After the big pick swap between the Philadelphia Eagles and the New Orleans Saints, the Birds are “down to” two first-round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, despite having 10 picks overall.
As a reminder, we’re not repeating players from previously released mock drafts, so the selection is getting a little tight. This will be our last Eagles mock until our last of the week of the draft.
Round 1, Pick 15: Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State (6’0, 183)
We’ve projected the Eagles into three of the four previous mock draft first-round wide receivers (Treylon Burks, Jameson Williams and Chris Olave), so why stop now? Yes, the Eagles now have just two first-round picks in the 2022 draft, but they’re clearly trying to up the position, as evidenced by their attempts to sign or trade the likes of Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, Allen Robinson and Robert Wood. If you can’t get a good wide receiver to come to Philly, don’t give him a choice by drafting one.
Wilson is one player I didn’t profile during the season because I assumed the Eagles wouldn’t give up a first-round pick for another small wide receiver. However, after their attempts to bring in Ridley, Kirk and Woods (none of whom aren’t exactly huge beasts either), it seems the Eagles are just looking for talent at the position rather than being hell-bent on adding a bigger physique.
Wilson has the speed (4.38 40) to play on the outside in the NFL, but he also has the tenacity and run-after-catch skills to play in the slot. No matter where you put him, Wilson creates separations with his impressive route-running ability. Insight:
A trio of DeVonta Smith, Quez Watkins, and (fill in your choice of first-round WR) to be in the tight end along with Dallas Goedert could actually make a pretty good group for Jalen Hurts or (fill in the Eagles’ freshman quarterback in 2023).
Round 1, Pick 18: Nakobe Dean, LB, Georgia (5’11, 229)
Dean patrolled center field in Georgia’s suffocating national championship defense in 2021. He’s undersized, and while he hasn’t trained at the Combine or Georgia’s Pro Day, he’s explosive on the tape. Dean can cover running backs from the backfield and blitz in the passing game. Against the run, he can either slide through blocks and make hard tackles in the box or pursue outside of tackles.
Dean is a three-down linebacker who can add juice to the Eagles’ defense in midfield, which, by the way, is where they were destroyed in 2021. just do it already
Round 2, Pick 51: Perrion Winfrey, DT, Oklahoma (6’4, 290)
Winfrey was something of a late bloomer as a JUCO transfer, flashing in his first season in Oklahoma in 2020. In 2021, he added some power to his obvious athletic attributes, scoring 5.5 sacks. But it was at the Senior Bowl that Winfrey made his money. He was unblockable during the week of practice and, unsurprisingly, also dominated the actual Senior Bowl game, amassing 5 tackles and 2 sacks.
He also had an impressive combine where he ran 4.89 40 and measured 35 1/4″ arms.
The Eagles signed Fletcher Cox back on the team for $14 million on a one-year contract for reasons I’ll never understand, but his Philly tenure looks set to end soon. The Eagles really appreciate the DT position, and Winfrey is a guy who can add long-term to the rotation alongside Javon Hargrave and Milton Williams.
Round 3, Pick 83: Sam Williams, Edge, Ole Miss (6’4, 261)
When the Eagles re-signed Derek Barnett, it was a clear sign that the team didn’t think one of the best edge-rushing candidates would make it to them in pick 15. Day 2 will still have some talented edge rushers available, but they will of course be more flawed.
At Ole Miss, Williams has lined up as both a 4-3 DE and a 3-4 OLB, with experience dipping into cover, and he’s rushed from the inside on obvious transitions. In his senior season, Williams accumulated 12.5 sacks and 4 forced fumbles.
He also impressed at the NFL Combine with a 4.46 40 run.
Why doesn’t this guy go to round 1? Well, he’s bad against the run, and until he fixes that he’ll just be a sub-pack player. Even so, the Eagles had just 29 sacks in 2021, the second-worst in the NFL. For their purposes, Williams will help put pressure on the quarterback and you’ll just take care of the deficiencies later.
Round 3, choose 101: Martin Emerson, CB, Mississippi (6’2, 201)
Emerson is an under-the-radar cornerback who had 72 tackles and 11 pass breakups in 11 games in 2020. His performance declined somewhat in 2021 as he had 49 tackles and three pass breakups. On the statistical downside, he only had 1 career INT, and that was in 2019.
A great height at 6ft 2 and 201 pounds, Emerson would fit well into Jonathan Gannon’s zone-heavy scheme, and he’s fast enough (4.53 40) to run with most big-bodied NFL wide receivers. It’s probably worth noting that if Jaycee Horn — a player with similar traits — was still available when the Eagles picked in the 2021 draft, they likely would have picked him over DeVonta Smith.
Round 4, Pick 124: Braxton Jones, OT, State of Southern Utah (6’5, 310)
Jones has the ideal length at 35 3/8″ arms, and he’s an easy mover with good feet and agility who’s ready to finish blocks. He has very good athletics:
Jordan Mailata will serve at LT for the Eagles for the foreseeable future, and Lane Johnson was an All-Pro in 2021. They also have an experienced backup in Le’Raven Clark and another year from Andre Dillard unless they’re able to trade him for a decent draft pick.
The Eagles line could use a development type that can be a short-term swing tackle off the bench and a potential starter down the line. Jones is a guy who brings physical skills out of the box that Jeff Stoutland can sculpt over time.
Round 5, Pick 154: Jelani Woods, TE, Va. (6’7, 253)
Woods enrolled as a quarterback at Oklahoma State before moving to the tight end. He didn’t do much there in three years, but he broke out in 2021 after moving to Virginia, where he caught 44 passes for 598 yards and 8 TDs in his senior season.
There are a number of tight ends in this draft with much better career production, but any team that draws Woods will do so for his size and sporting potential.
Woods’ profile reminds me a little of Tyree Jackson’s.
Round 5, Pick 162: Tyler Algeier, RB, BYU (5’11, 224)
Over the past two seasons, Algeier has mustered 2,731 rushing yards and 36 TDs on 426 carries (6.4 YPC). He’s a big back at 224 pounds who has good vision, contact balance, a nose for the end zone in goal-line situations and just enough speed to occasionally make an explosive play. Insight:
Jordan Howard replacement.
Round 5, Pick 166: Verone McKinley, S, Oregon (5’10, 198)
McKinley doesn’t have great height and he hasn’t had great training in the combine, but he’s a very instinctive, productive, playmaking safety who had 77 tackles and 6 INTs for Oregon in 2021.
The Eagles have a pretty obvious need for security, and McKinley might be one player who can help right away given his high football IQ.
Round 7, Pick 237: Ryan Wright, P, Tulane (6’3, 245)
Yes, we already included Matt Araiza in a previous mock draft. We also ran into PSU’s Jordan Stout and Georgia’s Jake Camarda.
Wright is a tall boy at 245 pounds who carried 97. He’s a hangtime guy who averaged 47.5 yards per punt with a 44.5-yard net in 2021.
Do we have punter highlights with a bunch of fair catches? You bet your ass on us.
Wright was also a former high school quarterback and completed a fake punt throw for Tulane last season.
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