With less than two weeks to go, the Mock Draft Tracker has ballooned to include 33 draft experts and 10 different prospects. For the first time, West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith is the most popular pick for the Eagles, garnering seven selections.
Oregon defensive end/linebacker Dion Jordan, Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei, Alabama cornerback Dee Milliner and Central Michigan tackle Eric Fisher each received four selections. Texas A&M tackle Luke Joeckel was the pick of three draft experts, while Florida defensive tackle Sharrif Floyd and Alabama guard Chance Warmack each earned two nods. The list is rounded out by Oklahoma tackle Lane Johnson and LSU defensive end/linebacker Barkevious Mingo, who is making his first appearance on the Tracker.
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.) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 4 |
|
Comment: "In drafting Smith, the Eagles are in a good position to develop an athletic, talented thrower to succeed specifically in Kelly's offense, but without the requirement that he must start from day one. I don't like the idea of Smith as a Week 1 starter in 2013 -- but for a roster that's already in a good position to compete this season, he could be a great fit for the franchise in 2014, and most importantly, a great fit for the coach." | ||
| ESPN (Todd McShay) | Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah | April 10 |
| Comment: "Of all the teams in the top five overall, the Eagles did the best job in free agency and are most free to take the best available player for their schemes. The D-line isn't a pressing need, but Lotulelei is a top-five talent and would give the Eagles another solid 3-4 end and some flexibility in their new 3-4 hybrid scheme." | ||
| SI.com (Don Banks) | Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M | April 10 |
| Comment: "I still can't pull the trigger on the Eagles taking West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith, because my sense is Chip Kelly views Florida State's E.J. Manuel a more viable option early in the second round. In Joeckel, the Eagles get one of the draft's elite offensive tackles and give themselves alternatives as both starters at the position, Jason Peters and Todd Herremans, return from injury-marred 2012 seasons." | ||
| FOX Sports (Peter Schrager) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | March 26 |
| Comment: "Nnamdi Asomugha and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie will both be playing elsewhere in 2013 and it appears as though Bradley Fletcher and Cary Williams could be the new starting cornerbacks in Philadelphia. Dion Jordan, a young man who played for Chip Kelly at Oregon, could be the guy at No. 4. Jordan is most favorably compared to Aldon Smith, the electric outside linebacker in San Francisco." | ||
| NFL.com (Bucky Brooks) | Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M | April 8 |
| Comment: "Chip Kelly understands the importance of protecting the passer, which is why drafting Joeckel makes complete sense in this scenario." | ||
| NFL.com (Daniel Jeremiah) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 10 |
| Comment: "With this move, Chip Kelly would be getting a young quarterback who has experience playing in an up-tempo offense. Michael Vick's veteran presence will give Smith some time to sit and learn before taking the reins in Philly." | ||
| NFL.com (Charles Davis) | Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma | March 5 |
| Comment: "Johnson's athleticism wowed at the Combine. He's an excellent fit in Philly, with the expected tempo change on offense under Chip Kelly." | ||
| NFL.com (Gil Brandt) | Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan | March 27 |
| Comment: "Fisher (6-7 1/4, 306) ran real well and was strong; in short, he looked to be every bit what I thought he was. He'll be one of those guys who starts at left tackle for a long time. The Eagles could use the offensive line help." | ||
| NFL.com (Albert Breer) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | February 6 |
| NFL.com (Josh Norris) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | March 13 |
| Comment: "After releasing Nnamdi Asomugha, the Eagles signed Bradley Fletcher, who is solid when healthy. Still, the team needs another outside cover man. (Brandon Boykin is solid, but in a slot corner role.)" | ||
| CBSSports.com (Dane Brugler) | Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida | April 1 |
| Comment: "Philadelphia wants to add big, strong athletes to the roster and adding Floyd to the mix fits that description. He is a similar prospect as the Eagles' first round pick from last year Fletcher Cox, but a talent like Floyd might be too good to pass up." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Rob Rang) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 2 |
| Comment: "Michael Vick has proven unreliable. Nick Foles, despite what the Eagles are saying publicly, is clearly not a fit in head coach Chip Kelly's offense. Thus, this seems to be the logical spot for Smith, the most gifted talent of an average quarterback class. The Eagles are certainly doing their homework on the strong-armed quarterback. Team owner Jeffrey Lurie, general manager Howie Roseman and head coach Chip Kelly traveled to Morgantown to put the former Mountaineer quarterback through a personal workout three days before WVU's scheduled Pro Day." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Pete Prisco) | Barkevious Mingo, OLB, LSU | April 8 |
| Comment: "Pass rushers are always a nice pick this high." | ||
| OptimumScouting.com (Eric Galko) | Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon | April 1 |
| Comment: "New head coach Chip Kelly has said that he wants more size and versatility on the defense. While Star Lotulelei would add to the interior of the defense, adding his former dynamic defender may have more value for Kelly's defense." | ||
| NationalFootballPost.com (Russ Lande) | Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah | April 10 |
| Comment: "As the Eagles make the switch to a 34 defense they need to fill a number of positional needs and none is more important than a nose tackle. With his ability to physically dominate blockers at the POA, now that he appears to have overcome medical questions he would be an ideal choice to anchor the middle of the Eagles' defensive front." | ||
| USA Today (Tony Pauline) | Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon | February 27 |
| Comment: "Jordan is a natural fit for the 3-4 defense and a good fit for Chip Kelly, his former college coach." | ||
| NFL.com (Scott Pioli) | Chance Warmack, G, Alabama | February 22 |
| Comment: "The Eagles need help on their offensive line. Warmack is the best player in this draft at this point in time." | ||
| NFL.com (Mike Tannenbaum) | Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah | February 23 |
| Comment: "A two-time team captain at Utah, Lotulelei is a great complement to the finesse players of Philadelphia as a big, strong, stout guy." | ||
| NFL.com (Brian Billick) | Chance Warmack, G, Alabama | February 25 |
| Comment: "Quite possibly the cleanest player on the board. Landing Warmack and getting a couple of healthy players back could make this a good offensive line." | ||
| NFL.com (Charlie Casserly) | Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan | March 25 |
| Comment: "Both of Philly's offensive tackles (Jason Peters and Todd Herremans) were hurt last season." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Will Brinson) | Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan | April 2 |
| Comment: "If Chip Kelly loves Geno, maybe this is the spot. But there are plenty of other needs for Philadelphia, and adding a blue-chip, athletic offensive lineman who would work perfectly in Kelly's system is one of them. | ||
| Yahoo! Sports (Doug Farrar) | Sharrif Floyd, DT, Florida | April 11 |
| Comment: "The thought of Chip Kelly taking former Oregon endbacker Dion Jordan is obvious and appealing in some schematic senses, but when a team moves from 4-3 to 3-4 principles, versatility is the order of the day, and nobody plays more roles on the line with more impact than Floyd." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Pat Kirwan) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 1 |
| Comment: "It will be hard to pass on a QB with the skills and production to run Chip Kelly's offense. Owner Jeff Lurie was at his pro day, and that rarely happens." | ||
| Iggles Blitz (Tommy Lawlor) | Lane Johnson, OT, Oklahoma | April 12 |
| Comment: "Johnson is an easy explanation. He steps in at RT early on. That allows Todd Herremans to move to OG. Johnson started at RT for Oklahoma in 2011 so the position isn't totally new to him. He played LT in 2012 and can slide over there should Jason Peters have any complications. Johnson is a great athlete and perfect fit for Kelly's offense." | ||
| NFL.com (Matt Smith) | Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon | March 18 |
| Comment: "Prior to last year's draft, we tried to pair up Coby Fleener with Jim Harbaugh, his college coach at Stanford. This year, we're talking about Ryan Nassib rejoining Doug Marrone in Buffalo and Jordan following Chip Kelly to Philly. In this particular case, it makes sense. Jordan is an athletic freak who has proven capable of keeping up with the pace at which Kelly asks his players to perform." | ||
| NFL.com (Akbar Gbajabiamila) | Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M | April 1 |
| Comment: "Chip Kelly's NASCAR offense is about to hit the NFL, and the Eagles have many of the skill positions covered. But in order to get the offense going, the quarterback must be protected. Joeckel fits the need. This would give the team a stellar pair of bookend tackles in Joeckel and five-time Pro Bowler Jason Peters (expected back from injury)." | ||
| USA Today (Nate Davis) | Star Lotulelei, DT, Utah | March 26 |
| Comment: "After he participated in a March 20 pro day, concerns about his heart seem to be abating. The Eagles have jettisoned most of last season's defensive linemen as they switch to a three-man front, and Lotulelei is a three-down player who can man the nose or five-technique." | ||
| CBSSports.com (Clark Judge) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 8 |
| Comment: "Michael Vick can't quarterback these guys. Someone else must, and Smith is my choice." | ||
| LATimes.com (Sam Farmer) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 6 |
| Comment: "Philadelphia isn't going to spend all that money to hire Chip Kelly, then leave the cupboard bare at quarterback. Michael Vick is at best a short-term solution." | ||
| Philadelphia Inquirer (Zach Berman) | Dion Jordan, DE/OLB, Oregon | April 11 |
| Comment: "I think this will be Fisher or Jordan. With Fisher off the board, the Eagles go with upside and versatility. Jordan is unlike any player on the Eagles' defense, and Chip Kelly has seen the size athleticism first hand." | ||
| Philadelphia Inquirer (Jeff McLane) | Eric Fisher, OT, Central Michigan | April 11 |
| Comment: "With Jason Peters and Todd Herremans aging and coming off injuries, Chip Kelly strengthens his offensive line." | ||
| CSNPhilly.com (Geoff Mosher) | Dee Milliner, CB, Alabama | March 27 |
| Comment: "Milliner, easily the most coveted cornerback in the draft and a prospect who has been described as "special," brings to the Eagles what they've lacked for several years at cornerback: toughness, outstanding instincts and elite coverage skills. Despite the free-agent additions of corners Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher, Milliner could start from Day 1 and become the building block of new coordinator Billy Davis' defense." | ||
| Houston Chronicle (Lance Zierlein) | Geno Smith, QB, West Virginia | April 12 |
| Comment: "I was told to 'plug Geno in here' by a league source and I usually listen when this guy speaks. Kelly's offense probably won't ask the QB to run as much as people would like to believe, but I do think his offense will try to stretch the field and play up-tempo which is something that Geno Smith is used to." | ||
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