8 Prospects The Eagles Could Target After Day 1 Of The Draft

The draft is almost here. The Eagles will be on the clock at pick 22, or whichever pick they trade to, on Thursday Night. Day 1 of the draft is what we have spent most of our time talking about.

It is what we always do. Focus on Day 1 of the draft, with only the occasional thought of rounds 2-7.

But the Eagles do have 7 other picks. 2 in the 2nd round, a 4th, 3 5ths, and a 6th. Knowing Howie, that will change. He will either use some to trade up or acquire more by trading down.

While we know what names we want to see at pick 22, we might not have names immediately in mid for the other 7 ones. But those could arguably be the most important days of the draft.

Being able to find diamonds in the rough can make the difference between a good team, and a great one.

Just look at last year's Super Bowl. Fred Warner was a 3rd round pick. Trent McDuffie was a 2nd round pick. Isiah Pacheco was a 7th-round pick. And of course Brock Purdy was the final pick of the draft.

What cornerback could be there for them on day 2? Which Tight End could they bring in to be the heir apparent to Dallas Goedert? Is there a Jason Kelce clone available late in this draft?

Let's go over a few names that may be good fits for them on days 2 and 3 of the draft.

As a Rutgers alum, I was always excited about Melton. But I assumed it was my bias showing. But over the past several weeks, draft expert Andrew Dicecco touted Melton multiple times when he joined the Fanatic. That was enough for me to think my hype for Melton is justified.

You might not think of Rutgers when you think of NFL-worthy draft prospects. But Greg Schiano has developed several high-level defensive backs between his two stints as the Rutgers coach. The McCourty twins, Logan Ryan, Duron Harmon, and Christian Izien. He knows his DBs.

Melton killed it at the Combine. According to Dicecco, new Eagles DBs Coach Christian Parker put Melton through his paces at the Rutgers Pro Day. He is clearly on their radar, and if they don’t land a CB at pick-22, he could be one of their targets in the second round.

Brent Celek was 28 when the Eagles drafted Zach Ertz. Ertz was 28 when the Eagles drafted Dallas Goedert. Goedert is now 29, has 2 seasons left on his contract, and has only played a full season once in his 6-year career. Don't be surprised if they take a TE at some point.

Not because Goedert needs to be replaced, but because he might need to be soon. It is what they do at Tight End.

Who will that be though? There are a few names I like, but there is one guy who does a bit of everything. Ben Sinnot from Kansas State.

Not only is he productive, with over 1000 yards and 10 total TDs in the past two seasons. But he is also one of the better blockers in the draft. The value they get out of Goedert goes beyond just his production, but also in the fact he is an elite blocker. It would be nice to get that in the next Tight End as well.

Even with the addition of CJ Gardner Johnson, that does not mean Safety is not a need. Reed Blankenship did nothing to earn long-term trust, and Sydney Brown is injured.

Another Day 3, or late Day 2 Safety might be on the table for the Eagles. And why not continue to shop at Georgia?

Smith has something the Eagles love, versatility. He is not only a Safety but also played slot corner and some LB. He could play Safety while Brown is out, then move into the slot, and even play up in the box.

Smith graded out well in pass coverage, run defense, and pass rushing. He is a jack of all trades.

Most people didn’t watch a snap of Troy Football. But they the best team in the Sun Belt, and Solomon was one of their best players. He led the entire NCAA with 16 sacks.

Will that production fully translate to the NFL? Maybe not. But most scouts seem to think he can be a good rotation pass rusher. And after last season, the Eagles badly need to get back to having a true rotation, to keep people fresh later in the season.

The Eagles targeted players from the National Champions, Georgia. Will they do the same this year with Michigan?

The Eagles still need linebacker hope. Devin White is more of a project than a fix, and we can't have 100% faith in Nakobe Dean.

Junior Colson would make a lot of sense. He is exactly the type of big hitter Eagles fans have been waiting for in a LB. Colson doesn't miss tackles. He is also no slouch in coverage.

He will likely go in the 2nd round.

The Eagles need a Slot WR. Quez Watkins was a disappointment in that role for the past 3 years, and now he is gone.

The idea of having someone with blazing speed like Watkins in the slot is sound. It just never led to production. But there is a slot WR, who is just as fast and was one of the more productive College WRs in the past two seasons. Jacob Cowling.

He runs a 4.38 40 and has 20 TDs and about 1,900 passing yards in the past two seasons. He is not just small, but a smart route runner. Capable of creating separation despite his small size and lack of strength. Someone capable of taking the top off a defense like him would be the perfect fit with Brown and Smith.

Boom or bust is far more acceptable when you have consistent performers like those two.

Rb is obviously not a major need. Saquon Barkley is going to get the vast majority of the snaps at RB, and Kenny Gainwell can take the rest. Still, you want depth. Especially given Barkley has missed a lot of time here and there. And there is no one besides those 2 on the roster. 

You can always find decent RBs on day 3. And Guerendo has an elite combo of size and speed that makes him interesting. He ran a 4.33 40, despite coming in at over 220lbs.  

He can also catch passes out of the backfield.  

Bortolini has a lot in common with Jason Kelce. Both go into the draft with the knock of being undersized. But they both make up for it by being elite athletes at their position.

Bortolini even broke Kelce’s record for the faster 3-cone drill by a Center. Kelce set the record at 7.22 seconds, but Tanor broke it with a time of 7.16.

Bortolini mostly played Center in 2023. But in 2022 he spent more time at OG. Eagles like that kind of versatility. And they did kind of need someone to back up Cam Jurgens. Why not another Kelce-esque prospect?