Philadelphia – For all the success of Howie Roseman in the draft of the NFL, of Jason Kelce in Jalen hurts the Mitchell Quinon and in the defensive and offensive lines, there is a position on which he has never struck.
We are talking about safety. No other position is getting closer.
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The last time Eagles In writing a full -time starter with security in 2010 with Nate Allen in the second round and Kurt Coleman in the seventh. Elite either, and they were not close to the replacement of the renowned temple Brian Dawkins, who was drafted in the second round in 1996 and spent 13 seasons in Philly.
The Eagles have lacked security seriously written since. Interestingly, the only starter to get out of the NFL draft since 2010 was someone who was not even drafted. It was Reed Blankenship, who was signed as a free agent not drafted in 2022.
Blankenship started five games as a recruit, then became a full -time starter in 2023.
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The Eagles have a chance to change this in this project, which takes place from April 24 to 26. But that could mean doing something they have never done in their history: to write security in the first round. The Eagles choose the 32nd and last in the first round.
However, there are many reasons why the Malaki Starks of Georgia could be this player, starting with the fact that the Eagles already have six of his former Bulldogs teammates on their defense. The Eagles succeeded with four of these players in defensive line players Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis and Nolan Smith, as well as the second Nakobe Dean.
The Eagles have a security need after Roseman exchanged the CJ Gardner-Johnson last month, even if Gardner-Johnson had 6 interceptions last season, and 6 when he also played for the Eagles in 2022.
However, for the moment, Roseman plans to present the post to Sydney Brown, which the Eagles drafted in the third round in 2023 – the first Eagles had written security since 2011.
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But Brown started exactly a security match. Last season, after Brown recovered from a torn ACL, it was not even used as the third security.
“From our point of view, it was one of the few positions that we had written a young player quite high, and this player really did not have the opportunity to play again,” said Roseman about Brown. “He must win it.”
Can Brown win it?
Eagles coach Nick Sirianni mentioned all Eagles options. This consists of brown take the job, by signing someone in a free agency (the veteran Justin Simmons is available) or by writing someone.
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“We have good options right now,” said Sirianni. “The off -season is not over. You can continue to add guys. From the off -season, but we have good internal candidates. There is more time to add.”
Auburn, Alabama – September 30: Malaki Starks # 24 of the Georgia Bulldogs intercepts a pass intended for Jay Fair # 5 of the Auburn Tigers during the fourth quarter at the Jordan -Hare stadium on September 30, 2023 in Auburn, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox / Getty Images)
Why Malaki Starks would be a good choice for the Eagles
Starks, 6 feet 1 inch, 197 pounds, has the versatility that Eagles love for their defensive backs. Not to mention the speed because it ran 4.5 in the dashboard of 40 yards at the NFL Scouting combines.
Last season, Starks played Nickel after playing security his two previous seasons in Georgia. If Brown actually wins the job, Starks can play nickel and Cooper Dejean can go outside to replace Darius Slay, which the Eagles have released.
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Or Starks could play security, Dejean can stay in nickel, and maybe Kelee Ringo can start outside. Ringo, by the way, is another Georgia player. The Eagles drafted him in the fourth round in 2023,
“I am really comfortable in the slit, just having this experience,” said Starks during the NFL scouting combination in March. “When I’m at the slot machine, I know what my safety and what my corners do. I’m just able to play with the defense, but also to play my lever effect.”
But the Eagles may have to exchange for Starks, who should go late in the first round. This could require ahead of Baltimore Ravens at n ° 27.
Of course, the Eagles could decide to stick where they are and take a defensive line player with their choice.
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“Obviously, they like to shop in this store (Georgia),” said Daniel Jeremiah, NFL Network analyst during a recent conference call. “I think that (Starks) could be exceptional free security, play over it, wander and make games. (But) I think the Eagles, given their Druthers, they always like to start big … But if they have erased on the offensive and defensive line (Starks) would be a good adjustment.”
Why were the Eagles so successful with their Georgia players?
“These guys are preparing,” said Jeremiah. “They played in NFL patterns. It’s like the minor leagues for the NFL … Sometimes they could be beaten a little because of intensity and physicity, but guy, I feel like I have real guys when you go shopping in Georgia.”
New-, in New Masse, Louisiana-February 09: Juju Smith-Schuster # 9 of the Kansas City Chiefs takes place with the ball while being approached by Reed Blankenship # 32 of the Philadelphia Eagles in the first quarter of Super Bowl in Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025 in Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)
A long list of eagles lacks safety
He certainly beats some of the other places where the Eagles have bought for security in the draft. Here is the list of security they have written since 2010 and the number of games they started for the Eagles:
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Jaiquawn Jarrett, 2nd round, 2011: 2
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Earl Wolff, 5th round, 2013: 7
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Ed Reynolds, 5th round, 2014: 3
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Blake Coutensse, 6th round, 2016: 0
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K’von Wallace, 4th round, 2020: 7
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Reed blankenship, not drafted, 2022: 34
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Sydney Brown, 3rd round, 2023: 1 (5 other departures were nickel)
In addition to Blankenship, who can become a free agent after this season, the Eagles have succeeded in security by signing free agents or via trade.
The Eagles signed Malcolm Jenkins as a free agent in 2014 and Rodney McLeod as a free agent in 2016. Jenkins spent six seasons with the Eagles and was selected in three pro-bols. McLeod also spent six seasons with the Eagles.
The Eagles exchanged against Gardner-Johnson in August 2022. Then he left for free agency in 2023 before returning to the Eagles for an agreement of three years worth $ 33 million. Then the Eagles exchanged him in Houston last month.
The Eagles had the chance to write security in 2022 when they exchanged from n ° 15 in the first round in n ° 13. The Eagles rather took Davis. The Ravens, at No. 14, took Kyle Hamilton, who has already been selected in two Pro Bowls.
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This could end up driving the Eagles to Starks, who said he would like to play with his ex-teammates of Georgia on the Eagles.
“It would be great,” he said. “These guys really played a big role in my role at the University of Georgia. It would be an honor to go and play with them.”
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on x @mfranknfl. Read its cover of the season of the Eagles championships in “Flying High”, a new Coffee table book with rigid cover of Delaware Online / The News Journal. Details on fly.champsbook.com
This article originally appeared in Delaware News Journal: Why safety is the shipwrecking of Howie Roseman d’Eagles in the draft of the NFL
