Philadelphia Eagles: With the 14th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, the Eagles select…
The Philadelphia Eagles must get this pick right. I know it’s hard as any draft selection is a shot in the dark but the Eagles are relying on the No.14th pick to be a contributor. There’s no need to draft a player and have him watch from the sidelines. The Eagles could be playoff contenders with one pick.
The question of whom to draft is the concern.
[Mark]Before Free Agency it was thought to be a WR as Mike Williams of Clemson looked to be the best choice. However, with the Eagles signing Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith, they will enter the new season with a productive core. Many experts have them taking a RB but with three healthy players and the Eagles O-Line now back at full force that will not be a smart move. Which leads us to the defense.
The Eagles were middle of the pack in terms of defense. There are areas of concerns in the secondary but I believe they may need to address the defensive line. Sacking the QB is a must and if they are not able to do that, then it puts added pressure on the secondary to cover receivers longer than expected, thus resulting in bigger pass plays. The job of the front seven is to pressure the QB into hurried throws if you can’t get him to the ground.
Who to choose?
There are options they can take here. The first would be to select DE Solomon Thomas from Stanford. Thomas is a big body the Eagles need on the edges as they will have to deal with Dak Prescott and Eli Manning twice a year. If Thomas can help replace the production of Connor Barwin the Eagles defense will be much improved. Scouts have said that Thomas will fit perfectly into a 4-3 scheme and that works in the Eagles favor. In 2016, Jones totaled 62 tackles with 15 for a loss, eight sacks and one forced fumble.
Another route they could go is Michigan DE, Taco Charlton. If the Eagles main goal is to attack the QB how can you let Charlton slip through your fingers? Michigan boast one of the top defense in the country for a reason in 2016. Charlton is fast and at 6-6 and 277 pounds he will cause problems for any Tackle trying to block him at the point of attack. What makes him even more dangerous is his ability to play LB. He has the speed to cover the from sideline to sideline and his height will make it hard for QBs to get a read on a crossing route for a TE. In 2016, Charlton had 9.5 sacks, 43 tackles and 13 tackles for a loss as the bookend defensive end.
The Eagles secondary was not terrible last season but if the right player is available they may want to look in that direction. Choosing a player like Jabrill Peppers of Michigan would not be considered a waste. If Peppers is available then the Eagles must pounce on him. Peppers has the ability to play three positions in the NFL but most scouts have him at Safety. The Eagles should consider pairing him with Malcolm Jenkins to form a hard-hitting tandem, In 2016, Peppers finished with 72 tackles, 16 for a loss, four sacks and one forced fumble. He’s a playmaker.
Mark has been covering Sports and Entertainment for the past six years. His work has been featured on Bleacher Report, ESPN, Fox Sports, Teen Vogue, and many other websites.
