Inside the Iggles
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What Would a Grade A Draft Have Looked Like for the Eagles?

By Jesse Shuter

Apr 29, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; From right to left Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and owner Jeffrey Lurie and quarterback Carson Wentz and vice president of football operations Howie Roseman pose for a photo as Wentz is introduced to the media at NovaCare Complex Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 29, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; From right to left Philadelphia Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and owner Jeffrey Lurie and quarterback Carson Wentz and vice president of football operations Howie Roseman pose for a photo as Wentz is introduced to the media at NovaCare Complex Auditorium. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 30, 2016; Mobile, AL, USA; North squad running back Tyler Ervin of San Jose State (7) stiff arms South squad inside linebacker Kentrell Brothers of Missouri (10) as he carries the ball during second half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2016; Mobile, AL, USA; North squad running back Tyler Ervin of San Jose State (7) stiff arms South squad inside linebacker Kentrell Brothers of Missouri (10) as he carries the ball during second half of the Senior Bowl at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Butch Dill-USA TODAY Sports /

Round 5 (Pick 164): Kentrell Brothers LB, Missouri

Original Pick: Halapoulivaati Vaitai OT, TCU

In a world where you draft NFL players based on the length of your name, Vaitai was a steal. This is not that world. The one gaping hole that I really felt in the Eagles draft was a quality linebacker.

If you look at their starters, Mychal Kendricks, Jordan Hicks and Nigel Bradham, you see quality talent. You also see a guy who can’t stay on the field for sixteen games, a guy coming off of a torn pectoral that ended his season and a guy on a one year deal. Then you look behind them and see little to no depth and you wonder what the Eagles were thinking.

Brothers was a favorite of mine in the draft and he received a lot of praise from ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper before and after the draft. He has the talent to play any of the three linebacker positions in a 4-3 and would make an instant impact and could be a long term starter.

Brothers was drafted by the Vikings at pick 160, but in the fifth round it would have been easy enough to maneuver around.

As far as Vaitai goes, he’s a decent pick here and fits a need, but with his slow feet I don’t see him making any sort of impact going forward aside from a possible upgrade over tackle Dennis Kelly as depth.

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