In his NFL mock draft 2.0, Paul Hudrick had the Eagles taking Tennessee defensive end Derek Barnett. In his second seven-round Eagles mock, Hudrick is sticking with Barnett, but changing a few other picks with the NFL draft coming up on Thursday.
First round (14th overall (from Vikings)): Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee, 6-3/259
If I'm going to die on this hill, so be it. The off-the-field concerns with Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster might boost Barnett's stock for a defensive-needy team. The Saints will be the most interesting team to watch. They could choose Barnett or possibly go with Ohio State cornerback Gareon Conley.
For the Eagles, Barnett could make an immediate impact in a rotation with Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry and veteran Chris Long. Jim Schwartz prefers to use a rotation and Barnett would greatly improve his depth at edge rusher. Tennessee's all-time leader in sacks reportedly had a pre-draft visit with the Eagles. He's not a freak athlete but has violent hands and is relentless in pursuit.
Second round (43rd overall): Quincy Wilson, CB, Florida, 6-1/211
Another player that reportedly met with the Eagles, Wilson would seem to fit their scheme pretty well. Malcolm Jenkins said on Monday that the team needs a corner that can press. Other than Ohio State's Marshon Lattimore, Wilson might be the best press corner in the draft.
Wilson was considered a lock to be a first-round pick early in the draft process. A so-so combine performance has him projected more as a Day 2 pick. Based on tape alone, Wilson has the look of a first-rounder. He's certainly worth a look in Round 2.
Third round (99th overall (from Ravens)): Kareem Hunt, RB, Toledo, 5-10/216
Hunt has been all over my radar. For his career, he averaged 6.3 yards a carry and had 44 rushing touchdowns. He has unbelievable balance and strong legs which makes him extremely difficult to bring down. He also has reliable hands, hauling in 41 passes his senior year. The knock on Hunt will be the level of competition he faced, but he shined at the Senior Bowl (118 yards on 15 carries).
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Hunt would fit the Eagles' offense well. He doesn't have elite speed (4.62), but backs like Le'Veon Bell (4.60) and Devonta Freeman (4.58) have been explosive players in the NFL despite poor 40 times. He has potential as a three-down back, but could get eased into that role with veteran Darren Sproles and second-year back Wendell Smallwood still in the mix.
Fourth round (119th overall): Julie'n Davenport, OT, Bucknell, 6-7/318
Like Hunt, teams will have concerns about Davenport's level of competition. With that said, Davenport rightly dominated at Bucknell. He's big, athletic and rarely ever got beat.
Jason Peters can't play forever and I have my doubts about Halapoulivaati Vaitai being the long-term answer at right tackle. Davenport, a Paulsboro, N.J. native, is a bit of a project. His pad level is a bit high at times and he needs more strength in his lower half. But he's athletic and strong and is worth a shot here. He recently worked out for the Eagles, according to a report.
Fourth round (139th overall (from Browns)): Tanzel Smart, DT, Tulane, 6-1/296
Make that three straight players with question marks about their level of competition. The numbers are there for Smart. He had 68 tackles, 19 for a loss and 5½ sacks his senior season.
Smart is a little undersized, but would fit well in Schwartz's attacking style. With Timmy Jernigan's lame duck status, Smart could help give the Eagles depth now and in the future. He'll likely be more of a rotational player but could be an effective one.
Fifth round (155th overall): K.D. Cannon, WR, Baylor, 5-11/182
Cannon is explosive. He averaged 16 yards per catch and had 27 receiving touchdowns in three seasons at Baylor. He was also productive, leading the Big 12 in receptions his senior season.
His 40 time was strong (4.41) and he plays with plenty of game speed. Cannon is only available here because of his size, but he did have an impressive 37-inch vertical. Between Cannon and West Virginia speedster Shelton Gipson, I'll take Cannon because of his ability after the catch.
Sixth round (194th overall): Nate Hairston, CB, Temple, 6-0/196
Hairston is a converted receiver whose only real flaw is being so new to the position. He has the footwork of a receiver and the nastiness of a physical corner. He can play special teams while he gets acclimated to the position at the NFL level. He ran a decent 40 (4.52) and looks like he has the physical skill to succeed at corner.
Seventh round (230th overall): Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB, Tennessee, 6-0/230
Reeves-Maybin lacks size and also suffered a serious shoulder injury that caused him to miss a large chunk of his senior year. Still, he was crazy productive at Tennessee during his sophomore and junior seasons (206 tackles, 25 for a loss, eight sacks combined). He could have a role on special teams and has the instincts to be a steady backup linebacker.
