Eagles Take Three Defensive Players in PFF’s Latest Mock Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles will enter the draft with plenty in the 2022 NFL Draft: three, first-round draft picks.

The team already owned pick No. 15 and 16 and after falling to the Buccaneers in the NFC Wild Card round, the Eagles also own the No. 19 overall pick.

Let's see where PFF’s Trevor Sikkema sees Philadelphia selecting with those three selections.

First up at No. 15, in a pick the team received from the Miami Dolphins, Sikkema has the Eagles landing Michigan edge rusher Davie Ojabo,

With their first selection here, I have them taking Michigan’s high-ceiling pass-rusher David Ojabo. He’s green to the game and green in terms of starting experience, but his natural explosiveness and strength give him the rare combo teams just love to bet on...he still needs more consistency in his game — especially with run defense — but the payoff could be huge.

The Eagles would be hoping that Ojabo is the heir apparent to fellow Michigan alum, Brandon Graham and be everything that Derek Barnett never turned out to be. Some actually consider Ojabo to be a better prospect than the possible No. 1 overall picks Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux.

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Should the Eagles decide to part ways with Barnett in free agency in March, it would leave Philadelphia with a returning Graham and Josh Sweat in 2022. Sweat led the team this past year with 7.5 sacks, while Barnett was next among defensive ends with just two.

Next up at No. 16, Sikkema sees the Eagles doing something they haven't done since 1979, take a linebacker in round one, going with Utah's Devin Lloyd.

Yes, I am well aware that this Eagles decision-making group just does not draft linebackers early. But when two of your starting linebackers are grading in the 50s and 40s,...He was a reliable tackler in years past, but he improved as a blitzer and as a coverage player this season. He’s the total package for a team looking to upgrade at linebacker in Round 1.

"I think we have a philosophy on how to build this team, a philosophy that we think has been successful," Eagles Executive Vice President/General Manager Howie Roseman said last week in his season-ending press conference. "Obviously, you'd like more championships every time you're out there, but we're going to stay committed to the way we think of building the team."

So does that suggest the Eagles are ready to break their mold and take a position they haven't drafted in 40 years?  Seems unlikely, but it would be a tremendous addition to a defense that lacks a true playmaker.

Finally with their third pick in round one, No. 19 overall, PFF has the Eagles sticking with defense, taking Washington cornerback Trent McDuffie .

...McDuffie was a starter at Washington since his true freshman season. His understanding of the game, habit for film work and improvement and mentality toward versatility all check the boxes of a first-round player. As a high school track guy who also ran a 10.8 in the 100-meter and reached 23-feet, 9-inches in the long jump, he brings the needed athleticism, too.

McDuffie would be a nice piece opposite from Slay and has been describe by some as a Tyrann Mathieu type of player.

This particular mock draft has the Eagles filling three spots on the defensive side of the ball and is probably the way I would like to see them go more than any other possible scenario

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