Eagles mock draft roundup
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Eagles mock draft roundup
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
With the NFL combine under way in Indianapolis, now seems like a good time to round up the latest mock drafts from around the country.
SI.com's Don Banks has the Eagles taking Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly at No. 15:
This should be the perfect first-round melding of team need and draft slot value for the Eagles, because one of their glaring deficiences for a while now has been for a player who possesses Keuchly's skill set. He's a smart and instinct tackler who has the ability to read and react and find the ballcarrier. He's a tough player and a natural leader, and he should fit perfectly in the hard-nosed NFC East.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post also likes Kuechly for the Eagles:
A tackling machine with good size, natural instincts and knowledge to fend off blocks and find the football. Is the kind of talent the Eagles need inside to improve their struggling linebacking corps.
Chad Reuter of NFL.com has the Eagles taking Kuechly (sense a pattern here?):
The team's problems in the middle of the defense last season were well-documented. Kuechly's production and instincts could fill that gap, especially if he shows better-than-expected athleticism at the combine.
ESPN.com's Mel Kiper pegs Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox for the Eagles:
No team was softer up the middle than Philly in 2011, and while linebacker is a bigger need, it wouldn't be a very good value here if the board lines up like this. In Cox, you get a player who should be great in the 3-4, a powerful bull-rusher who can collapse the pocket, but also a guy who does a good job against the run and plays with a really high motor. I have wide receiver as another potential need, but the Philly defense needs to be a bigger priority in the draft. The Eagles can target a linebacker in the next round.
Pat Kirwan of CBSSports.com has the Eagles going with (surprise!) Kuechly:
It's a little high in the draft for a middle linebacker, but unless the Eagles secure a player like Stephen Tulloch in free agency, this kid is too good to pass up.
Rob Rang of CBSSports.com thinks it'll be Kuechly too:
Juan Castillo was a convenient scapegoat for the fact that the Eagles didn't have a middle linebacker play with any kind of consistency in 2011. Philadelphia may be perfectly positioned to nab the most productive linebacker in recent college football history. More decorated than a wedding cake, Kuechly is the reigning Butkus, Nagurski, Lombardi and Lott Impact Trophy Award winner and has more career tackles (532) than any other linebacker in the country. That's saying something considering he's leaving after his junior season.
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Listen up people - Andy Reid knows he is facing possibly his last year here if he doesn't get this team to perform and win. He is not going to take a chance on a young work-in-progress MLB as his first pick in the draft. He is going to go after guys who are certain to make an instant impact, at least in his eyes. Forget about Kuechly or Burflict, it's not going to happen. He will draft his LB's in the later round and go through free agency to fill the immediate holes. Why is he going to build on a future that might not be there?— thegamepa- 3-4? Huh?— tpizza
Comment removed.- Howie has taken off time from his mailroom and valet duties to assess all the talent and he left a messge for Joe....."don't worry, we can trade down and get a bunch of 6th roundres who will be cheap and who AR thinks he can coach up.....Thanks for the time off boss...— nuggett
- Sheil, does Luke Kuechly have the speed, quickness, and skill to cover RBs and TEs well? That's the big question with him. If he doesn't then he can't be a 3-down LB so it wouldn't be getting good value to use the 15th pick on such a player.— soulman386
- The Eagles will NOT draft Fletcher Cox if for no other reason then Mel Kiper said they would.— amg
- I think you guys are missing the point. Kiper is comparing Cox to a 3-4 DTackle who are much bigger than 4-3 Dtackles. Reading Comprehension'd?— SilliBilli
- coming from the man who has yet to master subject-verb agreement... — badstats
- @soulman yes. And he would be an improvement over any LB currently on the roster by far.— FABER
- so would any three posters on this thread. we all have as much business cashing an NFL paycheck as the current crop of LB's. — coloradoeagle
- If Kuechly had so many tackles because the BC defensive line was porous, he should do well here.— Leegles
- Andy will go offensive LINE...johnnyu
— john ullman - we will have better idea after free agency— camasbud
- Eagles need to get free agent MLB London Fletcher from the Skins on a two year deal and also draft Kuechly to play outside and as his replacement in a year. If they wait until draft for the MLB... Dallas who picks right before the Eagles will grab Kuechly as both a need and to keep the Birds weak there.— dennismithusa
- No, he says Cox will be great in the 3-4...— tpizza
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