30. Philadelphia Eagles: Lukas Van Ness, EDGE, Iowa
One of the reasons the Philadelphia Eagles have been so good is the way Howie Roseman always has an eye on the future. He doesn’t care if a position is solid right now, he will still use an early pick on someone who can start in a couple of years.
That’s what happens here as their second pick in Round 1 is used on Iowa defensive end Lukas Van Ness. A pure projection player, Van Ness wasn’t a full-time starter for much of his career with the Hawkeyes but the 6-foot-5, 265-pounder can take over the role Brandon Graham has played for years.
He’s a powerful player that also has a lot of burst off the snap. Putting him on the same roster as Haasan Reddick would really round out their front seven.
31. Kansas City Chiefs: Trenton Simpson, LB, Clemson
Nick Bolton was a huge addition to the Kansas City Chiefs and even scored a touchdown in the Super Bowl — and he nearly had two. Clearly, a play-making linebacker can change a game and the Chiefs add another here with Trenton Simpson from Clemson.
Simpson fits perfectly in a pass-happy NFL since he used to play safety and can cover tight end and running backs. He’s still able to disrupt the running game as well with his ability to diagnose plays and get after the ball carrier.
Simpson is an absolute steal at this point and it almost feels unfair that the Chiefs wind up with him.