The NFL landscape has changed significantly since free agency came into existence last week. With the ability to fill gaps in the roster (or not), teams could change their approach to the 2022 NFL Draft. Separately, it is worth noting the injury of David Ojabo. And so it’s only fitting that we have Mel Keeper’s new layout discuss.
Prior to this layout, the Philadelphia Eagles only added two outside free agents. But signing the Birds of Haason Reddick and Zach Pascal didn’t stop Keeper from giving them a lot of help in the rim rusher and wide receiver.
15. Philadelphia Eagles (via MIA) – Jermaine Johnson II, DE Florida
The Eagles have not been very active in the free agency market, although they have added offensive forward Haason Reddick and brought back defenseman Fletcher Cox. I don’t think any of their needs have changed since my last trial project. I’m looking at a wide receiver, cornerback, quarterback, off-the-ball linebacker, and a quarterback – yes, they still need one – to fill in their three first-round picks. Which brings me to Johnson, a one-year-old starter who moved from Georgia to the former Soviet Union and had a stellar 2021 season. He was great in the Senior Bowl and went from a possible top 50 pick to a likely top 20 pick. NFL teams are always in need of pass rushers and he could help immediately.
As Kiper noted, Johnson was on the rise in the process of preparing for the draft. He continued a good Senior Bowl week by posting strong results on the Combine.
There’s a chance Johnson won’t be on the board in Philadelphia’s first pick. If so, I could definitely see the Eagles taking it. A few reasons why:
- Eagles appreciate trenches.
- In the past, the Eagles have been loved by prominent Senior Bowl players.
- The Eagles also valued college products (sometimes too much). Johnson ends the season with 17.5 tackles to lose, 11.5 sacks and two forced fumbles.
- The Eagles still need protection despite the signing of Hawson Reddick. They often change their edge rushers as opposed to their starters playing a ton. Johnson could be the fourth guy after Reddick, Brandon Graham and Josh Sweet.
The intelligence report on Johnson indicates that he has room for improvement. It would be ideal for him to land in Philadelphia where he wouldn’t have to see a lot of snaps from day one. Lance Zierlein of NFL.com:
Rising marginal perspective. Johnson has NFL traits and the potential to get bigger and better as a pro. He is a year-old starter with underdeveloped passing speed and occasional lapses in awareness, but both of these problems can be corrected with more coaching and playing experience. He is more instinctive and consistent as a running back, but his length and ruthlessness are excellent building blocks for a difficult defense. Johnson’s combination of strength and athleticism should make him a confident striker and playmaker close to the line of scrimmage on odd or even fronts. He has the traits, athleticism and talent to claim a top 40 spot with a bright future.
16. Philadelphia Eagles (via IND) – Chris Olav, WR Ohio
Olaf can play early and often for a Philadelphia team that should be getting more out of their passing game with quarterback Jalen Hurts. Olav is a speedster (4.39 rushes for 40 yards on the combine) who had 13 touchdowns last season. This will be the Eagles’ third consecutive first-round pick, but it should be a priority if they want to make it back to the playoffs.
Since wide receivers don’t line up to play the Hurts in Philadelphia, the draft is probably the best way for the Eagles to improve their wide receiver talent.
On the one hand, Olaf’s thinner physique raises some doubts in me. The Eagles don’t want to build a receiving body that’s too small when DeVonta Smith and Kes Watkins are already on the lighter side.
On the other hand, it was precisely because the Eagles preferred match over talent that Justin Jefferson’s Jalen Rigor ended up winning. While it would be ideal for Philadelphia to add someone of large size, the bottom line is that they need more talent as a receiver.
In addition, the Eagles increased their position size with the signing of Pascal. He is 6’2″ tall and has a 57 percent long jump. Pascal offers some physical form that may have been lacking, and this can be especially valuable in the red zone.
But back to Olaf. Some believe he may be the top receiver in this year’s class. Keeper doesn’t quite agree, considering Olav is the third WR off the board. Keeper (shockingly) offers Drake London the No. 4 pick for the New York Jets and Garrett Wilson for the No. 8 pick with the Atlanta Falcons.
The Eagles can’t have too much speed and playmaking ability. Olaf, who turns 22 in June, could be a smart addition.
19. Philadelphia Eagles – Devin Lloyd, ILB, Utah
Here’s a place to fill the Philadelphia void in off-the-ball linebacker. Lloyd was one of the best all-around defensemen in college football last season, throwing 111 tackles, eight sacks, 20 tackles without a loss, four interceptions and a forced fumble. He has some juice as a blitzer and can cover tight ends and running backs in a passing game. Lloyd’s 40-yard rush at 4.66 seconds means he doesn’t have the straight-line speed that former top five player Devin White (the linebacker I compared him to), but I don’t think he has must lag behind the speed. Eagles. These are the Eagles’ first three players with Lloyd, Chris Olav and Jermaine Johnson II.
The Eagles really need to add some linebacker talent after failing to fix their free agency problem so far. It’s still hard to believe they’re actually going to make it in the first round until we see it happen.