Even more speed?
Peter King put out what he’s calling a “non-mock draft” in this week’s edition of his FMIA column. Here’s how King described this activity:
I’m not going to predict what will happen in the first round here. Rather, with some education gleaned from calls to those who know in the last few days, I’m going to tell you what I think each team should do when the first round of the NFL’s 84th draft kicks off in Nashville on April 25. One to 32, here’s my best guess what teams from Tempe to Foxboro are thinking—and who they should be targeting in the first round.
So, it sounds like King’s opinion is being influenced by inside information to some extent. That could be worth noting since King was pretty plugged in on the Eagles’ draft intentions last year. Now, it wasn’t shocking that Philly wanted to trade down from No. 32 in 2018 but, still, King was pretty adamant about that being the plan.
Perhaps King knows something about the Eagles’ plans this year. If that’s the case, then his pick for Philly in his “non-mock draft” might catch you by surprise. King writes that he believes the Eagles should select Marquise “Hollywood” Brown at No. 25 overall.
Incredible how similar picks 24 [Josh Jacobs to the Raiders] and 25 are. Eagles trading for DeSean Jackson, who will be 33 this year, and he starts a second act in Philly, like Lynch has done in Oakland. Jackson is the same height (5-10) and six pounds heavier at 175 than Brown, who should become the long-term deep threat for Carson Wentz.
Brown was a common mock draft target for the Eagles prior to Philly’s decision to trade for Jackson. The speedy youngster has since been eliminated from the discussion.
But should he be out of the picture? Should the Eagles double down on adding dynamic, deep passing threats?
The argument for the Eagles still adding Brown is that Jackson is aging and team speed is something the team desperately lacked in 2018. With that in mind, it’s hard to believe Philly could suddenly have “too much” speed. We also know the Eagles have been looking at receivers who can contribute in the slot. The team also has an obvious need for a pass catcher out of the backfield. Maybe the Eagles can envision Brown contributing in those areas.
The argument against taking Brown is that the Eagles are currently spending the most 2019 cap space of any team on wide receivers. They’d probably have to move Nelson Agholor and his $9.4 million salary to open up adequate playing time for Brown. It’s also hard to believe the Eagles potentially passing up on fortifying the trenches at the expense of adding a shiny new toy on offense.
Media opinions on Brown’s value vary. The Draft Network, for example, has him ranked as their No. 58 overall prospect. Former Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah, meanwhile, has Brown ranked No. 16 overall.
Brown is a DeSean Jackson clone. He has a similar build and the same explosive playmaking skills as the three-time Pro Bowler. He lines up outside and in the slot. He easily defeats press coverage with his quickness -- and when corners elect to play off coverage, he eats up their cushion in a hurry. He is a blur on deep posts and go routes, showing both suddenness off the line and another gear once the ball is thrown to him. He has also shown the ability to quickly get in/out of breaks when working back to the quarterback on curls and comebacks. He plays much bigger than his size (5-9, 166 pounds) down the field, attacking the football at the highest point. He is dynamic after the catch. Overall, Brown might lack ideal size, but he’s a polished receiver and a threat to score from anywhere on the field. He did undergo Lisfranc surgery in January, which means he’s probably not a lock for the top 20. I don’t see him falling out of the first round, though.
While the idea of having two DeSean Jacksons on the same team is very fun, I don’t think it’s the direction the Eagles will go at pick No. 25. I just think they’ll be looking to invest that premium resource in the trenches.
The fact that King made this pick has me wondering a little, though.
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