Mock draft: Will Eagles show brotherly love?
If mock draft is correct, the Birds will select linebacker Eric Kendricks, the younger sibling of Eagles' LB Mychal Kendricks.
YEAH, I KNOW pre-Valentine's Day mock drafts are pretty absurd. We haven't even had the combine or the Pro Day workouts.
But hey, wouldn't you rather read who the Eagles might take at No. 20, even if it's an absolute blind guess?
So, let's hit it from the top:
1. TAMPA BAY
Jameis Winston, QB
Florida State
6-5, 235
Risky pick because of his off-the-field issues, but he's the most NFL-ready quarterback in the draft.
2. TENNESSEE
Marcus Mariota, QB
Oregon
6-4, 211
Forget all of the nonsense about Mariota falling out of the top 5 because he didn't play in a pro-style offense. Quarterbacks get pushed up in the draft, not down.
3. JACKSONVILLE
Leonard Williams, DE
USC
6-5, 290
Williams can line up inside or outside and be a dominant force vs. run and pass in Gus Bradley's defense.
4. OAKLAND
Randy Gregory, DE/OLB
Nebraska
6-6, 245
What do you get a team that had just 22 sacks last season? How about another elite pass-rusher to team with last year's first-round pass-rusher, Khalil Mack.
5. WASHINGTON
Shane Ray, OLB
Missouri
6-2, 240
Brian Orakpo, who missed most of the 2014 season with a torn pec, is an unrestricted free agent. Ray may be the best pure pass-rusher in the draft.
6. N.Y. JETS
Ereck Flowers, OT
Miami
6-6, 325
They'd love to get their hands on Winston or Mariota, but that's not going to happen. They'll have to settle for the guy many scouts feel is the best offensive lineman in the draft.
7. CHICAGO
Landon Collins, S
Alabama
6-0, 210
He's the top-rated safety in the draft, but some teams don't view him as a top 15 pick. Not a big hitter, but has good range and ball skills.
8. ATLANTA
Dante Fowler Jr., DE/OLB
Florida
6-1, 270
And the run on pass-rushers continues. Fowler is short and stocky and probably is best suited to be a 3-4 edge-rusher. But Dan Quinn is taking over a defense that had just 22 sacks and needs guys who can get to the QB.
9. N.Y. GIANTS
Brandon Scherff, OT
Iowa
6-4, 320
Giants GM Jerry Reese continues to rebuild his team's offensive line, one big body at a time.
10. ST. LOUIS
Amari Cooper, WR
Alabama
6-1, 205
Whoever ends up being the Rams' starting QB is going to need somebody to throw the ball to. Cooper is a big-play threat who can run away from people.
11. MINNESOTA
Melvin Gordon, RB
Wisconsin
6-0, 205
In the last 6 years, just four running backs have been top-15 picks. But this kid is special. With Adrian Peterson probably not returning, the Vikings need somebody better than Matt Asiata to complement Teddy Bridgewater.
12. CLEVELAND
DeVante Parker, WR
Louisville
6-2, 210
Josh Gordon is off on another long substance-abuse hiatus. Parker is a big, fast target with excellent hands who will go over the middle for the ball.
13. NEW ORLEANS
Trae Waynes, CB
Michigan State
6-1, 182
What Waynes may lack in speed he makes up for in length and instincts. Saints gave up 7.7 yards per pass attempt last season.
14. MIAMI
T.J. Clemmings, OT
Pittsburgh
6-4, 315
Dolphins still are rebuilding their offensive line. Ryan Tannehill was sacked 46 times, and neither of their OTs distinguished themselves.
15. SAN FRANCISCO
Kevin White, WR
West Virginia
6-2, 211
White would give Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers' offense a much-needed vertical threat. Niners had the fourth fewest number of 30-plus-yard pass plays in the league last year.
16. HOUSTON
Brett Hundley, QB
UCLA
6-3, 223
He's very raw and his one-look-and-run tendencies concern many NFL scouts. But the kid's an intriguing prospect.
17. SAN DIEGO
Marcus Peters, CB
Washington
6-0, 198
Yet another player with major character questions, but an awful lot of talent. Was tossed off the team last November for getting into an argument with an assistant coach.
18. KANSAS CITY
Dorial Green-Beckham, WR
Oklahoma
6-6, 225
Green-Beckham also has some major off-the-field issues. But he's also probably the most talented wideout in this draft. Chiefs didn't have a WR with a TD catch last season. Time for Big Red to do his Father Flanagan thing.
19. CLEVELAND
Danny Shelton, DT
Washington
6-5, 335
Browns allowed 4.5 yards per carry last season. Shelton is a huge, immovable object who would help change that.
20. EAGLES
Eric Kendricks, LB
UCLA
6-0, 230
I'm very familiar with Chip Kelly's big-people-beat-up-little-people mantra. But a lack of height hasn't bothered Eric's brother Mychal, and so far, it hasn't hindered Eric, either.
21. CINCINNATI
P.J. Williams CB/S
Florida State
6-1, 196
Williams has appeal as both a corner and safety to NFL teams. He played safety at FSU before the Seminoles moved him to corner. Nice size. Good ball skills. Solid tackler.
22. PITTSBURGH
Bud Dupree, OLB/DE
Kentucky
6-3, 268
An extremely productive college player who is going to knock teams' socks off with his combine and Pro Day workouts.
23. DETROIT
Cameron Erving, OL
Florida State
6-5, 303
Was a 3-year starter at offensive tackle, then made the switch to center during his senior season. Lions center Dominic Raiola turned 100 - OK, it actually was only 36 - in December.
24. ARIZONA
Shaq Thompson, OLB
Washington
6-2, 224
A versatile athlete who can play an assortment of positions on both offense and defense. What team can't use a Swiss Army knife?
25. CAROLINA
Andrus Peat, OT
Stanford
6-7, 312
Panthers have some major issues up front, particularly at tackle. Peat could start immediately at RT.
26. BALTIMORE
Todd Gurley, RB
Georgia
6-1, 226
Gurley would've been a top 10 - maybe even top 5 - pick if he hadn't torn his ACL. Ravens are hoping to re-sign Justin Forsett, but Gurley would be a great value for them at 26, even if he contributes little in 2015.
27. DALLAS
Malcom Brown, DT
Texas
6-3, 317
Cowboys defense played better than expected last season, but they have a lot of areas that need upgrading, including the defensive line.
28. DENVER
Cedric Ogbuehi, OT
Texas A&M
6-5, 300
Ogbuehi was considered a possible top-10 pick before tearing his ACL in the Liberty Bowl. But he is expected to make a full recovery, and like Gurley, he's a terrific value pick late in the first round.
29. INDIANAPOLIS
Sammie Coates, WR
Auburn
6-2, 213
He's unpolished and inconsistent, but scouts love his speed and measurables. Forced his way into the first round with solid workouts at the Senior Bowl.
30. GREEN BAY
Eddie Goldman, DT
Florida State
6-3, 320
Goldman has the versatility to play any of the line spots in Dom Capers' 3-4 scheme. Truthfully, he probably won't drop this far, but if he does, Packers will gobble him up.
31. SEATTLE
Vic Beasley, DE/OLB
Clemson
6-2, 235
Bruce Irvin 2.0. Like the undersized Irvin, who the Seahawks took in the first round of the 2012 draft, he's not an every-down player, at least not right now. But he's a quick-twitch player who may have the best first step of any pass-rusher in this draft.
32. NEW ENGLAND
Dezmin Lewis, WR
6-3, 215
Central Arkansas
Lewis is a small-school receiver who played in a run-oriented offense. But he's got a big frame and soft hands, and if he can put up a good 40 number at the combine, he could go in the first round.