Ideal team-prospect fits for the 2021 NFL Draft

NFL Team: Philadelphia Eagles – Jabril Cox, LB, LSU

Jabril Cox

This has been a very odd off-season for the Eagles so far, starting with the benching of starters in week 17. They fired Doug Pederson despite the reported power struggle between him and their quarterback with a big contract.

Carson Wentz got traded, with really only one mediocre offer on the table, and now people around Philadelphia say the Birds may be looking at quarterback again at number six overall, rather than focus on the future of Jalen Hurts.

I’m sure there’s a lot of smoke being blown around, and we can’t know for sure what their plans are. But I feel pretty confident that they will either go QB if their guy is available or more likely draft their highest-ranked pass-catcher in the first round of the NFL Draft.

I want to focus more on what they could do early on day two, because, for me, outside of wide receiver, there is one more clear position they need to invest in.

Philadelphia had arguably the worst group of linebackers of all 32 teams last season, and if they don’t upgrade there, they could do so again in 2021.

I projected TJ Edwards to be a breakout player ahead of last year because I really liked him as a UDFA. He could be a major asset defending the run for them, and I like him in the middle of that defense.

Not that they were or are actual difference-makers anyway, but Nathan Gerry and Duke Riley are entering free agency. The only stand-up backer on the roster is last year’s third-round pick Davion Taylor, who was far from being ready to play when I evaluated him coming out of Colorado.

And with Jonathan Gannon coming over from Indy to replace Jim Schwartz as defensive coordinator, likely not using nearly as much Dime personnel, they'll need somebody at that second level they can trust in space.

The guy that comes to mind here is LSU’s Jabril Cox. I think there is a pretty clear top three at the position in this NFL Draft, but Cox has a strong argument to be the next name up. His ability to close distances, fluidity to make plays on the ball in coverage and the quickness he can get to the quarterback as a free Blitzer could be huge for the Eagles D.