Mock drafts have been dropping all over the internet since after the Super Bowl in February. Some were even posted during the NFL playoffs. Just as popular as first-round mock drafts are team-only mock drafts, and I know I have personally read dozens of Eagles-only draft scenarios. These mocks are how we fill our need for football in March and April.
Instead of focusing on the entire first round or only the Eagles, I did an NFC East-only mock draft. Well, I did do one quick Eagles-only mock. But it included Jerry Jeudy falling to the Eagles at No. 21. I would love this draft haul, but it isn’t very realistic:
We can skip the analysis of this mock because we have a lot of picks to get to, but this scenario would be pretty ideal in both the short and long term. The Eagles get Jeudy in the first, and then does the rest really matter? Again, there is probably a 5% chance of this happening, unless the Eagles move up. Now, let’s get into our divisional mock.
NFC East-Only 2020 Mock Draft
I used The Draft Network’s Mock Draft Simulator for this exercise and set myself as the GM of the Eagles, Giants, Cowboys, and Washington. Every simulation is different, with certain players falling and others going earlier than some expect. Nothing too crazy happened in this one (like Jerry Jeudy falling to the Eagles at 21). Let’s get drafting. Ladies and gentleman, our first and only attempt at an NFC East-only mock draft:
Washington R-Words
- 1 (2) – Chase Young, Edge, Ohio State
- Washington has reportedly been taking calls about moving back, and they could definitely use the extra picks and the extra players. But Chase Young is the best player in the draft, and they stay here and grab their guy.
- 3 (2) – Cole Kmet, Tight End, Notre Dame
- Jordan Reed is no longer on the team and probably shouldn’t be playing football any longer. New head coach Ron Rivera had Greg Olsen with the Panthers. He gets his Olsen 2.0 in Kmet in the third round.
- 4 (2) – Tyler Biadasz, IOL, Wisconsin
- Washington needs help across their offensive line, and they are able to snag “Tyler Badass” from Wisconsin here in the fourth round.
- 4 (36) – Terence Steele, OT, Texas Tech
- Washington grabs an offensive tackle as they continue to rebuild their offensive line.
- 5 (17) – Isaiah Hodgins, WR, Oregon State
- The Paul Richardson signing didn’t work out for Washington, and then could use another weapon to develop at the position after nailing the Terry McLaurin pick last season. Hodgins gives them a big body who can go up and get it on the outside.
- 7 (2) – Nevelle Clarke, CB, UCF
- Clarke has ideal size for a cornerback and was a playmaker at UCF. He’s a nice add late in the draft.
- 7 (15) – Kendall Coleman, Edge, Syracuse
- Washington grabs another edge rusher to add to the rotation and the developmental pile before focusing on UDFAs.
New York Giants
- 1 (4) – Jedrick Wills, OT, Alabama
- There’s a part of me that thinks this could be Tristan Wirfs or maybe even Mekhi Becton (remember: Dave Gettleman took Daniel Jones last year when he wasn’t on anyone’s radar that high in the draft). Instead, they get their starter at right tackle for 2020 and their starter at left tackle after they move on from Nate Solder in 2021.
- 2 (4) – Antoine Winfield Jr., S, Minnesota
- The Giants grab a player who could step in and start at safety in his first year, allowing Julian Love to slide back down into the slot. At least on paper, this gives them a complete picture in the secondary heading into the 2020 season.
- 3 (35) – Thaddeus Moss, TE, LSU
- There are rumors that Evan Engram could be on the move. If that is the case and the Giants are able to acquire more picks, why not use this one to acquire a replacement? Thaddeus Moss is Engram’s opposite in many ways: he is a strong blocker with excellent hands who is not overly athletic. It’s possible he could develop into a starting tight end for the Giants as someone who can stay on the field to block while providing Daniel Jones with a reliable target in the passing game.
- 4 (4) – Alex Highsmith, Edge, Charlotte
- New York (really New Jersey, but I digress) needs help all over their defense, especially their pass rush. Highsmith is from a small school but has a high motor and plus acceleration off the edge and the athletic ability to drop into coverage when needed. If Joe Judge wants to run his defense similar to how the Patriots do things in New England, Highsmith is a solid addition in the fourth round.
- 5 (4) – Colin Johnson, WR, Texas
- The Giants take advantage of the loaded wide receiver class to get Daniel Jones another weapon in the passing game. This time it’s the 6’6″ Colin Johnson.
- 6 (4) – Tyre Phillips, IOL, Mississippi State
- The Giants need a linebacker, but there was a run on them before this pick. Instead, they draft another position of need and grab Phillips to compete for a role along their offensive line. He’s big and powerful and a mauler in the running game.
- 7 (4) – Yasir Durant, IOL, Missouri
- The Giants grab a developmental offensive lineman in the seventh round. Durant is a full-blown mountain and can play inside or outside with strength and agility. He dominated JUCO before transferring to Missouri, and barely missed a beat while playing in the SEC.
- 7 (24) – Dane Jackson, CB, Pitt
- The Giants added to the defensive backfield in last year’s draft, but there is still work to be done. Jackson is smooth in coverage and has the size to play on the outside, though he might lack the top-end speed to stay with some of the faster wide receivers in the NFL.
- 7 (33) – Michael Warren II, RB, Cincinnati
- A physical running back who can rotate in and handle some touches so the Giants can finally give Saquon Barkley a break and not continue to run him into the ground before handing him a big contract extension.
- 7 (41) – Carter Coughlin, Edge, Minnesota
- The likelihood is that the Giants will move some of these late-round picks in order to move up in the draft at some point, but they take another edge rusher to add to their repertoire. Plus, Coughlins have had some success in New York (New Jersey) in the past.
Dallas Cowboys
- 1 (17) – K’Lavon Chaisson, EDGE, LSU
- The Cowboys have been building up their offensive and defensive lines for years now, and they need an influx of talent and youth on both fronts. In the first round, they get a Day 1 starter on the edge to replace Robert Quinn.
- 2 (19) – Matt Hennessy, IOL, Temple
- Matt Hennessy is a bit of a reach at 51, but the Cowboys are able to draft their replacement for Travis Frederick in the second round.
- 3 (18) – Darnay Holmes, CB, UCLA
- Darnay Holmes I considered going with a safety at this pick, but I think cornerback is a more pressing need. I also think the Cowboys are the team that ends up signing Eric Berry and pairs him with a late-round safety. Darnay Holmes should compete for a starting job on Day 1 in camp.
- 4 (17) – Harrison Bryant, TE, FAU
- With Jason Witten leaving the Cowboys again, they infuse some youth into the position with FAU’s Harrison Bryant.
- 5 (19) – John Hightower, WR, Boise State
- Dallas finally dips their toe into the wide receiver pool with Hightower in the fifth round. He has legit juice and could step in and compete for playing time alongside Amari Cooper and Michael Gallup.
- 5 (34) – J.R. Reed, S, Georgia
- The Cowboys need bodies in the secondary and need players they can develop on the back end. Reed can play in the box or roam in a deep zone. With Ha Ha Clinton-Dix only in Dallas on a one-year deal, Reed gives them a developmental option in case he leaves in free agency after the season.
- 7 (17) – John Penisini, IDL, Utah
- Dallas grabs a big, physical interior defensive lineman to help anchor their defensive front. He doesn’t offer much as a pass rusher on Day 1, but he is an immovable object in the running game.
Philadelphia Eagles
- 1 (21) – Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
- The Eagles need wide receivers. Justin Jefferson is a wide receiver. These things are facts. I don’t love-love the Jefferson pick, but he fits a need in both the short and long term. I do worry that he has a little bit of Nelson Agholor in him. And by that I mean he is nothing like Agholor but might excel in the slot but struggle with consistency on the outside. If one of the consensus top three wide receivers starts to fall closer to 21, then the Eagles might consider moving up. If they stay put and Jefferson is available, he is the likely pick.
- 2 (21) – Damon Arnette, CB, Ohio State
- I had to talk myself out of double-dipping at wide receiver for the Eagles in the second round. Michael Pittman Jr., Laviska Shenault Jr., and Tee Higgins were all still on the board, and I’m not against reaching for Chase Claypool. Instead, the Eagles get their starting outside cornerback opposite Darius Slay in Damon Arnette. Oh, and want to take a guess at who Benjamin Solak’s player comp is for Arnette? Hint: his name is in this blurb.
- 3 (39) – Antonio Gibson, RB/WR, Memphis
- Wide receiver Bryan Edwards fell in my simulator, and I considered him here. Instead, I have the Eagles going with a Swiss Army Knife in Antonio Gibson. He gives Doug Pederson’s offense another weapon that he move around the offense and use in the return game. Some scouts see Gibson as only a running back, but he is definitely someone who can slide into the slot and create mismatches.
- 4 (21) – John Simpson, IOL, Clemson
- Eagles draft a mauler interior offensive lineman in the fourth round. In an ideal scenario, he redshirts for at least a year and steps into a starting guard role if and when Jason Kelce retires and Isaac Seumalo slides over to center.
- 4 (39) – Devin Duvernay, WR, Texas
- Three wide receivers went in a row immediately before this pick: Quartney Davis to Washington, Darnell Mooney to Atlanta, and Gabriel Davis to Seattle. Mooney or Davis may have been the picks here, but the Eagles didn’t get the chance. But because of how deep this wide receiver class is, they have their choice between Tyler Johnson and Devin Duvernay. I have them taking Duvernay and his RAC ability here, even though they’ve already taken two wide receivers.
- 4 (40) – Julian Blackmon, S, Utah
- A converted safety who used to play corner, just like Jim Schwartz likes.
- 5 (23) – David Woodward, LB, Utah State
- The Eagles wait until the fifth round to address the linebacker position, and they manage to get a smart, agile, gap-shooter who could step in and compete for playing time right away in their scheme.
- 6 (11) – Lamar Jackson, CB, Nebraska
- With this wide receiver class and Philly’s need at the position, it’s hard not to consider a wide receiver with every pick. This pick was no different, with Antonio Gandy-Golden sitting there for the taking. Instead, I have them double-dipping at cornerback with Lamar Jackson. The Eagles need corners for both the short and long term, and Jackson has development potential.
Some fans will be happier than others based on the results of this NFC East-only mock draft, but all of the above teams walk away having addressed some wants and needs. With the way the draft board fell, the Cowboys reached a little bit more than the other three teams. There were no trades in this scenario, and it’s very likely that all four of these teams move around a bit on draft weekend.
