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‘The Big Lead’ suggests Philadelphia Eagles Draft a defensive tackle in latest mock

By Justin Grasso

SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 15: Jerry Tillery #99 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Devin Cochran #77 of the Vanderbilt Commodores at Notre Dame Stadium on September 15, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt 22-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
SOUTH BEND, IN - SEPTEMBER 15: Jerry Tillery #99 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish rushes against Devin Cochran #77 of the Vanderbilt Commodores at Notre Dame Stadium on September 15, 2018 in South Bend, Indiana. Notre Dame defeated Vanderbilt 22-17. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images) /
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In their latest mock, ‘The Big Lead’ issued a scenario where the Philadelphia Eagles add to their stacked defensive line.

Mock Draft season is in full effect, and so far, I’ve seen a lot of the same for the Philadelphia Eagles. As of the start of April, there have been a few updated mock drafts that have the Eagles taking a safety at their No. 25 overall pick. Florida’s Chauncey Garnder-Johnson happens to be the popular pick amongst the national media for the Birds right now, but what happens if they don’t go that route? What if the Eagles stick to the trenches? Well, that’s where ‘The Big Lead‘ helps us.

As we all know, the Eagles love their big men in the trenches. Howie Roseman and Joe Douglas do all that they can to secure a tough line, and they have been rewarded by assembling one of the league’s top defensive lines, and top offensive lines. Just because they are both close to the top though, doesn’t mean that they can’t get any better. After all, too much depth isn’t enough depth for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Roseman has said plenty of times during this scouting process that he loves this upcoming class for linemen on both sides of the ball. As the Eagles have three picks in the first two rounds, it should be the least bit shocking scenario if they end up taking at least two linemen with those early picks. Especially now since they patched up a hole at running back recently.

The Eagles are a complete team, so we won’t be seeing them reach for needs. If they sit comfortably at pick No. 25, they can take the best player on their board. In this case, that player happens to be a defensive tackle if this mock draft is any accurate. Let’s check out the pick.

With the 25th pick of the 2019 NFL Draft, the Eagles select…

Jerry Tillery, DT, Notre Dame

TBL’s Take: “Tillery has several incidents in his past that will, and should, give teams pause, but he’s one of the best defensive linemen in this draft and well worth the risk. The Eagles won their first Super Bowl in part off the strength of their defensive line, and they just lost Michael Bennett. Tillery would be a great fit with the unit, and can learn from two of the best in Fletcher Cox and Brandon Graham.”

The popular pick at 25 for the Eagles would either be a defensive end, or a safety. But the defensive tackle position is undoubtedly a need. The Eagles recently signed a Pro Bowl defensive tackle in Malik Jackson to pair up with Fletcher Cox. But behind Jackson, there’s a massive drop off. Last year, the Eagles struggled with depth on the interior defensive line. Despite having longtime veteran Haloti Ngata in the mix, it was clear that without Timmy Jernigan, the Eagles weren’t the same.

Next. Could the Eagles make a move for another running back?. dark

Once Jernigan returned, the defense started cooking again. And by now, we all know that the Eagles’ defense is only as good as their defensive line. Getting depth at tackle this year is a must. The Eagles want to utilize their heavy rotation to keep guys fresh, and also it’s the time to start grooming a new high-profile defensive tackle as it’s been a while since the Eagles selected one this high in the draft.

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