2020 NFL Draft: 5 players Eagles could take in Round 1

Justin Jefferson #2 of the LSU Tigers runs with the ball after a 56-yard pass from Joe Burrow during the second quarter of the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Clemson Tigers at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2020 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The LSU Tigers topped the Clemson Tigers, 42-25. (Photo by Alika Jenner/Getty Images) /

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Linebacker Zack Baun of Wisconsin (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

3. Zack Baun, Wisconsin outside linebacker

Baun doesn’t have quite as much speed on the edge as Lewis, but he’s a much more well-rounded prospect at outside linebacker. That doesn’t mean he lacks juice off the edge. The former Wisconsin star still projects as an above-average pass rusher at the next level.

If the Eagles spend their first round pick on Baun they will expect him to compete for a starting spot at outside linebacker sooner, rather than later. The team would really like to see him take over for Alex Singleton. That might not happen on the first snap of Week 1, but it should happen sometime in the middle of the regular season.

Unlike Lewis, Baun has the size and strength to excel as a run defender too. That might not be a huge asset in a league that’s become increasingly dependent on the pass, but it should help an Eagles team that has to stop Ezekiel Elliott and the Cowboys two times per season.

Some might view taking Baun at No. 21 as a reach, but he’s got enough collegiate production and potential to become an above-average starter early in his NFL career. That makes him an intriguing choice for the Eagles in Round 1.

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