Eagles 7-round NFL mock draft simulation: Two trades highlight Round 1
2398. . Tight End. Old Dominion Monarchs . Zack Kuntz. 117. player
Day 3 provides opportunities for the Philadelphia Eagles to add depth at key positions.
With ranking in the top ten among tight ends for receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2021, Old Dominion University’s Zack Kuntz would likely have been a day-two selection if not for suffering an injury that remains unspecified, one that ended his 2022 season after just five games.
Kuntz spent the 2018-2020 seasons as a member of the Penn State Nittany Lions and, after transferring, posted 836 yards and seven touchdowns in just eight games as a member of the Monarchs (2021 – 2022).
One under-the-radar devy TE you should be aware of is Zack Kuntz out of Old Dominion. The 6’8” RS JR had 73 receptions for 692 yards and 5 touchdowns last season. pic.twitter.com/jh804fMzlI
— Kevin (@Daboys_22) July 28, 2022
The six-foot-seven, 255-pound prospect also displayed his freakish athletic ability at the combine. He posted either the best or second-best showing during every drill run by the available tight ends. That includes a 4.55-second 40-yard dash, a 23-rep bench press, and a 40-inch vertical.
Dallas Geodert has established himself as Philly’s unquestioned starter at the tight end position, but Kuntz would provide excellent depth for the future alongside Grant Calcaterra. Both Kuntz and Calcaterra will be 24 years old at the start of the 2023 regular season and would be another big body in Philly’s running game.
Aztecs . Jonah Tavai. 184. player. 901. . Defensive Tackle
Not even a month ago, a mock draft we released after the free-agency frenzy sent San Diego State’s Jonah Tavai to the Philadelphia Eagles at 248. He climbs the board this time around, but we settle on his teammate, a defensive tackle that notched 19 sacks over his last two NCAA seasons.
Some are turned off by Tavai’s six-foot-tall frame and his short arms. Still, pass-rushing prowess and familiarity with the 4-3 defensive scheme make him someone the Eagles will fall in love with.
One of my favorite sleeper DL in the 2023 NFL Draft is Jonah Tavai from San Diego State.
— Jacob Infante (@jacobinfante24) February 28, 2023
Plays inside but can rush off the edge like he does here. Explosive defender who had 10.5 sacks this year and led the Mountain West with a 92.0 PFF grade. #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/UGflYDvzAl
Tavai could be a name that rises as we close in on the draft. He also understands leverage. Aztecs head coach Brady Hoke was quoted as saying he loved Tavai’s work ethic. This could be an immediate impact player for the Eagles pass rush.
player. 932. . Running Back. Pirates . Keaton Mitchell. 219
While East Carolina University may not be a traditional power, we’ve seen stars come from the program before. LInval Joseph cut his teeth there. Here are a few other former Pro Bowlers that come to mind.
- RB Tony Collins
- RB Earnest Byner
- LB Robert Jones
- QB Jeff Blake
- DE Rod Coleman
- QB David Garrard
- WR Dwayne Harris
- RB Chris Johnson
The last name on that list belongs to a man that produced a 2,000-yard season with the Tennessee Titans in 2004. Keaton Mitchell‘s 4.37-second 40-yard dash at the 2023 Combine might play second fiddle to CJ2K’s 4.24-second showing, it’s still an impressive time.
The biggest knock on Mitchell is his size. He’s five-foot-eight and weighs 179 pounds, but if he’s available at 219, thoughts about the 2,911 total yards and 24 total touchdowns he posted in his two seasons as the Pirates’ starting running back might be hard to ignore.
He was named a member of the All-American Athletic Conference’s first team in both of his seasons, and the Eagles know small rushers can deliver huge plays when given the opportunity. Think Darren Sproles and Boston Scott.