Dumervil’s record of 20 sacks during the 2005 season.
Green also had 50 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, and an INT that he returned for a TD. Monster season:
Because of his lack of ideal size and his injury, Green will likely go late on Day 3. I like his fit at the SAM spot in the Eagles’ defense, and if the Eagles are going to move on from Haason Reddick and Josh Sweat by 2025 they’ll need more developmental edge rushers in the pipeline.
MOBILE, ALA. — Because the Philadelphia Eagles are projected to have 8 picks in this year’s draft, including two second-round picks and four fifth-round picks, this year’s Senior Bowl is of particular interest. Let’s get to the notes.
• Usually there are around two to four guys who participate at the Senior Bowl who get picked in the first round. This year there should be at least a half dozen, and probably more. On Tuesday, Daniel Jeremiah of NFL Network released his first top-50 prospect list of draft season. 14 of those guys are competing here in Mobile.
Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
Laiatu Latu, ED, UCLA
Bo Nix, QB, Oregon
Jordan Morgan, OT, Arizona
Jackson Powers-Johnson, iOL, Oregon
Zach Frazier, iOL, West Virginia
Michael Penix Jr., QB, Washington
Ladd McConkey, WR, Georgia
Chris Braswell, ED, Alabama
Payton Wilson, LB, North Carolina State
Marshawn Kneeland, ED, Western Michigan
Malachi Corley, WR, Western Kentucky
I was surprised that BYU OT Kingsley Suamataia didn’t make Jeremiah’s top 50, but he’s here, too.
• My focus today was on the offensive tackles. I think it’s a near lock that the Eagles will take an offensive tackle early this year, and very possibly in the first round. Why?
Lane Johnson turns 34 in May, he has had injuries, and while he was still an elite player in 2023 there was some decline, in my opinion. To be clear, by “decline,” I should note that I have thought of Johnson as a top 20 type of player, league-wide, over the last half decade. He was still an All-Pro this season, and deservedly so, but I did not think he was a top 20 type of player.
The Eagles, as you should all be well aware by now, like to have succession plans in place along the offensive line early, and in some cases, extra early.
This draft is loaded with offensive tackle talent. You can conceivably get an OT at or near pick 22 that normally wouldn’t still be available, or perhaps in the second round when they might not otherwise fall that far. In other words, there should value at that position relative to draft position.
Suamataia’s measurements came in a little disappointing. BYU listed him at 6’6, 325. He’s actually 6’4 3/8 with 34″ arms. Oklahoma’s Tyler Guyton, conversely, measured in at 6’7, 328, while Houston’s Patrick Paul, another guy who some consider a top 50 prospect, is 6’7 with 36″ arms.
Suamataia got work both at LT and RT, which is tough to do. He was up and down, and faced the best edge rushers here. Here he is against UCLA’s Laiatu Latu:
And here he is against Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland in 11-on-11’s.
(We’ll have more on Kneeland momentarily.)
Suamataia otherwise locked down the other edge defenders, but I came away a little disappointed with his first day.
The offensive tackles who did not disappoint were Guyton and Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga. Here’s Latu vs. Fuaga:
Latu had 23.5 sacks and 5 forced fumbles the last two seasons at UCLA, and he is thought of as a very technically sound rusher, and Fuaga just dumped him.
Guyton competed hard, and played well:
.@OU_Football OT Tyler Guyton was one of the big winners today imo. Two reps where he was visibly pumped to compete (and win). His technique isn’t perfect (hand placement needs work), but he is so naturally explosive and strong pic.twitter.com/0xUJ6Mbv0p
That second rep was against Alabama star edge rusher Chris Braswell.
• The corners should also be of interest to the Eagles. The top rated corner in Mobile is Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell, who finished second in the nation both in 2022 and 2023 with 19 pass breakups each season. Mitchell didn’t get to play against top-tier talent at Toledo, so he has something to prove here, and on Day 1 he got his hands on a lot of passes and looked like the best corner here.
Great rep by #Toledo CB Quinyon Mitchell vs. speedy Jacob Cowing.
Love his patience/balance to transition with the WR and stay in his hip pocket all the way through the finish. pic.twitter.com/oJYbjPFYuZ
• I also tried to pay attention to the linebackers. When I published a list of 15 defensive players I’d be watching at the Senior Bowl, a bunch of people asked why NC State’s Payton Wilson wasn’t on it. (Seriously… there were tweets, DMs, and even an email.)
He’s a good player who racked up 138 tackles, 6.5 sacks, 3 INTs, and 6 pass breakups in 2023. There’s a lot to like. However, he has a serious injury history. He has torn his right ACL twice, he dislocated both shoulders in the same game in 2021 (necessitating surgery), and he’ll be 24 by the time he’s drafted.
He’s older than every player the Eagles drafted last year, except Sydney Brown, who is older by a month. He’s two years older than Kelee Ringo and Moro Ojomo.
So he’ll be a polarizing prospect. He had a good day, as he was in on a number of tackles for loss.
The linebacker who impressed me was Nathaniel Watson of Mississippi State. He had a big final season, with 137 tackles, 10 sacks, and 2 forced fumbles. He showed off good speed running sideline-to-sideline. Howie Roseman mentioned during his end of season press conference that the Eagles were looking for a WILL LB who could run and hit, and that they found that in Zach Cunningham. Watson can run and hit.
I’ll also note here that James Williams, who was a big, enforcer-style safety for Miami, is playing linebacker here. He measured in here at 6’4, 230.
• The Eagles need a slot receiver, and there are a lot of them here, in different flavors. There are three that I really like:
Malachi Corley, Western Michigan: Run after catch beast.
Ladd McConkey, Georgia: Ankle breaker.
Roman Wilson: Speed.
Nobody could cover McConkey on Tuesday.
There were a few other slot receivers who did some nice things, but I’ll get to them in another notes post soon.
• I noted that we would come back to Western Michigan’s Marshawn Kneeland, who made Jeremiah’s top 50 list. He is explosive:
Kneeland’s production isn’t super impressive (12.5 career sacks), but he has decent enough size (6’3, 268) and obvious athletic traits. I’m curious to see how he tests at the Combine. Maxx Crosby was a traits-based prospect from a smaller school who has become an elite pro.
• At running back, a guy who escaped my radar this season who had a good day was USC’s Marshawn Lloyd. He had a nice day catching the football and running inside the tackles:
I also liked what I saw from Kentucky’s Ray Davis as a receiver. He made a really nice play on a back shoulder throw. Davis is a power runner, but he can also stay on the field on obvious passing downs because he’s a competent receiver.
• We’ll have more notes on Thursday morning, and maybe a list of players on Friday who stood out who we didn’t already profile this season in our prospects series.
