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Philadelphia Eagles Rumors: Carson Wentz To Fall To The Eagles At Pick No. 8, According To Latest NFL Mock Draft

By Phillip Dengler
Published on: 08:13 PST, Apr 7, 2016

With the 2016 NFL draft a few weeks away, rumors are running rampant regarding the Philadelphia Eagles and their plans for the No. 8 overall pick. Originally acquired from the Miami Dolphins in a trade that included Kiko Alonso, Byron Maxwell, and the No. 13 overall pick, the Eagles have a ton of flexibility in their draft slot. While the team has been rumored to be interested in at least five different players, the latest NFL mock drafts have North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz falling to the Eagles in the first round.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, the Eagles have been interested in Wentz for the past few months. In addition to Wentz, the team could still potentially draft Ohio State Buckeyes running back Ezekiel Elliott, Notre Dame defensive tackle Ronnie Stanley, and California Golden Bears quarterback Jared Goff. While all of those players have the potential to have solid NFL careers, Wentz is now viewed as the quarterback that can be truly something special.

After signing Robert Griffin III, the Cleveland Browns appeared to have found their answer at quarterback. While Griffin has all of the potential in the world to turn his career around, many analysts reported that the Browns were still a lock to draft Wentz with the No. 2 overall pick. Wentz remains an option for the Browns in the opening round, but reports are coming out that the team could pass on drafting a quarterback early.

The latest NFL mock draft from CBS Sports outlines how Wentz will fall to the Eagles at No. 8.

“The Eagles, meanwhile, get Wentz, considered in some circles the top player on their board. Yes, they paid Sam Bradford and Chase Daniel a bunch of money, but Bradford’s contract does not have a big guarantee beyond this season and they can always let Wentz sit for a year or two behind both of them before giving him the reins to the team.”

The strategy actually makes perfect sense for a team without a franchise quarterback. While Sam Bradford showed signs of improvement last season, it is unlikely that he ever becomes the player that he was expected to be coming out of Oklahoma. In signing backup quarterback Chase Daniel, new Eagles head coach Doug Pederson wanted to bring in a player that was already familiar with his offense. Since Daniel was with Pederson in Kansas City, he can act as a coach on the field as the team transitions into the new offensive philosophy.

With Bradford and Daniel not signed to long-term contracts, bringing in a young potential franchise quarterback makes sense. The only problem for the Eagles is that Wentz is not exactly a sure thing. While Marcus Mariota and Jameis Winston had their question marks in last year’s draft, they were viewed as safer picks. Wentz has all of the physical tools to become a great quarterback, but he did not exactly face any real competition during his time at North Dakota State.

Drafting Wentz at No. 8 for the Eagles is a no-brainer. He has enough upside to justify the selection high in the first round. If the Eagles have to trade up for Wentz, things become a little more complicated. Since Wentz is far from a sure thing, the Eagles will have to decide whether or not they want to mortgage some of their future in order to draft him. If they truly believe he is their guy, then they have to make the trade. If they have their doubts, it could potentially set their franchise back a few more years.

While many analysts believe that the Eagles will have a chance to draft Wentz at No. 8, Trent Dilfer thinks that the Eagles will have to trade for the No. 1 overall pick in order to have a shot at him, as reported by NJ Advance Media.

“I’ll be shocked if I’m not right. I think they’re going to go one-two. I think there are two to four teams outside the top five that are willing to trade up to take Jared Goff or Carson Wentz. And Cleveland is obviously going to take whichever quarterback is left over at two. I think they’re the only two that are ready to play right now. And I really only think Jared Goff is the truly only one that can play next year. Carson has the mind for it and the body for it. He still has to develop as a passer—especially against really good competition. I think Carson is going to be a good pro. It’s just going to take a little longer.”

A lot is going to change over the next few weeks, but the rumors linking the Philadelphia Eagles to North Dakota State Bison quarterback Carson Wentz will likely continue. If Pederson and the Eagles really believe Wentz can be an elite quarterback, they will find a way to draft him.

[Photo by Michael Chang/Getty Images]

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