The Senior Bowl has come and gone, meaning scouts and draftniks alike have been able to get an up-close look at some of the players entering April's draft.
When it comes to projecting who the Eagles may pick with the fourth overall selection, there have been few changes among the pundits so far. Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel is still one of the most consistent picks, though Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner is now the most popular choice, garnering four selections from our growing list of 12 pundits. Also gaining traction is West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, who has been tabbed as the Eagles' pick in two mock drafts.
To read the entire projection, click on the name of the expert who made the selection. Click here to view last week's mock draft tracker ...
| Mock Draft Tracker | ||
|---|---|---|
| Site | Selection | Last Updated |
| ESPN (Mel Kiper, Jr.) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | January 16 |
| Comment: "People need to forget the idea that Philly is deep at corner. You watch the tape and it simply wasn't true in 2012. I expect changes in a secondary where it's possible that on a per-play basis, the best corner for Philly this season was rookie Brandon Boykin. The top cornerback in the draft is always going to be a huge draw, and Milliner could come out of the draft process worthy of going this high. He will improve as a technical corner, but has elite grades in terms of awareness, and particularly as a physical corner who can push wideouts off routes. He can defend the run and tackle at a very high level." | ||
| ESPN (Todd McShay) | Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M | December 12 |
| Comment: "The Eagles have major concerns along the offensive line, and also have a need at cornerback. The line situation will improve when C Jason Kelce and OTs Jason Peters and Todd Herremans return from injured reserve next season, but you could not fault Philadelphia for taking the best available offensive tackle. Joeckel is a smart, technically sound and tough player in the mold of Joe Thomas, and Joeckel started all 37 games at left tackle in his first three seasons with the Aggies. He could play right tackle opposite Peters and allow Herremans to move inside to guard." | ||
| SI.com (Don Banks) | Geno Smith, QB, WVU | January 24 |
| Comment: "This is where the real guess-work begins, because so much depends on whether new Eagles coach Chip Kelly believes he currently has his starting quarterback on the roster or not. Smith's talents aren't a perfect mesh for Kelly's up-tempo offense, but he's got enough mobility to get the job done, and his pocket-passing skills are NFL ready. We know quarterbacks get pushed up by need, but the Eagles defense needs so much help that Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner could be tough to pass on." | ||
| FOX Sports (Peter Schrager) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | January 23 |
| Comment: "Pegging a first round pick to the Eagles is like pinning a tail on a donkey at this point in the process. All questions are obviously on the offense and what new coach Chip Kelly plans to do with the quarterback decision. But Kelly and Howie Roseman have not publicly made any statements about the future of Michael Vick, Nick Foles, or this selection. Until then, I'm going to focus on the defense, an even more disastrous unit than the offense in 2012. Nnamdi Asomugha's best days are behind him, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie can't tackle, and the rest of the corners are just guys. Milliner isn't just a guy. He's the next in a long line of great Alabama corners to enter the NFL Draft. He'll be a good fit in Philly." | ||
| NFL.com (Bucky Brooks) | Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M | January 15 |
| Comment: "It is time for the Eagles to address their offensive-line woes by selecting the top offensive lineman in the draft." | ||
| NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | January 14 |
| NFL.com (Charles Davis) | Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah | January 15 |
| NFL.com (Gil Brandt) | Chance Warmack, G, Alabama | January 15 |
| Comment: "The Eagles fill a need by making Warmack the first guard picked in the top 10 since 1997." | ||
| NFL.com (Albert Breer) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | January 15 |
| NFL.com (Josh Norris) | Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah | January 14 |
| Comment: "Lotulelei isn't just a nose tackle prospect; he can play all along the defensive line. The Eagles have plenty of pass rushers, but this Ute would offer some girth up front." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Dane Brugler) | Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M | January 16 |
| Comment: "Just like other positions on the Eagles depth chart, offensive tackle looked to be a strength, but injuries have really taken a toll on this team. Although Jason Peters injury situation will be a factor in Philadelphia choosing a tackle, Joeckel has the chance to grow into one of the NFL's best." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Rob Rang) | Geno Smith, QB, WVU | January 16 |
| Comment: "Nick Foles finished 1-5 in six games as a starter for the Eagles, and is a pocket passer not suited for new head coach Chip Kelly's read-option offense. Michael Vick potentially could be, but he's 32, gets injured too frequently and hasn't operated particularly well in up-tempo offenses. The perception is that Smith struggled mightily down the stretch in 2012, but take that with a grain of salt -- he threw for 42 touchdowns and six interceptions." | ||
