NFL Draft results 2014: Marcus Smith joins the Eagles at No. 26
The Eagles picked up a defensive end late in the draft, selecting Marcus Smith with the No. 26 overall pick.
The Philadelphia Eagles have drafted Louisville defensive end Marcus Smith with the No. 26 pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. Smith came in at No. 74 among prospects ranked on SB Nation's top 200 big board, which placed him at No. 6 among all defensive ends, notably behind lower-ranked guys such as Scott Crichton and Demarcus Lawrence, but above Ed Stinson and Kareem Martin.
The pick might be considered a slight reach -- Smith was mostly projected to go in the second round -- but with most of the top safeties getting snatched up just before the Eagles' spot, they chose to stick to their board and take one of the better defensive ends left in the draft. Smith could be viewed as an eventual replacement for Trent Cole and can play linebacker in Chip Kelly's 3-4 defense.
Smith was named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2013, and a first-team All-AAC selection that season as well. In addition, he was named a third-team AP All-American. He recorded 42 tackles, 18.5 of which were for a loss, and had 14.5 sacks, good for second in the nation.
Combine results
Height: 6’3
Weight: 251 pounds
40-yard dash: 4.68 seconds
Bench press: 23 reps
Vertical jump: 35”
Broad jump: 10’1
20-yard shuttle: 4.47 seconds
3-cone drill: 7.48 seconds
Smith is among the more versatile defensive linemen to come out this year. He played each position along the defensive line, and even stood up as a pass-rushing outside linebacker at times. He should make the transition to the NFL nicely, regardless of what position he ends up playing.
