Eagles Bolster Pass Rush, Add RB in 1st Round of Mock Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles get a solid, but maybe somewhat surprising return in the first round of a recent mock draft from CBS Sports.

The Philadelphia Eagles and general manager Howie Roseman aren't usually known for quiet or mundane appearances in the NFL Draft.

But in a recent mock draft from CBS Sports, that's the route the Eagles choose to take ... at least with their first pick of the opening round at No. 10 overall.

Once it gets to Philly's second first-round pick at No. 30, Roseman gets a bit frisky and uncharacteristic, though the first round should be considered a solid success based on this scenario.

Here are the picks:

No. 10 - Lukas Van Ness, DE, Iowa

While snagging Lukas Van Ness at No. 10 could be considered a bit of a reach based on where's he projected to land, adding him to an already elite defense and pass-rushing group will allow this pick to benefit the Eagles more than it would most other teams.

Using the pick acquired from the New Orleans Saints, Philly selects a starter replacement for Javon Hargrave on the defensive line, though the word "replacement" should be obviously be used loosely here when referring to the departure of a 30-year-old coming off an 11-sack season.

Still, Van Ness was one of the stars on an elite Iowa Hawkeyes defense last season that held its opponents to 10 points or fewer in seven games. As an EDGE rusher, Van Ness tallied 6.5 sacks and 36 total tackles, a near copy of what he did in 2021 when he posted 33 total tackles and seven sacks.

Here's what CBS Sports had to say about its reasoning for this selection:

Bijan Robinson is available here, but the Eagles drafting a running back in the first round just isn't what they do (hold that thought). The Eagles typically go in the trenches when they're this high in the draft, and appear intrigued enough by Van Ness' ability to play on the edge and interior in their defensive line rotation. An ascending player, Van Ness needs work on his pass rushing moves -- yet would be a strong fit in Sean Desai's defense.

No. 30 - Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Alabama

This pick is where things start to get controversial.

The talk leading up to the draft is that Roseman won't select a running back - especially Bijan Robinson at No. 10 - in the first round this year based on previous patterns.

But already with one draftee in their pockets at this point, the Eagles can break the stigma late in the first round at pick No. 30 by selecting the second-best running back in the draft with Alabama's Jahmyr Gibbs.

If the dominoes fall this way, Gibbs would be the only running back worth the first-round risk at this point late in Day 1. Plus, some draft rumors have even said that the Eagles have apparently discussed running back a ton in their draft plans (read more on that here).

A versatile and speedy play-maker both as a runner and receiver, Gibbs totaled 151 carries for 926 yards and seven touchdowns at Alabama last season. He added on 44 catches for 444 yards and three touchdowns, averaging an impressive 10.1 yards per catch as a running back. His 44 grabs also led the team.

Here's what CBS Sports had to say about its reasoning for this selection:

Going against the whole "Eagles don't draft a running back in the first round" thing, yet it's hard to pass up a player like Gibbs this late in the first round. An explosive athlete who's an excellent pass catcher out of the backfield, Gibbs adds an extra dimension to the Eagles offense that they haven't had the past few years. His workload management fits the Eagles' running back-by-committee approach.

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You can follow Zach Dimmitt on Twitter at @ZachDimmitt7

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