Philadelphia Eagles: 5 Targets in first round of the 2020 NFL Draft

Philadelphia Eagles fans are turning all eyes to the fast-approaching 2020 NFL Draft. Who are their best options to take with the No. 21 overall pick?

Last week, we explored the Philadelphia Eagles’ five biggest needs entering the 2020 NFL Draft.  This time around, we put our magnifying glass on the team’s five best fits to fill those holes.

Two ideal pieces to reinforce a much-maligned defense are far out of reach: Clemson’s Isaiah Simmons and Ohio State cornerback Jeffrey Okudah. Both are top fiive overall talents, and the cost to move up in the draft will be definitely higher than the Eagles can afford to pay.

Similarly, on the offensive side of the ball sit standout wide receivers Jerry Jeudy and CeeDee Lamb, from Alabama and Oklahoma, respectively. Both are likely to go in the Top 15, and while the asking price will be lower, it’ll still be steep.

That said, many Eagles fans are hoping the team finds a way to swing a deal to move up and grab either one. Alabama wide receiver Henry Ruggs, who ran a blistering 4.27 at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis several weeks ago, makes an ideal trade target if the team decides to move up: the price should be palatable, and Ruggs’ insane speed and incredible hands make him the perfect fit by adding a dimension that the team sorely lacked in 2019.

While the team clearly needs a top-end wide receiver, there are serious doubts about the long-term security of the offensive line. With unproven depth behind Jason Kelce, Isaac Seumalo, and Brandon Brooks, it would be hard for the Eagles to pass on Tristan Wirfs if he happened to fall to them at the 21st pick, especially given how deep the draft is at the wide receiver position.

LSU edge rusher K’Lavon Chaisson could likewise drop due to a few long-term medical concerns arising from a prior season-ending injury. He’d instantly upgrade a ho-hum pass rush that has been improved by default through the additions of cornerbacks Darius Slay and Nickell Robey-Coleman.

Speaking of the cornerback position, it offers the two best values likely to be on the board when the Eagles pick: Florida’s C.J. Henderson, an excellent cover corner but spotty tackler, and a superior, more physical, and more “Philly” prospect in the form of LSU’s Kristian Fulton.

Either would make sense if the Eagles had addressed the wide receiver position as ardently as they did defensive back. Same goes for Alabama safety Xavier McKinney, who would be a natural replacement for the recently departed Malcolm Jenkins, had the team not committed to moving former cornerback Jalen Mills into that role, one for which he’s frankly better suited.

So where does that leave the Eagles? Let’s take flight for a Birds’ eye view of the landscape to find five players who’ll likely be available for the Eagles to target at pick number 21 overall.