Nothing says draft season like lofty comparisons for guys who haven’t even been handed an NFL playbook yet. Every player gets unrealistic expectations heaped upon them by being compared to current or former stars. I rounded up my favorites from across the internet for this year’s Eagles draft class.
Round 1-22: CB Quinyon Mitchell: Darius Slay
(via Quinyon Mitchell, himself)
“Big Play” Slay meet “Right on Q.” The Eagles first round pick told our John Clark after the draft that his new teammate is who he modeled his game after. Mitchell closes on receivers with elite speed and will often beat them to the catch point. Like Slay, he has elite ball production, posting 6 interceptions and 45 pass breakups at Toledo. The measurables back it up. Slay was 6-feet, 190 pounds and ran a 4.36 at his combine in 2013. Mitchell is 6-feet, 195 pounds and ran a 4.33. Mitchell figures to take over as CB1 eventually, but it will be fun to watch both ballhawks on the field together this season.
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Round 2-40: DB Cooper DeJean: Jalen Ramsey
(via Nate Tice, Yahoo Sports)
DeJean is one of the toughest players to find a comp for. Ramsey was more of a can’t-miss prospect but his versatility and ability to play safety were selling points that landed him in the top five back in 2016. DeJean is just a tick below in both size and athleticism. Ramsey was 6-foot-1, 209 pounds coming out of Florida State. DeJean measured 6-feet (and half-an-inch), 203 pounds. Ramsey ran a 4.41 to DeJean’s 4.44. Where the comp loses a little steam is Ramsey’s length. He uses his nearly 33.5-inch arms to control opposing receivers. DeJean’s arms are two inches shorter, but both are physical in nature and have a penchant for forcing turnovers.
Round 3-94: EDGE Jalyx Hunt: Josh Sweat
(MockDraftable.com Spider Chart)
The profiles don’t really match up. Sweat was a 5-star recruit who went to Florida State while Hunt was a lightly recruited safety who started his college career at Cornell before finishing at Houston Christian. However, the spider charts are a close match. Both are right around 6-4, 250 pounds and have nearly 35-inch arms. Hunt posted one of the best workouts among edge rushers at the combine with a 4.64 40 and 10-foot-8-inch broad jump. Sweat clocked a 4.53 with 10-foot-4-inch broad jump. With Sweat in the final year of his contract, Howie Roseman is certainly hoping Hunt can maximize his potential sooner than later.
Round 4-127: RB Will Shipley: Aaron Jones
(Greg Cosell, 33rd Team)
NFL
I actually get more D’Andre Swift vibes from Shipley as both he and Swift were top high school recruits who went to major college programs. They have wiggle to make defenders miss and plenty of pass-catching chops. That skillset also applies to Jones, who was a 5th round pick in 2017 out of UTEP. Shipley is slightly taller (5-10) and faster (4.45) than both, but projects as more of a complimentary back. That label was also put on Jones and Swift, but they’ve shed it and shown bell-cow capabilities. Shipley won’t get that chance with Saquon Barkley under contract, but eventually could take on a bigger workload.
Round 5-152: WR Ainias Smith: Christian Kirk
(via Lance Zierlein, nfl.com)
Both are slot specialists from Texas A&M who play with toughness. Kirk measured 5-10, 201 pounds in 2018 while Smith is a touch smaller at 5-9, 190 pounds. However, both were at or above the 90th percentile in bench press with Kirk putting up 20 reps of 225 pounds and Smith repping 21. That play strength allows them to absorb contact across the middle and rack up yards after the catch. Roseman was very interested in Kirk back in the 2018 draft but ended up with Dallas Goedert two picks after Kirk came off the board to the Cardinals. Now the Eagles can use both Kirk’s clone and Goedert to attack between the numbers.
Round 5-155: LB Jeremiah Trotter Jr.: TJ Edwards
(Dane Brugler, The Athletic)
Surely Axe Man, Jr. will be measured against his father. Yet his playing style, production, and profile mirrors another former Eagle to a tee. Edwards had top-level production at Wisconsin but was considered too slow and a liability in pass coverage, causing him to go undrafted in 2019. Both he and Trotter, Jr. were exactly 6-feet tall and 230 pounds at their respective combines. However, it’s what can’t be measured – their elite instincts – that turned Edwards into a rock-solid starter and may do the same for Trotter, Jr.
Round 5-172: OG Trevor Keegan: Evan Mathis
(via Mike Mulhern, NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com)
If you can’t find a comp, just do it yourself! Both Mathis and Keegen stand 6-foot-5 and have lean frames for guards. Mathis was a 3rd round pick out of Alabama back in 2005 and eventually became a Pro Bowler for the Eagles and a Super Bowl champion with the Broncos. Keegan already has that championship pedigree as a 3-year starter at Michigan. Mathis’ tenure in Philly ended with Chip Kelly cutting him amidst contract talks. If the Eagles are ever talking second contract with Keegan that would be a win.
Round 6-185: WR Johnny Wilson: Marques Colston
(via Fran Duffy, PhiladelphiaEagles.com)
Two big-bodied wide outs who were also considered tight end prospects entering the NFL. Those who were playing fantasy football back in Colston’s rookie season will remember the all-out wars his tight end eligibility caused while he was racking up his first of six 1,000-yard seasons playing receiver. At 6-foot-5, Colston ran a 4.51 in the 40 and posted a 37-inch vertical at his combine in 2006. Wilson, who measured an inch taller, ran a 4.52 and posted the same exact vert. Colston was a 7th round pick out of Hofstra who become a Super Bowl champ and Saints Hall of Famer. The Eagles are just hoping Wilson can be a matchup problem in the red zone.
Round 6-190: C Dylan McMahon: Jason Kelce
(every Eagles fan on twitter)
The Eagles last pick gets the loftiest comparison. An undersized center? Check. Top of the charts athletic testing? Check. 6th Round pick? Check. Kelce was only 280 pounds entering the NFL, a true outlier for the position. He lit up the combine with top times in the 40-yard dash, short shuttle, and 3-cone drill. McMahon’s performance wasn’t nearly as elite, but his broad jump and vertical were both in the 90th percentile for offensive linemen. Cam Jurgens was hand-picked by his predecessor to fill the massive void at center, but McMahon offers some depth and plenty of hope behind him.
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