The 2024 Senior Bowl will be held this Saturday in Mobile, Alabama. Here are three linebacker prospects the Eagles should have their eyes on.
Jaylan Ford, Texas
Ford had three sacks, three forced fumbles and six interceptions along with 220 tackles in his last two seasons with the Longhorns. His four interceptions in 2023 led all FBS linebackers.
In four years with the team, Ford proved to have good instincts while being used in multiple alignments. He’s particularly good with zone coverage, which can’t be said for any of Philadelphia’s current linebackers.
Among the team’s starters, only LB Zach Cunningham received a top-50 coverage score (49th) from Pro Football Focus. The seven-year veteran joined the team last August but will be a free agent in 2024.
At 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, Ford is roughly the same size as Cunningham but is four inches taller than linebacker Nakobe Dean, the Eagles’ third-round pick in 2022. Ford is projected as a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft and could be a steal for Philadelphia on Day 3.
Cedric Gray, North Carolina
Gray was one of four Tar Heels named to ESPN’s list of the top 100 college football players for the 2023 season (67). He had 367 tackles (29 for loss), 8.5 sacks, five interceptions, 13 passes defended and five forced fumbles over his last three seasons. His 121 tackles in 2023 were the second-most in the ACC.
Gray was named second-team All-American in 2022 and earned first-team All-ACC honors in each of his last two seasons. Considered a solid all-around linebacker and sound tackler, Gray isn’t exceptional in one particular area but is athletic enough to become a three-down linebacker and could go in the second round of the draft.
From the little I was able to see from North Carolina LB Cedric Gray and NC State LB Payton Wilson, these two will be ones to watch.
— Nick Harris (@NickHarrisDC) January 30, 2024
Excited to get my eyes on them a little closer tomorrow. Both have the range and get-to-the-ball ability you look for in the second level. pic.twitter.com/GnmdsUvz5r
Payton Wilson, NC State
Wilson also made ESPN’s top 100 list (13). In five years with the Wolfpack, Wilson had 403 tackles, 15 sacks and seven interceptions. His 138 tackles and 17.5 tackles for loss in 2023 were the most among any player in the ACC.
Of course, he’s suffered two torn ACLs and a season-ending shoulder injury in 2021 so some teams may be concerned about Wilson’s medical history, but it didn't hold him back in 2023.
Wilson won the Chuck Bednarik Award as the Defensive Player of the Year and the Dick Butkus Award as Outstanding Linebacker.
Dean won the Dick Butkus Award in 2021 but has played sparingly in two years with the Eagles. As long as Wilson’s physical comes up clean, Philadelphia should give him serious consideration.
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