Eagles draft: Offensive tackles Josh Conerly and Emery Jones showcase their potential on Day 1 at the Senior Bowl

MOBILE, Ala. — During the National team’s practice on Tuesday morning at the Senior Bowl, Oregon left tackle Josh Conerly stepped up to take a one-on-one rep against UCLA defensive end Oluwafemi Oladejo. It was the final competitive period, with each position group getting a chance to end practice on a positive note.

At the snap of the ball, Conerly popped out of his stance, anticipated Oladejo’s spin move, and blocked the UCLA defender to the ground as his offensive teammates roared to celebrate his victory. It capped a successful day for Conerly, a projected first-round draft pick, and his performance on Day 1 of practice only strengthened his case.

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In reflecting on his practice overall, Conerly said that he needed to “knock some rust off” after last playing for the Ducks on New Year’s Day, but that he was satisfied with his first of three opportunities to showcase his skills at Senior Bowl practice.

“I feel like I take the same [pass sets] no matter what, and I just trust in my own technique,” Conerly said. “My first rep is always my favorite because of all the nerves that go into it, and then as soon as you take that first rep, you just keep the rest of the same and just flow from there.”

The Eagles are set at the position for the immediate future with Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson at left and right tackle, respectively. But there has been a considerable amount of interest in finding the 34-year-old Johnson’s eventual replacement over the last couple of years. The Birds brought in a couple of tackle prospects for top-30 visits in the lead-up to the 2024 NFL draft, and though this year’s crop of tackle prospects isn’t as deep, there will be a few worth considering in April’s early rounds.

Conerly is one of them, though he may be out of the Eagles’ range in the first round if his consistent play continues this week. The Seattle native, who started his career as a running back before transitioning to offensive tackle as a sophomore, has made just 28 starts at tackle but took an exceptional leap this past season. The athleticism is apparent from Conerly — he had a rep in the 11-on-11 team session when he made an impressive reach block on Iowa defensive lineman Yahya Black — and he doesn’t turn 22 until November.

The 6-foot-4, 313-pound Conerly, according to Senior Bowl measurements, spent time perfecting his craft and working on hand placement with Purdue offensive lineman Marcus Mbow after Tuesday’s practice. Conerly says it’s something he did often after Oregon workouts in the spring. Conerly hopes the rust he knocked off after the first practice will carry over through the rest of the week.

“I just feel like I need to [focus on] hand placement in the run game and in the pass game, getting to my spot and just throwing my hands in the run game,” Conerly said when asked what he wanted to improve on the rest of the week.

LSU tackle Emery Jones was not shy about the way his American team practice started on Tuesday afternoon. In the offensive and defensive line one-on-one sessions, Jones was beaten with an inside move by Mississippi’s Jared Ivey and lost his outside shoulder against Notre Dame’s RJ Oben.

“Feel like I started slow a little bit,” Jones said, “and gradually got into it as practice went on. I’m ready to come and attack tomorrow.”

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But by the end of practice, Jones showcased what made him a four-star recruit in high school and the skill set that allowed him to play as a freshman at LSU. Jones particularly thrives as a run blocker, using his strong grip strength and athleticism at 6-4, 312 to beat opposing defensive linemen.

That run-blocking prowess was on display during the 11-on-11 team session, as Jones quickly crossed the face of Tennessee’s Omarr Norman-Lott on the backside of an outside run play. And in the one-on-one run-blocking period, Jones showed his core strength and lower-body power to root out his matchups.

“I feel like I was able to move a guy, be nasty, and show my play demeanor,” Jones said.

At just 20 years old, Jones has his best football still ahead of him. After entering the season with early-round expectations, Jones saw his inconsistencies with hand placement and playing over his toes lead to him falling lower on draft boards. That said, his size and athleticism will still be in demand by the NFL, which is why a strong performance this week in Mobile could be a big boost for his professional future. Jones feels his personal growth over the last three years will allow him to thrive in this environment.

“I felt I got stronger, faster, smarter, mentally, just understanding the game,” Jones said. “So just little things like, schematically, learning more ball, just getting older man, getting more experienced in the game, it begins to move slow. My junior year, my last year at LSU, the game got real slow for me.”

Jones got a few reps at guard on Tuesday, a position that may suit him better at the next level. He said after practice that teams are split on where his best position will be in the NFL. He played solely right tackle at LSU but will likely split time at tackle and guard the rest of the week.

It’s worth noting that offensive lineman Tyler Steen, a third-round pick by the Eagles in the 2023 draft, was in a similar situation when he participated in the Senior Bowl two years ago: a college tackle who got reps at guard, and ended up being a backup right guard for his first two NFL seasons. Jones could be on a similar path.

If the Eagles are looking for a developmental guy on Day 2 of the draft, Jones should be at the top of their list as an option to be molded by Jeff Stoutland into Johnson’s replacement when he eventually retires.