Eagles Draft Fit? Missouri CB Ennis Rakestraw ‘Kinda Has Some Slay to Him'

Former Philadelphia Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah believes Ennis Rakestraw Jr. could be what the Birds need in the first round of April's draft.

There are many mile markers left before the 2024 NFL Draft. For now, however, the current snapshot for former Philadelphia Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah has landed on Missouri cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. if Howie Roseman stays put and selects at No. 22 overall.

Jeremiah, the current lead draft analyst for NFL Media, comped the redshirt junior with Darius Slay, Philadelphia’s five-time Pro Bowl CB who has been one of the NFL’s best outside corners for a decade.

“He’s my third corner [in the draft],” Jeremiah said of Rakestraw on his annual pre-scouting combine conference call Thursday.

Only Alabama’s Terrion Arnold and Quinyon Mitchell of Toledo are better prospects at a position of need for Philadelphia with Slay and James Bradberry on the wrong side of 30 and 2023 rookies Kelee Ringo and Eli Ricks a little bit too raw to assume they might be plug and play come September.

Mitchell is probably the preferred scenario for Roseman if the GM wants to go cornerback early but Jeremiah believes the Toldeo product’s Senior Bowl performance means a move up would have to be the end game there.

Missouri CB Ennie Rakestraw / USA Today

Rakestraw is where the valuation makes sense at No. 22 and Jeremiah, who was a West Coast Scout for the Eagles from 2010 to 2012, noted that Slay wouldn’t be a bad player to mentor Rakestraw.

“Kinda has some Slay to him. Kinda built similar to Slay,” Jeremiah said when discussing the redshirt junior. “Really, really just tough, feisty. Can press you. Plays with a ton of energy which I love and I think they would get a kick out of in Philly.

“Just passionate, energetic dude but real fluid, real fast, and real tough.”

In his first top-50 prospect list, Jeremiah had Rakestraw as his No. 24 overall prospect regardless of position.

“Rakestraw is a rangy, fluid cornerback who plays with energy and toughness,” Jeremiah wrote in his early scouting report. “He is physical in press coverage, and he stays attached underneath and vertically. He is a loose athlete who can flip his hips smoothly. He does a nice job staying on top of deep routes, and he can locate the ball."

Jeremiah would like to see Rakestraw "do a better job of finishing with the ball instead of simply poking it away." but also noted, "he is awesome against the run; not only is he quick to key/read, but he attacks blockers, including offensive linemen."

Solid run support is a rare trait with modern cornerbacks and helps Rakestraw grade out as an even cleaner prospect.

"Overall, players with this profile at this position traditionally translate very well to the next level,” Jeremiah concluded.

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Also mentioned as a possibility was Clemson CB Nate Wiggins, who Jeremiah believes will continue to rise as the pre-draft process continues.

“Wiggins is one I’m curious about to keep an eye on,” said Jeremiah. “He’s big and ultra, ultra fast. Really, really fluid kid and I think you’ll see him kinda rise up as we go through the process.”

Iowa’s Cooper DeJean should also be in the Eagles’ range as a prospect but is more of a versatile option who could play corner or move inside at the next level.

The thought among most draft analysts is that the Eagles will only bite on a pure outside CB and if that’s the case, the trade-up options are Arnold and Mitchell with Rakestraw vs. Wiggins as the status quo options at the position.