IS TALKIN' SOUL WITH DONOVAN MORGAN
It's a slow Friday without much going on pertaining to the Eagles, but here are a few mock drafts to take a look at.
Of course, take these with a grain of salt. Teams' rosters will look a lot different between now and April's draft. But these are some names that could be worth keeping an eye on. Maybe.
The roundup:
ESPN.com's Todd McShay has the Eagles going with Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still at No. 15:
Opinions on Still vary widely. I have an early-second round grade on him, but many feel he is a mid-first-rounder. There is a lot to like about his upside, given his size and ability to penetrate and disrupt. He is inconsistent on tape, but it's hard to find guys with his combination of skills. Alabama S Mark Barron would be a consideration, but the Eagles got S Jaiquan Jarrett in the second round last year, and this would be a bit early for an outside linebacker like North Carolina's Zach Brown. Philadelphia fans, feel free to disagree.
McShay has Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly going 12th to the Chiefs.
The Eagles currently have Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins under contract for 2012. I'd expect both to be back as starters, although Howie Roseman wouldn't say for certain that Jenkins would be back when he spoke to the beat guys in Mobile, Ala. Antonio Dixon is a restricted free agent, coming off of a season-ending injury. Trevor Laws and Derek Landri are both free agents. Landri was a nice addition last season, and the Eagles would be smart to bring him back.
Rob Rang of CBSSports.com has the Eagles taking Kuechly at No. 15.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post also has the Eagles taking Kuechly:
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.
Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has the Eagles taking North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown:
Though the Eagles defense finished the season strong, their linebackers still had their issues. The LBs were a problem all season. In Brown, a guy I like considerably more as an NFL prospect than Boston College’s Luke Kuechly, the Eagles would get the type of player that’s in on every play with a ton of potential to get better. A 6-foot-2, 240-pound tackling machine, Brown’s a guy who changes games. Watching a UNC game is like watching a Zach Brown highlight reel. The Eagles could use some of that resourcefulness roaming the middle.
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