Mock Draft Roundup: Eagles Trade Up For Marcus Mariota

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Jan 2, 2015; San Antonio, TX, USA; Kansas State Wildcats wide receiver Tyler Lockett (16) runs after a catch during the second half of the 2015 Alamo Bowl against the UCLA Bruins at Alamodome. The Bruins won 40-35. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Kiper’s ‘Grade: A’ mock draft – Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com (ESPN Insider required)

Last but not least is the latest mock draft from the great Mel Kiper Jr. of ESPN.com. In this article, Kiper acts as the general manager of each team for the first three rounds of the 2015 NFL Draft. He made each pick with the team’s needs in mind and looked for the best value at each slot. For the Eagles, Kiper selected Alabama safety Landon Collins in the first round…gross.

But he made up for it by drafting Kansas State wide receiver Tyler Lockett in the second round. At 5’10” and 182 lbs., Lockett isn’t blowing anyone away with his size. But he is blowing by them with his speed and great route running ability. This may sound like a bit too much, but I see some Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in Lockett’s game. He’s very passionate on the field and does a good job of making defenders look silly on the field. Like he did to current Chargers cornerback Jason Verrett on this play.

In the third round, Kiper has the Eagles addressing their offensive line with Colorado State offensive linemen Ty Sambrailo. Although he played left tackle in college, Sambrailo likely projects as a right tackle or guard at the next level. In this case, he’d step right into the competition for the starting right guard spot on Philadelphia’s offensive line. Sambrailo is an underrated athlete as well, so he would be a solid starter in the Eagles’ system. Here are Kiper’s picks and an overall analysis for each of them:

"Philadelphia Eagles Top needs: S, G, CB, WR Round 1 (20) S Landon Collins, Alabama Round 2 (52) WR Tyler Lockett, Kansas St. Round 3 (84) G Ty Sambrailo, Colorado St. Analysis: You’re going to get mixed reviews on Collins, but there won’t be much debate about whether he’s the top safety in the draft. The concern will be that he’s not as good when he’s in coverage away from the line of scrimmage, but if you’re looking for a safety who can essentially act as an extra linebacker when you need one, Collins is a great get at this point on the board. He’ll be able to line up on tight ends and in the slot, tackles extremely well for the position and is ready to help a defense right now. You just can’t expect him to chase burners around 30 yards downfield, and he has only so-so hands for the position. Still, I’m taking him thinking my defense just got better. Lockett is one of the more underrated WRs in the draft. While he’s not a big target, he’s an outstanding route runner who always gets open and is fearless when it comes to blocking. I think my head coach will like him. Sambrailo is an athletic offensive lineman who has a chance to be useful in this offense for that reason. I’m not certain he’ll become a good starter, but he’s worth a bet at No. 84."

That’s all for this weekend’s mock draft roundup on Inside The Iggles. Be sure to check back for the latest Eagles news and stories leading up to the 2015 NFL Draft!

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