Eagles 1st round targets – Part 1

By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly editor 

The Eagles will have to get it right with their first round pick this year, since they pick last and have no second or third round picks to fall back on. 

 With draft drawing closer, Sports Talk Philly and Eagledelphia will profile the prospects that are on the Eagles radar ahead of draft day. 


Mike McGlinchey | OT | Notre Dame | Projected Round 1

Measureables: 6'8", 312 lbs, , no 40yd dash, 24 reps on bench press, 28.5" vertical

It seems that every draft there is chatter of the Eagles looking for a successor to Jason Peters as he nears the end of his career. McGlinchey is an athletic tackle which goes well with the Eagles scheme in the run game that likes to get lineman out in front of running backs to clear the way for them. 

The knock on McGlinchey is that he still needs to add some strength to his six-foot-eight-inch 312 pound frame. There is uncertainty whether McGlinchey can play the left side, and the Eagles showed last season that they are not necessarily inclined to move Lane Johnson over to the left side if they do not have to. 

It is unlikely that McGlinchey makes it to the Eagles at 32, but he is considered by some to be the best offensive tackle prospect in this draft class. 

McGlinchey, a Penn Charter alumnus, met with the Eagles formally at the draft combine.


Justin Reid | S | Stanford | Projected Rounds 1-2

Measureables: 6'1", 204 lbs, 4.40 40yd dash, 16 reps on bench press, 36.5" vertical

Justin Reid is atheltic, posting some of the best 40-yard dash, three cone drill, and 20-yard shuttle times of everyone at his position at the combine. 

Reid also brings with him a pedigree ripe for the NFL, with his brother Eric being a pro bowl safety for the San Francisco 49ers, hos other brother Ryan being a Division I soccer player, and his father having ran track at LSU in his college days. 

Reid has the combination of size of speed necessary to play Safety in today's NFL. He plays a physical game that allows him to hang in against large tight ends, but he also possesses the ball skills to beat wide receivers to a ball. 

The Stanford product had a formal meeting with the Eagles at the combine, and could be a fit for the team, who is severely lacking in safety depth. 


Dallas Goedert | TE | South Dakota State | Projected Round 2

Measureables: 6'5", 255 lbs, no 40yd dash, 23 reps on bench press, no vertical

It seems that every year there is a handful of prospects who explode on the scene from a small school, like Carson Wentz did in 2016. This year one of those prospects is South Dakota State tight end Dallas Goedert. 

Goedert profiles like a number one tight end with an impressive six-foot-five-inch 255 pound frame. Ironically, Goedert's NFL comparison is current Eagles' tight end Zach Ertz. With Trey Burton getting a much deserved pay day in Chicago and the Eagles parting ways with franchise staple Brent Celek to clear cap space, Ertz is the only tight end on the roster at this time. 

Goedert's strength are centered around his athleticism. He runs a versatile route tree, and has the skill to separate from defenders, or use his size and position his body to box defenders out and win a contested pass. The Eagles have not been afraid to run two tight end sets under Doug Pederson and adding someone like Goedert could allow the Eagles to force mismatches with Goedert and his comparable player Zach Ertz on the field at the same time. 

Goedert met with the Eagles formally at the draft combine. 

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