Eagles make Toledo CB Mitchell their first selection
PHILADELPHIA >> First, the Eagles agreed to terms with AJ Brown on a record contract extension that pretty much put to sleep rumors of a possible trade up for a wide receiver.
Then a record 14 offensive picks came off the board to make the 2024 draft like no other.
When the Eagles stepped up to the plate with the 22nd pick, they had their choice of cornerbacks Terrion Arnold, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Kool Aid McKinstry and Nate Wiggins.
At 10:43 p.m., it was Mitchell who would get the Philadelphia call, the Eagles convinced there were none better than the playmaker out of Toledo who tore up the draft with a scorching 4.33 in the 40-yard dash and 25 bench presses of 225 pounds. He is the first cornerback the Eagles selected in the first round since Lito Sheppard in 2002.
“I feel like right now I’m in the right fit, with the right organization, with the right players, the right city,” Mitchell said on a conference call. “So, I mean I feel good about this draft right now. I feel like everything happens for a reason so I feel good, I’m excited and I’m ready to get to work.”
While that was a mild surprise, as the Eagles having traded up in four of the previous five picks, much of the first-round business was anything but a surprise.
Quarterbacks Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels and Drake Maye come off the board one, two and three to Chicago, Washington and New England.
Wide receiver Marvin Harrison went to Arizona, offensive tackle Joe Alt to the Chargers and wide receiver Malik Nabers to the Giants before Atlanta made the first shocker as they grabbed quarterback Michael Penix Jr.
There would be six more offensive player picks, including quarterbacks JJ McCarthy and Bo Nix, swelling the number of quarterbacks to six coming off the board in the first 14 picks.
After the New Orleans Saints grabbed Taliese Fuaga, the offensive tackle at Oregon State, the record streak with no defensive players ended. The Indianapolis Colts selected pass rusher Laiatu Latu of UCLA. There’s your answer to a surefire draft trivia question.
The Eagles, by the way, were rumored to be seeking a trade up to select Fuaga, a right offensive tackle who also can play right guard.
“I think from our perspective maybe a little surprising how late it took for the first defensive player to go,” general manager Howie Roseman said. “Probably didn’t expect that.”
Seattle made it two defensive players in a row taking Byron Murphy of Texas off the board, and Minnesota followed with pass rusher Dallas Turner of Alabama.
The Eagles entered the draft with the 22nd pick and were going to get at least one of the skilled cornerbacks with first round pedigree. Cornerback is a pressing need for the Birds.
“Based on the guys that were left on the board, we felt based on the player, based on the totality of the circumstances with the player, his talent, his character and the position we felt like it was the right pick for us,” Roseman said. “I think once we got towards the middle of the round we saw that we were going to be OK and get a first round player at our pick. I think it was unusual to not have (trade) action in the room. There were some really good players still left. We contemplated going up. But we kept going back to the fact that we felt like we had a really good chance to get a first round player at a position of need where we were picked. … We think we have an extremely talented, hardworking outside corner. He’s got all the tools and the right mentality.”
Meanwhile, the Eagles continued to shock the football world with the extensions they’ve handed out.
Per reports, Brown got a three-year, $96 million deal. Previously Smith received a three-year, $75 million deal, Jordan Mailata a three-year, $66 million pact, Landon Dickerson a four-year, $84 million pact.
Quarterback Jalen Hurts received a five-year, $255 million contract extension, kicker Jake Elliott a fouryear, $24 million pact.
In free agency the Eagles added running back Saquon Barkley with a three-year, $37.7 million contract, and he’s expected to be a focal point of the offense.
The Eagles also signed pass rusher Bryce Huff to a three-year, $51.1 million deal and safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson three-year, $27 million contract.
The Eagles of course got some salary cap relief with the retirements of center Jason Kelce and defensive tackle Fletcher Cox, and the trade of pass rusher Haason Reddick to the New York Jets.