By GORDON GLANTZ

Gordonglantz50@gmail.com

@Managing2Edit

GORDONVILLE — The NBA and NHL drafts are in the books. The Phillies, well, maybe next year – or the year after that.

What does all this mean? Football, baby, football.

And in Philly, with all due respect to the Temple Owls, their landlords at Lincoln Financial Field – the Eagles – are emerging as the talk of the town again.

With a new coach, Doug Pederson, there will be a new scheme and a fair share of new faces to go along with some familiar ones.

We are still in the getting-to-know-you phase with Pederson, but early indications are that he is a fairly forthright dude.

Ask him a question and, while not divulging any state secrets and fulfilling his requirement for coachspeak, he will give a straight answer.

He admitted that he has a continual 53-man roster in his cranium that, depending on training camp and preseason and unforeseen injuries and players popping free from other rosters, he is ready to lead into battle.

The preseason will be the best chance to cast our eyes upon that countenance that is Carson Wentz, the quarterback for whom the ranch and most of the usable cattle and acreage was swapped, getting extended snaps in an offense that is vastly different than the one that was often too frenetic for its own good under previous coach Chip Kelly.

If it is true that Pederson pretty much has a 53-man roster that he is comfortable with, and we have no reason yet to believe he has a touch of Pinocchio in him, then we can at least fast forward through the preseason – and the highly unlikely event that injuries won’t wreak at least minor havoc with the best-laid plans – and take an educated guess at your 2016 Philadelphia Eagles.

(Starters designated with an asterisk, jobs up for grabs designated with a “u”)

OFFENSE

Quarterback (3): *Sam Bradford, Chase Daniel and Wentz.

Summary: This was rather easy, since only three quarterbacks are on the roster, meaning there isn’t even a fourth guinea pig for mop-up duty in the early preseason games. All that time will go to Wentz, so you better run your DVRs then. If the prized rookie – drafted second overall out of North Dakota State – plays any snaps outside of the fourth quarter of a blowout, something has gone horribly wrong. The reason the Eagles wanted Bradford back is because they believed he can at least get them in that 7-9 to 9-7 range and have a fighting chance in a mediocre NFC East. If – or maybe when – he goes down to injury, Daniel will be next in line. There is zero benefit to “tanking,” as the Cleveland Browns own the Eagles’ first-round pick.

Running Back (4): *Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles, Kenjon Barner, Wendell Smallwood

Summary: Mathews is Bradford Lite. He hasn’t been hurt as much, or as severely, but has had a hard time finishing a season intact. Like Bradford, the former first-round pick of the San Diego Chargers is a skilled player and fingers are crossed he can be the main ball-carrier. Barner was the star of last year’s preseason, earning a roster spot. He seemed to play well enough, albeit in limited snaps, to stake a claim to replace Sproles (left) as the third-down back/return man of the future. But the Eagles doubled down in both the draft, and post-draft free agency, with West Virginia scatback Wendell Smallwood in the fifth round and Oregon’s Byron Marshall as a priority free agent. Marshall had a 1,000-yard season at Oregon as a running back and a 1,000-yard season as a receiver. It remains unclear which position, or both, he will be tried at in the preseason. A dark horse could be Cedric O’Neal, who shattered records at Valdosta State, although a solid preseason could land him on the practice squad.

Fullback/H-Back (1): Trey Burton

Summary: Pederson has let it be known that Burton is learning multiple positions, which will best utilize a skill set for a guy is too small (6-foot-2½-inches, 235 pounds) to play tight end and too slow (approximately 4.65 in the 40) to play outside receiver, but too versatile and athletic to not keep in permanent moth balls as a special teams guy. It remains to be seen how much a fullback will be used, but one snap will be one snap more than Kelly used one in nearly three seasons. Burton can also line up in the slot and as a motion tight end (and also serving as the emergency quarterback). While he won’t be the second coming of Keith Byars, expect him to be matched up against a linebacker from time to time.

Tight End (2): Brent Celek, Zach Ertz

Summary: The snaps will be split, and both will likely be on the field a lot at the same time, especially if Ertz gets time in the slot while Celek stays in as a blocker. If Pederson’s offense is going to reflect that of his mentor, Andy Reid, then take this moment to recall how overachiever Chad Lewis and underachiever L.J. Smith were equally integral in the “time’s yours” era. Chris Pantale, on the practice squad last year, has reportedly impressed in two-hand touch part of the offseason, so he could at least make a case for himself – or not be a reason for total panic if Ertz or Celek are injured.

Wide Receiver (5): *Jordan Matthews, *Rueben Randle, *Nelson Agholor, Josh Huff and Chris Givens.

Summary: Only five? Well, without a receiver drafted, there is no major investment in anyone else. And Pederson will not want upset the apple cart and force defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz into keeping only 24 players on his side of the ball. The presumption here is that Pederson will want to keep 10 offensive linemen, so five receivers – at least on the opening-day active roster – it is. And remember, Burton and Ertz will likely be used in the slot. In addition to Marshall, whose role remains nebulous, the Eagles harvested some potential diamonds in the rough after the draft. That group includes Cayleb Jones (Arizona) and Hunter Sharp (Utah State). Jonathan Krause, who was activated off the practice squad at the end of the last season (1 catch, 4 yards), is also still in the mix.

Still, this is about production at the top. Matthews will move from strictly in the slot and be moved all around as the clear-cut No. 1. Randle, while a bit of an underachiever – given his pedigree – with the rival Giants, will be an upgrade over the dearly departed Riley Cooper. This will be particularly true in the place where games are won and lost – the red zone. Agholor had a dismal rookie season after being selected in the first round last year, but there is still hope he can achieve the potential the last regime saw in him. Huff has a chance to make his mark in the slot and as a return man while Givens is the best deep threat of this group – making him the prettiest girl in Boys Town – and had a bit of good thing going with Bradford when both were with the Rams.

Offensive Line (10): *Jason Peters, u-Allen Barbre, *Jason Kelce, *Brandon Brooks, *Lane Johnson, Isaac Seumalo, Halapoulivanti Vatai, Stefen Wisniewski, Darrell Greene, Matt Tobin.

Summary: With the massive Brooks (6-5, 346) in the fold via free agency, and Peters purportedly eager to play in a more traditional offense, four jobs are set. Barbre’s left guard spot is his to lose, but the likely five backup jobs are up for grabs. While 10 will likely be kept (an Andy Reid staple for a final roster), Pederson would love to only dress eight – or even seven – on game day to free up another spry body for special teams. This is where versatility comes into play. Seumalo (third round) and Vaitai (fifth) are locks because they are draft picks, but being game-day guys may not be immediate roles for them. Seumalo missed the mini-camps to finish school at Oregon State, but he has played all three positions on the line and projects as the left guard in the long-term picture. In the short term, Wisniewski – a grizzled veteran – is likely to push Barbre at left guard and even get consideration at center if Kelce doesn’t get back into Pro Bowl form. Vaitai plays both tackle positions but his likely more raw than some roster holdovers.

That means the likes of tackle-guards Andrew Gardner, Dennis Kelly and Tobin are likely battling for one spot. Greene was a hot commodity – as far as undrafted players are “hot” – after the draft, and the Eagles had to outbid other teams to get him. Placing him on the practice squad would likely mean him being poached by one of those other teams they out-bid. Still, the San Diego State product may be too raw to count on for game days. He will also have to distinguish himself from the likes of Malcom Bunche (last year’s version of Greene) and Josh Andrews (the 2014 version of Greene). Andrews can play guard and center, but so can Rimington Trophy winner Barrett Jones, who played for offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland at Alabama. The fact that Stoutland remains from Kelly’s coaching staff is significant is that a lot of the backup candidates, not counting the two rookies and Wisniewski, have been his pet projects for several years and his opinion may be valued when it comes to the last spot or two.

DEFENSE

Defensive Line (10): *Connor Barwin, *Bennie Logan, *Fletcher Cox, *Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, Mike Martin, Alex McAlister, Bryan Braman, Travis Long, Marcus Smith.

Summary: This will be an interesting spot to watch, and a lot remains unclear as to how Schwartz will make all the pieces fit. Curry may not start but could wind up playing the second-most snaps – behind Cox, who is considered one of the league’s best inside forces – as he can rotate with Barwin and Graham at end and slide inside next to Cox on passing downs. The last time Graham played in a Wide-9 front, it was the tail-end of the ill-fated 2012 season and he proved to be a lone highlight. He moved to outside linebacker in Billy Davis’ 3-4 defense, and did well enough, but he will be most at home again now at defensive end. Barwin (left), an assignment-sound OLB, has bulked up in preparation to playing defensive end, but remains an option to play linebacker again if there are injuries, as the depth there (see below) is rail thin. Martin, a third-round pick of the Tennessee Titans in 2012, was a quiet free agent signing. He is familiar to Schwartz, and fits the system better than 2014 draft picks Beau Allen and Taylor Hart, neither of whom is likely to stick. While Allen has always given good effort as a backup nose tackle, he is a pure nose tackle. Hart lacks the girth for inside and quicks for outside in an attacking 4-3 alignment.

McAlister, the seventh-round pick out of Florida, comes in with more potential than production. He will likely make the team but not the game-day roster. With Dave Fipp staying on to coach special teams, it is unlikely Braman goes. He is getting a shot to play defensive end, his college position, but could end up at linebacker. Long, who has had nothing but hard luck with serious injuries, has shown enough to never be an injury buyout and could be if the feel-good story of the preseason – if he stays healthy. He – and 2014 first-round pick Marcus Smith, who may be riding in his last rodeo before being branded as a complete bust – add the theoretical ability to swing between defensive end and linebacker. There are three undrafted defensive tackles – Aziz Shittu (Stanford), Connor Wujciak (Boston College) and Destiny Veao (Washington State) – who can either make a case to keep one less DE/OLB on the active roster or to land on the practice squad.

Linebacker (5): *Nigel Bradham, *Jordan Hicks, *Mychal Kendricks, Najee Goode, Joe Walker

Summary: Bradham is one of several players hand-picked by Schwartz and should fit in well alongside rising stars Kendricks and Hicks, who was in line to win Defensive Rookie of the Year last year before a season-ending pectoral injury. Hicks’ loss was a contributing factor in the team’s downward spiral as last season progressed, and he moves the epicenter of the defense now as the middle linebacker. Kendricks’ kryptonite has been nagging injuries. Otherwise, he is another playmaker likely to thrive with Schwartz calling the shots. The issue is depth, as Goode is the only other linebacker currently on the roster who has stepped on a NFL field. Joe Walker was drafted in the seventh round and should earn a one-year draftee pass onto the roster. A three-down inside linebacker at Oregon, he is likely to be worked in at all three spots. Unless someone like undrafted rookie Myke Tavarres – after putting up surreal numbers at a school called Incarnate Wood – makes the team, expect the depth to come from either a veteran castoff yet to be revealed or one of the several projected defensive ends mention above (Barwin, Long, Smith, Braman).

Defensive Back (10): *Nolan Carroll, u-Eric Rowe, *Malcolm Jenkins, *Rodney McLeod, Leodis McKelvin, Ron Brooks, Jalen Mills, Chris Maragos, Blake Countess, Ed Reynolds

Summary: The Achilles Heel of the defense for what seems like an eternity is hopefully about to get a boost from a consistent pass rush, linebackers who excel in coverage and the combination of substantive veteran additions and the natural growth of roster holdovers. There will be fierce competition here, not only for roster spots, but for a starting job at outside corner and at slot corner. Rowe, a second-round pick last year, seemed to play well enough as the world around him fell apart last season to solidify a starting job. However, nothing is being handed to him. As it stands now, “Schwartz guys” – McKelvin and Brooks – are listed ahead of him at both outside and the slot, but that may be just to get Rowe in synch with the new defense. Carroll will have to hang onto his job as well. On the back end, the signing of McLeod in free agency and placing him alongside Jenkins may give the Eagles one of the better safety tandems they have had in years. Meanwhile, seventh-round pick, Mills, has been the darling of the coaching staff and is getting long looks at corner, slot corner and safety.

Beyond those seven, the other three jobs are up for grabs. Maragos, like Braman and Burton, is a special teams standout. He had a shot to be the third safety last year, but was replaced in the second half of the season by the more athletic – but less physical – Reynolds. Countess is tough and versatile, and the fact that he is an incoming sixth-round pick helps his chances. For now, we’ll give the final three slots to Maragos, Reynolds and Countess but the situation remains fluid. A year ago, the coaches were so enthralled by sixth-round pick JaCorey Shepherd that they handed him the slot corner job and traded away Brandon Boykin. Right on cue, Shepherd tore his ACL, and the Eagles lost games because they were badly exploited in the slot. Randall Evans was also a 2015 sixth-round pick who didn’t elevate himself to active roster until the last game of the season. Denzel Rice was the only undrafted rookie to make the team last year, but was rarely used after a strong preseason. Another player in the mix is Jaylen Watkins, formerly a fourth-round pick of the Eagles who was cut and then re-signed off of Buffalo’s practice squad. He was forced into emergency duty last year at corner and held his own. He is getting a look at safety this year, which could put heat on either Maragos or Reynolds.

Longsnapper (1): u-Jon Dorenbos

Summary: If the new coaching staff wanted to hand the job to the tenured Dorenbos, who is nearly flawless on snaps but may be losing a step getting downfield in coverage, then why would they have undrafted rookie Chris DePalma on the roster?

Punter (1): Donnie Jones.

Summary: Jones may not be Ray Guy, or even Sean Landeta, but he is a steady pro. He is also the holder, although Daniel can handle those chores as well.

Kicker (1): u-Cody Parkey.

Summary: Who would have thought that Parkey, a Pro Bowl kicker as a rookie in 2014, would be locked in a battle for his job with the guy who replaced him when went down for the count early in the season? That guy would be Caleb Sturgis, whose college resume at Florida was impressive enough for the Miami Dolphins to invest a fifth-round pick in him in 2013. His inconsistency forced them to release him last preseason, but he found his form with the Eagles – after some early shakiness – and is now being given a chance to unseat Parkey. Based on the eye test, and the presumption he is healthy, the nod goes to Parkey. This will be one of the more interesting sub-plots – along with analyzing every breath Wentz takes and watching 6-4, 295-pound undrafted Dillon Gordon (LSU) play tight end – during the preseason.

This analysis also appeared at http://www.phillyphanatics.com

By GORDON GLANTZ

Gordonglantz50@gmail.com

@Managing2Edit

GORDONVILLE — I like Carson Wentz.

Maybe not as much as I like Bernie Sanders or Bruce Springsteen, but I like him enough.

And what’s not to the like about the young man the Eagles have christened their quarterback of the future after trading away a treasure trove of prime draft picks to the draft pick-hoarding Cleveland Browns for the right to select the North Dakota State product with the second overall in the 2016 NFL Draft?

Wentz has all the physical attributes – the size, the arm, the athleticism – to go along with enough intangibles, such as polite and down-to-earth manner, to fill open spaces in both of the Dakotas.

He was valedictorian of his senior class in high school, graduated college with a 4.0 grade-point average and scored a near-perfect 40 on the Wonderlic intelligence test at the NFL scouting combine.

Wentz, who quarterbacked the Bison to a pair of FCS (Division I-AA to us old-heads) titles, endeared himself to coach Doug Pederson and his staff by mastering parts of the team’s intended offensive scheme with a near-photographic memory that may prove to be more of a secret weapon on frosty Linc Sundays in December than a rifle arm that cuts through the wind.

But with all there is to like, let’s not fall in love just yet.

We need to go through a bit of a courtship, maybe even holding off on kissing on the first date. Doing so may give both us and Wentz a bad rep.

And we want this marriage to last.

If all goes according to the best-laid plans – which, in the NFL, often have the lifespan of homes in tornado alley – Wentz will come of age and take the full-time reins sometime in the middle of next season or at the beginning of 2018.

At that point, the rival Cowboys and Giants will be either bathing Tony Romo and Eli Manning in the fountain of youth or bidding them adieu.

With all due respect to Kirk Cousins in Washington, Wentz and his elite skill set – hopefully fine-tuned by coaches like Pederson, offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterbacks coach John DeFilippo – should put the Eagles a step ahead of the division.

That should, with the operative word being “should,”  mean free passes to the playoffs, and a path – dare we dream – to not only making the Super Bowl a time or two in his decade-plus under center, but actually winning.

I don’t know about you, but that occurrence would mean I could die – no, not literally – and go to sports-fan heaven.

Anything less, and it is the same purgatory we are in.

Anything less, and the steep bounty paid to Cleveland in draft choices – and you have to attach real names to the players lost in exchange to gain full perspective – was a deal with the devil that set the organization and its tortured fans back for an insurmountable time.

It will likely costly general manager (or whatever he calls himself) Howie Roseman his job, as well as Pederson.

Wentz could be OK, like current place-holder quarterback Sam Bradford (assuming his hissy fit ends before he starts costing himself money), or he could make Pro Bowls and re-write the team’s record books, like another No. 2 overall pick, Donovan McNabb.

It still would not matter.

The NFL graveyard is full of first-round quarterbacks who were either all-out busts (Tim Couch, Akili Smith, Ryan Leaf, David Carr, etc.) who had can’t-miss attributes as well. But there are rare exceptions – Tom Brady (sixth round) and Joe Montana (third) – where a Super Bowl winning quarterback was not of that pedigree.

It was a big step to go there, and it went against the comfort zones of many in the Eagles Nation – myself included – to pull the trigger on Wentz.

By doing so, the stakes were raised to all-or-nothing status.

When you consider the average price of a house in 1960 – the year of the last Eagles championship – was less than $13,000, maybe it was a move that had to be made.

Ironically, Wentz will don uniform No. 11 – forcing Chris Givens to No. 19 after Givens sent Josh Huff to the equipment manager for No. 13 – and there is some symbolism beyond that it is his number of choice.

In 1960, the quarterback, Norm Van Brocklin, wore No. 11. The two titles before that were in 1948 and 1949. The quarterback was Tommy Thompson. Guess what number he wore on his jersey?

So, there it is.

A career that mirrors that of McNabb, who went 1-for-5 in NFC Championship games and 0-for-1 in his one Super Bowl against Brady and the Patriots, is not good enough.

Sorry, but it’s not.

We like Carson Wentz now, and there is no reason not to like him.

In order to fall in love, and get married to his legacy, there needs to be a ring on his finger.

This column originally appeared at http://www.phillyphanatics.com

By GORDON GLANTZ

Gordonglantz50@gmail.com

@Managing2edit

GORDONIVILLE — So much for the best-laid plans, huh?

A day after I worked out a mock draft for the ages – yes, a roadmap to Utopia for the Philadelphia Eagles – they have done what they have done to me since I got into this Draftnik business.

Made a mock of mockery (even though, through my tears of seasons ended in disappointment, I often have the last laugh).

For the sake of posterity, I want it put into the Kangaroo court record that my original mock went like this: First round (8th overall), Myles Jack, LB, UCLA; Third Round (77th overall) – Vernon Butler, DT, Lousiana Tech; Third Round (79th overall) – Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas; Fourth Round (100th overall) – Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple; Fifth Round (153rd overall) – Willie Beavers, OT, Western Michigan; Fifth Round (164th overall) – Jordan Payton, WR, UCLA; Sixth Round (188th overall) – Mike Jordan, CB, Missouri Western; Seventh Round (233rd overall) – Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan and Seventh Round (251st overall) – Mike Bercovici, QB, Arizona State.

Quickly, the rationale for my PF (Posterity File).

I saw Jack as a top-five talent, and maybe the best defensive player – if not linebacker – in the draft. A knee injury that sidelined him for most of last season pushed him out of the Top 5 and most reputable mock drafts, much to my surprise, still had him on the board at pick no. 8. With Conner Barwin and Brandon Graham moving to defensive end, the chance was there to line up three young studs – Jack, Jordan Hicks and Mychal Kendricks at linebacker. Because all three have injury histories, I doubled-down on Matakevich, whose exploits at Temple should be well-known to all, in the fourth round.

With the futures of both Fletcher Cox and Bennie Logan in doubt after this year, Butler was a gift from the football gods in the third round. Most years, a player with his size (6-foot-3½, 325 pounds) and raw ability would go earlier, maybe as early as the late first round, but the depth of the defensive line in this draft class would have pushed him into the Eagles’ laps in the middle of the third.

Collins is hard-charging, decisive runner with more than 3,700 career yards – including close to 1,600 last season – to his credit. Coming out after his junior year, there is plenty of fuel still in his tank.

Beavers has the feet to play left tackle but the girth to project to the right side. He would have been a project worth the investment.

Payton was the all-time leading receiver in UCLA history whose only knock is lack of a “wow” factor. Jordan is a Division II standout with good size (6-foot-½-inch, 200 pounds), speed (4.48 in the 40) and production at the Division II level. He would be a special-teams standout from the jump, with upside to help in the secondary down the line.

Braverman is a slot receiver cut from the Edelman-Welker-Amendola cloth and will make somebody’s roster, so why not ours? Only an ACL injury in his past is hurting his stock. And if this is not the year to draft to a quarterback of the future, why not the ideal backup quarterback of the future in the strong-armed but undersized Bercovici?

Then, well, Wednesday happened.

Trade changes everything

Not only did the Flyers avoid a sweep at the hands of the Washington Capitals, the Eagles mortgaged the farm for a farm boy, moving up to the second overall spot held by the Cleveland Browns. The price was steep. The eighth overall pick and the first of two third-rounders – the 77th pick – and the fourth-rounder this year, plus a first next year and a second the following year.

Cleveland was gracious enough to toss in its fourth-round pick next year.

With that, let’s start this thing all over again. While I could mail it in – and deploy my wife’s logic of just keeping all the picks the Eagles still have the same – one with a true football brain knows it is more complicated than that. The dominos, in terms of wants and needs, fall completely differently.

So here, until Howie Roseman busts my groove again before Thursday, is my revised 2016 full mock draft for a Philadelphia Eagles franchise that has been flagless since 1960.

First Round (2nd overall): Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State

Listen, it’s not that I don’t like Wentz. To the contrary. I was one of three people watching practices at the Senior Bowl on the NFL Network, and he was throwing darts through the strong winds in that morning session. Watched him some more on You Tube, and there was nothing not to like. I have always maintained that if you are going to draft a franchise quarterback, he needs to have it all – size, arm strength, mobility, smarts (he has a 4.0 GPA at a school where basket-weaving is not an acceptable major) and the ability to win (two FCS titles).

If he fell to the Eagles when they were still at 13, which is more around where he was slotted until the recent league-wide lovefest, I would have pounced. To the No. 8 spot, where the Eagles moved in a deal with Miami? With Jack still on the board? I don’t know. I just don’t know. What I do know, is that it offends my draft-geek sensibilities when any team gives up too much for one player. This it is my team, so it only makes it worse.

There is a small chance that the Los Angeles Rams, who traded up to No. 1, take Wentz. However, the loud whispers in the league winds have it that California’s Jared Goff will be their franchise quarterback of choice. I don’t think the Eagles would have made their move had they not been pretty certain that Wentz would be there at No. 2, as he is reportedly their first choice to build around.

At No. 2, I would take Ohio State defensive end Joey Bosa, but there is no point in going there, right?

Wentz it will be, so Wentz it is.

Third Round (79th overall): Alex Collins, RB, Arkansas

Collins, despite being part of a rotation with the Razorbacks – and only being the “starter” one year – posted the production cited earlier, doing it with more than 1,000 yards in each of his three seasons. In fact, only Herschel Walker and Darren McFadden have more rushing yards in the history of the SEC. At 5-10 and 217 pounds, with 4.59 speed, Collins has the type of physical and instinctive running style that translates well into the NFL. He was not asked to block or catch much in college. While it doesn’t mean he can’t accrue those skills, the lack of tape in those areas will likely hurt his stock enough to leave him on the board toward the end of Day 2. He would be an ideal stunt double for oft-injured starter Ryan Mathews.

It wasn’t easy choosing him over Butler, but the Eagles need another first- and second-down runner in their stable and they may as well make a talented one.

Fifth Round (153rd overall): Hassan Ridgeway, DT, Texas

He lacks the upside of my first choice at this position, Butler, but he is probably more shovel-ready. A two-year starter for the Longhorns, Ridgeway lined up all over the line. At a shade over 6-3 and 303 pounds, he projects more inside in a 4-3 front and has an intense style of play to go along a quick first-step. While breaking up was hard to do with Butler, the Eagles are lucky that the defensive line depth in this draft will have a guy like Ridgeway left on the board.

Fifth Round (164th overall): Joe Haeg, OT, North Dakota State

Hey, if you are going to take Wentz and bring him to the big city, you may as well have a best buddy for company. And it doesn’t hurt that Haeg, a walk-on who played ice hockey in high school, emerged as the dominant offensive lineman – albeit on the FCS level. At 6-6, he will need to add a good 15-20 pounds of bulk to a 304-pound frame that was more than enough, with his advanced footwork, to make him an immovable object in front of Wentz. The four-year starter, who moved from right tackle to left tackle over the course of his highly-decorated career, would be an ideal candidate to develop at right tackle for when Lane Johnson moves to the left side.

Sixth Round (188th overall): Mike Jordan, CB, Missouri Western

Yes, the Eagles could have used a corner earlier – even though I didn’t have one in my original mock – but the reality is that may be able to get by without one as raw-but-exciting as the physical Jordan, who could even be looked at as a safety.

The only knock on Jordan is that he played on the Division II level and easily locked down the top receivers on opposing teams (collecting five interceptions last year, despite not much coming to his side of the field). He wouldn’t be the first late-round corner from a small school to make an impact, and he won’t be the last.

Second-year man Eric Rowe, last year’s second-round pick, will start at one outside spot and Nolan Carroll will likely man the other corner while Leodis McKelvin handles the slot. Another free agent signed out of the Buffalo, Ron Brooks, is likely to press for time. Behind them, likely battling for one or two roster spots, would be several young guys who are roster holdovers. That list includes Jaylen Watkins and Denzel Rice, the only undrafted rookie to make last year’s roster, and 2015 sixth-round selections JacCorey Shepherd and Randall Evans. Add Jordan to the mix and see which one or two – depending on how many safeties are kept – earns it in camp.

Seventh Round (233rd overall): Daniel Braverman, WR, Western Michigan

For the reasons stated above, I can’t quit on this guy. The fact that he is a shade under 5-10 and 175 pounds works to his benefit, as he uses his deceptive 4.52 speed to dart in and out of spaces in the middle of the field. And you can’t knock this production last season: 109 catches for 1,367 yards (12.6 average) and 13 touchdowns. He can also return punts and kicks.

Seventh Round (251st overall): Jatavis Brown, LB, Akron

OK, let’s dispense with the only major negative first. Other than he is not Myles Jack – or Matakevich, for that matter – Brown measures at 5-11½ and 219 pounds. However, he is the type of intense player – with sideline-to-sideline quickness and outstanding read-and-react skills – that will make a roster and help as a situational role player and special-teams ace. On that alone, he is worth the shot. And this is the pick acquired from Arizona for Matt Barkley, so consider it a steal after his first tackle.

Priority Free Agents: Sorry class, we are not dismissed yet. Unless Roseman can weave some hidden magic and come up with some extra picks, the Eagles will be active after the draft. While Chip Kelly rarely gave undrafted players a shot to do much more than make the practice squad, new coach Doug Pederson’s mentor, Andy Reid, almost went too far the other way and put undrafted rookies on a level playing field with later-round draft picks.

Who to look for? Start local, with the only football team playing out of the Linc last year to actually have a winning season: Temple. Matakevich – along with defensive lineman Matt Ioannidis and slot corner Tavon Young – are likely to be drafted. Lanky wide receiver Robby Anderson and center Kyle Friend, who wowed scouts at his pro days with his bench-pressing prowess, would be nice additions. Defensive lineman Hershey Walton won’t be drafted, but he is a high-character guy who would bring intensity to the practice field. Nate D. Smith, the brother of Reid-era tight end L.J. Smith, is an undersized pass-rushing specialist worth a look.

Since we are going all out on North Dakota guys, fullback Nick Bonnet could be brought to battle for that spot. Considering the best option at fullback could be third tight end/special-teams beast Trey Burton, the Eagles should look hard at an undrafted tight end like David Grinnage of North Carolina State or Henry Kreiger-Coble of Iowa.

At linebacker, Don Cherry of Villanova runs a better 40 time (4.71) than most inside linebackers. Nick Kwiatkowski of West Virginia would be another heart-and-soul type to push for a roster and position where depth is a concern.

In the secondary, Kansas State corner Morgan Burns is worth a look just on speed (4.38) alone. A safety job could easily be wrestled away from Ed Reynolds or Jerome Couplin, and someone like Mississippi’s Trae Elston – four interceptions, including two for touchdowns, last season – or Connecticut’s Andrew Adams could be the guy to do it.

So there you have it, long-suffering members of the Eagle Nation. A plan that is too big to fail – at least until the “experts” screw it all up.

This column originally appeared at http://www.phillyphanatics.com