We are 2 weeks away from training camp and about 8 weeks from the regular season. It’s time to take a look at what the Eagles did on their spring vacation and see how the Super Bowl Champions look on their quest to repeat. I wanted to do this as one big article, but damn football is complicated. The series will run in parts all week addressing:
[DISCLAIMER: Today we are all about that hype]
Jihad Campbell – First Round
Home grown and genetically designed to play football and knock fools out. Campbell tested off the charts athletically but isn’t just a combine wonder. On the field he is the leader that knows exactly where to be and what to do. The plan is for him to start at LB in order to be in those team meetings and get a higher football education. That isn’t going to stop him from playing EDGE at times though. He has that versatility. Because of a torn labrum, he might start the season a little late like Cooper DeJean last year. When he’s ready though, watch out because there is nothing Campbell can’t do on a football field.
How did he drop to the Eagles? Well, things got a little weird. Once he didn’t get picked by the Bucs at #19 things got interested. In the next 12 picks there were 3 DBs and 3 DLs selected plus a RB and a QB. Teams drafted for need rather than talent and discounted Campbell because of his injury. Sometimes you just shouldn’t overthink these things. Campbell was a highly productive, highly athletic, highly recruited, captain of the Alabama defense. What more do you want?
Andrew Mukuba – Second Round
Mukuba is your CJGJ replacement. They are the same height, have similar athletic profiles, and both are preternaturally around the ball. The big difference is that CJGJ is an a-hole (the good kind) and Mukuba is more of the reserved leader type who everyone loves. People go out of their way to vouch for him and the type of player/person he is. He is still unsigned, but that has more to do with what’s happening at the top of the 2nd round than with Mukuba.
The Eagles have a lot riding on this kid. If he can start, he locks down the 2nd safety position next to Reed Blankenship. If he shines in the role, it could mean that the team lets Blankenship walk after the season and drafts another safety next year. If he falters though, the team is going to be forced to overpay Blankenship or use money in free agency that they need in other positions.
Ty Robinson – Fourth Round
The Vanilla Gorilla has the best nickname in a long time1 and is absolutely ferocious on the field. He is a 6’4″ 300 pound mauler who will be expected to man the interior on passing downs, not unlike Moro Ojomo did last year. Due some to his lighter weight for a DT, Robinson put up all time testing numbers for the position. That athleticism should shine next to Jalen Carter for like 15 plays a game where he is on an island with the lesser inside blocker. This is like an NBA team getting a plug and play 3 and D guy in the second round. You aren’t expecting him to be a star, but what he can do he should be able to keep doing very well in limited samples.
Mac McWilliams – Fifth Round
Mac McWilliams could be a steal in the 5th round and not just for his elite speed. He showed out at the Senior Bowl this year, apparently wrecking everyone in the 1 on 1 coverage drills. That talent combined with the 4.41 40 should allow him to get reps as the 4th DB in 4 WR sets right away. At the very least, the Eagles shouldn’t be scared to put him in when someone goes down, not unlike the Isaiah Rodgers role last year.
Smael Mondon – Fifth Round
Do you remember when the Eagles selected Davion Taylor as a 3rd round athletic LB a few years ago and we were excited about his upside at first before everyone realized he didn’t know how to play football? Well, that’s Mondon but without all that “doesn’t know how to play football” nonsense. He is small for a LB but strong and a big hitter. He also went to Georgia and was there for the national championship teams, not some bullshit Colorado teams like Taylor.
Drew Kendall – Fifth Round
The 3rd rated center in the whole draft lands in Philly to correct a big mistake from last year (that almost came back to bite us). Last year, the Eagles selected Dylan McMahon in the 6th round and thought they could hide the very athletic center our of NC State on the practice squad. Nope. The Rams snagged him and he ended up playing real minutes for them by the end of the season. That left the Eagles with no real backup. That was fine until the NFC Championship game when Jurgens was hurt, forcing Landon Dickerson to move over, get hurt himself, and requiring Jurgens to play injured. That could have turned out VERY bad. Howie is not making that same mistake again.
Kyle McCord – Sixth Round
The QB Factory! McCord was highly recruited out of high school in Philly and went to Ohio State where he played with Marvin Harrison Jr. He eventually transferred to Syracuse where he led the nation in most passing categories. The plan is for Tanner McKee to backup Jalen Hurts this season and have McCord man 3rd string. Hopefully they can move McKee for a high draft pick next offseason, install McCord as the backup, lather, rinse, repeat.
Myles Hinton – Sixth Round
Of the 3 tackles brought in through the draft, Hinton is the most experienced and most polished. He is also the least athletic and the weakest of the bunch. He was hgihly recruited out of high school but eventually lost his starting job for the Wolverines during their National Championship season. Unlike the other two (who I will get to), Hinton is likely expected to be the swing tackle on a team lacking line depth. If he can hold his own with a little coaching from Stoutland, he could provide immediate value.
Cameron Williams – Sixth Round
Williams and UDFA Hollin Pierce are in very similar positions. They are enormous, athletic tackles who the team is taking a flyer on to be Lane Johnson’s eventual replacement. If either of them pop just a little, the Eagles will get them enrolled in the Stoutland University Honors Program to accelerate their education. If not, that’s fine. Replacing Lane is a long term problem that if it can be handled with either of these two is like getting Jordan Mailata a few years ago. Otherwise, expect next year’s first round pick to be at OL.
Antwaun Powell-Ryland – Sixth Round
APR had 16 sacks in 12 games in ACC competition last year! The reason he was available? He’s small. He is a relentless athlete though who seems to be hunting QBs and will find a role on 3rd downs in the NFL eventually. Until then, he is going to absolutely blast people on special teams. Mark it down, the first preseason game, he is going to be on the giving end of a huge hit and he will be a fan favorite from then on.
Undrafted Free Agents
- WR Darius Cooper
- LB Lance Dixon – More of the Toledo pipeline getting the seal of approval from the coaching staff that are good buddies with Nick Sirianni.
- DB Maxen Hook – Former roommate and current best friend of Quinyon Mitchell
- DB Brandon Johnson – A safety who gets after the QB but is otherwise non-descript. Eagles gave him a big $170k bonus though.
- RB Montrell Johnson Jr. – He could be a steal and will be in competition with Powell for the practice squad. Check out these RAS numbers.
- DB B.J. Mayes – PFFs best slot defender in the country tested VERY poorly and wasn’t drafted. He could pop in camp.
- WR Taylor Morin – He led the ACC in punt return average last year and will be in competition with Avery Williams to take that job. That’s probably the only way he makes the team.
- OL Hollin Pierce – Of all the guys on this list, Pierce probably has the best shot at being a starter one day. He is 6’8″ and 350 pounds. That is not someone you can find anywhere. He wasn’t drafted because he doesn’t know what he’s doing yet, but he has landed in the best possible place to learn. He could be out of the league immediately or the long-term replacement to Lane Johnson. That’s a pretty big range of outcomes.
- RB ShunDerrick Powell – Another good bet to make the team eventually is Powell. He is very small, but he is a solid muscle who tested off the charts. They would probably love to have him as a practice squad guy who is ready to step in should anything happen to Will Shipley.
- not just because it’s funny, but because it makes people pronounce vanilla correctly, it is not van-el-a ↩︎
Philly Front Office 
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