Previewing Eagles’ Draft: Wide Receivers
Rarely do the Eagles get things wrong when it comes to finances.
Philadelphia. though, seemed to get caught at least a little off guard when it came to the explosion of the veteran WR market, which has shifted plans from adding a proven body (a more substantive one than Zach Pascal) to Nick Sirianni’s receiving room to yet another rookie.
The sea change came after failing in the trade market (Calvin Ridley and Robert Woods), as well as free agency (Christian Kirk, Allen Robinson) when it came to adding a complement to emerging second-year star DeVonta Smith and watching superstars like Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, and Tyreek Hill break the bank.
Potential future high-profile trades that have fans in a lather and would bring players like DK Metcalf, A.J. Brown, or Deebo Samuel to Philadelphia are unrealistic due to the enormous price tag of draft assets plus the extensions with average annual values north of $20 million that would have to be given to the players.
For now, the only upgrade the Eagles were able to get was Sirianni-favorite Pascal on a one-year deal to play stop-gap unless you consider it plausible that Devon Allen can go from Olympic hurdler to NFL contributor after six years away from the game.
Admittedly, that might be more plausible than the embattled Jalen Reagor and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside helping.
Reagor’s agent, Jeff Nalley, has been given permission to shop the 2020 first-round pick while JJAW is entering the final year of his rookie deal as a 2019 second-round pick with 16 receptions over three seasons.
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It’s almost inconceivable that Philadelphia will not come out of the draft later this month without a WR among its first three picks (Nos. 15, 18, and 51), a now annual tradition dating back to the failed drafting of Arcega-Whiteside and Reagor in 2020.
Smith stopped the bleeding with an excellent rookie season (64 receptions for a franchise rookie record 916 yards and five touchdowns) as the 10th overall pick in 2021 while the development of Quez Watkins (43-647-1) as a 2020 sixth-round pick has been trumpeted by the organization.
No matter the spin, though, Plan A this offseason was to get an accomplished player to help mentor Smith and Watkins moving forward, not have those still-developing young players take an even younger one under their wings.
There’s a cliche in football that says need is the worst talent evaluator and the hope is a deep draft class at the WR position somewhat limits the Eagles’ likelihood of making a poor decision at the position despite it remaining such a significant need.
When it comes to the first round, it’s about a Howie Roseman favorite saying: What’s your favorite flavor?
Previous misses on contested-catch and manufactured-touch options should have the Eagles playing it safe with the three most well-rounded options available in Alabama’s Jameson Williams, a decision complicated by an ACL tear in the National Championship Game, and the Ohio State duo of Garrett Wilson and Chris Olave.
Other first-round talents include the rangy Drake London of Southern Cal, Arkansas big-play threat Treylon Burks, and perhaps Penn State’s Jahan Dotson.
EAGLES WR DEPTH CHART:
Z – DeVonta Smith, Jalen Reagor, John Hightower
X – Zach Pascal, J.J. Arcega-Whiteside, Deon Cain
Slot – Quez Watkins, Greg Ward, Devon Allen
EAGLES TODAY TOP 10:
1. Jameson Williams, Alabama
2. Garrett Wilson, Ohio State
3. Chris Olave, Ohio State
4. Drake London, Southern Cal
5. Treylon Burks, Arkansas
6. Jahan Dotson, Penn State
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7. Christian Watson, North Dakota State
8. George Pickens, Georgia
9. Skyy Moore, Western Michigan
10. Alec Pierce, Cincinnati
Sleeper – Dai’Jean Dixon, Nicholls State
Boom or Bust – Jalen Tolbert, South Alabama
BUILDING THE PERFECT WR
Route-Running – Chris Olave, Ohio State – Once you hit the requisite physical bar to play WR in the NFL, the best indicator for success is being ahead of the curve when it comes to route-running, and Olave, who visited the Eagles this week on a top-30 visit, is this year’s crispest route runner.
Hands – Drake London, Southern Cal – The contested-catch king, London snares everything within what is a pretty impressive radius with his 6-foot-4 frame.
Speed – Tyquan Thompson, Baylor – The 4.28 40-yard time, something faster than what Olympic hurdler Devon Allen did at Oregon’s pro day before the Eagles signed him, tells you all you need to know.
Manufactured Touch – Treylon Burks, Arkansas – If you’re looking for the next Deebo Samuel, take a flyer with Burks, a physical receiver who plays the position like a RB.
Release – Garrett Wilson, Ohio State – The smoothest WR in the class, Wilson’s quickness off the line is eye-opening.
Blocking – Erik Ezukanma, Texas Tech – Ezukanma has good size and toughness to do the dirty work. NFL receiving coaches will do the rest when it comes to blocking which should help Ezukanma garner a roster spot.
Eagles Potential Picks:
Day 1 – Jameson Williams, Chris Olave
The guess here is that Wilson is gone before the Eagles start at No. 15 and the team will shy away from the contested-catch type with London and the manufactured touch player in Burks after getting burned by JJAW and Reagor. That leaves the two most well-rounded players and if the Eagles’ are willing to wait on Williams’ ACL, they could get the best WR in the draft.
Day 2 – George Pickens, Christian Watson
Pickens, who is also coming off a torn ACL, was in for a top-30 visit and has first-round talent while Eagles’ WR coach Aaron Moorehead was working out Watson intently at his pro day.
If Philadelphia misses out on a WR on Day 1 expect them to focus on a true X receiver and these are two fits.
Day 3 – Danny Gray, Kevin Austin, Bo Melton
You should be looking at ceilings on Day 3 with a deep draft class and Gray (SMU), Austin (Notre Dame), and Melton (Rutgers) have starter-like potential down the road with sound and patient coaching.
MORE:
Previewing Eagles’ Draft: Running Backs
Previewing Eagles Draft: Quarterbacks – Sports Illustrated
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com’s Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show “Extending the Play” on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at [email protected] or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
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