The Philadelphia Eagles are about to start preparing for the most important part of there season the NFL draft. After drafting their franchise quarterback Carson Wentz last season, they must begin to build around him immediately. The Eagles 7-9 record was a good start for a first year head coach and quarterback. There are positions where talent and depth must be added. We need young difference makers on both sides of the ball that that can assist Carson Wentz as he leads the team. The positions most football analysts have identified as needs for the Eagles are wide receivers, cornerback, offensive line, running back and defensive end. I will be focusing cornerbacks in this blog.
The cornerback prospects in this draft are very good. The cornerback position may have the most talent out of all the positions. The fact that Quincy Wilson from the University of Florida is the number one rated corner says a lot. His 6’1 height and length gives him the physical intangibles most number one corners need. In addition to that, he has good hip fluidity which allows him to change direction quick. He is a proven commodity coming out of one of the best conferences in the country. He has all the potential to be a number one corner for years to come. He could go as early as the top ten draft picks in the draft. The Eagles will have to aggressive to draft him.
Marlon Humphrey from the University of Alabama is the second best prospect in the upcoming draft. While Quincy Wilson has the same height as Quincy Wilson they are two very different players. Marlon Humphrey is not as smooth through his transitions as Quincy Wilson but he tackles better and is stronger. He depends more on his strength and athleticism more so than his skill. You can pick a more polished but not as strong corner in Wilson or a less polished but strong corner in Humphrey. Marlon Humphrey will be a top 15 pick so that is tangible for the Eagles. We will see if the Eagles like physicality or skill if they choose one of these corners.
Sidney Jones is a six foot cornerback out of The University of Washington. The one glaring weakness in his scouting report is his strength. He will need to add weight to his 180 pound in order to be successful in the NFL. Besides his strength, he has the potential to be a great corner on this league. He has quick feet and length that allows him to stick to the wide receivers he is assigned to. He also has good 50-50 ball skills that are complimented by his good hands. He is used to guarding the other team’s top receiver and playing against high levels of completion coming out of the PAC-12. Sidney Jones could fall in top 15 which would be ideal for the Eagles. Any of these corners could be available when the Eagles choose.
https://walterfootball.com/draft2017CB.php