15 Defensive linemen Eagles must place on their draft board
Don’t rule out the possibility of the Eagles’ defensive line looking a little different on day one of the 2017 season.
There probably isn’t a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles who doesn’t know this roster like the back of their hand, but just in case there may be one or two who don’t. let’s give you a quick crash course on the defensive line.
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox is one of the best at his position league-wide. He’s the anchor, and he’s surrounded by question marks (minus defensive end Brandon Graham). Cox’s counterpart, Bennie Logan is at the end of his contract. There isn’t an Eagles’ fan in the world that doesn’t want him back, but it’s hard to gauge how these things turn out sometimes.
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It really gets tricky after that. Vinny Curry has been given a long-term deal and that’s made Eagles fans nervous because how good he can be is uncertain. Connor Barwin has already stated he’ll take a pay cut to stay with the team. There are solid players as you go down the depth chart, but the Eagles will, no doubt, do some scouting to see if there are any healthy alternatives
If the Eagles draft a defensive lineman, it’ll probably be late, so we’ve found 15 guys who have a chance of being around in the later rounds. Here they are (in no particular order):
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1. Stevie Tu’ikolovatu, defensive tackle, USC Trojans
The Trojans ended the 2016 season on a high note by winning the Rose Bowl. It was a marvelous ending to a season that saw the USC improve all year, partially due to Tu’ikolovatu and his 53 tackles.
2. Montravius Adams, defensive tackle, Auburn Tigers
Adams would be ranked higher, but there are questions about his conditioning and desire. When motivated, he looks like one of the best in the country.
3. Dawuane Smoot, defensive end, Illinois Fighting Illini
Smoot had 23.5 sacks during his time at Illinois and closed his career by being named Third-Team All-Big Ten.
Oct 8, 2016; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Virginia Tech Hokies quarterback Jerod Evans (4) fumbles as North Carolina Tar Heels defensive tackle Nazair Jones (90) defends at Kenan Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
4. Nazair Jones, defensive tackle, North Carolina Tar Heels
Jones’ 70 total tackles and forced fumble made opposing teams talk about something other than the Tar Heels’ offense in 2016. He could climb some draft boards before it’s all said and done.
5. DeAngelo Brown, defensive tackle, Louisville Cardinals
Louisville saw their quarterback win the Heisman Trophy, so their defense didn’t get much of the attention nationally. It’s hard to ignore 40 tackles and three sacks over the course of 11 games though.
6. Hunter Dimick, defensive end, Utah Utes
Just look at his stat line from this past season. 20 of his tackles were behind the line of scrimmage, and he had 14 sacks.
Nov 12, 2016; Athens, GA, USA; Auburn Tigers defensive tackle Montravius Adams (1) and defensive lineman Carl Lawson (55) sack Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Jacob Eason (10) during the second quarter at Sanford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports
7. Carl Lawson, defensive end, Auburn Tigers
The question about Lawson is whether he’s a 3-4 outside linebacker or a defensive end in the 4-3 scheme. He had nine sacks in 2016.
8. Deatrich Wise Jr., defensive end, Arkansas Razorbacks
Wise will need a good showing in the East-West Shrine game. He struggled as a pass rusher this season.
9. Josh Tupou, defensive tackle, Colorado Buffaloes
Anyone who played Colorado made sure they avoided Tupou whenever possible, and he still ended up with 43 tackles and two sacks on the season.
10. Eddie Vanderdoes, defensive tackle, UCLA Bruins
Vanderdoes enters the draft following his junior season. In 2016, he was excellent in run defense but a liability in the passing game.
11. Daeshon Hall, defensive end, Texas A&M Aggies
He’s a solid run stopper but a decent pass rusher. He’s projected as a possible late-round pick, but has a tremendous amount of talent.
12. Lewis Neal, defensive end, LSU Tigers
Neal had a disappointing start to his senior season, and things didn’t get much better as the season went on. It’s highly unlikely he goes high in the upcoming draft, but stranger things have happened.
13. Dalvin Tomlinson, defensive tackle, Alabama Crimson Tide
For the majority of the 2016 season, there was no point in running the ball on the Crimson Tide. Tomlinson was a big reason for that, and he even chipped in with three sacks when opposing teams attempted to pass.
14. Treyvon Hester, defensive tackle, Toledo Rockets
We’re going to guess you didn’t watch much Toledo football this season, so we’ll give you the numbers. Hester posted 39 tackles and five sack over the course of ten games.
15. Josh Carraway, defensive end, TCU Horned Frogs
Carraway has speed and athleticism. Teams needing a pass rusher will be paying a lot of attention to him.