February 20, 2024   4 MIN READ

Corner Store

Birds Land CB In Daniel Jeremiah's Mock Draft 2.0

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Nothing like turning the page to mock draft season!

In his latest NFL Mock Draft, NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had the Eagles coming home with a cornerback in the first round.

Jeremiah pegged Missouri product Ennis Rakestraw Jr. to the Eagles at 22nd overall, citing the team’s obvious need to rebuild that position around young, dynamic talent.

GETTY IMAGES: The Eagles use a first-round pick on a corneerback for the first time in 22 years, in Daniel Jeremiah’s second mock draft.

Wrote Jeremiah: “The Eagles have to address the pass defense this offseason. Rakestraw brings playmaking ability and toughness.”

If Rakestraw’s connection to the Eagles has some familiarity, it’s because he was mocked to the Eagles in the second round in Andrew DiCecco’s Eagles Mock Draft 1.0.

Wrote DiCecco on the Eagles potentially landing the Missouri product:

One of my favorite cornerback prospects in this class, Rakestraw – sporting a relatively slender build (6-0, 188) is a technically savvy cover man offering an enticing blend of length, positional versatility, and range. But what jumps out when watching Rakestraw is his play recognition and high-level football IQ, traits that typically translate to prominent roles for first-year players.

Rakestraw is the 24th-ranked overall prospect in Jeremiah’s first top-5o prospects list – behind Alabama’s Terrion Arnold (sixth overall) Toledo’s Quinyon Mitchell (19th) – and and fourth corner off the board in the latest mock draft, with Arnold, Mitchell and Clemson’s Nate Wiggins already taken in his scenario.

Here’s what Jeremiah, a former scout for the Eagles, Ravens and Browns, wrote about Rakestraw in his top-50 rankings:

Rakestraw is a rangy, fluid cornerback who plays with energy and toughness. He is physical in press coverage, and he stays attached underneath and vertically. He is a loose athlete who can flip his hips smoothly. He does a nice job staying on top of deep routes, and he can locate the ball. I’d like to see him do a better job of finishing with the ball instead of simply poking it away. He is awesome against the run; not only is he quick to key/read, but he attacks blockers, including offensive linemen. Watch the Georgia tape from this past November to see him thud off an offensive tackle before delivering a physical stop. He is always bouncing around; his energy is palpable through the screen. Overall, players with this profile at this position traditionally translate very well to the next level.

The Eagles haven’t drafted a cornerback in the first round in more than 20 years. Their last first-round pick at cornerback was Lito Sheppard (Florida) in 2002, 26th overall.

That year, they also took cornerback Sheldon Brown (South Carolina) in the second round, 59th overall, after taking safety Michael Lewis (Colorad0) 58th overall, as the Eagles took defensive backs with their first three picks.

Sheppard, Brown and Lewis were all starters on the 2004 Eagles team that lost to New England in the Super Bowl. The three combined for three Pro Bowls and 297 games as Eagles, with 217 starts.

The franchise has since struggled to find long-term answers at outside corner in the draft. Despite multiple attempts, the Eagles haven’t drafted a cornerback who’s made a Pro Bowl as an Eagle since the 2002 draft.

You remember some of the infamous misfires: Matt Ware (third round, 2004); Jack Ikewgwuono (fourth round, 2009); Trevard Lindley (fourth round, 2010); Curtis Marsh (third round, 2011); Brandon Boykin (fourth round, 2012; Jaylen Watkins (fourth round, 2014); Eric Rowe (second round, 2023; JacCorey Shepard (sixth round, 2023); Randall Evans (sixth round, 2023); Blake Countess (sixth round, 2016); Sidney Jones (second round, 2017); Rasul Douglas (third round, 2017); Zech McPhearson (fourth round, 2021).

– Geoff Mosher (@geoffmoshernfl) is co-host of the “Inside the Birds” podcast and staff writer for InsideTheBirds.com.

About The Author

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Geoff Mosher is an award-winning journalist with more than 20 years experience covering the Eagles, the NFL and other college and pro sports across several different multimedia platforms. He is co-host of the acclaimed Inside the Birds podcast, the leading podcast for intel on the Philadelphia Eagles, and co-host on 97.3 ESPN's drive-time show. He has also hosted on Philadelphia's sports-talk station, 94.1 WIP and 97.5 The Fanatic. Geoff was the lead Eagles Insider from 2012-2015 for NBC Sports Philadelphia, where he wrote for the website and appeared daily on the station's TV shows, including Quick Slants, Philly Sports Talk, Eagles Pregame/Postgame Live and Eagles Extra. Prior to joining NBC Sports, Geoff worked the Eagles beat from 2005-2012 for the Wilmington News Journal, where he broke several major news stories and also won an Associated Press Sports Editors award under the category of Breaking News for his coverage of the sudden death of Phillies play by play broadcaster Harry Kalas. Geoff has appeared on ESPN's SportsCenter, NFL Network, NBC Sports Network, FOX29, 6ABC and has conducted interviews for Sirius/XM NFL radio and countless other radio stations across the country.

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