PHILADELPHIA – When it came to the offensive line, the Eagles were trying to thread a small needle at the top of the 2024 NFL Draft.
The goal was to find a legitimate tackle prospect as the heir apparent for Lane Johnson who could project inside to right guard as a potential Day 1 starter in the short-term.
According to a team source, the two best fits for that from Philadelphia’s perspective were Alabama’s JC Latham, who went No. 7 overall to Tennessee, far out of the Eagles’ orbit at No. 22 in the first round. The other was Washington’s Troy Fautanu, who came off the board at No. 20 to Pittsburgh, and Andy Weidl, the former Eagles’ Vice President of Player Personnel who is now the assistant GM with the Steelers.
Once Fautanu was out of the equation the Eagles shifted to the top cornerback in the draft, Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell. From there the curve balls kept coming with 24 offensive linemen taken over the first two days of the draft and Howie Roseman going 0-for-24 in what is typically a foundational position for him in an extremely deep draft on the OL.
Philadelphia doubled down and traded up to get Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean at No. 40 overall and then went with developmental edge rusher Jalyx Hunt at No. 94 to finish its two-day haul.
“It’s just how the board fell,” Roseman said when asked about eschewing the O-Line early. “I think there was a run on offensive linemen in some areas where we didn’t pick. When we came back and picked in some of those rounds, it didn’t really fit. We felt like it was more important to stay true to our board than to just kind of reach. Like you said, we have added some offensive line.”
When it came to first-round grades, the Eagles were in the 22-23 range, according to multiple sources in the organization and both Mitchell and DeJean, who was scouted as an outside cornerback, fell into that grouping.
“You can rest assured that there’s not a pick that doesn’t go by that [the offensive line] is not kind of part of our process,” Roseman said. “Certainly in my mind trying to make sure that does that. We’re not going to try to be negligent in that area at any time.”
That sentiment was highlighted by the sense of urgency post-draft to get something done with talented reclamation project Mekhi Becton, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2020 draft who never lived up to that pedigree with the New York Jets.
The Eagles feel highly-regarded OL coach Jeff Stoutland can tap into Becton’s promise and the former Louisville star is only 25. The obvious fit is swing tackle where Becton can settle in behind All-Pro level talents Johnson and Jordan Mailata.
But, what about right guard?
Just because the Eagles didn’t thread that aforementioned needle in the draft doesn’t mean they are all of a sudden completely comfortable with penciled-in second-year starter Tyler Steen, a tackle himself in college at both Vanderbilt and Alabama before being projected inside due to his arm length.
Steen started one game at RG as a rookie when Cam Jurgens was out and struggled so much the Eagles reversed course and went back to limited backup Sua Opeta.
Standing over 6-foot-7 and weighing in at over 340 pounds with 35 5/8-inch arms, Becton screams tackle but who’s to say he can’t be the short-term guard while waiting to kick out for Johnson down the road?
If Stoutland can tap into Becton’s natural skill set and the big man proves he can play with leverage and get his pads down consistently, he’s by far the most talented of the candidates, a group that also includes Steen, veteran free-agent pickup Matt Hennessy, and rookie fifth-round pick Trevor Keegan.
As for throwing lanes, Jalen Hurts already has to navigate around the 6-8 Mailata and two 6-6 players, in Johnson and left guard Landon Dickerson so what’s on more?
