What They’re Saying About the Eagles


Photo courtesy of USA Today

Photo courtesy of USA Today

Here’s a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles this week.

Bucky Brooks of NFL.com has Marcus Mariota falling all the way to No. 18 in his latest mock draft. He has the Eagles taking Wake Forest CB Kevin Johnson at No. 20:

The Eagles need to shore up a secondary that surrendered too many big plays in the passing game.

Dane Brugler of CBSSports.com has Mariota going sixth to the Jets. He has the Eagles taking Washington CB Marcus Peters at No. 20:

Would Chip Kelly really draft a player who was dismissed from school due to coachability issues? I think he would, if he believes the player won’t be a problem moving forward. Who knows if Peters will be able to keep his head on straight, but his talent is top-10 worthy, potentially giving the Eagles a steal with him this late.

Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com also has Mariota dropping to the Jets at No. 6. He has the Eagles going with Michigan State CB Trae Waynes:

With his first pick as the man running the draft for Philadelphia, you might expect coach Chip Kelly to do something eccentric or outside the box. I think he does what’s best for his team and gets a starting cornerback. Waynes was a favorite of NFL scouts all year and should be a no-brainer top-20 selection.

SI.com’s Doug Farrar offers a redo on the first round of last year’s draft. He has the Eagles going with North Carolina safety Tre Boston at No. 26:

Well, this was unfortunate. The Eagles took Smith in the first round, and Billy Davis, the team’s defensive coordinator, admitted late in the season that he wasn’t sure what Smith’s ideal position would be. Smith played 74 snaps in 2014. Meanwhile, Boston would have been a huge addition to an Eagles’ safety rotation in need of help — he lasted until the fourth round, but really made an impact as the season went on and he started more games for Carolina.

Rob Rang of CBSSports.com has the Eagles taking UCLA QB Brett Hundley in the first round:

Incumbent starter Nick Foles did a fine job when healthy and Mark Sanchez provided evidence that others could come in and be successful with this scheme. Neither, however, possesses the mobility at quarterback that made Chip Kelly’s offense so formidable at Oregon. Given full power over personnel as part of the Eagles’ recent restructuring of the front office, Kelly is in position to make a splash on draft day. That could come with Hundley, or perhaps, an aggressive trade up for Mariota if he slipped out of the top five.

Mike Reiss of ESPN Boston on former Eagles safety Patrick Chung:

The Patriots used to have a 12th player award that was given out to someone who exceeded expectations, and safety Patrick Chung (77 percent of the defensive snaps, 89 tackles ranking third on team) would have been the likely choice in 2014. I asked Chung what he felt changed from his first stint with the team (2009-2012) that has allowed him to have arguably the best season of his six-year career. His answer: He never wanted to leave, and he feels he’s more calm and mature at this stage, with the game slowing down for him so he can play faster.