10 players the Eagles should be watching closely at the NFL Combine

The NFL Combine is here and intrigue around the upcoming draft will reach a peak as prospects put on a showcase of their athletic gifts. Hundreds of players will come to test, interview, and do various drills for NFL scouts, general managers, and coaches. For the Eagles, whose needs expand the whole roster, they will have their eyes on various position groups this combine.

Here are ten players the Eagles should be watching closely.

Quinyon Mitchell, Cornerback, Toledo

Quinyon Mitchell turned a lot of heads during Senior Bowl week and he has a chance to secure a position for himself as a first round pick in Indianapolis. The sticky defensive back is exactly the type of player the Eagles need in their aging defensive backfield.

Darius Robinson, Defensive Lineman, Missouri

Darius Robinson is another Senior Bowl standout with everything to gain at the Combine. Robinson has an interesting “tweener” skill set that could make him a versatile piece on the right defense. With Brandon Graham nearing his last years in the pros, the Eagles should be looking for a base end type player who can kick inside on passing downs.

Kamren Kinchens, Safety, Miami

Safety remains a big need and Kamren Kinchens is the best player in the class at the positon. His athletic testing will give a more clear picture on what type of safety he can be in the league and the Eagles should pay attention.

Jeremiah Trotter Junior, Linebacker, Clemson

Whether Howie Roseman likes it not, the Eagles need to spend some more premium capital on the linebacker position. If that means spending in free agency or using a day two pick in the NFL draft, so be it. It is a desperate need for the Eagles at this point. Jeremiah Trotter Junior is one of two players the Eagles should keep tabs on this week. Not only does he have roots with the team, his dad being arguably the best linebacker to play for the Eagles this century, but he is a hell of a player on his own. His game was predicated largely on speed and physicality and this week we can see just how athletic he is.

Payton Wilson, Linebacker, NC State

Payton Wilson is the other linebacker of note in this group. He is more of a classic inside backer whose game relies on great size, fearlessness as a run defender, and impressive burst and movement in short coverage. Wilson is a bit older of a prospect, so he’ll really need to wow with his testing to prove he can hang at the NFL level.

Xavier Worthy, Wide Receiver, Texas

I don’t gamble. But if I did, I would wager Xavier Worthy makes his way into a lot more first round mock drafts after this week. The Texas start has legit track speed that will show up in his 40 yard dash and his jumps. Worthy is an impressive receiver and an even more impressive pure athlete. Teams will be mesmerized by his speed. A high quality WR3 is a luxury for a needy team like the Eagles, but if this talented receiver class pushes Worthy out of the first round… he’ll be hard to pass up.

Braelon Allen, Running Back, Wisconsin

This is probably the least exciting running back class in a long time. I’ve written that a few times this offseason, and it doesn’t get any less true. If it were to get a little more exciting, I think Braelon Allen plays a role in that. Allen was extremely productive at Wisconsin and has video game-like athletic tools between his linebacker build and his straight line speed. At his best, he looked a lot like Derrick Henry did at Alabama. Wisconsin made big scheme changes in 2023 that made Allen look uncomfortable on the field. He took a huge step back in terms of his carry to carry dominance. Still, he had some bright moments and finished the season with almost 1,000 yards on the ground and twelve scores. Allen has a chance to remind everyone this week why they were excited about him when he first reached the college level. He will probably test very well across the board and generate some Top 75 buzz. The Eagles, who have way more questions than answers at the running back position, could be interested. Kellen Moore has relied on some very good running backs over the years and will need a player back there who can go for over 200 carries a season.

Theo Johnson, Tight End, Penn State

Theo Johnson stands to be a big gainer this week. Johnson has obvious athletic gifts between his size and movement ability. He was underutilized at Penn State and his best football is arguably still ahead of him. The Eagles will be in the tight end market as they’ve failed to find quality pass catchers behind Dallas Goedert.

Taliese Fuaga, Offensive Tackle, Oregon State

The Eagles are always a threat to draft an offensive lineman very high. This year, there’s already been some connections made between Philly and Taliese Fuaga. Fuaga was just fantastic in college, not allowing a sack in his whole career. His athletic traits were impressive in pads and this week we get to put a number to just how gifted he is. He could be one of the first tackles off the board.

Dallas Turner, Edge, Alabama

Consensus isn’t strong on Dallas Turner yet. There are projections that put him in the top five of this draft and some that have him falling into the 20s. It makes sense given he is a bit smaller and his game mostly predicated on speed, motor, and technique over length and strength. Turner can help himself quite a bit this week by showing just how quick he is and how it could balance out fears about his sub-255 pound frame. The Eagles don’t have a huge need at edge rusher, unless of course things really fall through with Haason Reddick. If they do, Turner could be an obvious choice for the team looking.