MOBILE, Ala. — The snowstorms that swept the country over the last two weeks affected travel plans for many, including those within the NFL. Texas was hit with three inches between the first and second practices of the East-West Shrine Bowl, forcing NFL scouting staffs to change travel plans.
And getting from the Dallas area to Mobile, Ala., was no easier. Changed and canceled flights, long days in the airport, and sold-out hotels made scouting the next group of NFL players difficult. But that didn’t stop teams from sending big contingents of scouts, coaches, and front office executives in droves to watch and interview players who will soon fill their rosters.
Every team at both the Senior Bowl and Shrine Bowl all-star games meets with every participant, so the Eagles have not zeroed in on any prospects just yet, but that process has begun, With that in mind, here’s what we learned from attending the all-star game circuit:
Heavy presence at the Shrine Bowl
All 32 teams were accounted for in some capacity in Frisco, Texas, for Shrine Bowl practices, and the Eagles sent several scouts, including personnel consultant Darren Sproles, director of college scouting Ryan Myers, West Coast area scout Rod Streater, and northeast scout Ben Ijalana.
Many of these scouts spend all season on the road meeting and making connections with prospects, and attending the all-star game circuit gives them an opportunity to watch players up close and interview them directly.
The Eagles were among a handful of teams that had strong representation from scouting personnel at the Shrine Bowl. The Lions, Rams, Dolphins, Colts, Raiders, and Panthers were among the teams with several scouts interacting and intently watching prospects from the sidelines at The Star, the Dallas Cowboys’ practice facility. Dallas, too, had many within the organization roaming the sideline.
Eagles scouts were on hand during the quarterback throwing session the day before Shrine Bowl practices began. Considering that new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion was the OC of the West team in Frisco, Iowa quarterback Mark Gronowski and Louisville’s Miller Moss could garner strong late-round consideration from the Eagles, who might consider drafting another QB after not retaining sixth-round pick Kyle McCord.
Hurtt and Singleton work directly with prospects
Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt relished his opportunity to be head coach of the National team at the Senior Bowl, and his direct involvement with draft prospects during the week could be helpful for the Eagles’ scouting process. Also, Eagles running backs coach Jemal Singleton served as offensive coordinator, allowing him to work directly and closely with offensive draft prospects in Mobile.
While Hurtt rotated between position groups during the three-day practice week, he told The Inquirer on Thursday that he gravitated toward the defensive side of the ball considering his experience on that side as a position coach and former defensive coordinator.
Prospects also talked about being able to pick Hurtt’s brain as well, especially defensive linemen. Western Michigan edge rusher Nadame Tucker was one of those players to soak up knowledge, and his strong week should garner intrigue from the Eagles.
Texas Christian safety Bud Clark was another standout who was complimentary of Hurtt’s energy, which seemed to resonate throughout the day even as things got chippy on the final day of practice.
Singleton’s opportunity to call plays also gave him a closer look at positions like tight end, offensive line, and wide receiver, all potential areas of need for the Eagles heading into the draft. Texas A&M tackle Dametrious Crownover and tight end Nate Boerkircher were standouts at their respective positions, while Wisconsin wide receiver Vinny Anthony and Baylor’s Josh Cameron looked like potential slot options to replace Jahan Dotson as WR3 if he doesn’t return to the team next season.
The Eagles typically have scouts in Mobile, and even chief of security Dom DiSandro made the trip down in recent years. But working directly with players and getting a chance to see prospects up close and getting direct coaching from people within the Eagles’ building gave them more insight and intel on prospects who could land in Philly in a few months.
It’s also worth noting that three of the 10 players the Eagles drafted last year were at the Senior Bowl and they have drafted at least one player who participated in the all-star game over the last six drafts.
A top-heavy O-line class
Kadyn Proctor, Alabama’s standout left tackle, stood in the end zone at The Star in Frisco, watching Shrine Bowl practice and talking with NFL scouts. He hadn‘t committed to any all-star games, but he was hanging around the practice facility and attending meetings along with other draft prospects who were competing that week.
Penn State O-linemen Drew Shelton and Olaivavega Ioane were also at the Shrine Bowl host hotel interviewing with teams. Proctor, Shelton, and Ioane are training with Duke Manyweather, the cofounder of OL Masterminds alongside Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson. Manyweather trains current and soon-to-be NFL offensive linemen at Sports Academy in Frisco.
Proctor will be a hot commodity during the first round of April’s draft, partly because of his movement skills at 6-foot-7, 366 pounds, and partly because of the steep drop-off of true draft-eligible offensive tackles. The Shrine and Senior Bowl practices highlighted that further.
Along with Proctor, Miami’s Francis Mauigoa, and Utah’s Caleb Lomu and Spencer Fano seem to be the surefire first-round players at the position. Georgia’s Monroe Freeling, Clemson’s Blake Miller, and Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor, who competed at the Senior Bowl last week, could be late first- or early second-round picks. Iheanachor in particular was in the best offensive lineman in Mobile, which is impressive considering that he didn’t play football in high school.
There are more players who will either need further development or project as depth linemen. As opposed to last year, finding a starting offensive lineman after Day 2 of the draft will prove difficult in this class.
The same can be said about interior offensive line, although there are several tackles, including Iowa’s Gennings Dunker, Duke’s Brian Parker, and Texas A&M’s Trey Zuhn, who will likely move to the interior at the NFL level.
For a team like the Eagles, who could be looking to upgrade their offensive line in the interior and identify a replacement for Lane Johnson, spending a premium pick early in the draft on linemen would be ideal. At both the Senior and Shrine Bowls, Eagles scouts were up close to the offensive and defensive line one-on-one drills.
With important contract extension decisions coming up on the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles won’t have much wiggle room to make big swings via trade or free agency to upgrade the offensive line. Getting an impactful lineman early in the draft could prove critical to extending their win-now window.
Edge rushers, cornerbacks in spotlight
Two positions the Eagles will likely need to address defensively are edge rusher and a second cornerback to complement Quinyon Mitchell. Jaelan Phillips was impactful as a midseason trade addition but needs a new contract, while Adoree’ Jackson is set to become a free agent.
If the Eagles chose to move on from Phillips, there’s a strong Day 2 and early Day 3 class of edge rushers to choose from, many of them showcasing their talents on the all-star circuit.
At the Shrine Bowl, Central Florida’s Malachi Lawrence and Wisconsin’s Mason Reiger were among the standouts of the week, although both excel more as pass rushers than run defenders. In Mobile, it was Illinois’ Gabe Jacas, Michigan’s Derrick Moore, Alabama’s LT Overton, Missouri’s Zion Young, and Western Michigan’s Tucker who flashed in either practice or the Senior Bowl game.
Of the players mentioned, Jacas and Overton would be ideal players to complement Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt in the corps of edge rushers. A 6-3, 260-pound, densely framed edge rusher, Jacas has heavy hands to knock back offensive linemen and has enough wiggle to beat tackles on their outside shoulders. He can pass rush from the interior and from the edge, and his playing style could match Brandon Graham’s role over the last two seasons in Vic Fangio’s defense.
Overton, who had a sack during the Senior Bowl, can play from multiple alignments, has powerful hands, and a strong bull rush on run downs. He has the skill set of a first-round player, but his impact has been inconsistent over the last two seasons. Overton, however, is the type of draft pick Howie Roseman has coveted: a former five-star prospect who hasn’t always lived up to his recruiting ranking.
The secondary groups at both the Shrine and Senior Bowls were the best position groups collectively, especially at corner and nickel. In Frisco, North Carolina State’s Devon Marshall, Toledo’s Avery Smith, and Oregon’s Jadon Canady were steady players throughout the practice week. Marshall’s ability to challenge wideouts at the line of scrimmage and be disruptive at the catch point helped prove he was one of the best overall players there.
Arkansas’ Julian Neal (6-1), San Diego State’s Chris Johnson (6-foot), and Tennessee’s Colton Hood (5-11) have ideal size and coverage skills to man the second corner spot for the Eagles, and Hood will likely go in the first round.
If either position turns into a pressing need for the Eagles, it’s a good draft to upgrade those spots.
