It never made much sense to me trying to figure out what teams will do in the NFL draft before seeing what they did in free agency. Now that the signing period is winding down and most of the big moves are out of the way, we have a much clearer sense which direction the Eagles might be going come April 28.
Okay, maybe not.
The Eagles did a nice job filling holes this offseason, and therefore shouldn't enter this draft with the idea they need to target any one player or position. That kind of flexibility makes predicting their selections with any accuracy all the more difficult.
So think of this as more of a concept of what the Eagles could do with nine picks, barring any trades of course. Hey, they have dropped some hints in recent interviews and even simply in how the roster is constructed. Who knows, maybe one or two of these names will come up after all.
Round 1, Pick No. 8: Vernon Hargreaves III, CB, Florida
The Eagles have done an excellent job assembling starting-caliber talent at just about every position, so they truly have the freedom to go best player available here. That being said, the front office must also consider the team's future and who will be most able to make the most impact, especially when choosing number eight.
Hargreaves could be the answer to both the best player and biggest need questions. A three-year starter and consensus All-American, Hargreaves has the potential to become a superstar at the next level. Though a tad undersized at 5'10", the Florida product plays with a physicality that lends itself well to defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz's scheme, and with 10 career interceptions, possesses the playmaker instinct as well. Plus, beyond Eric Rowe, the Eagles don't have a clear-cut starter at the position beyond 2016, so cornerback most certainly is an area the club will be looking to upgrade.
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With Nolan Carroll, Leodis McKelvin, Ron Brooks and JaCorey Shepher all in the fold, the Eagles likely wouldn't count on much of a contribution from Hargreaves as a rookie. However, in as little as one year down the road, he could become an institution in Schwartz's defense.
Round 3, Pick No. 77: Kenneth Dixon, RB, Louisiana Tech
An underrated need for the Eagles, vice president of player personnel Howie Roseman hinted the other day the Eagles will not wait until the later rounds to find a running back. And as it turns out, the perfect fit for their offense might be hanging around in the third.
Dixon won't blow anybody away with his measureables, but then again, neither did Brian Westbrook. What Dixon does do is produce, both on the ground and through the air, the latter of which has been a staple of Andy Reid's and Doug Pederson's offenses. The Louisiana Tech product ran for over 900 yards in all four collegiate seasons along with 72 total touchdowns on the ground. Dixon became a pass-catching threat in his final two years as well, hauling in 63 receptions for 849 yards and 13 scores.
It's not necessarily common to see such a refined receiver out of the backfield at that level, particularly one who's also this accomplished as a runner. Dixon is so perfect for this offense, it wouldn't be a surprise if the Eagles moved up to snag him.
Round 3, Pick No. 79: Shon Coleman, OT, Auburn
Don't worry, we haven't forgotten about the offensive line. The free-agent addition of Brandon Brooks may have mitigated the immediacy for action, but there's still a mandate for the Eagles to get younger and deeper up front.
Coleman is an intriguing prospect in that he's a potential first-round talent who might be available later due to injury. In fact, he hasn't even been able to work out for teams so far this offseason because of a torn MCL. He'll also be a 25-year-old rookie, which will turn some organizations off. But at 6'5", 307 pounds, Coleman certainly looks the part of an NFL tackle, and a two-year starter at Auburn, he's faced plenty of top-flight competition.
The Eagles are in a unique position where they must think about life without Jason Peters, but won't have to replace him for at least one more year, maybe two. That would give Coleman time to get healthy and the coaching staff an opportunity to groom him before thrusting him into action, which based on the way some young offensive tackles struggle, might be the ideal career path anyway.
Round 4, Pick No. 100: Dak Prescott, QB, Mississippi State
The Eagles have made no secret of their intention to select a quarterback in this year's draft, and based on the current makeup of the roster, it's only logical. And given how Roseman likes to position the club to make one of the first selections on the third day of the draft, as he's done once again in 2016, this seems like a logical place to target one.
Chase Goodbread for NFL.com has already reported the Eagles will host Prescott for a pre-draft visit. That was before the Mississippi State product ran into some trouble in the form of a DUI charge, but assuming this was a one-time slip-up, it shouldn't hurt his draft stock too much. After all, there aren't many quarterbacks in this or any draft who completed 66 percent of their passes with 29 touchdowns to five interceptions their senior year. Oh yeah, he's a threat to run, too.
Prescott would be coming into a great situation behind a clear starter in Sam Bradford and a knowledgeable backup in Chase Daniel who can help him learn the system. Who knows, a year or two down the road, he could be competing for the number one job.
Round 5, Pick No. 153: Tajae Sharpe, WR, Massachusetts
Jordan Matthews is a player and the investment in Nelson Agholor warrants another year of waiting to see whether he can fulfill his potential. Beyond that, the Eagles don't have many definites in their receiving corps, and at the very least likely need a body to fill out the depth chart.
Sharpe could be more than that. At 21 years old, there's a chance he was only just scratching the surface at Massachusetts. At 6'2", 194 pounds, Sharpe is still lean, but if he can add muscle to that tall frame, he's going to be handful for defensive backs. A crisp route runner with adequate speed, he was productive as well, catching 196 passes for 2,600 yards and 12 touchdowns over his final two collegiate seasons.
With Josh Huff and Chris Givens also in the fold, Sharpe wouldn't need to step in and contribute from day one, yet could certainly push for snaps as the third or fourth receiver right out of the gate.
Round 5, Pick No. 164: Quinton Jefferson, DT, Maryland
This is a particularly deep draft for interior defensive linemen, which means there are going to be some good ones available later. The Eagles have Fletcher Cox, and although Bennie Logan is coming off of a mighty fine season, he's a bit of an unknown in Schwartz's wide nine front.
Jefferson, on the other hand, might be just right for the attacking scheme. The 6'4", 291-pounder racked up 6.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss last season at Maryland, and his career numbers would no doubt be better were it not for a torn ACL in 2014. Jefferson's scouting report suggests he may be no more than a rotational player at the next level, but at this stage of the draft, an interior pass-rush specialist is still good value, and if anybody can get more out of the early entrant, it's Schwartz.
Round 6, Pick No. 188: De'Vondre Campbell, LB, Minnesota
Big. Campbell is 6'4", 232 pounds. He's also athletic, running a sub-4.6 40. The Eagles sorely need depth at linebacker and Schwartz likes the big, athletic types. Those qualities alone could make him an instant contributor on special teams and somebody who might even be able to play a few snaps on defense in a pinch.
Round 7, Pick No. 233: Denver Kirkland, OG, Arkansas
A three-year starter who spent last season at tackle, Kirkland isn't the most athletic specimen in the draft even as offensive linemen go, but at 6'4", 335 pounds, he certainly is huge. Will need to be coached up at the next level, as one would expect of most any prospect at this point in the draft, but with Brooks in the fold and a host of competition for the other guard spot, there's absolutely no rush to get Kirkland on the field, either. This is essentially just a flyer, but not a bad one to take considering how thin the Eagles have become up front.
Round 7, Pick No. 233: Lawrence Thomas, DE, Michigan State
Massive body at 6'3", 286 pounds who showed some some flashes as a pass-rusher with 6.0 sacks over the past two seasons. Not overly athletic, but could have the versatility and size to slide inside as well.