An argument for why Philadelphia Eagles must draft Dalvin Cook

We’re seriously interested in this Dalvin Cook guy, and you should be too.

The Philadelphia Eagles have addressed many of their needs during this offseason. Unfortunately, running back hasn’t been one of them. Despite some of the belief that the Eagles will select a cornerback in the opening round of the 2017 NFL Draft, giving Carson Wentz some extra help in the backfield would be beneficial to his growth as the franchise quarterback. Enter Dalvin Cook of the Florida State Seminoles.

The running back position seems to have gotten worse each year since Chip Kelly traded LeSean McCoy during the 2015 offseason. Currently, the Eagles have an injured Ryan Matthews, an unproven Wendell Smallwood, and an aging Darren Sproles on the roster. Without taking a chance on any free agent backs, it is safe to say that the Eagles must address the position in the upcoming draft.

The Current Roster:

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Matthews will, most likely, be given his walking papers once he heals from his neck injury. Sproles and Smallwood have shown that they aren’t three-down backs. The team needs someone young to rely on throughout the course of a game. They need someone to develop a chemistry with Wentz.

Keeping all this in mind, the Eagles should consider drafting a running back with their first round selection. They’ve seen what first round running backs can do first-hand after facing the league’s leading rusher, Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott twice last season. Former LSU Tigers standout Leonard Fournette and Christian McCaffrey of the Stanford Cardinal are expected to go during the top half of the first round. The Eagles could possibly trade down and still end up with a chance of selecting Cook.

Mutual Interest?

Cook’s already stated that the Eagles have shown heavy interest in him in the weeks leading up to the draft. He’s exactly what the Eagles need for their “West Coast Offense”. He has the ability to run the ball 25 times a game and catch screen passes out of the backfield. Comparisons to Kansas City Chiefs‘ running back Jamaal Charles have been made. You can check out one of the more recent examples by clicking here. Cook could prove to be an explosive back for any offense that drafts him.

Next: 5 running backs Eagles could draft past the first round

What makes the most sense about this scenario is the fact that trading down would give the Eagles the opportunity to acquire more picks. This team has quite a few holes to fill on their roster. Adding an extra pick in another round (preferably the second) could help. If they trade back five or six spots and take Cook, that would give them the opportunity to improve more than one position in a later round.

By taking Cook, the Eagles will solidify their backfield for years to come and put a dynamic offense on the field that fans can finally get on board with.

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