Names to Watch for Eagles in Third Round of Draft
The Eagles dealt their own third-round selection to Detroit in the deal to get Darius Slay and if the three-time Pro Bowl cornerback plays up to his reputation, the organization is going to be very happy with that trade-off.
Philadelphia still has a third-round selection, however. A compensatory pick at the end of the round stemming from the big-money deal Jacksonville has already moved on from when it comes to Super Bowl LII hero Nick Foles.
The choice comes at No. 103 overall and the Eagles could be on the hunt at a number of positions depending on how things shake out earlier in the second round where GM Howie Roseman will at least start the night with the 53rd pick.
Here are five players to keep an eye on for the Eagles:
Linebacker Akeem Davis-Gaither, Appalachian State - The Eagles are in search of a potential three-down linebacker who offers a little more athleticism than Nigel Bradham did in pass coverage. Davis-Gaither is raw but the tools are there to become a modern LB who can roam sideline to sideline. A start as a core member on special teams coverage units might be a nice ramp-up period for Davis-Gaither if he falls here.
Edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, Florida - Edge rusher was one of those sneaky positions people considered for Philadelphia in the first round but it isn’t a great class at the top after Chase Young. The value picks up a little bit at this point and Greenard is a player that fits in as a situational pass rusher early in his career, something the Eagles can't necessarily count on from Shareef Miller or Genard Avery.
Offensive tackle Ben Bartch, St. Johns - Jeff Stoutland needs a new swing tackle after Halapoulivaati Vaitai left for big money in Detroit and it’s hard to project Jordan Mailata is going to be that guy after a season in which he rarely practiced due to a balky back that had him on injured reserve early. A bulked-up former tight end, Bartch has the athleticism the Eagles love and is regarded by many as a future starter once he adds functional-football strength.
Defensive lineman James Lynch, Baylor - Lynch is a versatile, high-motor player who should be able to move seamlessly inside and out once he learns the tricks of the trade at the professional level.
Cornerback Darnay Holmes, UCLA - Holmes is one of the few players the Eagles got to the NovaCare Complex before the top-30 visits were shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. He has a very high ceiling and tremendous ball skills, according to NFL scouts. If the instincts matched his athleticism, you’re probably talking about a top-60 pick.
John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every day on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, Every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio, and every weekday on ESPN 97.3 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
