2021 NFL mock draft: Justin Fields heads to Jaguars

The Eagles have only one significant investment at the safety position entering the 2021 draft, and that’s in 30-year-old Rodney McLeod. It’s clear that Philly needs to make an investment in the position for the short and long term.

Jevon Holland is a great fit, and should be the Eagles’ first-round pick if the mock falls this way. Holland is a hard-hitting safety who is not afraid to be aggressive in run defense, but is also excellent in pass coverage as well. The Oregon Duck displays great instincts on the field and could lead the charge for Philly into a new era of defense by taking over the unit.

Despite using early draft picks on wide receivers in 2019 (Deebo Samuel) and 2020 (Brandon Aiyuk), it should surprise no one if the team continues to do so when we enter the 2021 draft.

The rationale is simple and two-fold. First, the team is built on defense, and that means a lion’s share of the salary cap needs to be invested in keeping its most talented players on said unit. Drafting skill players early every year can allow them to rotate players on and off the roster to keep costs down instead of extending them on expensive contracts.

Second, quarterback Jimmy Garopollo is not a great passer – and the way to maximize his success is to ensure that the players around him are incredibly talented.

Sage Surratt averaged over 15 yards per catch for more than 1,000 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2019. He is still the No. 1 target for the Demon Deacons, so one can expect he’ll get plenty of targets to catch the attention of NFL scouts.