For the first time since the first mock drafts started trickling out towards the tail end of the NFL playoffs, Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carimi has lost his stranglehold as the majority selection for the Eagles' 23rd pick. Mind you, Carimi is still a popular projection, garnering four nods out of the 16 mock drafts surveyed, but he's no longer the most popular prospect in class. That title, for now, goes to Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith, who is widely considered one of the three most talented cornerback prospects in the draft but is facing some nebulous "character concerns". Noted NFL Films analyst Greg Cosell called Smith the best press corner in the draft class, which would make the former Buffalo a nice fit opposite Asante Samuel.
Aside from Carimi and Smith, the only player to be linked to the Eagles' 23rd pick more than once is Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod. As for the position-by-position breakdown, half of the 16 mock drafts pegged an offensive lineman to the Eagles, six went corner (all chose Smith), and there was a single nod each for a defensive lineman and a linebacker.
As always, click on the name of the mock drafter to read the entire projection.
| Mock Draft Tracker | ||
| Site | Selection | Last Updated |
| NFL.com (Brian Baldinger) | Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin | April 5 |
| Comment: When the Eagles benched starting RT Winston Justice in the playoff loss to the Packers, it spoke volumes about the need for an immediate upgrade. They have missed the steady presence of Jon Runyan since his retirement, and Carimi carries himself with the same type of confidence. | ||
| NFL.com (Bucky Brooks) | Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | April 5 |
| Comment: Smith comes with baggage, but his cover skills are undeniable and he should thrive playing opposite Asante Samuel in an aggressive scheme. | ||
| NFL.com (Charles Davis) | Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | April 5 |
| Comment: A few scouts have told me they believe that this good-sized, fast corner might be the best of the draft. New defensive coordinator Juan Castillo needs the help. | ||
| ESPN (Todd McShay) | Derek Sherrod, OT, Miss. St. | April 6 |
| Comment: He's not explosive or dominant and is a bit of a reach here, but Sherrod consistently gets into position and rarely makes mistakes. | ||
| ESPN (Mel Kiper) | Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin | April 6 |
| Comment: In Carimi they get a guy who loves to run block and will sustain those blocks. But he can also take on great pass-rushers, and has shown enough that it figures he could fill in at either tackle position early, potentially starting on the right side with the goal to become a starting left tackle. | ||
| Yahoo! (Doug Farrar) | Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | April 4 |
| Comment: Smith can lock down in man coverage, sit in zones, and can jump routes at a very high level, which would put him on pace with current Eagles cornerback Asante Samuel in that department. | ||
| Sports Illustrated (Don Banks) | Mike Pouncey, OL, Florida | March 30 |
| I don't know how the Eagles would pass on Pouncey, the draft's top-rated interior offensive lineman. He could play guard or center in the pros, and would give new Philly O-line coach Howard Mudd a mainstay cog to build around. | ||
| FoxSports.com (Adam Caplan) | Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | April 6 |
| Comment: Smith, who visited the Eagles last week, would be a perfect fit for the way the coaches use their cornerbacks in the secondary — a lot of man coverage. And they would like to be more physical at that position. | ||
| FoxSports.com (Peter Schrager) | Muhammad Wilkerson, DL, Temple | April 2 |
| Comment: The two-time All-MAC selection starred at Temple, where he played two years as a three-technique in a 4-3 and then one tremendous junior year as a five-technique in the 3-4. | ||
| National Football Post | Nate Solder, OT, Colorado | April 7 |
| Comment: A major position of need in Philadelphia is filled by the athletic Colorado OT for Andy Reid's offense. | ||
| ProFootballTalk.com (Evan Silva) | Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | March 28 |
| Comment: A true size corner at 6-foot-2 and 211 pounds, Smith would solidify the longtime trouble spot opposite Asante Samuel. | ||
| WalterFootball.com | Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin | April 5 |
| Comment: Gabe Carimi, drawing comparisons to Jon Runyan, is perfect for Andy Reid's blocking scheme. He can take over for Winston Justice, who was benched in the playoff loss to Green Bay. | ||
| CBS Sports (Rob Rang) | Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin | April 4 |
| Comment: Carimi, the Outland Trophy winner at left tackle, projects best on the right side in the NFL. Selecting a right tackle with enhanced pass-blocking skills as compared to current backup King Dunlap would be wise, especially considering he'll be protecting the blindside of left-handed starting quarterback Michael Vick. | ||
| CBS Sports (Chad Reuter) | Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado | April 4 |
| Comment: Smith's talent is too great to ignore, the team lacks depth at the position and Dimitri Patterson is a free agent. Andy Reid has proven himself willing to take on players with off-field concerns. | ||
| CBS Sports (Pete Prisco) | Akeem Ayers, LB, UCLA | March 31 |
| Comment: They need some help at outside linebacker and this is a kid who plays fast even if he hasn't tested great. | ||
| CBS Sports (Clark Judge) | Derek Sherrod, OT, Miss. St. | March 29 |
| Comment: Another team in search of OL help. The Eagles could use an OG or OT, with Sherrod a bookend for Jason Peters. | ||
