Should the Eagles take Kyle Wilson at 24, if available?


During my usual semi-interested stroll around the mock drafts to see what everyone thought the Eagles were going to do, I noticed a few of them, including some national guys, think the Eagles should select a cornerback with their first round pick.

But, as is usually the case with outsider Eagles news or opinion, I'm left shaking my head wondering why in the world the Birds would consider such a move.

There's no doubt that the position will be in heavy limbo over the next couple of seasons with Brown getting older and Ellis Hobbs looking for a way out, but is it dire enough to address it in the first round?

Devin McCourty of Rutgers is usually the name I'm seeing. He's the clear-cut third-best cornerback available in this draft after Joe Haden and Kyle Wilson, but is he truly a first-round pick, or is he a bit of a reach?

Until just a few weeks ago most would be saying that's a reach, but now it looks like most expect him to go in the later portion of the first round or, at the latest, early in the second round.

But regardless of whether or not he's actually worthy of the 24th overall selection, I just do not believe that the Eagles need to be focusing on the position just yet and should only consider a cornerback if Haden or Wilson have a dramatic fall.

Both of those guys are expected to go in the top 15, but I suppose one or both could slide.

But other than that, the focus needs to be at defensive end. Asante Samuel, Brown, Joselio Hanson, and Hobbs are a more-than-capable foursome that will allow the Birds to look elsewhere to fortify their defense.

They must first looks defensive end, then linebacker, then free safety. Everything starts at the line of scrimmage, and if they don't get a pass-rusher opposite Trent Cole, it won't matter if they're able to draft all three of those corners.

No matter how good they are, something tells me they can't cover all day.

With that said, however, no one really expected Andy Reid to draft two cornerbacks and a safety in the same draft back in 2002, but that landed the Birds Brown, Lito Sheppard, and Michael Lewis. That trio, in their prime, could very well have been the best the Eagles have ever seen.

So there's really no way to know what Reid will do, but cornerback simply does not make sense at this point. I believe in taking the best player available, and the only way that player is a corner is if the aforementioned Haden or Wilson slip.

Outside of that, however, the Eagles will not be taking a cornerback in the first round.