Every year the NFL draft brings a sense of hope to players, coaches and fans.
This year, the National Football League will be holding its annual draft on April 25. This year, the Philadelphia Eagles hold pick 25. In the first round and have seven picks overall, with two coming in the second round and another two picks coming in the fourth round.
The top college football draft prospects are hoping to hear their names called early in the draft and receive contracts that will change their lives forever. Some Bucks students voiced their opinion on the draft and how it will affect not only the Eagles, but the rest of the NFL.
Over the past couple of years, the Eagles have tended to draft very well and have chosen players that have provided an instant impact to the team. Coming off of a strong season that ended in the divisional round of the playoffs, Eagles fans are hoping that the team has another strong draft to help take them back to the Super Bowl.
The Eagles have not changed a whole lot. They have kept or re-signed most of the star players from last year’s team, but there is always room for young talent.
One of the players that the Eagles were unable to keep was fan favorite backup quarterback Nick Foles, who signed a 4 year/$88 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Haleigh Kaufmann, a 20 year old Bio Medicine major from Yardley, said, “The Eagles should look to add a new backup quarterback in the draft, it’s one of their biggest needs.”
The Eagles recently signed quarterback Luis Perez to a one year deal, seemingly to backup Carson Wentz when the season is underway.
Kevin Mirales, a 19 year old business administration major from Newtown believes that the Eagles biggest need is to add new pieces to the offensive line.
Mirales said “Jason Peters is getting old and is always injured, so we could use a new tackle and a guard since Brandon Brooks is coming off an injury too.”
Mirales also believes the Eagles should invest a pick in a linebacker to replace Jordan Hicks who left in free agency to join the Arizona Cardinals.
Last year the Eagles traded away their first round pick to the Baltimore Ravens but this year fans hope to see them keep their pick.
Nick Campbell, a 19 year old sports management major from Bensalem said, “I am hoping to see the Eagles use their first round pick on an explosive wide receiver such as Marquise Brown or D.K. Metcalf.”
One player all Bucks students are sure the Eagles won’t have the chance to draft even if they wanted to be quarterback Kyler Murray from Oklahoma.
Murray is an interesting case due to the fact that he was drafted by the Oakland Athletics ninth overall in the MLB draft but Murray declared for the NFL draft in the following months.
Everyone believes that Murray will be drafted first overall by the Arizona Cardinals. Mirales says, “Murray will be drafted first even though he shouldn’t be, it should be Nick Bosa.”
The NFL draft always offers fans a lot on intrigue and some confusing choices made by teams so you never quite know how it will turn out and the students here at Bucks are excited to see how it plays out this year.