As quickly as it arrived, it has ended. The Philadelphia Eagles and the NFL’s other 31 teams put a bow on the NFL Draft. Ten Birds have been added to the nest thanks to the selection meeting. Undrafted rookie free agents will follow. As always, there were surprises, one being a true linebacker being taken by Philly in Round 1 for the first time since 1979.
After three days, we are certain Philly is better on defense, even though we haven’t seen these guys take a snap yet. We’re positive they’ve found some talented youngsters they can continue to develop. We asked for depth. We were given plenty, minus the tight end and wide receiver positions.
This is a solid class though. Let’s hand out grades and make some way-too-early predictions.
Round 1, Pick 31: Jihaad Campbell, linebacker, Alabama
We don’t recognize this Howie Roseman! If we didn’t know any better, we’d start throwing out random theories aboiut him being cloned. Seriously, he’s paying running backs and extending linebackers. He even drafted another linebackers in Round 1.
Who is this guy?
Philly hasn’t taken a true LB in Round 1 since 1979. Sorry guys. Nolan Smith doesn’t count.
Jihaad Campbell had top ten talent. The Birds landed him at 31. Howie Roseman continues to find first-round steals as this young man is going to be special. Grade: A+
Bold prediction: Zack Baun will lead the Eagles in tackles. Campbell will finish secong in solo and total stops. Zack will make the Pro Bowl, and Jihaad will be screwed out of a spot on the roster while also being snubbed for Defensive Rookie of the Year (despite proving he’s more than deserving).
Round 2, Pick 64: Andrew Mukuba, safety, Texas
Andrew Mukuba wasn’t satisfied with how things were going at Clemson despite being named a 2021
Freshman All-American, He also earned ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and Third-team All-ACC honors after that same season.
He transferred to Texas, became a Third-team All-SEC nod, and now finds his way to the City of Brotherly Love. He’s an adequate yet undersized replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson. C.J. is a better run defender. Andrew is better in coverage. Both are playmakers. This is a phenomenal second-round addition. Grade: A
Bold prediction: Mukuba’s talent in coverage will transfer nicely to football’s highest level, Call us crazy, but we’re calling for three interceptions and ten pass breakups in year one.
Round 4, Pick 111: Ty Robinson, Nebraska
First things first. Humanity has evolved. Guys who are six-foot-six and tip the scales at 310 pounds can run the 40-yard dash in 4.83 seconds. We just thought we’d throw that out there. Do with that information what you will.
Aside from being freakishly athletic for a man his size, Ty Robinson is a high IQ, both on the field and off. Some complained of skill set limitations for football’s highest level. That’s okay. That’s why teams employ position coaches.
On this roster and in the defensive lineman meeting room, he’s surrounded by talent. He’ll pick things up quickly. He’s going to be a monster. Grade: B+
Bold prediction: Don’t expect a statistical outburst in year one as part of a stacked rotation at the defensive line’s interior, but we are calling for a multi-sack performance at some point.
Round 5, Pick 145: Mac McWilliams, cornerback, UCF
There’s no point in being dishonest with any of you. Watching UCF football isn’t one of our activities of choice during a college football Saturday. That being said, most of what we know about Mac McWilliams consists of things we’ve heard said about him by trusted voices who are more in tune with the UCF timeline.
Philly trusted Mac McWilliams enough to invest a fifth-round selection into taking him, and that’s good enough for us. Looking at the roster, however, makes us wonder if he’ll be one of the top six or even cornerbacks when it’s time to put a 53-man roster together.
He’s a good zone corner who plays physically, and he’s tough against the run. He is a candidate to win Philly’s backup slot cornerback position.
Grade: B-
Prediction: Cornerback will be one of the more competitive battles at camp. Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kelee Ringo, and Adoree’ Jackson probably have jobs, which means McWilliams is battling four other guys for what will potentially be two to three spots.
Round 5, Pick 161: Smael Mondon, linebacker, Georgia
Why are we even surprised anymore? We’ve run out of jokes and clever responses to seeing the dots being connected that represent the Philadelphia Eagles and the Georgia Bulldogs. Howie has added another Dawg, Smael Mondon. Unlike McWilliams, we have seen this guy play.
He racked up 57 tackles, three sacks, and seven pass breakups for Georgia this past season. Still, at the risk of sounding disrespectful, we’ve seen questions about whether or not the game is moving too fast for him at times.
Some believe his ceiling is becoming a special-teams player. Let’s be honest though. If there weren’t concerns, he would have been drafted higher. There’s a lot of potential here. Can he capitalize on it? Grade: C
Prediction: Mondon beats a couple of veterans out for a job, but as stated, he begins his career as a special teams mainstay.
Round 5, Pick 168: Drew Kendall, center/guard, Boston College
His father is former first-round pick Pete Kendall. He’s the type of interior offensive lineman that Eagles fans and Jeff Stoutland love, versatile guys who can move and play more than one position.
The football IQ is there. He’s a very good run blocker. That’s another strength. His biggest weakness is that he can be pushed off his spot by elite defenders. That being said, he tends to get reach rather than rely on his hand placement. Grade: C
Prediction: Kendall is a candidate to make the bottom of the roster or practice squad, but being a fifth-round draftee may get him more reps and more opportunities to prove he belongs.
Round 6, Pick 181: Kyle McCord, quarterback, Syracuse
A former Ohio State Buckeye, Kyle McCord has the arm you’re looking for in an NFL quarterback. He is, however, equally as likely to make a big play as he is to put the ball in harm’s way. You can’t argue with that final season: a 69% completion percentage, 4,779 yards passing, 34 TD passes, 12 interceptions, and three rushing TDs. He earned Second-Team All-ACC honors for his efforts.
Honestly, though we expected he’d be a day three pick, we’re kind of surprised he was still around in Round 6. Grade: A-
Prediction: McCord will beat out Dorian Thompson-Robinson as the third QB on the depth chart, but he’ll be inactive on game days. After DTR is cut, he returns for a spot on the Eagles’ practice squad.
Round 6, Pick 191: Myles Hinton, offensive tackle, Michigan
Hinton is mentioned as a six-foot-seven, 323-pound prospect on NFL.com and as a six-foot-six, 342-pounder on Pro Football Focus. We’d kind of like to know what he weighs because that’s quite the discrepancy.
Either way, he probably grades as an offensive guard more so than the tackle position he played at the collegiate level. Some believe the ceiling is he’ll be an average backup or special teamer. Frankly, we have higher hopes for his former Michigan teammate, Trevor Keegan. Grade: C-
Prediction: Here lies a candidate for Philly’s practice squad.
Round 6: Pick 207: Cameron Williams, offensive tackle, Texas
No disrespect is intended to Hinton, but honestly, we would have expected that Cameron Williams would have been drafted higher than the former Wolverine. This is a candidate to make the roster. He has all of the desirable traits, but there are questions about his feet, agility, and hands.
This is one whose grade may vary based on the source you enjoy spending your time reading.
Prediction: What the heck? We’re placing Cameron Williams on the roster at this juncture. Keep checking back. That could theory could change by August.
Round 6: Pick 209: Antwaun Powell-Ryland, outside linebacker, Virginia Tech
How about an outside linebacker to close this one out? Vic Fangio certainly has had his say with this roster build. Do you see all of the attention this organization pays to the second level of its defense now?
Don’t quote us on this, but we feel like he’s a scheme-specific guy whose best attributes will show if he’s told he needs only seek and destroy the opposing team’s quarterback (a la Josh Sweat in Super Bowl 59). If asked to do more than that, there may be some issues.
Keep something in mind. Bryce Huff fell out of favor because he gave Philly nothing as a run defender. Grade: C-
Prediction: Candidate for the practice squad who would be elevated during game days but only if someone is injured. The Birds are approaching gridlock at EDGE which doesn’t bode well for the sixth-rounder.
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