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With the 20th pick in the 2015 Arrowhead Pride mock draft, Philadelphia Eagles GM Chip Kelly stagdsp selects...
At pick No. 20, I think we need to be prepared for a legitimate surprise.
Chip Kelly has shown this offseason that he has "a plan" ... but nobody else knows what that plan actually is.
To me, Chip Kelly is the Honey Badger of NFL coaches. He's going to do what he wants, regardless of the danger or conventional wisdom.
- He traded Foles for Bradford, and somehow believes it's an upgrade
- He traded Shady away for an ILB... and he might trade away a damn good ILB in Kendricks
- He signed Murray at RB
- He let Maclin go to a better place in FA
- He overpaid Maxwell at CB, also added Walter Thurmond and EJ Biggers
- He has tried to get rid of Mathis, the best OG in football, and let Herremans walk
- He just signed Tebow
See a pattern? Me neither.
Here's what I do believe to be true in Philly:
1. Chip loves Ducks
2. Chip wants to have a dominant offense and defense
3. Chip wants to prove he can have a dominant system that is bigger than any one player. Essentially, his ego says that Chip can plug in any talented players, whether other people think they can fit or not... and Chip can make them look great together.
4. Team needs: CB, WR, OG, S, Edge Rusher
So, here they sit at pick No. 20 ... they like the CBs ... but Waynes is gone.
They would like a G, but Collins and Scherff are gone.
Recognizing that this WR class is VERY strong and deep, Chip looks over his board and sees that Cooper, White, Parker, DGB and Perriman are gone.
The top players remaining on most people's board might be:
Alvin Dupree
Kevin Johnson
Landon Collins
Byron Jones
Malcom Brown
Each of those players arguably fits a need for the Eagles, and would represent good value.
But, as is the theme of this post ... Chip Kelly DGAF about your "value".
Chip is smarter than the other 31 teams, and the media. Chip is smarter than you. Just ask him, he'll tell you.
Mad Man or Mad Genius ... Chip plays by Chip's rules.
With the 20th pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Honey Badgers, er Philadelphia Chips, er the Eagles select ...
THE University of Utah DB Eric Rowe
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
Rowe is a CB with good size and speed. He's a great tackler, aggressive and physical. Philly needs a CB, by most accounts, but there are better CBs available. But Philly also needs a S, and some believe that Rowe is the top safety in the class. Rowe can replace Nate Allen (who was overpaid by Oakland), and it'd be hard to argue that he won't be a big upgrade. He was All-Conference as a sophomore as a FS, and Second Team All-Conference as a CB.
Most prospect sites had him as a 3rd-4th round talent ... but he's been "rising" on media boards recently. I'd argue that NFL teams' boards don't generally have "risers" and "fallers" unless new information has recently come available. There's nothing new on Rowe, but the general public is starting to realize that NFL teams like him.
Rowe is an intriguing, versatile talent. And, I think he just might join the most intriguing team in the NFL right now, and it might happen a couple rounds before we thought.
Mock draft order
3. Jaguars - DT Leonard Williams
11. Vikings - WR DeVante Parker
14. Dolphins - WR Breshad Perriman
17. Chargers - RB Melvin Gordon
18. Chiefs - WR Dorial Green-Beckham
19. Browns - G / T La'el Collins
20. Eagles - DB Eric Rowe
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