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Eagles pick offensive lineman Seumalo in third round

The Eagles drafted their first offensive lineman since 2013 on Friday when they selected Oregon State's Isaac Seumalo with the No. 79 overall pick.

The Eagles drafted their first offensive lineman since 2013 on Friday when they selected Oregon State's Isaac Seumalo with the No. 79 overall pick.

It came in the third round with the team's second pick of the draft, and it was used on a 6-foot-4, 303-pound lineman that coach Doug Pederson believes can vie for a starting job and is versatile enough to play every spot on the offensive line.

"I think this kid can come in and compete and give us great depth at the spot," Pederson said. "I do agree he could challenge for a starting job."

The Eagles signed Brandon Brooks to a five-year, $40 million contract in March to start at right guard, but there will be a competition at left guard. Seumalo could compete with Allen Barbre and Stefen Wisniewski.

Seumalo, who started at four of five offensive line spots in college, will begin his Eagles career at guard. He had 37 career starts for the Beavers, including 23 at center, nine at right guard, three at left tackle, and two at right tackle. Left guard was the only spot he didn't play, but the Eagles think he has the skill set to play there.

"You kind of look at our offensive line and the depth we have here, it seems like a natural position for us to start him out at," said Howie Roseman, the team's executive vice president of football operations. "We watched him play guard, and we're excited to see him there. For us, that seemed like a natural progression for what we had and what we're looking for right now."

Seumalo's father, Joe, used to be an assistant coach at Oregon State and is now the defensive line coach at UNLV. Seumalo went to high school in Corvallis, Ore., when his father coached there, and he developed into one of the top offensive line prospects in the country. Seumalo became a starter at Oregon State as a freshman.

Seumalo broke his foot at the end of his sophomore season in 2013, and the injury kept him out of his junior in 2014. He returned in 2015, and the Eagles did not have any concern about his health when they drafted him and Seumalo's ability to step in and compete when he arrives.

"As a competitor and a player, I want to come in and play right away," Seumalo said. "But at the same time, I want to learn from the best."

It was difficult for Roseman to sit throughout the whole second round without a selection, but the Eagles prepared for that situation. They considered trading down in the third round, but they were afraid of losing out on Seumalo. Roseman said that when the Eagles made the trade with the Browns, they prioritized keeping the No. 79 pick so they could acquire someone like Seumalo.

"He's a good player," Roseman said. "The tape separated him for us. His ability to play the point of attack, play in space, an intelligent guy."

The Eagles went the last two drafts without taking an offensive lineman. Seumalo was the first one drafted since Lane Johnson in 2013.

There was a priority on drafting an offensive lineman - Roseman said it did not matter if it was an interior lineman or a tackle - and they were pleased that their board allowed them to take one in the third round. With four picks on Sunday, the Eagles could add another lineman.

"We'd like that," Roseman said. "It's a priority for us. But we're not going to force anything. The board will dictate that as we go forward. But getting one here and getting one of his caliber for us allows us a lot of leeway as we get into the fifth, sixth, and seventh round."

zberman@phillynews.com

@ZBerm