With the 127th overall selection in this year’s draft, the Eagles have finally added someone to their group of safeties.
The argument could be made that the team’s last pick, Davion Taylor, will play a safety-linebacker hybrid role, but this selection of K’Von Wallace pretty much puts that speculation to rest. Wallace is a pure safety who could eventually be a solid contributor in sub packages, something the Eagles defense employs frequently.
Wallace started playing a lot on Clemson’s defense during his sophomore season. During his four year collegiate career, he totaled 156 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, two sacks and five interceptions.
He gradually improved every year he was at Clemson, which is a good sign as he enters the NFL. He has high upside and displayed the ability to improve.
He’s really solid in the running game. Wallace does a great job of breaking on the football and flowing to ball carriers, but his zone coverage could use some work — some of the better teams he faced were able to take advantage of him while he was in zone.
He probably won’t be asked to come in and start right away, but given how unproven Jalen Mills is as a safety, he may end up getting a shot if Mills stinks up the joint early on. At the very least, he’ll provide great depth there and be a really solid special teams ace during his early years.
The Eagles defense desperately needed bodies in their safeties room, and now they have a promising one in Wallace.