SB Nation NFL mock draft: Eagles stick with what works; invest in the trenches
This player should be a plug-and-play replacement for Mekhi Becton right off the bat.
The Philadelphia Eagles were the only team in the 2024 season to finish the year with a victory. Of course, that’s because they took home the Lombardi Trophy as this year’s Super Bowl champions. They dominated the Kansas City Chiefs and showed the entire football world that they are once again this sport’s cream of the crop.
General manager Howie Roseman has done a great job this offseason keeping most of the 2024 core intact with smart extensions on both sides of the ball, which has always been a smart move to get ahead of the market on your best players.
So where do the reigning champs go in the first round of this year’s draft?
If you’re Bleeding Green Nation’s Brandon Lee Gowton, you are perfectly fine sticking with what has gotten the job done year-in and year-out. With the 32nd pick in the SB Nation Community Mock Draft, the Eagles are selecting offensive guard Grey Zabel out of North Dakota State. From one championship team to another, Philly gets a very talented trench player.
32.) Philadelphia Eagles: Grey Zabel, OG, North Dakota State
Gowton: Two Super Bowl wins since 2017 has been made possible in no small part due to the Eagles heavily investing in the trenches. They arguably had the NFL’s best offensive line in each of their Vince Lombardi Trophy seasons. In this scenario, Howie Roseman selects a player who can immediately replace Mekhi Becton at right guard and perhaps eventually take over for Lane Johnson at right tackle. The Eagles’ interest in Zabel was first reported by Tony Pauline, who was all over Quinyon Mitchell to Philly last year. Pauline also correctly forecasted Cam Jurgens would not get past the Eagles’ second-round pick in 2022.
Analysis: This is such an Eagles pick and it almost feels unfair because Zabel is such a good player, and similar to wide receiver Luther Burden going to the Chiefs with the previous pick, this is such a good team fit. Zabel can play every position along the offensive line if needed. Like Gowton said above, Zabel likely would replace Mekhi Becton at right guard initially and then would have the capability to move anywhere the team may need him in the future. Zabel is a rock-steady, physically dominating offensive lineman who not only helped his team win an FCS National Championship, but he also dominated at the Reese’s Senior Bowl against the nation’s top senior talent.
Top five remaining players:
- Emeka Egbuka, WR, Ohio State
- Darius Alexander, DT, Toledo
- Nic Scourton, EDGE, Texas A&M
- Demetrius Knight Jr., LB, South Carolina
- Josh Conerly Jr., OT, Oregon
And there we have it! That’s the final pick in the first round for this year’s SB Nation Community Mock Draft! What did you all think? How many teams crushed it? What about teams that went sideways and left you scratching your head?
Let us know all of your thoughts in the comments below!