With the Eagles currently sitting with the 21st overall pick in the draft, there is plenty of uncertainty in who they will select, mainly because of the many different directions the teams in front of them could go. The most recent mock drafts written by "experts" have the Eagles selecting a wide variety of players.
Bearing that in mind, a few of our writers have decided to list all the realistic prospects the Eagles could choose with their first-round pick, as well as give our opinions on if that prospect is the selection at #21.
Justin Jefferson, WR, LSU
Andrew: Not the sexiest pick, but he should be able to contribute right from Week 1. His ability to play both outside and in the slot will give Doug Pederson the ability to use him as a weapon in any personnel. Hopefully his versatility doesn’t end up like JJAW’s, where he is able to be put at every position but excels at none of them.
Dylan: Not the number two receiver I would like, but I don't expect the Eagles to land CeeDee Lamb so I wouldn't complain much with this pick. He's not worth their highest pick in my opinion, but if it was the second receiver they picked in the draft (via a trade-up back into the first round) it would be a good pick.
Chalie: This is the pick I think most likely happens. Jefferson has the talent to be one of the better slot receivers in the league, but he is going to have a tough time transitioning to the outside. He has good speed, decent size, and good hands. I Would not be sad with this pick.
Spencer: I really see Jefferson as Howie’s guy at pick #21. He can beat coverage downfield and really be someone who would get open for Carson Wentz. Unless Howie trades up or Henry Ruggs III drops to #21, I think Jefferson will be an Eagle. He’s a great all-around receiver who Eagles fans should be excited about.
Fan Vote:
Patrick Queen, LB, LSU
Andrew: People will boo this pick because it isn’t offense, but he will be plugged in right away as a starter on a team that desperately needs linebacker help. I’d prefer another linebacker prospect, but Queen will still get the job done.
Dylan: With the Eagles linebacker situation the way it is, this would be an amazing pick. He would be able to contribute immediately in his first season.
Spencer: It’s no secret the Eagles defense has a hole right in the middle of it. The team desperately needs help at the linebacker position. Luckily, Howie has boosted the secondary and stacked up the defensive line, but the linebacker position is lacking. Patrick Queen would be a great pick up who would help that position immensely. He’s a quick and physical player with great tackling skills, something that the Eagles defense also needs to help stop the run.
Fan Vote:
C.J. Henderson, CB, Florida
Andrew: This is the scariest pick, as it feels like recent top Florida cornerbacks have been busts lately (Vernon Hargrave, Teez Tabor, etc.). He’s still considered a top cornerback in this draft though, so I like the prospect of him reaching his potential and teaming up with Daris Slay to shut opponents’ passing games down.
Dylan: The next shutdown corner who is able to turn his hips fast and get up to full speed to stay on target. He is someone the Eagles lacked last year, so I'm all on board with this pick -- no question about it.
Spencer: We still need help at corner, but I’m not sure if he is our guy. Henderson had a great 2017 season with four picks, two of those resulting in touchdowns. However, in his 2019 season he had no interceptions. He is a good player, but I’m not sure if he would be a great Eagles pick.
Fan Vote:
Denzel Mims, WR, Baylor
Andrew: This feels like a reach and has a big boom or bust potential. I know his speed will impress everyone but there’s a lot more to football than just speed. On a positive note, he would get to learn from one of the best speed threats ever in the game in DeSean Jackson.
Dylan: Mims reminds me a lot of Terrell Owens. He has the ability to be the next great or be a complete bust, as his college stats were all over the place. So I’d be both excited and nervous about this pick.
Spencer: Denzel Mims is a 50/50 kind of guy. He could either come in and fit the scheme and be a great player, or be one of those guys who really needs some work. The talent definitely isn’t lacking, but there are a few areas that could use improvement.
Fan Vote:
Kenneth Murray, LB, Oklahoma
Andrew: This is the linebacker I want if the team goes that route in the first round. He will become the best linebacker the Eagles have had since Jeremiah Trotter was roaming the middle of the defense.
Dylan: I don't see the Eagles using a first-round pick on a linebacker, and he also doesn't fit the linebackers they usually pick, which are safety/linebacker hybrids. He reminds me of Jeremiah Trotter with his aggressive run-stopping abilities and always in the pursuit of the quarterback. So I don’t expect it, but I’d like the pick if it happens.
Chalie:
This pick is the one I want to happen round one. He can literally change our defense all by himself. When you are in a division with Saquon Barkley and Ezekiel Elliot, you need a linebacker that can match up with them completely and shut them down. If they draft Murray, he will be a competitor for Defensive Rookie of the Year.
Spencer: Murray is a very unique linebacker who the Eagles could definitely benefit from. He is not only one of the most mobile linebackers in the draft, but he is also a smart defensive player. He can read offenses well and could potentially fill a hole as a vocal leader at linebacker. His ability to make big-time plays and shut down offenses could make him a new fan favorite. Something the team hasn’t had at the linebacker position since the early days of Jordan Hicks.
Fan Vote:
Brandon Aiyuk, WR, Arizona State
Andrew: I wouldn’t be mad nor thrilled with this pick. He’ll plug in the hole the team has at slot, but it feels like he doesn’t have star potential.
Dylan: I’m not crazy about this pick. I see a lot of Rams WR Robert Woods in him. Woods took six seasons to break out, but he still seems to disappear on the field. That is not something the Eagles can afford, especially after Nelson Agholor’s issues.
Spencer: Aiyuk is a good player, but not a big-time receiver that the #agles really need. Granted, he could develop into a really good #3, but the Eagles need a player who will make an impact right away at #21.
Fan Vote:
Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU
Andrew: I like him more than Mims and Aiyuk, but I wouldn’t be overly ecstatic with the pick. He would contribute in 2020 like Aiyuk, but I think he has a low ceiling and won’t have superstar potential.
Dylan: If it's him or Mims, I will choose Mims every time. The only thing that Reagor has over Mims is that he has a lot more special teams experience, so he could contribute in that way at least. Ultimately, I think he would find himself far back on the depth chart as a wide receiver in the future.
Spencer: This is a guy the Eagles have supposedly taken a good amount of interest in. He’s a solid player with good speed and can really cut well. However, Reagor has an issue with dropped passes, something the Eagles offense hopes to turn the page on this season.
Fan Vote:
AJ Epenesa, DE, Iowa
Andrew: No thanks. I wouldn’t hate picking a defensive end in the first round, but if they do I don’t want it to be on Epenesa. There are better options out there.
Dylan: This guy is unblockable, but so was Derek Barnett in college. He is a bit slower and bigger than Barnett, but plays the speed rusher style. I just don't see that transferring to the NFL. I see him like Brandon Graham -- he will take extremely long to develop and the Eagles don't have that kind of time to waste. In my eyes, he will just be average or above-average at best.
Spencer: I could live without Epenesa and I don’t see the Eagles drafting him. He’s a big DE, but does not really stand out to me. Jim Schwartz seems to like his DE’s quick rushers, and that is a weakness of Epenesa. So I wouldn't really like his fit here.
Fan Vote:
Yetur Gross-Matos, DE, Penn State
Andrew: A better option than Espenesa in my eyes. To me, YGM has the athleticism to be a star rusher like Jason Pierre-Paul was.
Dylan: His athleticism reminds me so much of Jason Pierre-Paul; he is always in the backfield. With this guy on the field in midnight green, I see 10+ sacks a season as a regular thing.
Spencer: This guy is projected to be a great player with range and a good amount of upward potential. Gross-Matos would be a solid addition to the team and would rack up the sacks in Jim Schwartz's defense.
Fan Vote:
