In the first wave of mock drafts made before the 2024 NFL Draft, NFL Network analysts Daniel Jeremiah, Bucky Brooks and Lance Zierlein each selected a different prospect for the Philadelphia Eagles with their first-round pick at No. 22 overall.
Sooners offensive tackle Tyler Guyton is a predictable pick. General manager Howie Roseman is known to build the Eagles through the trenches, and this move would fit that agenda. Guyton could be a potential successor at right tackle to second-team All-Pro Lane Johnson, who has said he thinks he has "a few good years left." Johnson also attended Oklahoma.
The Eagles' secondary had one of the worst drop-offs we've seen from a position group that had an excellent performance the previous season. Clemson cornerback Nate Wiggins is a solid option who could potentially start in the slot and would eventually replace 33-year-old cornerback Darius Slay. The Eagles have not drafted a cornerback in the first round since selecting Lito Sheppard No. 26 overall in 2002.
The secondary woes may be too much for the Eagles to pass on a cornerback with their first-round pick. Zierlein explained Philadelphia may have to trade back or select the best available player at pick No. 22. Alabama's Kool-Aid McKinstry, who has plenty of starting experience, would be a fine option. He took over as the Crimson Tide's starter as a true freshman after cornerback Patrick Surtain II left for the NFL Draft.
The latest NFL Network analysts' consensus for the Eagles in the first round is going offensive line or cornerback — opposite sides of the team's drafting spectrum.
Though selecting an offensive lineman is never a pick that excites the fan base, it is often the pick that stabilizes an offense as a future investment toward the protection of a franchise quarterback.
The defense never settled in last season with its secondary pieces, so new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio could make use of a younger, ready-to-play cornerback who would gain extensive experience in a player-friendly zone scheme.
The 2024 NFL Draft begins on April 25 in Detroit.
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