Zangaro's NFL Mock Draft: Eagles Grab a Defensive Starter

If your internet has been moving at a snail's pace, it's likely because the world wide web is being slowed down by mock drafts. Thousands of them. 

And there's one thing this mock draft has in common with all of them: it's wrong. Here's my one and only 2017 first-round mock draft. 

Enjoy. 

1. Cleveland Browns - Myles Garrett, DE, Texas A&M
Garrett was probably already the first pick in the draft, then he went to Indy and crushed the combine. He's the top prospect in the draft and the Browns can't pass. 

2. San Francisco 49ers - Jamal Adams, S, LSU
The 49ers have so many needs that they can't afford to get cute here. They have to take the best player on the board and that's Adams. They might not need a safety as badly as they need some other positions, but Adams would definitely help that defense improve. 

3. Chicago Bears - Solomon Thomas, DE, Stanford
Size is the one knock on Thomas. He's 6-3, 270, but could become a dynamic pass rusher in the NFL. The Bears will take a solid player and not reach for a QB at No. 3. 

Philadelphia Eagles

Complete coverage of the Philadelphia Eagles and their NFL rivals from NBC Sports Philadelphia.

Jason Kelce lost his Super Bowl ring in the strangest way possible

Dorney Park lets roller coaster fans ‘drop' 160 feet for Eagles Autism Foundation

4. Jacksonville Jaguars - Jonathan Allen, DT, Alabama
Allen was once thought to be a high pick by many but has dropped in several mock drafts. And I'm not sure why. As solid a prospect as they come. 

5. Tennessee Titans - Marshon Lattimore, CB, Ohio State
The Titans need help in the secondary and Lattimore is now the best corner prospect in the draft after Sidney Jones' Achilles injury. Lattimore is a great athlete but there are question marks too. He has hamstring issues and started for just one season at Ohio State. 

6. New York Jets - Malik Hooker, S, Ohio State
Will the Jets resist the temptation to draft a quarterback? Well, if they get Hooker they can. Hooker is a ball hawk with incredible range. He's a huge playmaker. 

7. Los Angeles Chargers - O.J. Howard, TE, Alabama
OK, we're off the rails, but stay with me here. Yes, the Chargers still have Antonio Gates -- if he comes back -- but he's going to be 37 when the season starts. Why not draft his replacement and let Gates bring up the young talented tight end? Solidify the position for another decade. 

8. Carolina Panthers - Leonard Fournette, RB, LSU
Jonathan Stewart is 30 and the Panthers need to get younger at the position. Enter the top running back of this draft, a throwback type of player who can pound between the tackles. 

9. Cincinnati Bengals - Mike Williams, WR, Clemson
Imagine A.J. Green on one side and Williams on the other. The Bengals can become downright scary for opposing defenses.  

10. Buffalo Bills - Reuben Foster, LB, Alabama
Sean McDermott's team gets the best linebacker in the draft. After coaching Luke Kuechly in Carolina, McDermott will now get Foster, who has been compared to Kuechly during this draft process. I'm not worried about the combine incident or the drug test. This kid can play. 

11. New Orleans Saints - Derek Barnett, DE, Tennessee
The Saints seriously need help on defense and it just so happens Barnett would fill their greatest need -- a pass rusher. His hands are incredible and, after Garrett, is the best pass rusher in the class. 

12. Cleveland Browns - Gareon Conley, CB, Ohio State
The Browns resist the temptation to take a quarterback and nab the second-best corner in the draft. The third Ohio State player in the top 12. 

13. Arizona Cardinals - Mitchell Trubisky, QB North Carolina
Carson Palmer is clearly past his prime and the Cards need to find his replacement. They'll be happy to let Trubisky fall to them at 13. 

14. Philadelphia Eagles - Tre'Davious White, CB, LSU 
The Eagles have a clear need at cornerback, but this is not a reach. No, White hasn't been talked about as much as many other prospects in this class, but he's a first-round talent and is one of the best corners in the draft. This offseason, Howie Roseman has talked about the fear about a run on corners happening, which would leave the Eagles without a top player at the position. 

So sure, the Eagles could wait until the second round and hope that a player they really like at corner is still there … or they can just solve the problem and take one of the top guys at 14. I think they opt to go in this direction. 

15. Indianapolis Colts - Christian McCaffrey, RB, Stanford 
A true weapon for Andrew Luck, one that offers the kind of versatility the Colts haven't had at the position in a long time -- remember Edgerrin James? Well, McCaffrey might not be that good yet, but maybe he could grow into that type of player. 

16. Baltimore Ravens - Haason Reddick, LB, Temple 
After Zach Orr retired, the Ravens need to find a way to replace him. They'll look north on 95 to find their guy from Temple. Reddick is switching from defensive end to linebacker but will make the transition easily. He's already solidified himself as a first-rounder. This would be a good spot for him. 

17. Washington Redskins - John Ross, WR, Washington
This one is pretty simple. Washington lost DeSean Jackson, so they'll replace him with DeSean 2.0. Ross has plenty of injury concerns but he's good enough to warrant a first-round pick and Washington now needs help at wideout after Jackson and Pierre Garcon left in free agency. 

18. Tennessee Titans - Corey Davis, WR, Western Michigan
Some think Davis is the best receiver in the class and others aren't so sure about him. The competition he faced in college is a question, but he's the most well-balanced receiver in the first round. Marcus Mariota will be thrilled about this pick. 

19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Dalvin Cook, RB, Florida State
As either a replacement for Doug Martin or just a complementary player, Cook makes sense and would make the Bucs' offense much more dangerous. Some think Cook is falling out of the first round, and maybe he does. But if not, not a bad landing spot. 

20. Denver Broncos - Garrett Boles, OT, Utah
It's time to get some help along the offensive line and Bolles would be a perfect fit. He's the best offensive tackle in the class. 

21. Detroit Lions - Taco Charlton, DE, Michigan 
This move will likely make the people in Detroit happy. He's a heckuva pass rusher, which is exactly what the Lions need. And he'd get to stay close to where he played college ball. 

22. Miami Dolphins - Charles Harris, DE, Missouri 
The Dolphins nab a really good end with a quick first step. That first step is what everyone seems to be talking about. It's the Dolphins' biggest need and Harris offers solid value at 22. 

23. New York Giants - Ryan Ramczyk, OT, Wisconsin
Some think Ramczyk is the best tackle in the draft and the Giants would plug him in right away. A hip surgery is what might keep Ramczyk on the board this long.  

24. Oakland Raiders - Kevin King, CB, Washington
The Raiders need some help in their secondary and King might be the answer. A big, athletic corner. The Raiders can't worry about the last time they took a corner in the first round: D.J. Hayden in 2013. Last year they took Karl Joseph at 14 and can further solidify their secondary. 

25. Houston Texans - Deshaun Watson, QB, Clemson
You might have noticed the Texans need a quarterback after the Great Brock Osweiler Mess of 2016. If they can stay at 25 and get one of the top guys in the class, good for them. With how good their defense is, they just need a competent QB to make a run. 

26. Seattle Seahawks - Cam Robinson, OT, Alabama
Robinson has a ton of potential, but there are plenty of concerns too. It might not be the best fit, in terms of scheme, but the Seahawks can get a good, but raw player. Might end up being the top tackle in this class. 

27. Kansas City Chiefs - Patrick Mahomes, Texas Tech
It's time to start thinking about life after Alex Smith. Mahomes has the biggest arm in the class but isn't ready to step in just yet. He'll get to learn under Smith. And the Chiefs still have nine more picks to work with in later rounds. 

28. Dallas Cowboys - David Njoku, TE, Miami
Jason Witten can't play forever, can he? Leave it to me to mock the two best tight ends of the draft to two teams who still have two of the best tight ends in NFL history. But the old guys won't last forever. 

29. Green Bay Packers - Forrest Lamp, OG, Western Kentucky
Not exactly the sexiest pick, but Lamp is the best interior lineman in the class. Lamp can fill in for T.J. Lang, who left in free agency. 

30. Pittsburgh Steelers - Obi Melifonwu, S, UConn
Melifonwu is a little raw, but the workout at the combine was incredible for a man of his size. I think the Steelers will find a way to use him. 

31. Atlanta Falcons - Jabril Peppers, S, Michigan 
The more I think about it, the less I think Peppers will be available this late. But pairing him with Keanu Neal would be downright dangerous for opposing teams. I want to see how it would work. 

32. New Orleans Saints - Marlon Humphrey, CB, Alabama 
The Saints use the pick they got from the Brandin Cooks trade to pick up a corner who some think will go much, much higher.  

Copyright CSNPhily
Contact Us