Second-day Eagles draft options at cornerback who could eventually become very good starters

Okay, here's some fair warning. There's a chance this story will begin sounding like every other offseason story about the Philadelphia Eagles' secondary. Feel free to drop us a line if it does. We promise we won't be offended.

It seemingly doesn't matter what Philly does to its secondary. Every time free agency and the NFL Draft approach, the Birds need depth at safety. Even if it's added, the attention will shift to guys in the cornerback room.

In the backend of Philly's defense, Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown have been added in consecutive offseasons. C.J. Gardner-Johnson has returned on a three-year deal. That's put a smile on some faces.

The attention now shifts to the cornerback position. Darius Slay and James Bradberry got old quickly. Outside of Kelee Ringo, we don't trust the new guys. Might Philly invest some draft capital into the position?

If they do, they may wait until Day 2. They haven't drafted a defensive back in Round 1 since 2002. The good news is they will have options if they wait. Here's a ranking of some guys that make sense.

5. Max Melton, CB, Rutgers

Here's a guess. If we were to stack the best available cornerbacks in the class against one another, the guys with first-round grades would probably be Quinyon Mitchell (Toledo), Nate Wiggins (Clemson), and Terrion Arnold and Kool-Aid McKinstry of Alabama,

Max Melton feels like a Day 2 guy, primarily because he's seemingly a slot corner only. He stands at five-foot-eleven. He weighs 187 pounds. He lands at number five on our list of the best prospects who figure to hear their name called in Round 2 or Round 3.

4. Cam Hart, Notre Dame

While we know many of you grade cornerbacks simply or their ability to create turnovers and craft the occasional pick-six, Cam Hart is an NFL star in the making though we'll rarely see him do either. If you want to know how good he is, look at what he did when matched up with Marvin Harrison Jr. That should be all you need to convince of his skill set. Dude is a lock-down cover guy and then some.

Hart is six-foot-two and weighs 204 pounds. He can play off coverage, zone, or press-man coverage. He'll find an NFL home, and he'll shine upon arrival.

3. Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Missouri

If you've been paying attention to mock drafts, theories, and the like, you've heard Ennis Rakestraw Jr.'s name connected to Philly on more than one occasion. He won't be a bad addition wherever he lands. We can certainly promise you that.

Like Hart, Rakestraw didn't grab many interceptions during his NCAA career. The latter notched one in his four-year, 35-game career. Hart is taller. Rakestraw may have a higher upside. Depending on how night one of the draft progresses, there's also an outside chance the Ennis could sneak into the back half of Round 1.

2. Kamari Lassiter, Georgia

Don't you say it! We know what you're thinking. The Eagles have drafted all of these Georgia Bulldogs, and though we like Jalen Carter (and believe we like Kelee Ringo), we still aren't sure if any of these guys will turn out to be rock stars. But, here we are. It's draft time, and yes, we have our sights on yet another Dawg.

Kamari Lassiter makes us want to hit the pause button on our 'maybe these guys aren't as good as we think' theory. He's a speedster who can keep up with anyone, but he's five-foot-eleven and tips the scales at 186 pounds. Might that make him a day two slot corner?

1. Cooper DeJean, Iowa

Cooper DeJean is a stud, and no one's talking us out of this. If the Eagles somehow wound up with this guy, we promise we will throw a party. He's a six-foot-one, 209-pound corner/safety hybrid that also does work as a returner.

The resume wows you. He's a two-time First-team All-Big Ten nod (2022, 2023) that was named as a
Unanimous All-American and the Tatum–Woodson Defensive Back of the Year winner in 2023. He also won the Rodgers–Dwight Return Specialist of the Year. Keep an eye on him as we approach draft day.

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