The Philadelphia Eagles traded up from #15 to the #12 and selected Mississippi St DT Fletcher Cox. First with the trade for DeMeco Ryans and now with the drafting of Fletcher Cox, the Eagles have likely turned the interior of their defense, a major weakness last season, into a major strength.
To learn more about Cox though, let’s go through a few scouting reports.
Draft Insiders calls Cox a “blue chip prospect.”
This is a unique defender who is capable of being a difference maker with early impact ability on either front line. Athletic tackle with the skill set to become a rookie starter after being battle tested in the tough SEC where he showed dominant talent vs NFL caliber linemen. Top 10 value with mid round prospect overall. The most NFL ready defensive linemen in this class and capable of being an immediate impact starter. Clubs like the Dolphins, Bengals and Seahawks are highly interested in the top half of 1st round. Athletic defender with impact ability and future Pro Bowl regular.
Cox is an early-entry junior who was a 2 1/2-year starter at DT for Mississippi State. He is a raw athlete who has room to develop and likely will pull value from that, considering he has an impressive frame and is one of the more talented athletes at the position in the country. He relies heavily on his natural ability to make splash plays and has a major upside.
Cox, a three-year starter for Mississippi State, is arguably the best one-gap defensive tackle in this year’s draft. He finished the 2011 season with 56 tackles with 14.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks. That earned him first-team All-SEC honors. Cox compares favorably to Jason Jones of the Seattle Seahawks.
“Explosive bull-rusher that can collapse the pocket whether he’s lined up on the inside or the outside. Can be very effective as a bull-rusher when he stays low. Effective hand-fighter that flashes rip and pull moves. Just average lateral mobility and isn’t going to get many offensive linemen off balance with side-to-side moves. Is versatile and can play all along the DL, but best pass-rush potential in NFL is inside. "
“Relentless might be an overstatement, but overall motor is very good. Doesn’t give up when he fails to win with first move. Not quite as thick or strong as Corey Luigit (Chargers), but shares a lot of similarities in terms of motor and versatility. Pursues hard from behind when there’s even a slight chance of getting back into the play. He’s a tempo setter up front. Plays with an edge and isn’t afraid to get in opponents’ faces. "
