With two days to go before the 2013 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles are closing in on a very big decision.
NFL.com's Albert Breer reported Tuesday on NFL Network's "NFL Total Access" that Philly's front office has whittled down its first-round options to four players. "The sense" inside team walls, according to Breer, is that a quarterback is not a possibility if the Eagles stay put at No. 4 overall.
If offensive tackle prospects Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M) and Eric Fisher (Central Michigan) are gone by the time the Eagles pick, Oklahoma bookend Lane Johnson "could wind up being a very good fit" for Kelly's up-tempo offense, according to Breer. But if the Eagles choose to go defense, the names that keep coming up are Oregon pass rusher Dion Jordan and Utah defensive tackle Star Lotulelei.
Breer noted that general manager Howie Roseman pegged this as a "meat-and-potatoes draft," hinting both sides of the line of scrimmage will be addressed early. If the Eagles manage to shop the No. 4 pick and shift down into the middle of the first round, "then maybe the quarterback position comes into play," Breer said.
If Kelly winds up selecting a passer later on, Florida State's EJ Manuel and Arizona's Matt Scott are logical targets based on their experience with read-option attacks.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
