THE NFL DRAFT IS LESS THAN WEEK AWAY! With so much anticipation, hype, and anxiousness awaiting Day 1 of the NFL Draft, I have decided to make a list of some players who the Philadelphia Eagles should target with pick 12. I believe Philadelphia should take a top CB such as Alabama’s Patrick Surtain II, Virginia Tech’s Caleb Farley, or South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn. There will be several talented WRs available on day 2 to for Philadelphia to take, and they can always double up and take one in Rounds 2 and 3. I have set up this article by personal preference, using “Option 1,” “Option 2,” etc. without giving away any more of the prospects, let’s get started!
Option 1: The Cornerbacks
“The Cornerbacks” are classified as the elite, tier one guys I mentioned earlier. I consider Surtain to be more of the pure, all-around talent, who’s a tad slower than preferred from a top corner. Farley is a burner who can shut down his side of the field in man-to-man. While Horn is the most raw of the three, he had a phenomenal Pro Day. Horn’s father played in the NFL for a while, so Jaycee has been around the game for a long time, and has tons of speed and press ability as a corner in man-to-man too.
Option 2: Address Wide Receiver
While there is tons of later value at the wide receiver position, the Eagles could address it early, and in fact, right away. With Ja’Marr Chase and Kyle Pitts being near locks to be selected before the Eagles select at 12, there’s a chance that either Jaylen Waddle and/or DeVonta Smith are available for the Eagles at pick 12. Since Waddle is the faster, more versatile prospect with a higher potential, I would prefer him over Smith.
Option 3: Best Available
There are a few other players who could be at play for Philadelphia at 12. For example, Northwestern OL Rashawn Slater might be the best prospect available when the Eagles are up at 12, if he’s on the board. If he is, I would not be shocked if the Eagles select him. As for others, Penn State LB Micah Parsons would be a long-term solution to a position that the organization has not evaluated seriously in decades. The last LB selected in the 1st round by the Eagles happened 42 years ago, so chances are slim of Parsons to Philly, but crazier scenarios have happened during the draft.
The other position to keep an eye on is the DL. Players such as Michigan’s Kwity Paye, Jaelen Phillips or Gregory Rousseau (both from Miami), should be at play for Philly at 12 too. Paye offers versatility and disruption on the defensive line, while Phillips and Rousseau are both raw, boom-or-bust prospects, and may need a year or two to accommodate well to the NFL. Other names to keep an eye on are Virginia Tech OL Christian Darrisaw and USC’s Alijah Vera-Tucker. Both of them are offensive linemen that Philadelphia could probably trade down a few spots and still be able to select around pick 15.
Here’s the names to watch for the Eagles as their pick nears on draft night. Unfortunately, Howie Roseman will pull anything out of his hat of tricks, so he could very well select NO ONE on this list. Hopefully he goes the “Option 1” or “Option 2” route, or else the streets of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania will have a French Revolution over his recently poor draft history.
Photo Credit: Vincent Richardson / The Riot Report
