Mock draft: The Eagles get their stud SEC wide receiver
The Eagles snag a dynamic wideout in our first-round NFL mock draft. By Shamus Clancy
Following the Eagles' surprise win over the Saints, they're currently slated to have the ninth-overall pick in next April's NFL draft.
Given that, here's our NFL first-round mock draft.
Sunshine is as big of a quarterback talent I’ve seen in my time watching college football, rivaling what I saw in Andrew Luck at Stanford. The Jets' tanking effort for this pick makes the 2016 Sixers look like the 1996 Bulls.
Fields is worthy of the top pick in his own right, but just happens to be in the same class as Lawrence. Fields gives Jacksonville the type of franchise figure the team simply has never had since its 1995 inception.
With rookie franchise quarterback Joe Burrow out for the season with a torn MCL and ACL, it's of the utmost importance to keep Burrow upright for the foreseeable future. Sewell, maybe the best offensive tackle prospect in years, will help do that instantly.
It's still early, but Justin Herbert looks like the best signal-caller in the entire 2020 rookie class. Adding the top wide receiver in the draft in Chase gives Los Angeles a tandem that could become an organizational foundation for the next decade.
With Dak Prescott missing the majority of this season with a broken ankle and entering free agency, Dallas opts to let him walk here and draft their next quarterback. I'm sure Eagles fans will come to loathe the abrasive Wilson in the coming years.
With an NFL pedigree and a college career dominating in the SEC, Surtain fortifies a Carolina backend that could certainly use an upgrade from the likes of Rasul Douglas.
Atlanta has holes everywhere and just needs a complete reset. Taking the best player overall on the board is the simplest and correct solution. Despite sitting out this season for Penn State, Parsons remains possibly the most tantalizing defensive prospect in the whole draft.
A broken right ankle has sidelined Waddle since October, but there’s no mistaking his immense talent and blazing speed. If you have a young quarterback, surround him with weapons. Easy move. Give Tua Tagovailoa his go-to guy.
The Eagles have endured this season with, yet again, potentially the worst group of wide receivers in the league. An influx of talent at the wideout position is needed in the worst. Adding Smith, who's acrobatics at Alabama have gone viral on social media all season long, gives the Birds a playmaker who's the real deal.
New York is in the middle of the pack in the NFL with 33 sacks this year, but adding the draft's top pass rusher is too enticing to pass up. Playing at the U, Rousseau recorded 15.5 sacks as a redshirt freshman in 2019.
Pairing Farley with corner Jeff Okudah, the third-overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, transforms Detroit's defense as they move into the post-Matt Patricia era.
While drafting a new quarterback to run Kyle Shanahan's offense could be tempting here, San Francisco grabs Paye, who has totaled 16.5 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks across 16 games over the last two seasons.
Denver needs a full-scale revamp. The aggressive John Elway may think about going quarterback here to replace the underwhelming Drew Lock, but you can rarely go wrong strengthening your team along the trenches.
If you're going to let Dalvin Cook run wild against the entire league, it's smart to beef up the offensive line in front of him. Leatherwood, measuring at 6'6" and 310 lbs., gives Cook another big body to allow him to compete for rushing titles.
The Bears haven't had a legitimate franchise quarterback since the forward pass was a progressive football concept. I hope Nick Foles once again enjoys the competition against a North Dakota State quarterback in Lance.
The Patriots and stud tight ends go together like peanut butter and chocolate (or whiz and fried onions). Pitts has been the most dominate tight end in college ball this year and gives New England a major weapon to put into place before they figure out their quarterback of the future situation.
Grabbing the best interior offensive lineman is the safest move Las Vegas can make here. Derek Carr has rebounded this season and looks closer to his 2016 form, so keeping him healthy with a stud on the inside is an easy call.
Lamar Jackson has regressed a bit as a passer following his MVP 2019 campaign, but that's partially due to a lackluster group of receivers. Moore has battled injuries during his collegiate career in the Big 10, but his wild freshman season in 2018 of 14 touchdowns showcases that the wideout oozes potential.
Washington's defense might be the biggest surprise in all of football this season. Their defensive line is absolutely fierce, but they could use some help in the secondary still. Horn has experience defending all the great receivers in the SEC and could give their D yet another weapon.
Patrick Peterson is still one of the league's best corners, but Wade represents a chance to keep Arizona's secondary afloat for the next era of Cardinals football.
Miami has been stacked with draft capital since they traded Laremy Tunsil to Houston. Drafting another young offensive tackle in Darrisaw with those hopes of becoming the next Tunsil for them is a smart decision for a franchise on the rise.
The NFL is decorated with talented Pitt defensive players. Jones could be the next in line there with a huge frame at 6'5" and 260 lbs. Jones currently has nine sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in 2020.
Philly's staunchest Jalen Hurts supporters would love to see Carson Wentz in Indy with his ol' pal Frank Reich next year, but the Colts opt to take Trask, the Heisman Trophy hopeful, here. Trask has a bonkers stat line of 40 passing touchdowns and just five interceptions this year down in the SEC.
Chalk Collins up as the next sleeper who's going to shoot up draft boards come the spring. He's done a little bit everything for Tulsa this season, registering 52 total tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, four sacks and four interceptions in just 11 games. He could feast in a hybrid role at the next level.
If you grab a franchise quarterback, you should pair him with a running mate for the foreseeable future to get your air game in order. Bateman was a complete beast for Minnesota in 2019 with 11 touchdowns and a whopping 20.3 yards per reception on 60 catches.
Jacksonville made an improbable run to the 2017 AFC Championship Game behind a loaded defense. After securing The Guy in Justin Fields at quarterback, it's time to once again bolster their D. Holland is a ballhawk at safety with nine interceptions in his first two college seasons before sitting out in 2020.
Barmore is set to be the next hulking Crimson Tide defensive lineman to wreak havoc in the NFL. Barmore, with six sacks in eight games this season, adds a transformative presence to a lackluster Tennessee defense.
With a high-powered offense that has Josh Allen looking like one of the game's next great signal-callers, Buffalo should do everything they can to protect their scrambling QB. Enter Slater, who has guard and tackle versatility.
With Aaron Rodgers looking the possible MVP, Green Bay must be kicking themselves for drafting quarterback Jordan Love in the first round back in April. They rectify their mistake here and give the future Hall of Famer another weapon in Marshall, who should mesh perfectly with Rodgers as he enters the twilight of his career.
Penn State has low-key become Tight End U. Pittsburgh's offense has been bogged down as of late, so Freiermuth would give them another weapon to spark things up in 2021.
Taysom Hill's one-dimensional bag of tracks has run stale while filling in for an injured Drew Brees. With a complete roster, New Orleans can afford to grab their quarterback of the future here even if Brees returns for another season.
When in doubt, expect Andy Reid to load up his team with another pass rusher. I also wouldn't be shocked if they drafted some offensive dude who runs a 4.3 to make Patrick Mahomes look like even more of a superstar than he already is.
