NFL Network's Mike Mayock has released his final mock draft as teams make their final preparation for the real thing this evening. In his mock, he's made two interesting predictions. First, he thinks that no fewer that eight quarterbacks will be taken within the first three rounds. Unlike last year, there's no bonafide #1 QB that everyone likes. However, we do have a very deep QB draft with a lot of guys that had good college careers.
His other bold predictions is that there will be a new record for trades. His reasoning makes some sense. With free agency not having happened yet and with the league unsure when it will, teams have more needs than every before. Every potential free agent a team has is a potential need position and no teams have had a chance to sign a free agent to fill any holes they already had. No one knows what the cap will be, if one exists at all. No one knows what the rules of free agency will be. So teams will likely be looking to stockpile picks in hopes of filling more needs in the draft.
That said, I'm sure you're wondering who he predicts the Eagles will take? Wisconsin offensive lineman Gabe Carimi.
"Carimi was a left tackle at Wisconsin, but I like him on the interior of the offensive line from Day 1. The Eagles have had a bunch of issues inside over the last couple of years with injuries. Their center, Jamaal Jackson, is getting old, and their two guards are free agents. You plug Carimi in and play him."
Carimi was a popular pick in mock drafts for the Eagles about a month or so ago. However, in recent mocks he's pushed up the board a bit while Colorado corner Jimmy Smith has become the hot pick for the Eagles.
Still, his reasoning makes perfect sense. The Eagles really need a solution at right guard.