The 2024 NFL Draft is almost here. I promise.
We have a little over a week until the first round kicks off on April 25 and there are still a ton of potential outcomes for the Eagles and their eight picks.
Here’s the latest look around at some options for them at No. 22:
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22. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
What they said: Many people’s top cornerback in the draft, Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell has special click-and-close ability in zone coverage and earned 91.5-plus PFF grades in 2022 and 2023. Philadelphia’s cornerbacks are aging fast, and Mitchell would be a much-needed injection of youth.
My take on the pick: If Mitchell is there at 22, the Eagles shouldn’t overthink it. Get that card in quickly. In this mock draft, Alabama’s Terrion Arnold went at 13 and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean went at 15. Based on most mock drafts, Mitchell will be long gone by the time the Eagles pick at 22 but no one really knows how the first round is going to go and it’s not inconceivable that some teams might prefer DeJean. If the Eagles want Mitchell, though, it would be a bit dangerous to wait for him to slide all the way to 22. If he starts getting into the late teens, a small trade-up scenario would make sense. While Mitchell played at Toledo, he dominated at that level and then performed well at the Senior Bowl against top competition. Then he went to the combine and aced it.
NFL
22. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
50. Zak Zinter, OG, Michigan
What they said: GM Howie Roseman will likely have to make his fifth first-round trade in the last six years to get Mitchell after the corner excelled at the Senior Bowl and combine (4.33 40 and 20 bench reps at 195 pounds). He may lose the 50th pick in such a trade but would still have the 53rd selection. The Eagles took Landon Dickerson early in the second round in 2021 after he suffered an injury late in his final college season -- like Zinter. The Michigan guard is a powerful and agile lineman who would step into a starting role as soon as he is able, assuming Cam Jurgens moves to center to replace Jason Kelce.
My take on the picks: This wasn’t a traditional mock draft from Reuter. This format was the ideal top two picks for each team. But he said he tried to keep it realistic. And Mitchell was the Eagles’ pick in the first round, perhaps with a trade-up, like we mentioned above. That would still be a big score.
As for the pick at No. 50, Zinter (6-6, 309) started 42 games over four years at Michigan, all at right guard. If the Eagles drafted him this high, he would be the presumed starter at right guard as a rookie unless Tyler Steen simply beat him out. Zinter seems like a high floor pick but might not be worth the No. 50 slot, especially because he was unable to test in the pre-draft process because of an injury.
22. Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
50. Patrick Paul, OT, Houston
53. Ja’Lynn Polk, WR, Washington
What they said: Philadelphia's defense fell apart at the end of last season, and top corners Darius Slay and James Bradberry are in their 30s. It's time to add an injection of youth in the secondary. Wiggins surrendered just one completion of 20-plus yards in 2023, and he has outstanding speed -- he ran 4.28-second 40-yard dash at the combine. The blend of cover skills and physical tools should make him an early contributor.
My take on the picks: Wiggins is an undersized cover corner from Clemson. He’s going to be a first-round pick but some will be scared off by his size after he weighed in at 173 pounds at the combine; that’s a legitimate worry. But he can cover. Last week, I asked Kiper on a conference call about the possibilities of CB-OT vs. OT-CB in the draft. There are ways to make either combination work.
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz, USA Today Sports
22. Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
What they said: After breaking from his ways to sign Saquon Barkley, Howie Roseman gets back to business with his standard approach. Lane Johnson has already mentored Guyton and could pass the torch at right tackle to his Sooner protégé. Philadelphia also has long planned ahead in its investments along the offensive line.
My take on the pick: Guyton (6-7, 322) began his career as a tight end/H-back but transferred to Oklahoma and became a tackle, mostly playing on the right side. He’s relatively inexperienced because of that late transition and is definitely a developmental project. With players like Georgia’s Amarius Mims and Cooper DeJean still on the board, a trade-down for Guyton might be a better play if he’s the player the Eagles want.
22. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
What they said: The Eagles cornerbacks aren't getting any younger, and Cooper DeJean can do a bit of everything in the secondary (in addition to being a dangerous punt returner).
My take on the pick: In this mock draft, Mitchell was the first corner off the board at 13 and Arnold was next at No. 17. DeJean becomes the third, which falls more in line with where most mock drafts have him. DeJean (6-0, 203) is a bigger corner who might offer some position flexibility in the NFL. After recovering from a broken leg late in the season, DeJean was finally able to test at a private pro day earlier this month and performed well.
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