2019 NFL Mock Draft: Odell Beckham trade throws first round into chaos

Florida’s Chauncey Gardner-Johnson has quietly been moving up draft boards and is now very much in the mix to be the top safety off the board in this draft class. There are four really good prospects at safety in this class, and each is likely to top the board for several teams.

For the Eagles, I imagine they would value Gardner-Johnson’s versatility more than the others, and view him as an eventual successor to Malcolm Jenkins, who turns 32 during next season. The Florida product is a fit in a variety of schemes with his ability to play as a slot corner or a safety.

He’s a player very similar to former Alabama and current Dolphins defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick, who was one of the most coveted prospects in last season’s class. Gardner-Johnson might not have that upside, but he would likely be a perfect fit in Philadelphia’s secondary as they deploy him in multiple ways.

The Eagles could go several different ways with this pick, and if the Raiders pass on Josh Jacobs with the pick before them, they’d have a tough decision to make as they covet the Crimson Tide product. Jacobs is the jack-of-all-trades running back that they really like, and they’ll be hoping he’s available when they are on the clock.

Adding depth to both lines is also something the Eagles are likely going to look into during the draft, so if they aren’t enamored enough with Gardner-Johnson or another DB to pull the trigger with this pick, they could look at Clemson’s Christian Wilkins or Kansas State’s Dalton Risner.