Philadelphia Eagles Draft: 3 Cornerback Fits

Three Cornerbacks for the Eagles Draft

Not much has gotten clearer about the Philadelphia Eagles draft day plans. There are still a few routes they can go on day one, with cornerback being one of them. While it’s not positive that the Eagles select a corner in round one, many fans still consider corner the biggest position of need for the team. While the Eagles still have Darius Slay and James Bradberry on the team, there is a good possibility they are looking for youth at the position. Here are three potential corner fits for the Eagles. These corners are likely to be either first or second-round picks and would fit well into Vic Fangio’s defense.

Three Cornerback Fits for the Eagles Draft

The Dream Scenario: Terrion Arnold, Alabama

The absolute dream selection for the Eagles in terms of cornerbacks would be Terrion Arnold. Arnold is considered one of the two or three top corners in the draft by many pundits and experts. While Arnold isn’t the most experienced cornerback, he finished his college career with a productive year in 2023. Where Arnold excels is in his intelligence and anticipation of the game. You can see him often break early on routes from off coverage and disrupt catches. Playing under Nick Saban at Alabama, Arnold is a developed player in terms of technique, but in route recognition as well.

However, Arnold does not possess the eye-popping athleticism of other top-end corners. He may not be the elite man-to-man type of corner in the NFL, but that won’t matter for the Eagles. He’s a smart player who is very reactive in zone coverage, something Vic Fangio likes in corners. Not to mention, Arnold is a great tackler and takes pride in getting off blocks and making big hits. Overall, recent mock drafts say it’s unlikely that Arnold gets to pick 22, but if he is there for the Eagles, he’d be hard to pass up. However, you can never rule out a draft day trade either from Howie Roseman and company.

Likelier Bet: Kool-Aid McKinstry, Alabama

If Arnold is off the board at pick 22, the Eagles very well may end up taking his former Alabama teammate, Xavier “Kool-Aid” McKinstry. McKinstry is an interesting case. A consensus top-ten pick last summer, he’s fallen a great deal in the eyes of scouts and evaluators. Now, many believe that he will go between picks 20 and 40 in many cases. He has risen back up a bit on draft boards after an impressive pro day with an injured foot.

McKinstry offers a lot of the same positives as Arnold. He’s a very technically sound and intelligent football player who can read receivers well and stick with them through breaks.  However, he wasn’t as productive and got beat a few too many times this past season. He offers a little more quickness and burst than Arnold, but he’s a significantly worse run-defender as well. He is another player like Arnold who will not be a man coverage cornerback but could thrive in Fangio’s system, which relies on reactions and quickness.

Potential Day Two Steal: D.J. James, Auburn

D.J. James is someone who has been rising a little bit on draft boards lately. While he hasn’t been getting the same attention as Arnold and McKinstry, he could end up being a better pro, and better value pick in the second round for the Eagles. Many evaluators project James to be more of a slot corner in the NFL, because of awesome changing of direction and mirroring skills. He’s another corner that is highly reactive, whether in zone or man coverage.

He also has more speed and explosiveness than both Arnold and McKinstry do but lacks the length of those two. James is a lighter player as well, weighing in at 175 pounds at the combine. He may struggle to cover bigger receivers as well as contribute to the run game. However, his elite agility could make him a prime candidate to take over his slot corner role for the Eagles.

Other Eagles Draft Cornerback Fits

Another name to watch is Cooper DeJean, who has already had a meeting with the Eagles. He’s another instinctive and intelligent corner, who may not have the pure raw athleticism for man coverage but fits very well as a zone corner. Ennis Rakestraw Jr. is another interesting candidate who could fit into the nickel corner role as well.

Overall, many fans are in desperate wait for the next Eagles cornerback. While there may not be an elite option there for the Eagles at pick 22, there are plenty of corners who fit and can contribute to the defense next season, and in the future.