2012 NFL Mock Draft: The Philadelphia Eagles Select...

With the fifteenth pick of the 2012 CSC Community Mock Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles (chosen by caominh) select...

Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina

The Eagles are in good position here. This pick came down to one of three players, Quinton Coples, Ryan Tannehill, and Jonathan Martin. With that having been said, you are probably wondering why Tannehill and Martin may have been under strong consideration. Let me explain.

There have been intermittent calls for Andy Reid to be fired in Philadelphia and owner Jeffrey Laurie has not so subtly hinted that this coming season will be crucial for Reid. Knowing this fact the injury to Jason Peters has huge implications. I am unsure if King Dunlap will be a solid starter which has multiple effects on the team.

First, it is no secret that the Eagles' success hinges on a healthy Michael Vick. With Vick out of the lineup, the Eagles are nowhere near as good. Despite the coaching staff saying all the right things about Young and Kafka last season they simply do not give the Eagles the same probability of winning games as a Vick does. It is well known that Vick has struggled with injuries so keeping him upright is of the utmost important since the Eagles would not nearly as dangerous on offense with him sitting on the sideline.

Knowing protection is key, this is why Martin would be so tempting. Sure, he had a less than stellar Pro Day, but keep in mind this is the man who protected Andrew Luck's blindside at Stanford. He knows about performing under pressure. His tape says he will be a tremendous tackle and tape is a much better predictor of success in the NFL than anything else. As an added bonus, since Vick is a left handed quarterback, he would not have to protect his blindside which would make for an easier transition to the pros, so you can see his appeal.

With regard to Tannehill, as I mentioned before, the Eagles will not be the same team with Kafka behind center as they would be with Vick. Trent Edwards could be a spot starter in a pinch, but let's face it, he's not going to set the world on fire. Tannehill brings a few things to the team. First, he's mobile so the playbook could remain much the same as it would with Vick, though the blocking schemes would have to be adjusted. Second, given the track record Vick has with regard to injury and the fact that he's not getting any younger, the Eagles could strongly consider drafting him in this position. The Eagles have not been shy about taking quarterbacks high even with an entrenched starter on the roster. However, as I mentioned before, the pressure is on Reid to win now and that may apply to the front office as well. Selecting him could be a risk since if it does not pay dividends in the short term it could wind up costing them their jobs.

This, of course, brings me to Quinton Coples. Perhaps you are thinking the arguments for Martin and Tannehill are strong, and indeed they are. However, Coples is considered a more well regarded than either. Ah, you say, the Eagles have Babin and Cole firmly entrenched at the ends. Again, this is true, but considering the core philosophy of the Eagles (a football version of Logan's Run for players over 30), this would not preclude the Eagles from drafting at a position of strength.

The Eagles lack depth on the line and Coples would provide great depth at end and slide inside on obvious passing downs, giving them a monster pass rash. The Giants, Cowboys, and the Redskins, with RGIII's imminent arrival, will all be passing teams, and in the Redskins case, have an extremely mobile quarterback and having quick lineman who can collapse the pocket and pursue laterally is of extreme importance.

The fact that Coples can provide depth both inside and outside as he transitions to a starting position at some point has to be appealing to the team. The Eagles also have a habit of drafting the best available talent when their number is up, and many prognosticators see Coples as a top 10 talent. There could be strong consideration to trade down here, specifically to the Browns in an attempt to bait them with Tannehill and perhaps nab Martin in their spot. However, getting a player of Coples talent will to too much for the team to overlook. The team can then shift to getting someone like Oklahoma's Brandon Weeden with one of their 2nd round picks and pick up a solid tackle prospect such as Zebrie Sanders with the other. The fact is that Coples is easily the best prospect on the board, and his pure talent will make this pick easy for the team.

Below are the complete results from our community mock draft.

Catch up with all of the mock draft selections in our 2012 CSC Community Mock Draft Section.