PHILADELPHIA – The Eagles did not take a cornerback or safety with their pick in the second round of the NFL draft on Friday night.
Instead, they went with Jason Kelce’s possible successor, taking center Cam Jurgens from Nebraska with the No. 51 overall pick.
It’s the second year in a row that the Eagles took an offensive lineman with center experience. Last year, the Eagles took Landon Dickerson. But Dickerson established himself at guard last season.
Jurgens was strictly a center at Nebraska. He’s 6-foot-3, 303 pounds, and like Kelce, is a good all-around athlete. In high school, Jurgens was a first-team all-state tight end, running back and linebacker. He was also a state champion in the shot put and discus.
Kelce, who’s 34 years old, has contemplated retirement in each of the last four offseasons.
But Kelce, speaking on a podcast with Bleacher Report/Gridiron, said Jurgens is his “favorite player in the draft.” Kelce added: “Out of all the guys that compare the most to myself, this guy is him.”
Jurgens said he was honored to hear that.
“That’s awesome,” Jurgens said Friday night. “I’ve watched a lot of his tape, and getting to see a guy who moves like he does, and play as hard, and with as much intensity as he does. That’s kind of how I want to play and model my game, and be an athlete on the field. Just because you’re an O-lineman doesn’t mean you can’t run down the field and knock a safety out.
“I want to do stuff like he does, and be able to fit into their system as well as I can.”
Still, the Eagles had choices.
Georgia linebacker Nakobe Dean was still available, as were four of the five top-rated quarterbacks.
And the Eagles still need a defensive back.
The Eagles began the draft Thursday night by taking defensive tackle Jordan Davis, who’s 6-foot-6, 341-pounds, by trading up two spots from No. 15 to No. 13 to get him. They traded their other first-round pick to Tennessee for wide receiver A.J. Brown, whom they reportedly signed to a four-year extension worth as much as $100 million, with $57 million guaranteed.
But the Eagles had not addressed a major position of need at defensive back, whether it’s at cornerback with the departure of starter Steven Nelson, or at safety where Anthony Harris, back on a one-year contract, and Marcus Epps are penciled in as the starters.
The second round, however, started with a run on defensive backs as Auburn CB Roger McCreary, Baylor safety Jalen Pitre and Washington CB Kyler Gordon went early in the round.
Then the Vikings traded up to get Andrew Booth at No. 42. Two more went in Penn State safety Jaquan Brisker and Tennessee CB Alontae Taylor.
That left the Eagles with a decision, and they went with Kelce’s likely successor.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on Twitter @Mfranknfl.
