12 replies to this topic

[Marinomanx013]

I've recently been going back and forth between strategies we could take, so this draft will look at how we could draft for a transition to a 3-4 D. I will not mock FA, so we can do whatever there in addition to what would be done in this draft. I'd just be afraid of my picks rounds 3-5 will have their stocks raised a lot before the draft occurs. Anyway... here we go. I tried to go with emphases on size and skill (both proven and raw). I think (read: hope) I kept it as realistic as possible.


*R1 - Luke Joeckel, OT, Texas A&M - 6'6, 310
I really wanted to try and get cute with this pick... but if Joeckel can man RT, Herremans can kick back inside.


*R2 - Matt Elam, S, Florida - 5'10, 202
An increasingly popular pick on these boards... you don't like his height, but you like everything else.


trade our 3rd rounder to move up ~16 spots and get midway into the 2nd round using picks from 2014 Draft:
(and yes, I was going after this guy before he dominated SMU's bowl game tonight)

*R2 (via R3) - Margus Hunt, DE, SMU - 6'7, 280
Physical specimen, plays with intensity and agility, looks pretty strong too.

*R4 - Blaize Foltz, OG, TCU - 6'4, 310
Strong as an ox guard who can eventually take over at a G spot... this may seem like a pick for the future and it sort of is, but Peters, Mathis, and Herremans (31, 31, and 30 at the start of next season) aren't getting any younger. And we have 2-3 guys coming off of big-time injuries.

if we could get a 4th from trading anybody:

*R4 - Andrew Jackson, ILB, Western Kentucky - 6'1, 265
A small school guy, but an intense presence on the field. A truck in run support. Could be the steak to Kendricks' sizzle... (sorry for that one...)

*R5 - Kwame Geathers, DT, Georgia - 6'6, 355
Would ideally play at NT in the new 3-4 scheme, either early on or later.


R6, R7 - whoever else


I wish I could pick everyone I've been thinking about targeting every since I started deciding upon mock draft strategies for this team... but you can't fix Rome in a day (not the right saying, but you get the idea).


Defense could then feasibly look like:

DE - Cox
NT - Geathers/Thornton
DE - Jenkins/Hunt

OLB - Graham
ILB - Kendricks
ILB - Jackson/Ryans (I know, I know, this is why he got traded out of Houston... maybe we get a guy here, who knows)
OLB - Cole/Curry


I know it ain't perfect, but it'd be a step in the right direction, IMO. We don't have 7 1st round picks, so we can't get elite guys everywhere.

[eaglesfan38]

I think overall you covered as much as you could as far as making the switch to the 3-4. However I think I like Vaccaro over Elam at safety.

[Marinomanx013]

Yeah, he's a good player too, but I feel like Vaccaro might be gone at that spot. Although the same can be said for Elam, I guess. Any of the safety prospects I'd be okay with, tbh, as long as they can play (Vaccaro, Reid, Elam).

[GoEagles614]

If I'm switching to 3-4 Trent Cole is out.

[Robbieb77]

If we switch to the 3-4, we must take a NT early.

[Marinomanx013]

I considered this point, too. We could take Star Lotulelei instead of Joeckel, and forgo taking an OT early altogether, or trade down for St. Louis' two midrange 1st round picks if we thought we could still get a combo like Johnathan Hankins and Jake Matthews.

[Golfesv]

Go Joeckel for sure he is going to be a stud! Our D-line looks decent. We need secondary help bad I like Elam and we should target Williams out of georgia.  Why not go after Hill from Penn State or even Spence?

[Marinomanx013]

I think of Geathers, Hill, and Spence as comparable, project-round-wise as well. The latter 2 likely have more production in college, I haven't checked, but Geathers' size made him my choice for taking a shot at finding a NT late. If he doesn't turn out to be a starter... it's a 5th rounded used on a backup. I see rounds 1-4 as grabbing potential starters and then everything after that as backups and boom-bust picks.

[GoEagles614]

Hankins is a nice prospect.

Can't wait to make my mock

[RastaPasta]

This is the best plan I've seen to get us the 1st pick in 2014.

[morphius12812003]

RastaPasta, on 31 December 2012 - 07:49 AM, said:

This is the best plan I've seen to get us the 1st pick in 2014.

Experts in futility, lol

[LaxPlayerX3]

Switching to a 3-4 means Star would be our 1st round pick.

[Marinomanx013]

Hey, maybe a 1st next year could be used on a franchise QB if Foles doesn't work out.

Alright, thanks for the feedback, all. Just wanted to see what it might look like intentionally not trying to fix the entire team this year and trying to cover different bases.