Trades continue to flood the top of the second round. The Eagles have moved up to No. 40, swapping places with the Commanders. Philadelphia will send 53 and 161 to Washington while picking up No. 78.

Adding further to their investments in the secondary, the Eagles are selecting Iowa defensive back Cooper DeJean. The team went cornerback on Thursday night by drafting cornerback Quinyon Mitchell, and they have followed that up with another highly regarded contributor in the defensive backfield. DeJean is one of a few defenders who surprisingly did not hear their names called on Day 1.

Questions have been raised about his best position at the NFL level, having spent time both on the perimeter and in the slot. DeJean may see time at safety in the pros, but in any spot he will be counted on to provide starting-caliber play early on in his career. Over the past two seasons, he played a central role in Iowa’s defense while also demonstrating his special teams prowess.

DeJean raked up five interceptions in 2022, and he posted another two last season before a broken fibula ended his junior campaign. In spite of that missed time, the 6-1, 203-pounder was named a unanimous All-American after cementing his status as a versatile defender and a dynamic return man (11.5 yard average, one touchdown on punt returns).

NFL Mock Draft Roundup: Day 2 picks for the Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles are off to an exciting start in the 2024 NFL Draft as Quinyon Mitchell was selected unexpectedly at No. 22. With two picks in the second round on Friday night, can the Birds maintain the excitement?

We’ll find out.

Let’s have a look at their possible possibilities at Nos. 50 and 53 while we wait.

Bleeding Green Nation (Ben Natan)

50. Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints): Roman Wilson, WR, Michigan- It is not the Eagles’ most pressing need, but having almost unlimited options in the passing game for Jalen Hurts over the next four seasons sounds… pretty good. Roman Wilson is a small, but shifty receiver who thrives after the catch. Michigan’s run-heavy offense did not allow him to really thrive, but Wilson would eat up targets in the slot as AJ Brown and DeVonta Smith drew attention.

53. Philadelphia Eagles: Edgerrin Cooper, LB, Texas A&M- The Eagles hadn’t drafted a cornerback in the first round since 2002. Howie Roseman broke that trend yesterday. Today, he’ll draft a linebacker in the second round for the first time since 2012 when the Eagles drafted Mychael Kendricks. Edgerrin Cooper is a phenomenal athlete with a high motor playing style. His instincts are still a bit raw, but Vic Fangio has a great track record getting the most out of his linebackers.

NFL.com (Lance Zierlein)

50) EDGE Jalyx Hunt. Hunt is a traits-based edge rusher from a small school, but that won’t stop the Eagles, who love to take swings on height, weight, length and speed.

53) S Tyler Nubin. Nubin might be the most instinctive safety in the entire draft and should become a fan favorite quickly.

Pro Football Focus (John Kosko, Trevor Sikkema)

50) LB Junior Colson. The Eagles have drafted national champions in multiple years, and that trend continues. Colson has the size and football IQ to play in the NFL. He doesn’t run himself out of position versus play action and pre-snap motion, and he does a good job with pre-snap recognition and communication.

53) WR Malachi Corley. Corley is fairly raw in the nuances of playing receiver (release footwork, route tree and how to get off contact). Nonetheless, those are all things he can learn. If he does, he is a true weapon with the ball in his hands.

The Athletic (Dane Brugler)

50. Philadelphia Eagles (from NO): Troy Franklin, WR, Oregon

53. Philadelphia Eagles: Kingsley Suamataia, OT,

CBS Sports (Chris Trapasso)

50) WR Roman Wilson: Even after the A.J. Brown extension, the Eagles continue to keep the shelves stocked for Jalen Hurts.

53) CB Cooper DeJean: Quality players seem to fall into Roseman’s lap, and it happens again with DeJean who can play any secondary position.

ESPN (Steve Muench)

50) Junior Colson, ILB, Michigan. The Eagles signed Devin White, but it’s a one-year deal, and Nakobe Dean missed most of the 2023 season due to a Lisfranc sprain. Philadelphia adds to the off-ball linebacker position here.

53) Kingsley Suamataia, OT, BYU. Suamataia grades out as a No. 3 swing tackle. He would provide the Eagles with depth on both sides and has the potential to develop into the heir to soon-to-be 34-year-old right tackle Lane Johnson.

NBC Sports (Eric Froton)

50) LB Payton Wilson. The decision to come back for his sixth-year proved prescient, as Wilson lit the ACC ablaze for 138 tackles, 17.5 TFL and 67 stops to go with a scorching 4.4% sack rate. The consensus First Team All-American became the first player in NC State history to win either the Butkus Award, given to the best linebacker in the FBS, or the prestigious Bednarik Trophy, which is awarded to the nation’s top overall defensive player. A lengthy injury history is his biggest question mark.

53) Ja’Lynn Polk. A fourth-year breakout, Polk was the Z-WR opposite Rome Odunze, catching 69-of-108 for 1,159 yards, breaking 15 tackles with a 2.29 yards per route average and 54% contested catch rate. 29.4% of his targets were 20+ yards downfield with a 50% deep target catch rate.