Eagles-only mock after trade back to No. 12
The Eagles traded back from 6 to 12 last week, which opened up a whole new world of possibilities in the 2021 draft. It seems unlikely the Eagles actually take 11 players but that’s what we’ll go with for this Eagles-only mock draft.
The way I look at it, the move down to No. 12 could get the Eagles the third-best receiver in the draft but it could also give them the best cornerback. South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn is the hotter name right now and there’s a chance he actually goes ahead of Surtain. But let’s not lose sight of how good Surtain has been during his college career. At 6-2, 200 pounds, Surtain would come in and start at CB2 immediately and grow into CB1 after Darius Slay is gone. He has the potential to be great in the NFL.
Yes, Moore is undersized at 5-9 1/2 and 178 pounds but he has elite speed and plays bigger than his stature. He ran a 4.35 at Mississippi’s pro day and tested well in other areas too. In 2020, Moore had 86 catches for 1,193 yards and 8 touchdowns in just eight games. He can play inside and outside and also has return ability. He’s the type of explosive receiver the Eagles have been wanting.
At 6-3, 320 pounds, Meinerz is no longer a secret. Coming from a Division III school, he was under the radar for a while but NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah just put Meinerz into his top 50 prospects list and after his performance at the Senior Bowl, that’s not all that surprising. Meinerz could be a guard or center at the next level and it’s time for the Eagles to replenish at iOL. Could he be Jason Kelce’s long-term replacement?
The 6-4, 264-pound edge rusher was very productive the last two years at Pitt, picking up 17 1/2 sacks in 2019 and 2020. He also had 24 tackles for loss. Jones is athletic enough and has proven he can make an impact at the college level. Overall, this isn’t a great crop of edge rushers, but Jones feels like a sturdy pick with upside. The Eagles have Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett for this season but they could use more.
There’s not a ton to go off of here with McGrone, who played in just 16 games for the Wolverines and just five in 2020. But that lack of action might actually help him fall to the Eagles in the fourth round. McGrone (6-1, 236) might not have the experience but has a good frame and athleticism and had a very good 2019 season.
At 6-2, 280, Odighizuwa is a little bit of a tweener but the possibility of getting some interior pass rush this late in the draft is appealing. He had 10 1/2 sacks over the last three years at UCLA and always seemed able to get into the backfield. In just seven games in 2020, he had 4 sacks, 6 TFLs and 30 tackles.
At 5-11, 218, Mitchell is a tough runner who would be an ideal complement to Miles Sanders. He has been very productive in college, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. He also showed some ability as a receiver, catching 46 passes over the last three years for the Ragin’ Cajuns.
Coming from a relatively little known FCS team, Uphoff isn’t a household name but he performed well enough to earn an invite to the Senior Bowl. Like Meinerz, Uphoff wasn’t able to play in 2020 but made the most of his Senior Bowl trip. He was named the top safety on the National team in Mobile.
This is a fun developmental pick at tight end. Wells (6-4, 250) has minimal football experience but has plenty of potential. Wells is a former basketball player and didn’t start playing football until his senior year in high school. Eagles new TEs coach Jason Michael did wonders with Mo Alie-Cox in Indy, so the idea of him trying it again is intriguing.
After missing the 2019 season with a torn ACL, Norwood returned in 2020 and played well, especially down the stretch. Norwood had five interceptions in 2020 and they all came within the last six games. Norwood was primarily a nickel corner at Oklahoma but also has the ability to play safety.
At 6-3, 250, Koonce might need to put on some more weight to play at the next level but he has enough pure skills to warrant a late-round selection. He might project more as a 3-4 outside backer but the Eagles could at least find a rotational use for him after watching him total 13 sacks in his last 17 college games.
