2014 APC Mock Draft: Philadelphia Eagles Select Brandin Cooks

After a bizarre couple of weeks for the team due to the DeSean Jackson fallout, the Philadelphia Eagles are now on the clock with the 22nd overall pick in our Acme Packing Company mock draft.

Background

The Eagles went a disappointing 4-12 in 2012, but rebounded well in 2013 by going 10-6 and making the playoffs while getting continuity at the quarterback position. Nick Foles took over for Michael Vick behind center, while LeSean "Shady" McCoy broke more ankles on his way to a league-leading 1,607-yard season.

There is no way the Eagles (or their fans) can feel completely comfortable with Riley Cooper and an ACL-tear-recovery Jeremy Maclin as their starting receivers next season, though. Philadelphia needs another wideout.

On defense? Yeah, Philly struggled on defense yet again. Last season, the Eagles were 30th in the league against the run and 25th against the pass.

They still need help on defense in their secondary, even though they signed Malcolm Jenkins in free agency. Bradley Roby of Ohio State is a possibility here, along with Kyle Fuller of Virginia Tech and Jason Verrett of TCU. Maybe even Louisville's Calvin Pryor gets partial consideration if he is available. In the end, though, I think they'll draft multiple guys for the unit, but that will happen in other rounds.

With the 22nd overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles select:

Player: Brandin Cooks
Position: Wide receiver
School: Oregon State
Year: Junior

One of the most durable prospects in this year's class, Cooks has never missed a game in his entire college career and would be a terrific fit in Chip Kelly's offense with the Eagles. The Biletnikoff Award winner lacks the ideal size, but he makes up for it with his superb routes and soft hands. Cooks gained 1,670 receiving yards and 15 touchdowns and added two more rushing touchdowns this season for Oregon State. He also managed to beat out Texas A&M's Mike Evans and Clemson's Sammy Watkins for the award.

At the NFL Combine, he was timed at a 4.33 in the 40-yard dash, while also putting up 16 reps on the bench and generating a 36-inch vertical and 10-foot broad jump. On the downside, Cooks doesn't offer a Nick Foles a large target at 5'10", but for his size, he has good strength and will get stronger. Another negative is he can be overwhelmed in man coverage and taken out of the action. He's also a willing blocker but lacks body strength, and consistency.

As far as other wide receivers they might consider, Marquise Lee of USC and Kelvin Benjamin of Florida State could be intriguing. Both of these players have made predraft visits with the Eagles already, too. However, Cooks' speed, agility, and ability to play outside and in the slot make him the ideal replacement for Jackson in this offense, a possibility we speculated about in Cooks' scouting report over the weekend.

Round One Summary

Next up tomorrow are Tex with the pick for the Kansas City Chiefs and Brendan with the Bengals' first-round selection.