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Inside the Eagles: Ten players the Eagles could pick in the first round

With less than three weeks left until the NFL draft, there are 10 players the Eagles could conceivably select with the No. 4 overall pick, assuming they don't trade down.

Oregon's Dion Jordan, projected as an outside linebacker, has the size, a big upside, and is well-known to Eagles coach Chip Kelly. (Dave Martin/AP)
Oregon's Dion Jordan, projected as an outside linebacker, has the size, a big upside, and is well-known to Eagles coach Chip Kelly. (Dave Martin/AP)Read more

With less than three weeks left until the NFL draft, there are 10 players the Eagles could conceivably select with the No. 4 overall pick, assuming they don't trade down.

Here they are, ranked according to how likely they are to be Chip Kelly's first selection as coach, taking into account their availability when the Eagles pick.

1. Eric Fisher, tackle, Central Michigan. Momentum has gathered behind the idea that Fisher is the No. 1 tackle in the draft. Mike Mayock of NFL Network recently slotted him ahead of Luke Joeckel, who was once viewed as a lock to be the first offensive lineman off the board. Even if the Chiefs pass on Fisher at the top spot, Jacksonville and Oakland could take the 6-foot-7, 306-pound tackle. Still, Joeckel remains the likely No. 1 pick, and the Jaguars and Raiders seemingly have more pressing needs along their defensive fronts.

Fisher would address short-term and long-term issues for the Eagles. He would start at right tackle from Day 1, allowing Todd Herremans to move back to guard, and he could be the eventual replacement for the 31-year-old Jason Peters at left tackle. Tall and long, Fisher is an effective blocker who has drawn comparisons to 49ers all-pro tackle Joe Staley, also a product of Central Michigan.

2. Dion Jordan, outside linebacker, Oregon. Jordan could have the best upside of any player in the top 10. He also may be the most raw. There is the obvious connection to Kelly. There is the size - Jordan is a long 6-foot-6, 250 pounds - which the former Oregon coach prefers on defense. And there is the Eagles' likely need for a 3-4 outside pass rusher, especially one that can also cover.

3. Star Lotulelei, defensive tackle, Utah. Versatility may be what is most attractive about Lotulelei. Some analysts say he can play anywhere on the defensive line. Kelly has been vocal about wanting players who can't be pigeonholed. Whether they strictly use a 3-4 scheme or employ a hybrid front, the Eagles would find a place for the 6-foot-2, 311-pound Lotulelei. He could be a nose tackle; a three-technique defensive tackle, who lines up just outside a guard; or a five-technique defensive end, who lines up just outside a tackle.

Concerns that the 23-year-old Lotulelei may have a heart condition were alleviated recently when he was cleared by Utah doctors.

4. Dee Milliner, cornerback, Alabama. In the last nine drafts, Arizona's Patrick Peterson is the only cornerback who has been selected in the top five, but he could also return kicks. Milliner is a strong prospect, but he does not return kicks, and many analysts rate him a notch below Peterson.

The Eagles have an obvious need at cornerback, but taking Milliner with the fourth overall pick may be a stretch. The 6-0, 201-pound corner solidified his top-10 status with a 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the combine, but some question his ball skills.

5. Lane Johnson, tackle, Oklahoma. If Joeckel and Fisher are gone and the Eagles think the tackle position has the most depth in the draft, then Johnson could be the pick at No. 4. Or they could trade back a few spots and still nab the 6-foot-6, 310-pounder.

He's a relative novice on the offensive line, having played quarterback in high school and junior college before the Sooners recruited him to play tight end. But Johnson's combine numbers were among the best ever for a tackle. After plugging some holes on defense in free agency, Kelly may be looking for an athletic lineman to pillar his up-tempo offense.

6. Sharrif Floyd, defensive tackle, Florida. If he lasts until the Eagles pick, Floyd could be ticketed back to his native Philly. More than likely, he doesn't get past the Raiders at No. 3. Floyd is your prototypical three-technique tackle. Even if the Eagles have Fletcher Cox fitted for that spot, either he or Floyd could play elsewhere along the line.

7. Luke Joeckel, tackle, Texas A&M. Generally considered the top talent in the draft, Joeckel could slip if teams are making the same evaluations as Mayock. Andy Reid, though, appears to be aligning himself to take the left tackle with his first pick for the Chiefs.

8. Ziggy Ansah, defensive end, Brigham Young. Ansah's measurables are off the charts. He's big (6-5, 271), long (351/8-inch arms), and fast (4.63 40-yard dash). But he's only played competitive football for a few years and, for the Eagles' purposes, may be best suited to play end in a 4-3.

9. Chance Warmack, guard, Alabama. Once deemed the best guard prospect, Warmack has dropped behind North Carolina's Jonathan Cooper, according to some draftniks. He may have the edge on the Eagles' board with his former line coach, Jeff Stoutland, now working under Kelly. The Birds have a need at right guard with 2011 top pick Danny Watkins' tenuous hold on the spot. They would have to be convinced that Warmack was the second coming of Larry Allen to take a guard that high, though.

10. Geno Smith, quarterback, West Virginia. If he gets past the Bills at No. 8 and there's a free fall, maybe the Eagles trade up from their second pick and grab him late in the first. But with the fourth overall pick? Not likely.

at jmclane@phillynews.com. Follow @Jeff_McLane