Just-In: Which player(s) will the Eagles pick in the next NFL Draft?

There was a big announcement recently as the Philadelphia Eagles finally received confirmation that Jason Kelce will head off into retirement. While it’s been expected, this was still an emotional moment as one of the franchise leaders will be stepping away.

Philadelphia does have an in-house replacement in Cam Jurgens which keeps them from having to attack the position in the draft. That’s good since there are several other needs as well.

Here, we do our best to fill those needs with this post-combine seven-round mock draft.

Round 1, Pick 22: Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB, Alabama

2023 was a season to forget for the Eagles defense. They struggled in several areas, none worse than pass defense.

For the year, they surrendered 4,296 yards through the air and 35 touchdowns. Each of those was second to last in the NFL. Making matters worse, they were 25th with just nine interceptions.

That’s just one of several reasons Sean Desai was relieved of his duties as the defensive coordinator. Vic Fangio’s arrival could lead to a better scheme but they need more talent as well. That’s why the choice at No. 22 is Alabama’s Kool-Aid McKinstry.

Measuring in at 5-foot-11 and one-half, and 199 pounds, McKinstry isn’t the tallest defensive back but he’s always prepared. He studies his opponents and goes into each contest with a plan — something that seemed to be lacking last year. Paired with Darius Slay, this could give the Eagles a great combo plus McKinstry could be the No. 1 defensive back before long.

Round 2, Pick 50: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Mississippi State

On the clock with their first of two picks in Round 2, the Eagles bring in Edgerrin Cooper. The Mississippi State linebacker already had quite the draft stock but might have increased it during the NFL Combine

Standing 6-foot-2 and 230 pounds, Cooper looks the part of an NFL linebacker. He then moved with ease as he put up a 4.51 in the 40-yard dash as well as a 34-and-a-half-inch vertical jump. Cooper nearly hit 11 feet in the broad jump as well, proving to be one of the top testers at the position in every drill.

He’s not just someone who wins with grace either as Cooper proved to be a willing and able tackler during his career. He was also wildly disruptive with 17 tackles for a loss during his final season.

The Eagles enter the offseason with several free agents at the linebacker position. Zach Cunningham, Nicholas Morrow, and Shaq Leonard are all set to hit the open market and there’s a strong belief that Philly won’t try too hard to bring them all back.