Reaction to the Eagles trading out of the top 10?

It’s all over the place. We’ll circle back Monday and see if people came to their senses with more pragmatic and measured takes. There’s always hysteria following a big Birds move.

For now, it’s worth reminding everybody that there will be some great players on the board at #12 overall. That’s where Fletcher Cox was picked back in the day. Vita Vea and Deshaun Watson were the 12th overall pick. Same with Ryan Clady and Odell Beckham, Jr.

Yes, there’s always a chance Howie Roseman screws it up, but even going back six full picks, these players might still be on the board:

  • Jaylen Waddle – fantastic Alabama receiver who would project higher if he wasn’t coming off injury
  • Micah Parsons – Best linebacker in the draft, and a freak athlete who opted out of Penn State’s 2020 season. There are a couple of mock drafts that have the Giants taking him at #11 overall. They also need an edge rusher, New York.
  • Jaycee Horn – A bigger corner, standing 6’1″ and weighing 205 pounds. He’s a day-one NFL starter who played against some great competition in the SEC.
  • Caleb Farley – The Virginia Tech corner who opted out of this past season. He’s also a bigger CB with good ball skills and speed.
  • Rashawn Slater – A versatile offensive lineman, who would help the Eagles get younger and rebuild the trenches during this transitional period. He can play tackle or guard.
  • DeVonta Smith – The Heisman Trophy winner is projected to go outside the top 10 now.
  • Patrick Surtain – Going through different mocks, he still seems to be the consensus #1 corner. He could possibly get to 12, but I don’t think he makes it past the Cowboys at 10. Depends on how they view the other DBs.

You get the point.

The only guys they are really going to miss out on now are the top four quarterbacks, obviously, plus Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts, Penei Sewell, and maybe Surtain, depending on what happens in the next few weeks. Beyond that, there are going to be a lot of good names on the board at #12 overall.

And yes, I know people are down on Howie Roseman, and think he stinks at drafting, and I hear you. But I explain in this video why that line of thinking, while understandable, doesn’t serve much of a purpose and only paints our discussions into a corner: