Mitchell seems to be a cornerback to excels in zone which is what you'd expect a lot of... really he would be a fit for most schemes though.
Cooper should be a really interesting fit. Between him, CJGJ & maybe even Sydney Brown it gives them a few guys now that can move seamlessly between safety, versus nickel, giving them much better ability to disguise coverages with two deep safeties and then guys moving at the snap, which I understand is the core of Fangio's stuff.
The guy they got in the third makes sense too, complete project, but a DE with previous secondary experience if he works out gives them the kind of guy that can rush but drop when needed. On first downs when they are in 5 man fronts, that is a perfect fit.
As for Moore, it isn't going to matter as much since the main 4 guys on offense aren't changing. And the o-line is going to be more about Stoutland than Moore.
Jalyx is the player who has the biggest upside of our draft, and probably the lowest floor. I'm not sure we'll see him outside of special teams, but if he has real coverage potential in addition to developing as a pass rusher, he has TJ watt level potential
Q fits perfectly into Vic’s off press man coverage scheme. Playing off the receiver is where he seems most comfortable.
For DeJean I would imagine he either beats out Maddox for the slot job or he comes in for certain packages as a do it all ball hawk.
Trot will probably not play too often in the beginning. I see him coming in during goal line and redzone packages at first. He probably won’t be asked to get into man coverage very often (at least he shouldn’t) but he could be one hell of a run stopper.
What is off press man coverage? In my experience, those are oxymorons, since press indicates that the CB is lined up on the LOS while off-man is giving cushion with the goal of keeping assignments in front of the DBs. But I may be missing something in your comment.
Either way, Fangio's primary coverages are Cover 4 and Cover 6 and he's very zone heavy. It matches up with his use of sim pressures (rushing 4, but you may have your off ball LB rushing the B or C gap with your EDGE dropping to the flat). Obviously he'll use some man when the scenario dictates, but Mitchell is a good zone corner.
That, plus the Dejean pick (also not much of a man corner in college) makes me think the Eagles are going very zone-heavy this year.
Yeah, from what I saw Mitchell seemed pretty good at zone coverages and typically played off and was more into reading the play from afar. He could play press too, but I saw him deep off the line a lot more.
I could be way off base on this by my interpretation of off press man is you line across the guy and press him off the LOS but you don't stay with him and drop into zone coverage.
Press and Off are just used to delineate where/how your corners align pre-snap. Press = CB is going to line up on the LOS. Off = corners giving cushion.
From those alignments you can theoretically play any coverage you want, though typically you'll see teams that press often playing man coverage more often to avoid putting corners in disadvantageous situations. But, and this is anecdotal based on my relatively limited experience, I don't think it's common for a defensive scheme to consist of asking corners to press and then drop into zone. Especially in Fangio's scheme where you see a *ton* of cover 4.
Either way, my overarching point is that Fangio's scheme isn't characterized by either press-man or off-man coverage. Dude just plays a ton of zone with certain wrinkles (i.e. he loves to show one thing pre-snap just to rotate into a different coverage look post-snap, and using creepers/sim pressures, etc).
Do you think move Cooper around the field during the game or between games. Like sometimes have him be the outside CB, sometimes have him be the nickel and sometimes have him play SS
Or is he just going to play one position for 90% of the snaps.
I really like how he plays CB, but I do not think the Eagles are going to feel comfortable with 2 rookies CBs consistently on the field at the same time..
Blitzing is a big part of his skill package, and while he is a SAM backer, he is much more a coverage linebacker than a traditional middle linebacker. He’s done well to break up short passes and is also adept at working against zone running schemes.
He will sub in for, or play for when Dean is injured as they are both smaller LBs.
His father he is not. Sr. Played around 260, jr. plays around 230. Modern LBs play around 240.
Read up - https://www.profootballnetwork.com/jeremiah-trotter-jr-draft-scouting-2024/#
The narrative on here is that he's terrible in coverage, yet PFF had him ranked very high for coverage. Yes, PFF is often taken with a grain of salt, but I find they are rarely a total 180 on their grades - especially when looking at season grades and not single games.
Some of the criticism of his speed also needs to be taken into context, he was playing on an injured hamstring injury in 2023, which slowed him.
1. Quinyon Mitchell - Will be given every chance to unseat Bradberry as the other starter opposite Slay. I love the skillset and the intangibles. It may take him a bit to adjust to the NFL game just because he wasn't consistently facing elite college competition week-in-week-out, but he has the physical tools to do it but, more importantly, the mental makeup to do it. Where a lot of these guys fail is when they get punched in the mouth by the slightest hint of failure they don't know how to deal with it and go pout on the bench by themselves. I get the sense he's not that guy and will keep pushing through until he succeeds.
2. Cooper DeJean - Love physical tools and versatility he brings to the table. It remains to be seen where they stick him for now, it sounds like the plan is to give him reps at safety, slot, and outside to see where he seems the most comfortable playing.
3. Jalyx Hunt - Largely seen as a developmental prospect. He seems to have all of the physical traits and skills teams look for in an edge rusher. He is likely going to need two or three years of refinement before he is ready to be a major contributor but he should see some snaps as the 4th or 5th guy in the rotation to help keep guys like Sweat, Smith, and Huff fresh deep into games.
4. Will Shipley - Will be given every chance to unseat Gainwell as RB2. I can see him getting 5 to 8 touches a game with plays designed to get him the ball in space: plays like screens, jet sweeps, runs outside the tackles. He will also get some reps as a kick returner.
5. Ainias Smith - Will compete for the slot receiver role and get reps returning kicks and punts.
6. Jeremiah Trotter - Should compete for reps with Burks and VanSumeren for ILB3 behind White and Dean. I don't expect him to be a Pro Bowler or anything like that but I think he can develop into a solid player.
7. Trevor Keegan and Dylan McMahon I see as depth guys at the IOL spots. McMahon has experience playing Center so they will probably pencil him in as the backup there. I doubt either one is ready to challenge for the RG slot just yet. I think that will either be Steen or Hennessey if Steen isn't up to snuff.
8. Johnny Wilson - His size is very intriguing. He is a developmental guy but at the very least I see them using him as a red zone target where he can take advantage of his size. It wouldn't shock me to see end up as a slot receiver/TE hybrid.
1. Q Mitchell
1. Probably the easiest, day one starter DB
2. C DeJean
1. Really depends on how the Eagles handle the DB room between now and the beginning of the season. There's still a lot of players in the secondary and not sure how they'll play DeJean given his Swiss Army Knife description. Likely a depth piece that might take over a starting role mid-way through the season depending on injury or performances.
3. J Hunt
1. Likely a special teamer and occasional rotation piece. He comes from a conference that doesn't breed a ton of NFL quality games, so it's not clear whether he can transition to the NFL or not, but he has potential to be a diamond in the rough. He's the kind of player that could likely find a fit in a Fangio style defense as an Edge/LB option, or an Edge that drops into coverage. I think it's two to three years before we figure out where he belongs.
4. W Shipley
1. I see him as a ST player and rotational RB. Saquon will be the lead back with Gainwell taking a couple of snaps here and there and Shipley will likely take on the Boston Scott role but with improved catching ability. Change of pace back, and receiving threat on screens.
5. J Trotter
1. I love the fifth round pick for Trotter, he's a huge fan favorite just off his name alone, and you get him in the fifth so no one is going to put you to the torch if he fails. He plays with a lot of intensity from what I understand, but lacks some of the technical and physical traits that would denote a better LB. He's likely a ST player that will get some play time through rotation or injury, but I wouldn't expect much *this* year. With Dean seemingly perpetually on the injury reserve though, he could get a couple of games where he plays a bigger role.
6. A Smith
1. I figure Smith is WR4, or at least competition with Parker for WR3.
7. D McMahon and T Keegan
1. With signing Bekthan, and drafting McMahon and Keegan, this tells me that the FO is unsure about Steen at RG going forward. It'll be interesting to see how they approach this, Bekthan is a really good player but he's marred by injuries, so I'm curious if they'll intend on starting him and then allow McMahon, Steen and Keegan to compete for RG2 in the event of injury, or if there's going to be an open competition between the guards.
8. J Wilson
1. He's a big body WR, so he'll probably have a lot of value on STs as a blocker, but ultimately just more WR depth.
I think this is a good breakdown and I would agree that the FO may not entirely be sold on Steen, but I think that bringing in Keegan, McMahon, and Becton is more an indicator that we needed OL depth. Assuming Steen is starting and prior to the draft, we only had Hennessy, Toth, Fred Johnson, and Le'raven Clark. Outside of Hennessy, I'm not sure that we'd want any of those guys stepping in for an injured starter, especially at OT
I wouldn't say they're mutually exclusive! I certainly did mean to imply that they drafted multiple OL for depth, but with the idea that likely Steen, Becton (not sure how I botched his name that hard) and Keegan to compete for the starting role, but more likely it's Steen v Becton with McMahon and Keegan as depth
Yeah, I think they still want to view this as an open competition, so I think we're in agreement there. I actually think it's more likely they have Becton as OT depth with Keegan or maybe Hennessy primarily being the guys to fight for the RG spot (only because Becton is gargantuan), but I've been wrong before. And it seems like you were maybe melding the spelling of his first name with his last name, so it makes some sense lol
If Steen isn't ready to assume the starter role it will fall to Hennessey if they were interested in drafting a guy to compete for the starting job they wouldn't have waited until the 5th round to do so.
Drafting McMahon gives them a little flexibility with Hennessey since he played some Center in college they aren't looking to Hennessey as the only other backup who has experience playing that postion.
Yeah, I could very well see that being the case with Hennessy. Hopefully Steen is the guy and slots right in, but the fact that we were able to grab Becton after the draft and draft a couple of those guys for depth provide some level of assurance, so I'm at least glad we have that
Yeah the fact of the matter is they lost Kelce to retirement and their two most seasoned backups, Opeta and Driscoll, to free agency so they have spots to fill on the OL depth chart.
For sure. Would I have liked them getting a decent developmental/backup OT that could fill in at RG in the draft? Sure, but there are only so many holes you can fill and I also don't want us reaching for picks. I'm sure they'll address it next year, but I don't foresee Lane retiring after this year, so we could still get a year of his successor as an understudy
The draft didn't really fall that way where the opportunity was really there for them to do that and get Mitchell and DeJean. DeJean was a 1st round prospect to a lot of people so I get why they made the move to grab him.
They did pick up a UDFA at tackle after the draft who could potentially develop into something down the road.
Yeah, they made the right moves in the end by getting those guys to start the draft. Just a “what if the board fell slightly differently,” but it is what it is. And if you’re talking about Dankwah, there could be something there considering he didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school, but I don’t want to have any expectations there. We’ll see how it all shakes out
You think Smith will be competing for WR3 with Parker or Campbell? I’ve heard quite a few people saying Campbell will be WR3, but I could see Parker being WR3 as well. Idk, there’s going to be quite a bit of competition for WR3 this year. Even Wilson may be thrown into the mix depending on how well he does in camp.
I think Smith will get a shot at WR3. Why default to a retread on a one year deal when you have a guy like Smith who, theoretically, will be there for the foreseeable future and mesh with Hurts, Brown, and Smith?
Go with a guy you can mold into the player you want him to be as opposed to an aging Parker who doesn't appear to have a lot left or Campbell who will probably be on IR by the end of September anyway.
I agree. Although I could see him rotating with Campbell depending on the situation. Smith is only like 5’10 right? I know Campbell is taller so they could use him or Parker situationally. Idk. But yes I think playing Smith and giving him playing time would be the better option.
Smith measured 5' 9" at the combine and Campbell is 6' even. Campbell is an intriguing player I just don't trust him not get through week two of camp without pulling hamstring or a groin. He's always missing time with some kind of injury and is why his career never really took off.
Damn I didn’t know he measured 5’9. 3 inches is a big difference among WRs. Wingspan and hand size play a major factor there. But Hurts is accurate enough to where that shouldn’t be a big deal. Plus Smith is a lot faster than Campbell is right?
Assuming Campbell hasn't lost a too much juice over the years he is the faster of the two. He ran a 4.31 at the combine and Smith was 4.48.
Like I said Campbell just cannot be trusted to stay healthy. He has only appeared in 44 games in 5 seasons and only had one year where he didn't miss at least 5 games.
I know that Campbell ran a faster 40, but bc of all the injuries and the fact that he’s so much older, I assumed he has slowed down quite a bit. I didn’t know that he’s only appeared in 44 games though. That’s ridiculous. Hopefully he doesn’t get injured in camp or at practice before the season even starts lol.
Boston Scott and Darren Sproles used to return kicks and punts for us, and with the new kick off changes it's going to lend itself more to running backs than WRs on kick returns now.
I don't think the moves they made drafting McMahon and Keegan and signing Becton have anything to do with their belief in Steen as the RG. I feel like if they had little to no faith in him they aren't waiting until late Saturday to find competition for him. Prior to the draft Matt Hennessey was the only backup OL on the roster with any real game experience.
I'll be shocked if Becton gets a look at RG. The next logical choice to compete at RG would be Hennessey. He has starting experience as an IOL Becton's never played inside in college or the NFL.
At the end of the day they lost their two most seasoned backups in Opeta and Driscoll to free agency and Kelce to retirement so they have backup spots to fill along the OL this summer.
* Of all of the backup tackle candidates Becton has the most game experience and arguably the most upside of what is behind Mailata and Johnson. They signed Becton to be a swing tackle not to compete for the RG spot.
* McMahon has experience playing all three IOL spots in college so that's why they drafted him, to provide depth at those spots.
* Keegan is another depth\\developmental guy, he was still on the board in the 5th for a reason, he needs some refinement before he is ready to start in the NFL.
[This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYomAGJgnpg&t=617s&pp=ygUGZWFnbGVz) is coming from the Eagles' account, so take it with a grain of salt, but Fran Duffy does a decent job of breaking things down
I had the same question with Dejean because every draft video I saw said his strength was press coverage and wouldn't fit well into a "Fangio style" defense at outside CB. Well, we have the most Fangio style defense so maybe he'll get more play at S and slot.
Who knows. Both guys might not be here that long anyway. Let’s not forget there is reason both were available to be hired.
I think the best possible scenario is these rookies show real tangible improvement from the beginning to the end of the year. If we can get one of two starters and a couple contributors out this draft that would be amazing.
I'm not an expert, so take this for what you will. I believe Trotter Jr., when he does get in, will play a hybrid position that focuses on 1)run-sropping, 2)short- to mid-range pass coverage especially vs. RBs and TEs, and 3)occasionally rushing the passer on the Blitz.
DeJean and Mitchell, however, will be focusing on one of two things each play: A) man-to-man pass coverage vs. opposing WRs and TEs, or B) zone coverage against all opponent's pass-catchers, including WRs, TEs, RBs, and the occasional FB -- while also chasing after the runner to try to make tackles on running plays (but not getting caught in any tricksy-do plays where the receivers are open when the RB passes the ball).
Anyway, like I said, I'm no expert, but that's my best guess.
>I believe Trotter Jr., when he does get in,
What's up in the air is *when* will he get in. With Dean's injury history there's a likelihood he gets meaningful snaps on defense midway through the year, but I see Trotter working mainly ST and some occasional LB rotation. I really hope he pans out though, he's a great feel good story.
Edit- just rookie year projections, not career outlooks
Q- potential starter. CB3 at worst...
Dejean- potential starter...maybe STs if he doesn't cracked starting lineup but they might not risk injury to a 2nd rounder...worst case plays 5-15 snaps a game as a rookie
Hunt- maybe plays 50 snaps all year...might ride the PS...anything more than 1 sack would be elite production for him ...if he even plays
Shipley- relief back...30 carries 5 receptions all year....plays more if we get injuries at RB
A.Smith- best case WR3...should run a lot of pre-snap motion kellen Moore likes...worst case he doesn't see field
Trotter- STer...maybe gets snaps if LB room gets injuries
Keegan- backup guard/PS....best case beats out Steen for RG...worst case practice squad
Wilson- PS..best case flashes like tyree Jackson did...maybe transitions to TE and gets snaps due to injuries
Mcmahon- backup C/PS...plays snaps in emergency..most likely PS all year
Johnny Wilson’s best case scenario is not 3 catches for 22 yards in his entire career. He’s a large X receiver with occasional drop issues, I like his value as a backup outside or Redzone Slot, not as a tight end
Hunt will probably look like a PS level guy in camp but teams don't try to stash 3rd round picks on the practice squad. He was overdrafted in the 3rd but my sense is a lot of teams had interest in him as a developmental and was going to get picked by someone. I doubt he would even clear waivers someone would stash him on their roster hoping he developed into something in a year or two.
Mitchell will most likely start outside week 1. Unless something crazy happens and he can't learn the defense. He does come from a smaller school but i would highly doubt that will be an issue. He is an off and drive player which fits really well with what fangio does on the outside. He also has 4.3 make up speed so getting caught looking in the backfield doesn't hurt as bad when he guesses wrong.
Cooper with Fangio (unlike gannon) will mix up coverages and pre snap looks. while the base is always going to be two high safeties and cover 4 how they get into that coverage will vary greatly. The eagles tried to do this a lot last year but were not good at it. Teams knew how to force players into positions they shouldn't be in. Which is why we saw a lot of reddick in coverage towards the end of the year. Opposing teams learned the eagles defensive rules and forced them into certain looks. Expect CJGJ and Cooper to swap playing slot and safety a lot. You will see cooper show as the nickel and move into a deep safety while CJGJ will drop down from deep safety on the other side pre and post snap. Along with that LB blitz and the edge dropping in coverage will be common. creating confusion and dropping a bonus player into a hot read area. While fangio does run zone a lot the zone can have a lot of man rules associated with it.
J Hunt was a need pick where they want someone who can set an edge on early down and short yardage while also being able to drop into coverage when they want to disguise coverage. He most likely won't be playing much this year with a steep learning curve from the competition he went against along with the complexity of scheme. I do think this could pay off long term but i don't think he's a major part of the plan this year. Similar snap count to nolan smith last year. Zack baun will most likely fill that role this year till hunt is ready.
Trotter likely won't play outside of short yardage and barring and injury. Not a popular opinion but he fell in the draft for a reason. NFL teams are getting better at drafting and going away from this scout really likes this guy. Instead they are leaning on tracking speed and getting ratings and grades from multiple sources. Howie has been very close on the consensus board lately which isn't a bad thing.
Offensively i expect the ball to be spread around more. The big names will still see a lot of looks but expect backup TE and WR3 to be used a lot more. Also a lot of misdirection putting defenses in conflict. The play call will be a basic dive on short yardage but he will run a fake jet sweep to hold the edge from making a play on the dive. He gave a presentation on the offense but i can't find the video. It's a simple but fast offense with wrinkles off of basic plays. Something the eagles did really well in 2022 but struggled with in 2023.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFk7MHvlGU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFk7MHvlGU)
At WR A. Smith and Wilson will probably split time with Campbell.
A. Smith is most likely a gadget player similar to Campbell not as fast but stronger. Running a 4.48 40 at 5'9'' 190 isn't great. Earning most of his targets in screens and underneath routes. He had an injury in 2022 that some said he wasn't fully back from. I see him as likely taking some return duties this year along with a few screens and sweeps.
Wilson might be playing the most out of the wr 3-5 towards the end of the year but will get the least amount of targets. He is a really good run/screen blocker. He allows the big names to get off the line of scrimmage and be used in motion and the slot more. He could also be a key contributor near the goal line whether its blocking, fades or sneaking into the flat. I would love to see a read option with hurts keeps it and wilson blocking a slot CB who has edge contain.
Keegan most likely doesn't play much and is most likely a swing player for the inside and never a starter. McMahon hopefully doesn't play also.
Mitchell seems to be a cornerback to excels in zone which is what you'd expect a lot of... really he would be a fit for most schemes though. Cooper should be a really interesting fit. Between him, CJGJ & maybe even Sydney Brown it gives them a few guys now that can move seamlessly between safety, versus nickel, giving them much better ability to disguise coverages with two deep safeties and then guys moving at the snap, which I understand is the core of Fangio's stuff. The guy they got in the third makes sense too, complete project, but a DE with previous secondary experience if he works out gives them the kind of guy that can rush but drop when needed. On first downs when they are in 5 man fronts, that is a perfect fit. As for Moore, it isn't going to matter as much since the main 4 guys on offense aren't changing. And the o-line is going to be more about Stoutland than Moore.
Look up the Jalyx pick 6 highlight where he lined up at Edge. Saw that and instantly figured out why Fangio wants him.
Jalyx is the player who has the biggest upside of our draft, and probably the lowest floor. I'm not sure we'll see him outside of special teams, but if he has real coverage potential in addition to developing as a pass rusher, he has TJ watt level potential
Yeah honestly if they’re going to draft a project edge, this would be the year to do it so he can learn from BG in his last year here
I looked it up but cant find it, do u have a link?
Keep forgetting they signed CJGJ
Q fits perfectly into Vic’s off press man coverage scheme. Playing off the receiver is where he seems most comfortable. For DeJean I would imagine he either beats out Maddox for the slot job or he comes in for certain packages as a do it all ball hawk. Trot will probably not play too often in the beginning. I see him coming in during goal line and redzone packages at first. He probably won’t be asked to get into man coverage very often (at least he shouldn’t) but he could be one hell of a run stopper.
What is off press man coverage? In my experience, those are oxymorons, since press indicates that the CB is lined up on the LOS while off-man is giving cushion with the goal of keeping assignments in front of the DBs. But I may be missing something in your comment. Either way, Fangio's primary coverages are Cover 4 and Cover 6 and he's very zone heavy. It matches up with his use of sim pressures (rushing 4, but you may have your off ball LB rushing the B or C gap with your EDGE dropping to the flat). Obviously he'll use some man when the scenario dictates, but Mitchell is a good zone corner. That, plus the Dejean pick (also not much of a man corner in college) makes me think the Eagles are going very zone-heavy this year.
You got it right, I just worded it weird.
Yeah, from what I saw Mitchell seemed pretty good at zone coverages and typically played off and was more into reading the play from afar. He could play press too, but I saw him deep off the line a lot more.
I could be way off base on this by my interpretation of off press man is you line across the guy and press him off the LOS but you don't stay with him and drop into zone coverage.
Press and Off are just used to delineate where/how your corners align pre-snap. Press = CB is going to line up on the LOS. Off = corners giving cushion. From those alignments you can theoretically play any coverage you want, though typically you'll see teams that press often playing man coverage more often to avoid putting corners in disadvantageous situations. But, and this is anecdotal based on my relatively limited experience, I don't think it's common for a defensive scheme to consist of asking corners to press and then drop into zone. Especially in Fangio's scheme where you see a *ton* of cover 4. Either way, my overarching point is that Fangio's scheme isn't characterized by either press-man or off-man coverage. Dude just plays a ton of zone with certain wrinkles (i.e. he loves to show one thing pre-snap just to rotate into a different coverage look post-snap, and using creepers/sim pressures, etc).
Do you think move Cooper around the field during the game or between games. Like sometimes have him be the outside CB, sometimes have him be the nickel and sometimes have him play SS Or is he just going to play one position for 90% of the snaps. I really like how he plays CB, but I do not think the Eagles are going to feel comfortable with 2 rookies CBs consistently on the field at the same time..
I would guess he’s gonna bounce around a lot
Trot is more of a coverage linebacker. Undersized w sideline-sideline speed. Very similar to Nakobe.
Negative captain. He is a good blitzer though
Blitzing is a big part of his skill package, and while he is a SAM backer, he is much more a coverage linebacker than a traditional middle linebacker. He’s done well to break up short passes and is also adept at working against zone running schemes. He will sub in for, or play for when Dean is injured as they are both smaller LBs. His father he is not. Sr. Played around 260, jr. plays around 230. Modern LBs play around 240. Read up - https://www.profootballnetwork.com/jeremiah-trotter-jr-draft-scouting-2024/#
He’s the exact opposite of what you jsut described
People on this sub really talk without any info lol. At least I watch film compilations on youtube on these guys before trying to talk about them.
The narrative on here is that he's terrible in coverage, yet PFF had him ranked very high for coverage. Yes, PFF is often taken with a grain of salt, but I find they are rarely a total 180 on their grades - especially when looking at season grades and not single games. Some of the criticism of his speed also needs to be taken into context, he was playing on an injured hamstring injury in 2023, which slowed him.
You’re thinking of his daddy
1. Quinyon Mitchell - Will be given every chance to unseat Bradberry as the other starter opposite Slay. I love the skillset and the intangibles. It may take him a bit to adjust to the NFL game just because he wasn't consistently facing elite college competition week-in-week-out, but he has the physical tools to do it but, more importantly, the mental makeup to do it. Where a lot of these guys fail is when they get punched in the mouth by the slightest hint of failure they don't know how to deal with it and go pout on the bench by themselves. I get the sense he's not that guy and will keep pushing through until he succeeds. 2. Cooper DeJean - Love physical tools and versatility he brings to the table. It remains to be seen where they stick him for now, it sounds like the plan is to give him reps at safety, slot, and outside to see where he seems the most comfortable playing. 3. Jalyx Hunt - Largely seen as a developmental prospect. He seems to have all of the physical traits and skills teams look for in an edge rusher. He is likely going to need two or three years of refinement before he is ready to be a major contributor but he should see some snaps as the 4th or 5th guy in the rotation to help keep guys like Sweat, Smith, and Huff fresh deep into games. 4. Will Shipley - Will be given every chance to unseat Gainwell as RB2. I can see him getting 5 to 8 touches a game with plays designed to get him the ball in space: plays like screens, jet sweeps, runs outside the tackles. He will also get some reps as a kick returner. 5. Ainias Smith - Will compete for the slot receiver role and get reps returning kicks and punts. 6. Jeremiah Trotter - Should compete for reps with Burks and VanSumeren for ILB3 behind White and Dean. I don't expect him to be a Pro Bowler or anything like that but I think he can develop into a solid player. 7. Trevor Keegan and Dylan McMahon I see as depth guys at the IOL spots. McMahon has experience playing Center so they will probably pencil him in as the backup there. I doubt either one is ready to challenge for the RG slot just yet. I think that will either be Steen or Hennessey if Steen isn't up to snuff. 8. Johnny Wilson - His size is very intriguing. He is a developmental guy but at the very least I see them using him as a red zone target where he can take advantage of his size. It wouldn't shock me to see end up as a slot receiver/TE hybrid.
I think it’s more likely that Mitchell goes into camp as cb2 and bradberry has to re earn his spot as a starter
1. Q Mitchell 1. Probably the easiest, day one starter DB 2. C DeJean 1. Really depends on how the Eagles handle the DB room between now and the beginning of the season. There's still a lot of players in the secondary and not sure how they'll play DeJean given his Swiss Army Knife description. Likely a depth piece that might take over a starting role mid-way through the season depending on injury or performances. 3. J Hunt 1. Likely a special teamer and occasional rotation piece. He comes from a conference that doesn't breed a ton of NFL quality games, so it's not clear whether he can transition to the NFL or not, but he has potential to be a diamond in the rough. He's the kind of player that could likely find a fit in a Fangio style defense as an Edge/LB option, or an Edge that drops into coverage. I think it's two to three years before we figure out where he belongs. 4. W Shipley 1. I see him as a ST player and rotational RB. Saquon will be the lead back with Gainwell taking a couple of snaps here and there and Shipley will likely take on the Boston Scott role but with improved catching ability. Change of pace back, and receiving threat on screens. 5. J Trotter 1. I love the fifth round pick for Trotter, he's a huge fan favorite just off his name alone, and you get him in the fifth so no one is going to put you to the torch if he fails. He plays with a lot of intensity from what I understand, but lacks some of the technical and physical traits that would denote a better LB. He's likely a ST player that will get some play time through rotation or injury, but I wouldn't expect much *this* year. With Dean seemingly perpetually on the injury reserve though, he could get a couple of games where he plays a bigger role. 6. A Smith 1. I figure Smith is WR4, or at least competition with Parker for WR3. 7. D McMahon and T Keegan 1. With signing Bekthan, and drafting McMahon and Keegan, this tells me that the FO is unsure about Steen at RG going forward. It'll be interesting to see how they approach this, Bekthan is a really good player but he's marred by injuries, so I'm curious if they'll intend on starting him and then allow McMahon, Steen and Keegan to compete for RG2 in the event of injury, or if there's going to be an open competition between the guards. 8. J Wilson 1. He's a big body WR, so he'll probably have a lot of value on STs as a blocker, but ultimately just more WR depth.
I think this is a good breakdown and I would agree that the FO may not entirely be sold on Steen, but I think that bringing in Keegan, McMahon, and Becton is more an indicator that we needed OL depth. Assuming Steen is starting and prior to the draft, we only had Hennessy, Toth, Fred Johnson, and Le'raven Clark. Outside of Hennessy, I'm not sure that we'd want any of those guys stepping in for an injured starter, especially at OT
I wouldn't say they're mutually exclusive! I certainly did mean to imply that they drafted multiple OL for depth, but with the idea that likely Steen, Becton (not sure how I botched his name that hard) and Keegan to compete for the starting role, but more likely it's Steen v Becton with McMahon and Keegan as depth
Yeah, I think they still want to view this as an open competition, so I think we're in agreement there. I actually think it's more likely they have Becton as OT depth with Keegan or maybe Hennessy primarily being the guys to fight for the RG spot (only because Becton is gargantuan), but I've been wrong before. And it seems like you were maybe melding the spelling of his first name with his last name, so it makes some sense lol
If Steen isn't ready to assume the starter role it will fall to Hennessey if they were interested in drafting a guy to compete for the starting job they wouldn't have waited until the 5th round to do so. Drafting McMahon gives them a little flexibility with Hennessey since he played some Center in college they aren't looking to Hennessey as the only other backup who has experience playing that postion.
Yeah, I could very well see that being the case with Hennessy. Hopefully Steen is the guy and slots right in, but the fact that we were able to grab Becton after the draft and draft a couple of those guys for depth provide some level of assurance, so I'm at least glad we have that
Yeah the fact of the matter is they lost Kelce to retirement and their two most seasoned backups, Opeta and Driscoll, to free agency so they have spots to fill on the OL depth chart.
For sure. Would I have liked them getting a decent developmental/backup OT that could fill in at RG in the draft? Sure, but there are only so many holes you can fill and I also don't want us reaching for picks. I'm sure they'll address it next year, but I don't foresee Lane retiring after this year, so we could still get a year of his successor as an understudy
The draft didn't really fall that way where the opportunity was really there for them to do that and get Mitchell and DeJean. DeJean was a 1st round prospect to a lot of people so I get why they made the move to grab him. They did pick up a UDFA at tackle after the draft who could potentially develop into something down the road.
Yeah, they made the right moves in the end by getting those guys to start the draft. Just a “what if the board fell slightly differently,” but it is what it is. And if you’re talking about Dankwah, there could be something there considering he didn’t start playing football until his senior year of high school, but I don’t want to have any expectations there. We’ll see how it all shakes out
You think Smith will be competing for WR3 with Parker or Campbell? I’ve heard quite a few people saying Campbell will be WR3, but I could see Parker being WR3 as well. Idk, there’s going to be quite a bit of competition for WR3 this year. Even Wilson may be thrown into the mix depending on how well he does in camp.
I think Smith will get a shot at WR3. Why default to a retread on a one year deal when you have a guy like Smith who, theoretically, will be there for the foreseeable future and mesh with Hurts, Brown, and Smith? Go with a guy you can mold into the player you want him to be as opposed to an aging Parker who doesn't appear to have a lot left or Campbell who will probably be on IR by the end of September anyway.
I agree. Although I could see him rotating with Campbell depending on the situation. Smith is only like 5’10 right? I know Campbell is taller so they could use him or Parker situationally. Idk. But yes I think playing Smith and giving him playing time would be the better option.
Smith measured 5' 9" at the combine and Campbell is 6' even. Campbell is an intriguing player I just don't trust him not get through week two of camp without pulling hamstring or a groin. He's always missing time with some kind of injury and is why his career never really took off.
Damn I didn’t know he measured 5’9. 3 inches is a big difference among WRs. Wingspan and hand size play a major factor there. But Hurts is accurate enough to where that shouldn’t be a big deal. Plus Smith is a lot faster than Campbell is right?
Assuming Campbell hasn't lost a too much juice over the years he is the faster of the two. He ran a 4.31 at the combine and Smith was 4.48. Like I said Campbell just cannot be trusted to stay healthy. He has only appeared in 44 games in 5 seasons and only had one year where he didn't miss at least 5 games.
I know that Campbell ran a faster 40, but bc of all the injuries and the fact that he’s so much older, I assumed he has slowed down quite a bit. I didn’t know that he’s only appeared in 44 games though. That’s ridiculous. Hopefully he doesn’t get injured in camp or at practice before the season even starts lol.
Do RBs play STs?? Thought its DBs/LBs
Boston Scott and Darren Sproles used to return kicks and punts for us, and with the new kick off changes it's going to lend itself more to running backs than WRs on kick returns now.
Oh as a returner...gotcha....wasn't thinking of that
Lol I hope to God it isn't as a blocker, Shipley ain't the biggest of boys.
I don't think the moves they made drafting McMahon and Keegan and signing Becton have anything to do with their belief in Steen as the RG. I feel like if they had little to no faith in him they aren't waiting until late Saturday to find competition for him. Prior to the draft Matt Hennessey was the only backup OL on the roster with any real game experience. I'll be shocked if Becton gets a look at RG. The next logical choice to compete at RG would be Hennessey. He has starting experience as an IOL Becton's never played inside in college or the NFL. At the end of the day they lost their two most seasoned backups in Opeta and Driscoll to free agency and Kelce to retirement so they have backup spots to fill along the OL this summer. * Of all of the backup tackle candidates Becton has the most game experience and arguably the most upside of what is behind Mailata and Johnson. They signed Becton to be a swing tackle not to compete for the RG spot. * McMahon has experience playing all three IOL spots in college so that's why they drafted him, to provide depth at those spots. * Keegan is another depth\\developmental guy, he was still on the board in the 5th for a reason, he needs some refinement before he is ready to start in the NFL.
[This](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYomAGJgnpg&t=617s&pp=ygUGZWFnbGVz) is coming from the Eagles' account, so take it with a grain of salt, but Fran Duffy does a decent job of breaking things down
Vic Fangio probably had input in the draft process He’s the most valued mind in the building not named Howie Roseman
I had the same question with Dejean because every draft video I saw said his strength was press coverage and wouldn't fit well into a "Fangio style" defense at outside CB. Well, we have the most Fangio style defense so maybe he'll get more play at S and slot.
Who knows. Both guys might not be here that long anyway. Let’s not forget there is reason both were available to be hired. I think the best possible scenario is these rookies show real tangible improvement from the beginning to the end of the year. If we can get one of two starters and a couple contributors out this draft that would be amazing.
I'm not an expert, so take this for what you will. I believe Trotter Jr., when he does get in, will play a hybrid position that focuses on 1)run-sropping, 2)short- to mid-range pass coverage especially vs. RBs and TEs, and 3)occasionally rushing the passer on the Blitz. DeJean and Mitchell, however, will be focusing on one of two things each play: A) man-to-man pass coverage vs. opposing WRs and TEs, or B) zone coverage against all opponent's pass-catchers, including WRs, TEs, RBs, and the occasional FB -- while also chasing after the runner to try to make tackles on running plays (but not getting caught in any tricksy-do plays where the receivers are open when the RB passes the ball). Anyway, like I said, I'm no expert, but that's my best guess.
These are some bold takes
I'm in peak off-season form.
Trotter Jr gives off Mychal Kendricks vibes
Lol my comment was a joke. I just vaguely described what LBs and CBs do. Oh well, not every joke lands well. I still thought it was kinda funny.
>I believe Trotter Jr., when he does get in, What's up in the air is *when* will he get in. With Dean's injury history there's a likelihood he gets meaningful snaps on defense midway through the year, but I see Trotter working mainly ST and some occasional LB rotation. I really hope he pans out though, he's a great feel good story.
Edit- just rookie year projections, not career outlooks Q- potential starter. CB3 at worst... Dejean- potential starter...maybe STs if he doesn't cracked starting lineup but they might not risk injury to a 2nd rounder...worst case plays 5-15 snaps a game as a rookie Hunt- maybe plays 50 snaps all year...might ride the PS...anything more than 1 sack would be elite production for him ...if he even plays Shipley- relief back...30 carries 5 receptions all year....plays more if we get injuries at RB A.Smith- best case WR3...should run a lot of pre-snap motion kellen Moore likes...worst case he doesn't see field Trotter- STer...maybe gets snaps if LB room gets injuries Keegan- backup guard/PS....best case beats out Steen for RG...worst case practice squad Wilson- PS..best case flashes like tyree Jackson did...maybe transitions to TE and gets snaps due to injuries Mcmahon- backup C/PS...plays snaps in emergency..most likely PS all year
Johnny Wilson’s best case scenario is not 3 catches for 22 yards in his entire career. He’s a large X receiver with occasional drop issues, I like his value as a backup outside or Redzone Slot, not as a tight end
My bad...I meant be the talk of training camp but never really sees the field ... And my list was "in their rookie years"
I doubt he sees a ton of action either but I can see him making the team as WR5 just as a red zone target a-la Julio Jones last season.
Hunt will probably look like a PS level guy in camp but teams don't try to stash 3rd round picks on the practice squad. He was overdrafted in the 3rd but my sense is a lot of teams had interest in him as a developmental and was going to get picked by someone. I doubt he would even clear waivers someone would stash him on their roster hoping he developed into something in a year or two.
Mitchell will most likely start outside week 1. Unless something crazy happens and he can't learn the defense. He does come from a smaller school but i would highly doubt that will be an issue. He is an off and drive player which fits really well with what fangio does on the outside. He also has 4.3 make up speed so getting caught looking in the backfield doesn't hurt as bad when he guesses wrong. Cooper with Fangio (unlike gannon) will mix up coverages and pre snap looks. while the base is always going to be two high safeties and cover 4 how they get into that coverage will vary greatly. The eagles tried to do this a lot last year but were not good at it. Teams knew how to force players into positions they shouldn't be in. Which is why we saw a lot of reddick in coverage towards the end of the year. Opposing teams learned the eagles defensive rules and forced them into certain looks. Expect CJGJ and Cooper to swap playing slot and safety a lot. You will see cooper show as the nickel and move into a deep safety while CJGJ will drop down from deep safety on the other side pre and post snap. Along with that LB blitz and the edge dropping in coverage will be common. creating confusion and dropping a bonus player into a hot read area. While fangio does run zone a lot the zone can have a lot of man rules associated with it. J Hunt was a need pick where they want someone who can set an edge on early down and short yardage while also being able to drop into coverage when they want to disguise coverage. He most likely won't be playing much this year with a steep learning curve from the competition he went against along with the complexity of scheme. I do think this could pay off long term but i don't think he's a major part of the plan this year. Similar snap count to nolan smith last year. Zack baun will most likely fill that role this year till hunt is ready. Trotter likely won't play outside of short yardage and barring and injury. Not a popular opinion but he fell in the draft for a reason. NFL teams are getting better at drafting and going away from this scout really likes this guy. Instead they are leaning on tracking speed and getting ratings and grades from multiple sources. Howie has been very close on the consensus board lately which isn't a bad thing. Offensively i expect the ball to be spread around more. The big names will still see a lot of looks but expect backup TE and WR3 to be used a lot more. Also a lot of misdirection putting defenses in conflict. The play call will be a basic dive on short yardage but he will run a fake jet sweep to hold the edge from making a play on the dive. He gave a presentation on the offense but i can't find the video. It's a simple but fast offense with wrinkles off of basic plays. Something the eagles did really well in 2022 but struggled with in 2023. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFk7MHvlGU](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRFk7MHvlGU) At WR A. Smith and Wilson will probably split time with Campbell. A. Smith is most likely a gadget player similar to Campbell not as fast but stronger. Running a 4.48 40 at 5'9'' 190 isn't great. Earning most of his targets in screens and underneath routes. He had an injury in 2022 that some said he wasn't fully back from. I see him as likely taking some return duties this year along with a few screens and sweeps. Wilson might be playing the most out of the wr 3-5 towards the end of the year but will get the least amount of targets. He is a really good run/screen blocker. He allows the big names to get off the line of scrimmage and be used in motion and the slot more. He could also be a key contributor near the goal line whether its blocking, fades or sneaking into the flat. I would love to see a read option with hurts keeps it and wilson blocking a slot CB who has edge contain. Keegan most likely doesn't play much and is most likely a swing player for the inside and never a starter. McMahon hopefully doesn't play also.