Philadelphia Eagles: Targets For Day Two of 2015 NFL Draft

Now that the first day of the 2015 NFL Draft is in the books, it’s time to focus on which prospects the Philadelphia Eagles should target on day two of the event. Since they selected wide receiver Nelson Agholor with the 20th overall pick in the first round, it’s unlikely that they’ll add another wide receiver tonight, but anything is possible.

With the wide receiver spot addressed, the Eagles should focus on their other remaining glaring needs. They must address safety, offensive guard and cornerback at some point in this year’s draft. Luckily for them, there is still plenty of talent left at those positions, especially along the offensive line.

But forget about the team’s needs for a second, it’s clear that the Eagles focus on prospects they are very interested in during the pre-draft process. They brought in Agholor to the NovaCare Complex for a pre-draft visit and then selected him with their first pick. So which other remaining prospects did the Eagles bring in for pre-draft visits? Let’s have a look!

As you can see, there are still quite a few players remaining that the Eagles brought in for pre-draft visits. But which names on the list should we keep an eye on specifically for the second day of the draft? Jaelen Strong and Rashad Greene are both wide receivers that should be selected sometime tonight. But I highly doubt the Eagles will draft another wide receiver after adding Agholor.

Jalen Collins, Eric Rowe and Adrian Amos should all be drafted tonight as well. Collins was a projected first round pick but reports of a failed drug test likely caused him to drop. He’s still an outstanding player that has quite a bit of potential and would fit in well at cornerback for the Eagles. Rowe and Amos are both players that I’m very high on. Big, athletic, versatile players with experience at both cornerback and safety. If Kelly can bring either one to Philadelphia, they would compete for a starting job immediately.

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Owamagbe Odighizuwa and Danielle Hunter are two edge rushers that would fit what the Eagles look for at outside linebacker. Odighizuwa was a projected first round pick in some people’s eyes and is a violent player that would add a dangerous weapon to the Eagles’ defense. Hunter isn’t as polished as “Owa” but he has size that jumps out at you. At 6’6″, 252 lbs. with 34 1/4″ arms and 10 1/2″ hands, Hunter looks like a player you would create in Madden but he’s real…I swear. But he relies a bit too much on his athleticism and is considered a project by some.

Benardrick McKinney is another option at linebacker but nobody knows if he’ll play outside or inside linebacker at the next level. He has insane size 6’4″, 246 lbs. with 33″ inch arms and certainly fits what the Eagles look for on defense. McKinney’s problem is he gets too high at times and can’t cover that well. But with his size, experience and skill-set, he would make for an intriguing selection for the Eagles. He wouldn’t likely see much time at first, especially if linebacker Mychal Kendricks is still around, but he could eventually start down the line in DeMeco Ryans‘ spot with Kiko Alonso alongside of him. That would make for one big, athletic and talented inside linebacker duo.

Last but not least, let’s not forget about the big boys up front on the offensive line. Donovan Smith should definitely be drafted tonight due to his size at 6’6″, 338 lbs. and freakish athletic ability. But he has to be able to put everything together, at times he plays sloppy and doesn’t focus well. If the Eagles can keep him in check, he could be a very good player. Jeremiah Poutasi is another mountain of a man, at 6’5″, 335 lbs. but he is not guaranteed to be drafted tonight. Yet if he is selected by the Eagles, he could step in and start at right guard immediately. La’El Collins was a projected first round pick but this whole murder investigation scenario has his draft stock plummeting.

But what about players the Eagles didn’t bring in for pre-draft visits? Here are some other prospects to watch for that the Eagles could be high on:

Now most of these are names that have been linked to Eagles in the past but it may surprise some that they may still be available when the Eagles are on the clock on day two. Starting up front, there is quite a bit of talent left on the offensive line. T.J. Clemmings would have been a first round pick if it wasn’t for a mysterious foot injury, he would be a steal for Philadelphia. So would former Oregon Duck Jake Fisher, he’s the prototypical linemen the Eagles and Kelly look for, just a perfect fit.

Ali Marpet is another name that’s been on the rise and the Eagles have been all over him, they even sent offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland to run the drills at his pro day. Although he’s from a small school, Marpet is a big time talent and would likely start at right guard immediately. Tre Jackson still has to clean up his technique but he was a great guard at Florida State and I expect him to continue his success at the position in the NFL.

Although it’s unlikely the Eagles address wide receiver again so early in the draft, there are some intriguing options at the position left on the board. Devin Smith and Sammie Coates are both big play threats with the speed to take the top off of a defense, which the Eagles could really use. Devin Funchess is a huge target that would be a fun toy for Kelly to play with in his offense. “Funch” could line-up in a variety of spots and be a mismatch nightmare for opposing defenses.

This may surprise some but don’t rule out the Eagles drafting a quarterback tonight. Both Brett Hundley and Bryce Petty are solid prospects that could start in a year or two. Hundley is especially intriguing because of his running ability, character and experience in a similar offense to what Kelly uses in Philadelphia. Petty is a bit more of a concern because of his age (24) and injury history, but he has a huge arm and can make some plays with his feet as well. Both would be interesting options for the Eagles to stash for a year behind projected starting quarterback Sam Bradford and then unleash them in 2016.

Lastly, there are a couple of options the Eagles could take a look at to address their needs in the secondary. Josh Shaw and Quinten Rollins are both listed as cornerbacks but could easily convert to safety at the next level. Rollins is especially intriguing because of his ball skills and potential since he only played one year of college football. Jaquiski Tartt is from a small school but has a ton of potential because of his size, ability and aggressiveness. He needs work in coverage but could eventually start in the NFL.

There you have it, quite a bit of starting caliber talent is still on the board in the 2015 NFL Draft. Now it’s just up to the Philadelphia Eagles and the man in charge, head coach Chip Kelly, to take advantage of the opportunities and bring some more talent to the City of Brotherly Love!

Next: Nelson Agholor Is A Perfect Fit For The Philadelphia Eagles

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