HOUSTON — After allowing more yards on the outside than any team in the NFL last season, the Eagles are bound to be looking to bolster the cornerback position both via the NFL Draft and free agency.
Several mock drafts have the Eagles choosing between Florida cornerbacks Jalen Tabor and Quincy Wilson while Washington’s Sidney Jones has also been projected to the Eagles in other mock drafts.
After NFL.com’s Lane Zierlein’s first mock draft was released, Alabama’s Marlon Humphrey is the latest defensive back to be projected to the Eagles thus far:
Marlon Humphrey – CB, Alabama: Everyone in Philadelphia knows the Eagles have to find a cornerback who can match up with the talented targets in the NFC East. Humphrey has some deep-ball coverage issues, but he’s big, fast and physical.
Humphrey is projected to be one of the top cornerback prospects in this year’s draft class and will likely be one of up to 13 with a first-round grade.
The 6-1, 198 pound cornerback finished last season with 81 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, five interceptions with one returned for a touchdown and an impressive 13 pass breakups.
Eagles Mock Draft Roundup
Here is a scouting report of Humphrey, via Pro Football Focus:
A redshirt freshman a year ago, Humphrey earned a spot as a starter on the Alabama defense, playing nothing like you’d expect from a freshman and finishing the year with our eighth-highest coverage grade among cornerbacks in all of college football. Not bad for his first year on the college field.
He graded well against the run, but it was in coverage where he truly stood out, grading negatively in five games, but only twice below -1.0. Tough to throw on, Humphrey allowed just 31 receptions from the 62 passes thrown into his coverage, going for 539 yards and two touchdowns, while breaking up seven passes and picking off three more. Even better, he improved as the year went on, allowing just 80 receiving yards over the final five games of the year, including just 28 yards in two playoff games.
Post Super Bowl 7-round Mock Draft
Marlon Humphrey Freshman Highlights
Matt Lombardo may be reached at MDLombardo@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardo975.
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