Philadelphia Eagles full 2018 NFL mock draft
By John Buhler
The Philadelphia Eagles are the defending Super Bowl champions. Can they repeat in 2018? Here is their latest 2018 NFL mock draft.
They did it! No longer can we say that the Philadelphia Eagles never win anything. They won Super Bowl LII over the New England Patriots with Nick Foles starting at quarterback nonetheless. Even if you didn’t watch it, it did happen. Also, center Jason Kelce gave the greatest speech of all time during the victory parade. You never wanted to buy a Mummers Parade costume more badly in your entire life.
But that was last year and this is the new year and I don’t feel any different about the Eagles. They are absolutely loaded on the defensive front-seven. Philadelphia has an MVP at quarterback in Carson Wentz. Foles is the best backup quarterback in the sport. Doug Pederson has elite visor game, and is even a better head coach.
Yes, it’s safe to say that the Eagles will have a say in who comes out of the NFC in 2018. Last year, they were the hunters, but now they are the hunted. Barring something unforeseen, the top dog Eagles should be back in the NFC playoffs again next year. That being said, they do have a few holes to address in the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft.
Philadelphia has six picks in the draft. The Eagles’ primary needs are at offensive tackle, guard and out on the edge. Secondary needs include center, wide receiver and tight end. They could also use a running back. Here is the latest 2018 NFL mock draft for the defending Super Bowl champion Eagles.
First Round
Being that the Eagles won Super Bowl LII, they will have the last pick of the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft at No. 32. They could go in a few different directions here. Philadelphia could go edge here, but would have to reach for a tackle. Maybe they go with a safe play at UTEP Miners guard Will Hernandez here?
Hernandez stood out playing for a winless UTEP team in 2017. He was invited to the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine, where he measured 6-foot-2, 327 pounds. Hernandez had 32-inch arms and 9 7/8 inch hands. He ran a 5.15 40-yard dash and put up 37 reps at 225 pounds on the bench press in Indianapolis.
No, Hernandez won’t be the first guard off the board. That would be Quenton Nelson, who is the best guard prospect coming out since Zack Martin starred at Notre Dame. Nelson is going inside of the top-10 no doubt. That being said, Hernandez can be a day one starter on some NFL rosters. However, cracking the offensive line rotation in Philadelphia will be tough sledding.
To be fair, taking Hernandez at No. 32 would be a bit of a reach. He’s a top-45 player. Given that Philadelphia is coming off a Super Bowl season, the Eagles can afford the luxury of over drafting a player with tremendous NFL upside the caliber of Hernandez. Looks like the rich get richer with this selection.
* The Eagles do not have either a second or third-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft. Their second-round pick belongs to the Cleveland Browns, as this was part of the deal to trade up to draft Carson Wentz No. 2 out of North Dakota State in 2016. Philadelphia sent their third-round pick along with wide receiver Jordan Matthews to the Buffalo Bills in the Ronald Darby deal.