After months of speculation and rumors and mock drafts — so many mock drafts — the 2024 NFL Draft is finally here.
By the end of tonight we’ll be talking about which players ended up where in the first round.
But as you wait, here’s our final Eagles mock draft roundup of 2024:
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Reuben Frank, NBC Sports Philadelphia
18. JC Latham, OT, Alabama
What they said: You didn’t really think Howie was going to stay at 22, did you? No way. There are a lot of interesting options for the Eagles, but my guess is that staying at 22 is least likely, after trading up and trading down. I’ll go 20 percent staying at 22, 25 percent trading down and 55 percent trading up. Having two 2nd-round picks gives the Eagles a ton of flexibility, and being able to move up and snag a future franchise offensive tackle like Latham would be huge. The Eagles appear set at tackle with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson, but Howie Roseman doesn’t think like that. Johnson is still playing at an elite level, but he turns 34 in a few weeks, and is heading into his 12th season, and there has to be a succession plan in place. Plus, the beauty of drafting Latham is that he can compete at right guard from the jump or back up everywhere on the line except center until Johnson decides to hang ‘em up. At 6-foot-6, 340 pounds, Latham is built like a guard, but he’s got the footwork, power and athleticism to play tackle at a very high level in the NFL. Roseman has made 13 1st-round picks as GM and 10 of them have been offensive or defensive linemen, and especially after hearing Roseman talk last week about the importance of offensive line depth – “It’s not about the five (starters), it’s about having depth up front” - there’s no reason to think anything will change this year. There are whispers Latham is rising up teams’ draft boards, and maybe he won’t be available within range of a reasonable Eagles trade-up. But adding an elite talent like Latham gives them the opportunity to continue fielding a top offensive line in a post-Jason Kelce world.
My take on the pick: To me, there are four players who make sense in a trade-up scenario and Latham is one of them. He’s a huge guy with a high floor and high ceiling, who played at Alabama and can offer some position versatility. He checks off more boxes than just about any other prospect in this year’s class. I also had the Eagles trading up (to 16) to take Latham. So if they can move up just a few spots and get him, that’s even better.
NFL
Mike Mulhern, NBC Sports Philadelphia
19. Terrion Arnold, CB, Alabama
What they said: After watching Murphy go one pick earlier, Rams GM Les Snead is willing to move down a few spots. Arnold represents the last player in the Eagles’ tier of difference makers, so Howie Roseman moves up from 22 to secure his guy. The Eagles move down from 50th to 52nd in the 2nd round and send out the 120th and 161st picks in the deal. Arnold, a first-team All-American, just turned 21. He looks the part of a future Pro Bowler and can become a bedrock in the secondary for years to come. The Eagles have recently shown an affinity for Crimson Tide corners, albeit on the UDFA market (Josh Jobe, Eli Ricks), but make a major investment here.
My take on the pick: Another one of the potential trade-up options is Arnold. My other two after Latham and Arnold are Quinyon Mitchell and Troy Fautanu. There’s a lot to like about Arnold and many have him as the CB1 of this class. In this scenario, Mitchell comes off the board first and Arnold slides into the Eagles’ range. The Eagles haven’t been known to draft cornerbacks this high but if Arnold is a long-term solution at the position, then it would obviously be worth it.
Dan Roche, NBC Sports Philadelphia
1-19: Troy Fautanu, OL, Washington
What they said: Howie wheels and deals on Day 1 of the Draft and gets perhaps the most versatile offensive lineman out there. He had a top-30 visit with the Eagles, and can play wherever you want him on the line. He started at LT for two seasons at Washington, but odds are he will start his NFL career at guard.
He lacks girth, but moire than makes up for it with natural strength and lateral agility. His technique needs some work, but if anyone can iron out the kinks in his game, it’s Jeff Stoutland.
My take on the pick: Yup, we've hit most of the trade-up options. Fautanu is a versatile offensive lineman. I think despite his lack of height that he has the ability to play tackle in the NFL. But he is versatile enough to play guard in the interim. And he is unique in his movement, which is something Stoutland will obviously like quite a bit. It'll be fascinating to see if he gets past the Seahawks at No. 16. They recently hired his college OC and OL coach so that has been a popular landing spot for him.
12. Taliese Fuaga, OT, Oregon State
What they said: It seems like everyone is assuming the Eagles will be aggressive to go get a cornerback, which is a need, but they always are willing to invest in big humans in the first round. Fuaga is a perfect fit. He can start at right guard as a rookie and eventually replace Lane Johnson at right tackle whenever the veteran decides to walk away. Philadelphia hasn't drafted a cornerback in Round 1 since 2002 (Lito Sheppard).
My take on the pick: Fuaga is someone we haven’t spent a ton of time talking about in this pre-draft process because most people figured he’d be well out of the Eagles’ range. But in this scenario, he falls out of the top 10 and the Eagles pounce. Fuaga (6-6, 324) played right tackle at Oregon State and should have the versatility to play right guard in the NFL. He is known as a road grader and plays the game with the type of edge that would make Eagles fans happy.
22. Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo
What they said: The Toledo product has done nothing but impress throughout the pre-draft process (SEE: his Senior Bowl week lockdown of Power Five receivers, as well as his explosive athletic display at the combine). The Eagles fortify their secondary with this ballhawk.
My take on the pick: To me, Mitchell is the top cornerback in this year’s class but it wouldn’t be shocking to see Alabama’s Terrion Arnold get drafted before him. Because of his SEC pedigree, Arnold might be more of the Eagles’ type but if Mitchell is there at 22, they have to run the pick in. That’s a tremendous value for a player that checked every box this spring. If you were worried about Mitchell not seeing top competition in college, he went to the Senior Bowl and dominated and then knocked the Combine out of the park.
22. Tyler Guyton, OT, Oklahoma
What they said: Tackle might not seem like a pressing need at first glance -- Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata have the starting positions locked down -- but a closer look reveals why Guyton is a fit in Philly. With the exception of quarterback, the Eagles prioritize the trenches above all other positions. Depth along the offensive front took a hit this offseason. And with Johnson turning 34 in May, a succession plan needs to be implemented at right tackle.
My take on the pick: Of the offensive tackles in this class, Guyton isn’t my favorite. I think he’s a step below some of the other prospects like JC Latham, Troy Fautanu and even Amarius Mims. But I understand why the Eagles might like Guyton. He’s 6-foot-7, 322 pounds and has the type of athleticism you’d expect from a former tight end/H-back. He’s still a work in progress but if Jeff Stoutland says he’s the guy, I wouldn’t argue.
22. Amarius Mims, OT, Georgia
What they said: There might be a Lane Johnson-sized hole to fill sooner than later, and general manager Howie Roseman loves to attack the lines in the first round. Mims has a sky-high ceiling and will get to have time to be brought along behind Johnson and under offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, perhaps competing for the right guard spot during his initial campaign.
My take on the pick: Mims might be one of the most fascinating players in this class because of his inexperience with just eight college starts under his belt. Because of that, there’s a low floor but also an extremely high ceiling. There’s a chance when we look back at this draft class in five years, we’re saying Mims was the best tackle in a really strong group. Will that upside be enough for the Eagles to take him at 22? Not sure. But it would be really fun to watch.
Jason La Canfora, The Washington Post
22. Cooper DeJean, CB, Iowa
What they said: DeJean is a hybrid defender whom the Eagles and others would covet. The back end of their defense continues to give them issues, although there’s a chance Seattle or someone else would pounce earlier.
My take on the pick: Opinions are definitely split on DeJean. Some folks will tell you it’s a bit scary that we’re already talking about the potential move to safety. There’s talk that DeJean’s hips are too stiff to mirror on the outside as a cornerback. But others will tell you that DeJean’s versatility is attractive. That his ability to play a few different spots in the secondary is a coveted trait. It just depends on how you look at him. There are certainly traits to like and I’d understand why the Eagles would take him in the first round.
22. Graham Barton, OL, Duke
What they said: Jason Kelce has retired and, although Philadelphia has drafted to absorb that loss in recent years with Tyler Steen, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia is always known to over-invest in the trenches. If Steen is incapable of handling the interior assignment, Barton offers the flexibility to get the five best linemen on the field this fall.
My take on the pick: Barton mostly played left tackle at Duke but many see him as a top center in this year’s class. If the Eagles drafted him, it would make you wonder if Jurgens is still the center of the future. Jurgens played guard last season and was OK. Barton has played left tackle and center and could probably play guard but we haven’t seen it. If the Eagles draft Barton, it’ll be interesting to see what their plan is when they get the entire team together.
22. Nate Wiggins, CB, Clemson
What they said: With Vic Fangio taking over as defensive coordinator, the Eagles must add a man-to-man corner with the potential to handle matchups against the opponent's No. 1 wideout.
My take on the pick: In termsof pure stickiness in coverage, Wiggins fits the bill. The big question mark about him is his frame at just 173 pounds. He’s not going to be very stout against the run at that size but the bigger concern is about him potentially getting bullied at times by NFL receivers. Still, he fits a need and wouldn’t be considered a reach at 22. There are other cornerback options I like more in this class but I’d at least understand what the Eagles see in Wiggins.
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