The 2012 NFL Draft order isn't 100 percent set due to the fact that the New England Patriots and New York Giants still have to play in Super Bowl XLVI. However, the Philadelphia Eagles knew that they would be picking at No. 15 in the first round of the 2012 draft since the end of the regular season. Sports Illustrated came out with a new mock draft on Friday and in it, Don Banks selected Boston College inside linebacker Luke Kuechly for the Eagles.
When you say the words "linebacker" and "Boston College" in the same sentence, Eagles fans still instantly think of Mike Mamula, the team's over-hyped first-rounder in 1995. But Kuechly is this year's finest inside linebacker prospect, and that's where the crying need lies on Philly's defense.
The 6-foot-2, 235-pound linebacker is ranked by ESPN as the best inside linebacker in this year's draft class and is ranked as the seventh best college player entering the draft overall. SB Nation's Mocking the Draft says that Kuechly was by far the best tackler in college football.
Kuechly was far and away the nation's leading tackler this season with 191 stops. That's almost 16 a game.He had 23 alone in the third game of the season against Duke. As a junior, Kuechly won both the Lott IMPACT Trophy, and the Butkus, Nagurski and Lombardi awards.
For more updates on the Eagles, check out Bleeding Green Nation and for more updates on the upcoming draft, head to Mocking the Draft.