In this edition of “Mosher’s Mailbag,” I answer a question about safeties in the draft.
Q. Aside from Landon Collins what other options are there for the Eagles at safety in the draft? — Matty G (@thatsG_risKy)
A. The draft analysts say this isn’t a very strong overall class of safeties, which doesn’t bode well for the Eagles’ chances of landing Landon Collins, who’s generally considered the cream of the crop, at 20th overall. Last year’s top safety, Calvin Pryor, went 18th, but three other safeties went in the first round — Ha Ha Clinton-Dix at 21st to Green Bay, Deone Bucannon at 27th to Arizona and Jimmie Ward at 30th to San Francisco.
It’s pretty unlikely that four safeties are going in the first round this year. Right now, it’s Collins and Washington’s Shaq Thompson, a unique athlete whom some teams view as a 4-3 outside linebacker. With Collins being the only natural safety, he’ll probably go in the top 15, even though some scouts aren’t glowing over him.
Thompson will probably also be gone at 20, but even if he falls to the Eagles, I’m not sure he’s what Chip Kelly is looking for at safety. Kelly wants his safeties to play the post and box interchangeably. There’s no question Thompson can come into the box and knock someone’s head off. Can he drop and patrol center field? It’s not something he did much in college. Right now, it’s a projection.
After those two, the drop-off seems steep. TCU’s Chris Hackett and Mississippi’s Cody Prewitt could be there in the second round. Personally, I’d wait and see if Michigan State’s Kurtis Drummond fell to the third round or grab Northwestern’s Ibraheim Campbell in the fourth.
The Eagles caught a closer look at Drummond and Campbell at the Senior Bowl. Drummond comes from a strong defensive program. He’s 6-foot-1 and 208 pounds, so he has the length and size that Kelly likes at the position.
NFL
Campbell, a Philadelphia native who went to Chestnut Hill Academy, is only 5-foot-10 but he was a four-year starter at Northwestern, an academically renowned school, and his IQ and character will definitely appeal to Kelly’s appetite for scholars and model citizens.
The book on Campbell is that he gets beat over the top too much but Campbell actually defended better at the Senior Bowl than his reputation.
If he can’t get Collins in the first, Kelly shouldn’t reach for safety in the second round. The Eagles have gone down that road too many times.