Lines are drawn connecting the Eagles to a former All-Conference USA standout

Those of you who are a little younger may not remember this. Once upon a time, before we all played Madden NFL as the Philadelphia Eagles on the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox, there was the Sega Genesis and Nintendo 64 to satisfy our thirst for gaming. Some might even say, that had either had a better graphics engine, the Sega and Nintendo might have gone a tad harder. Forgive us if we sound like we refuse to evolve.

If you're rocking with that, you remember the 'reset button '. If only one existed in real life, right? We would have probably pulled the trigger on a few of those final regular-season games from the most recent campaign and a couple of earlier Eagles draft classes, 2017 for instance. 

Another selection meeting nears. If nothing changes between now and then (or during the three-day process), Philly is armed with eight picks. We've discussed battle plans and mock drafts after every offseason move ad nauseam. Then, when bored, we let the computers do the work and rocked out with a pretty cool simulation.

Here's what we learned, with our mock and by reading others. None of us know what Philly will do, but we can't wait to see them do it. It sure is fun to guess though, right? Don't look now, but it appears our friends at Pro Football Focus have joined the party.

Pro Football Focus recommends Malachi Corley as a solid Day 2 option for the Eagles.

EDGE... Cornerback... Wide receiver... Depth along the offensive line... Philly's needs are well-known. Every mock draft addresses them. PFF has provided one good read after another to whet our appetites until Round 1.

Recently, they dropped Day 2 fits for all 32 NFL teams. Their second-round recommendation for the Birds is one that might tickle a few fancies. They mention former Western Kentucky star Malachi Corley.

We haven't often discussed the need for drafting insurance at wide receiver. That's partially because A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are so good and because Philly added Devante Parker and Parris Campbell in free agency. Corley, a two-time First-Team All-Conference USA nod is someone worth noting, but truth be told, Philly could do a lot better than adding him with pick 50 or 53.

Here's what Dalton Wasserman, the writer of this one, mentioned as his reasoning for connecting the dots if you're interested:

"The Eagles’ production after the catch substantially dropped in 2023.Western Kentucky’sMalachi Corleyis dynamic with the ball in his hands and proved it by forcing 73 missed tackles over the past three seasons. Corley would provide a spark to Philadelphia’s RPO and screen games while he further develops his route running."

Corley can ball. He stacked 79 receptions for 984 yards and reached the end zone 11 times in 2023. He earned an invitation to the Senior Bowl and had a solid week of practice, but again, Philly can do much better than taking him in Round 2.

Xavier Legette (South Carolina), Ladd McConkey (Georgia), Ricky Pearsall (Florida), Roman Wilson (Michigan), and Troy Franklin (Oregon) are all speedier prospects who are seemingly better.

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