CBS Sports releases one of the better Eagles first-round mocks of 2022 offseason

The final days of March are trickling away, and April approaches which means, if you’re like the rest of us, you’ve digested several NFL mock drafts by now. Some you enjoyed. Many you didn’t but it’s always interesting to see what the experts are thinking in terms of what the Philadelphia Eagles‘ plan of attack might be once we arrive at the selection meeting.

Most drafts have to be taken with a grain of salt. It’s like filling out a bracket prior to the beginning of March Madness. You know that you’re never going to nail everything, but it’s a pretty cool exercise, one we can’t resist.

As far as the NFL is concerned, to keep things bubbly, there are times when a good mock’s author will take certain liberties with his or her creativity. Rather than drum up a generic list of the first 32 players taken, some may try their hands at guessing on trades or experimenting with a team-specific seven-rounder.

CBS Sports kept things pretty tame in one of their more recent theories on how they see the first round playing out, but if you’re an Eagles fan, this is one that will put a smile on your face.

The Eagles add three future perennial Pro Bowlers in a recent CBS Sports mock draft.

Poll most Eagles fans on who they’d like to see taken in the first round of the coming NFL Draft, and despite the fact that you’ll hear varying theories, there are several names that you’ll hear often. Ohio State wide receiver Chris Olave and Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean come to mind immediately.

Some have asked whether or not it would be wise to utilize a first-round selection on a wide receiver for a third consecutive year, but you can trust and believe that, if Olave or Arkansas’ Treylon Burks wind up being available, they’ll be hard to ignore.

It’s hard to find any fan that objects to theories that involve spending all three of Philadelphia’s first-rounders on upgrading the defensive side of the ball. That seems to be a theory that CBS Sports’ Josh Edwards shares.

In his recent mock draft, he sends EDGE star Jermaine Johnson II  (Florida State), defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt (Georgia), and Devin Lloyd (Utah) to the City of Brotherly Love with the 15th, 16th, and 19th-overall selections respectively.

Here’s what he had to say on each prospect. We begin with his thoughts on Johnson.

"Philadelphia added Haason Reddick but those are two different roles and Johnson should end up on one end of the line opposite Josh Sweat. Johnson lacks high end athletic traits but is a sound player that should hold that role for quite some time."

Wyatt is a massive game-wrecker at six-foot-three and 315 pounds. Imagine having to deal with a defensive tackle rotation that features Milton Williams, Javon Hargrave, Fletcher Cox, and Wyatt for 60 minutes. It’s a scary thought for opposing offensive coordinators but a welcomed idea for Birds fans.

Here’s what Edwards had to say on the First-team All-SEC nod/Second-team All-American.

"Philadelphia believes in building through the line of scrimmage. The hope is that Jermaine Johnson and Wyatt are the next Brandon Graham and Fletcher Cox. The Eagles are not done with their first round makeover, however."

Howie Roseman likes to build from the interior of the defensive line and work his way out. It’s for that reason that this selection makes a ton of sense, and this is a scenario that could play out if both he and Johnson are available in the middle of Round 1.

As mentioned earlier, many Eagles fans are becoming fans of Nakobe Dean. He’s still on the board when the Eagles are on the clock at 16, but Edwards has the Eagles going with Devin Lloyd at 19. Here’s why.

"The Eagles add to the front seven with the addition of Lloyd. It is a unit with talent and depth following off-season additions of Haason Reddick, Devonte Wyatt and Jermaine Johnson. More importantly than the upcoming season, Philadelphia now has the future addressed."

We can live with that. Dean is a special talent, but quite a few draft pundits have Lloyd ranked higher on their big boards. If the Eagles wind up with either guy, they probably have a star on their hands. There isn’t a Birds fan walking that will complain if Philadelphia breaks its trend for ignoring linebackers in the first round.

So, how do you feel? Again, there’s always the dynamic of adding another playmaker to the Eagles’ offense at the wide receiver position. They could, most certainly, use one. Still, regardless of how you slice things, if things turn out as Edwards envisions, most will be much happier with the Eagles’ decisions on the draft’s first night than they’ve been with the way this team has handled free agency.

Stay tuned. The end of April will be here before you know it.