The Philadelphia Eagles are in store for a franchise-altering 2022 NFL Draft. General manager Howie Roseman and Co. boasted three first-round picks in the annual event.
Then, with less than a month to go before the draft, Philadelphia pulled off a blockbuster trade with the New Orleans Saints. That included the Eagles giving up the 16th and 19th picks in the draft for a package including the 18th selection as well as a first-round pick in 2023 and a second-round selection in 2024.
For a team with a young quarterback and a playoff-caliber roster, this is an opportunity for Philadelphia to become legitimate threats in the NFC moving forward.
Before diving into our Eagles mock draft, let’s examine the current picks they own in the upcoming NFL Draft following the aforementioned blockbuster.
Related: Sportsnaut’s 2022 NFL mock draft
2022 Philadelphia Eagles draft picks
- First round: 15th and 18th overall
- Second round: 51st overall
- Third round: 83rd, 101st overall
- Fourth round: 124th overall
- Fifth round: 154th, 162nd and 166th overall
- Seventh round: 237th overall
Philadelphia Eagles mock draft: Ascending the ladder in the NFC East
As noted, Roseman and Co. have a real opportunity to make noise in the 2022 NFL Draft. Philadelphia boasts a total of 10 draft picks. It has an ability to move up the board if need be.
Either way, it’s a franchise defining moment for Philadelphia with needs at wide receiver, a long the offensive line and all three levels of the defense.
Related: Philadelphia Eagles 2022 opponents
1st round, 15th overall: Jameson Williams, wide receiver, Alabama
If it weren’t for a torn ACL he suffered in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Georgia, Williams would likely be a top-10 pick in the draft. He boasts a solid 6-foot-2 frame, owns a pro-ready route tree and is sure-handed. Williams’ performance as a Junior after transferring from Ohio State adds another layer to this.
- Jameson Williams stats (2021): 79 receptions, 1,572 yards, 15 TD
What a great fit Williams would be with 2021 first-round pick DeVonta Smith. Imagine the two catching passes from young quarterback Jalen Hurts over the next half-decade or so.
1st round, 18th overall: Trent McDuffie, cornerback, Washington
Here’s a stat to look at when determining who the Eagles should target with their final first-round pick. The 5-foot-11 McDuffie yielded just 16 catches for 111 yards without a touchdown in 11 games last season. He was barely targeted throughout. At 5-foot-11, the former Washington star also has an ability to play both on the outside and in the slot.
To say this is a need for Philadelphia, would be an understatement. Veteran Darius Slay regressed to an extent last season and has a huge $22 million cap hit in 2022. That number goes up to $23 milion in 2023. Meanwhile, fellow starting corner Steven Nelson signed with the Houston Texans. Hence, why McDuffie is our pick in this Eagles mock draft.
2nd round, 51st overall: Jalen Pitre, safety, Baylor
An argument could be made that defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will need to find two new starting safeties during the offseason. Starting strong safety Rodney McLeod recently signed with the Indianapolis Colts, which leaves an opening in the secondary.
Sure finding a single-high free safety should be of utmost concern, but the Eagles wouldn’t be able to pass up on Pitre if he were available at 51. The hard-hitting 6-foot defender played both safety positions and linebacker for the Bears last season.
He’s an in your face safety with a tremendous tackling ability in the box. Pitre also isn’t overmatched in coverage. Acquiring someone with this talent in Day 2 would be a steal for the Philadelphia Eagles.
3rd round, 83rd overall: Damone Clark, linebacker, LSU
WILL linebacker is yet another need for head coach Nick Sirianni and Co. Former Wisconsin star T.J. Edwards is extremely limited at this spot (79% completion percentage allowed in 2021). That’s not going to cut it in an NFL that relies on linebackers being able to drop back in coverage.
While there’s still some refinement needed in Clark’s game, we’re talking about a speedy sideline-to-sideline linebacker with exceptional athleticism. He broke out big time for LSU a season ago after being benched at times in 2020. Initially a special teams player at the NFL level, he could carve out a role as a starter at the WILL spot.
3rd round, 101st pick: James Cook, running back, Georgia
With another selection acquired in the blockbuster trade with New Orleans, the Eagles go with best-player available. Cook has been ascending the draft board in a big way. He’d be a perfect with with Miles Sanders in Philadelphia’s backfield.
4th round, 124th overall: Tyrese Robinson, guard, Oklahoma
A second-round pick out of Alabama last year, Landon Dickerson played 95% of Philadelphia’s offensive snaps as a rookie. He looked pretty good in the process. However, Dickerson translates better to his more natural center position and will likely take over that role when Jason Kelce either retires or moves on from the Eagles down the line.
Regardless, guard is a major need for Philadelphia moving forward. Acquiring a player in Robinson who was a full-time starter for three seasons with Oklahoma would be great in the mid rounds. He can play either guard spot and is not scheme-specific.
Filling out the rest of the Eagles mock draft
- Fifth round: 154th overall: Alex Wright, EDGE, Alabama-Birmingham
- Fifth round: 162nd overall: Dare Rosenthal, offensive tackle, Kentucky
- Fifth round: 166th overall: Justyn Ross, wide receiver, Clemson
- Seventh round: 237th overall: Kaleb Eleby, quarterback, Western Michigan
Let us know what you think about this Eagles mock draft in the comments below.