What a football season this has been, both in the NFL and NCAA. The Philadelphia Eagles have set a franchise record for wins. College football has never been more interesting. There's so much to talk about with the realigned conferences and a new 12-team College Football Playoff.
We'll have plenty of action to keep ourselves occupied as we move through the holiday season. Philly has already secured a playoff spot. An NFC East crown may very well be on our horizon.
The key to continuing Philly's winning streak is to stay in the moment. The players and coaches can't celebrate too long or look too far ahead.
The leadership's task encompasses the same goal but also adds another. Their thoughts fluctuate between winning now and ensuring Philly's future
Might we get a look at some future Eagles during the College Football Playoff?
Addressing current needs and drawing blueprints for the future can be a balancing act, but no team waits until the end of its respective season to begin preparing for an NFL Draft. The CFP has added 12 of college football's best teams to its bracket. Trust us, Scouts from every pro football team will be watching.
Philly never got what they wanted from Bryce Huff before he got hurt. He now sits on the Eagles' injured reserve. Brandon Graham is expected to retire after this season. Josh Sweat will be a free agent if he isn't extended. This might be a good time to discuss edge rushers. There's no better place to go shopping than in the College Football Playoff.
Abdul Carter, Penn State Nittany Lions
Abdul Carter can play defensive end in a 4-3 scheme or as an outside linebacker in a 3-4. He is a six-foot-three star who tips the scales at 250 pounds. So far this season, he has notched 60 tackles,10 sacks, and two forced fumbles. He collected 49 tackles, 4.5 sacks, and an interception in 2023.
If we were to guess, we'd assume he'd be a top-ten draft choice if the NFL held its draft tomorrow. That would mean Philly would probably have zero chances of acquiring him, but you never know. This time last season, we thought they couldn't land Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean. Look at how well that turned out.
James Pearce Jr., Tennessee Volunteers
There were times this season where we thought the Tennessee Volunteers might surprise us by winning the SEC. Many of those theories were birthed from watching how explosive they could be at times on offense.
Make no mistake. The Vols have some ballers on defense. The best of the bunch might be edge rusher James Pearce.
Philly has enjoyed mixed results with raiding Tennessee's cupboard. They found Reggie White and Derek Barnett there. Pearce has racked up 35 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and one forced fumble so far this season.
Mykel Williams, Georgia Bulldogs
We know what you are thinking. Another guy from Georgia?
Yep! Another guy from Georgia...
Mykel Williams is a stud from the mighty Bulldogs. He missed all of September's action after suffering an injury during the second half vs. Clemson. He played his way back onto the field early in October and performed well. The injury appears to be behind him.
He has tallied 20 tackles, five sacks, and two forced fumbles. He's six-foot-five and weighs 265 pounds. Carter and Pearce will probably drop faster 40 times, but Williams isn't lacking much in terms of talent.
J.T. Tuimoloau, Ohio State Buckeyes
If you have been paying attention, you are aware that the Buckeyes tend to put wide receivers and pass rushers in the NFL. Watch Emeka Egbuka when Ohio State has the ball. Watch J.T. Tuimoloau when they take the field on defense.
Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State
As is often the case recently, Penn State features two solid pass rushers. Abdul Carter is a monster, but no one should ignore his teammate, Dani Dennis-Sutton.
The latter is six-foot-five and 272 pounds. He owns a big body that's hard to move in the running game and a nice array of pass-rushing moves. Dani and Abdul both have much to offer, but while Carter is a day-one prospect, Dennis-Sutton may have around until day two.
Ahmed Hassanein, Boise State Broncos
While evaluating prospects, one must always be mindful of who they play. Boise State didn't see the same level of competition in the Mountain West Conference that SEC teams saw weekly. It's hard to deny that Ahmed Hassanein is a baller though.
After racking up 53 tackles, 12.5 sacks, and two forced fumbles last season, he notched 42 tackles with 8.5 sacks so far in 2024.
Jahfari Harvey, SMU Mustangs
Jahfari Harvey began his ACC career at Miami but transferred to SMU and so far, has tallied 28 tackles, seven sacks, and two forced fumbles. We need to see more, but we like what he has put on tape so far.
Worth mentioning: Jack Sawyer (Ohio State) & Barryn Sorrell and Ethan Burke from Texas
These are three more guys for you watch. We expect all will be late-rounders next April and possible backups in the NFL. You never know though. There is a lot of football left to be played.