The 2021 NFL Draft class may not have a more a prospect that’s any more interesting than LSU’s Jabril Cox. imagining him in the Philadelphia Eagles‘ defense has fans salivating at his potential. The six-foot-four, 235-pound game-changer is a force on the defensive side of the ball and would be an immediate boost to the Eagles linebacker corps.
He has the speed to play in space, cover a tight end in the slot, or chase down the fastest of ball carriers. Cox could be the most versatile linebacker in this year’s selection meeting. Physically, he looks like he was chiseled from marble. He also has an athletic ability that is both freaky and rare.
The Philadelphia Eagles need to find help in the middle of their defense.
Philly spent two draft picks on linebackers (Davion Taylor and Shaun Bradley) in the 2020 NFL Draft, but neither has flashed or met expectations as of yet. That isn’t to say that both Bradley and Taylor won’t take huge leaps in year two (no one knows if they will or won’t), but the Birds need to add a true playmaker to the second-level of their defense.
The Birds have a severe lack of playmakers, and while that’s disappointing, it’s more alarming that they don’t seemingly have any weapons that are ready to take the next step in 2021. You can make the argument that the last game-changer the Eagles had in the second level of their defense was Jordan Hicks, but after losing him to the Arizona Cardinals, there hasn’t been much to talk about since.
Here’s an interesting take Philadelphia Eagles fans should take a look at.
We at ITI spoke briefly with Brandon Howard of The Athletic and asked him his take on the LSU linebacker’s play. Here is what he had to say:
"His recognition skills are what stand out to me the most. He always seems to be in the right spot and isn’t easily fooled by misdirection. In the running game, he can beat (offensive) linemen with speed, and (he) has a good feel for where the quarterback is going with the football when asked to drop back in zone coverage."
It wouldn’t surprise anyone if and when the Philadelphia Eagles front office makes a concerted effort to focus on the linebackers during the 2021 NFL Draft. Let’s just hope that, when they do, they keep an eye or two on the LSU product. With his rare combination of size, natural speed, and football intelligence, Jabril Cox could be the weapon Birds fans have been desiring for quite some time.