Should 2021’s Philadelphia Eagles go with offense or defense at number 6?

Should the Philadelphia Eagles look for defense at pick six?

As a whole, the Eagles defense has some bright spots. Fletcher Cox is still playing high-quality football, Darius Slay proved he can be the CB1 moving forward, and Alex Singleton came out of nowhere to lead the team in tackles by a substantial margin. Not to mention the talent on the defensive line. Newly hired Jonathan Gannon has a lot of talent to work with on the defensive side of the ball.

There’s some serious defensive talent in this draft. Micah Parsons from Penn State is a true franchise player who represents the new prototype of NFL linebackers. His range as a defender is a perfect complement to Singleton’s hard-nosed tackling. Parsons’ instincts and athleticism give him the potential to be one of the best linebackers in the league.

The thought of pairing Darius Slay with any of the top three cornerbacks in this draft should excite Eagles DC Jonathan Gannon, a former defensive backs coach. Gannon should be able to make the most out of any cornerback that the Eagles may draft, and this, perhaps, is the best argument for drafting a defensive back. In the draft, it’s not all about talent. It’s more about how the team can put that talent to use.

Take last year’s draft for example. Jalen Hurts, the 53rd-overall selection, showed flashes of his ability, but he was sitting on the bench for 11 of 16 games. How could the Eagles have possibly put his talent to use when his primary function for more than half of the season was to warm the bench?

Patrick Surtain II, Caleb Farley, and Jaycee Horn all have CB1 potential, but if one of them becomes an Eagle, he won’t have to be a CB1 right away. He’ll have the opportunity to learn behind a veteran in Slay and to be coached by someone who truly understands the position. For these reasons, the Eagles might get the most value out of a cornerback in the draft.