31. Kansas City Chiefs: Nick Emmanwori, S, South Carolina
Another safety prospect who isn’t likely sneaking out of round one after his NFL Combine performance is South Carolina’s Nick Emmanwori. Emmanwori had a ridiculous 43-inch vertical jump and a 4.38 in the 40-yard dash.
Heck, it might be dumb to have him falling even this far in this first-round projection, but NFL teams have diminished the value of the safety position in recent years. The Chiefs could be losing Justin Reid in NFL free agency and if that happens, safety will vault near the top of the list of needs for this team.
We already know how much defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo loves big, athletic defensive backs and how much he loves blitzing. Is there a better fit in this draft for the Chiefs in the defensive backfield than Emmanwori? He could be a tremendous weapon for them right away.
32. Philadelphia Eagles: Tyler Booker, OG, Alabama
The bread and butter in the NFL Draft for the Philadelphia Eagles is in the trenches on either side of the ball. We saw that come into play in a big way in the Super Bowl and on their way to the Super Bowl as the Eagles had a rare 2,000-yard running back last season – Saquon Barkley – as well as a defensive unit that notched six sacks in the Super Bowl without blitzing a single time.
That’s called dominating in the trenches over the long haul of a season.
That doesn’t happen by accident. Eagles GM Howie Roseman is outstanding when it comes to finding talent to plug and play on both lines, and Tyler Booker could be the next man up for Philly. He could start immediately for them at the right guard position if Mekhi Becton leaves in free agency and provide depth at all three interior spots.