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Draft Grade Roundup: Eagles Get Solid Marks Across the Board
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In the last post, we talked about The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, who believes the Eagles had the #1 draft class this year.
That’s pretty significant I think, based on the fact that Brugler is a draft-a-holic who studies these players with a level of detail that’s hard to replicate. We’re talking tens of thousands of words on the draft each year. His draft guide is thicker than the Craig Carton autobiography sitting on my desk.
Here’s how the Eagles graded out at some other top outlets:
NFL.com
Chad Reuter gave the Eagles an overall A, with a day one A, day two A-, and day three A:
Analysis: The Eagles became the first team in 16 years to use back-to-back first-round selections on receivers when they traded up two spots to pick Smith (they selected Jalen Reagor 21st overall last April). Smith is an outstanding talent who could very well prove worthy of sending their division-rival Cowboys a third-rounder for the two-spot swap. Dickerson was selected as a guard and could be center Jason Kelce’s replacement in a year or two, though his injury history made him a bit of a risk as a top-40 pick. Williams’ athleticism had earned him a spot in the third round. He’ll give Philly some needed depth at defensive tackle.
They found the nickel corner they needed in McPhearson early in the fourth, then found value in the fifth round with a slasher, dual-threat back in Gainwell. Trading sixth- and seventh-round picks this year to Washington for a fifth next year was shrewd, if for no other reason than the fifth-rounder will play as a better trading chip if they need to make another move down the road. With Josh Sweat and Derek Barnett set to hit free agency soon, they were smart to nab Jackson in the sixth round. Stevens is a strong tackler and leader who could play linebacker or safety in the NFL.
ESPN
With a new coach, 11 picks entering the draft — the most in the NFL — and a depleted roster, it’s clear that this team is headed for a rebuild on the fly. I never bought that the Eagles would try to draft a quarterback in Round 1, and they’re going to give Jalen Hurts the chance to win the job long-term. That means they need to put Hurts in position to succeed.
Injuries and ineffectiveness led to Eagles receivers combining for 2,082 receiving yards last season, the third-fewest in the league. Former sixth-round pick Travis Fulgham was their leading pass-catcher. So even after taking Jalen Reagor in Round 1 last year, I have no problem with Philly again targeting a first-round receiver, particularly with the top corners off the board. I was surprised Heisman Trophy winner DeVonta Smith (12) was still on the board when the Eagles traded up above the Giants to get him. Smith is my top-ranked receiver and is No. 3 on my Big Board. He is one of the best route runners I’ve studied over the past 20 years. He can be a special player, and he’ll make life easier for Hurts. (The Eagles did have to give up the No. 84 pick to move up with Dallas, a steep price with a divisional rival.)
Both of Philly’s Day 2 picks made my list of favorite prospects. Center Landon Dickerson (37) tore his ACL in December, but he would have been a clear first-rounder if he was fully healthy. He likely will play guard with Jason Kelce still on the roster. Milton Williams (73) has some upside as a 3-technique tackle, and he plays hard. I love both of these kids.
Kenneth Gainwell (150) has some juice as a runner — nearly 1,500 yards in 2019 — and is my sixth-ranked running back. Defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (189) is likely a two-down player as a nose tackle, but he could replace Javon Hargrave in 2022. JaCoby Stevens (224) is a versatile safety who was asked to play all over the field for the LSU defense.
The Eagles are positioned to make a real run in next year’s draft because they own the Dolphins’ first-rounder — they moved back six spots in Round 1 this year — and are likely to get the Colts’ first-round pick if Carson Wentz plays 75% of the snaps and they make the playoffs. I don’t know how good they’ll be this season with Hurts under center, but they’re one of the most intriguing teams in the NFC. Smith could be rookie of the year.
CBS Sports
Pete Prisco gave the Eagles a C+
Best pick: Fifth-round running back Kenneth Gainwell will prove to be a major steal. He opted out in 2020, but his 2019 tape is electric.
Worst pick: Second-round center Landon Dickerson is a good player, but there is a lot of injury history. That makes it a risky pick that could pay off, but it also could flop.
The skinny: I liked the pick of DeVonta Smith in the first round to amp up the passing game, but I think waiting until the fourth round to take a corner was a mistake. Taking two edge players late was smart.
Pro Football Focus
Day 1: The Eagles need elite players at many different positions, and they get one by initially trading down but then trading up to take DeVonta Smith. The Heisman Trophy winner immediately becomes the best receiver on Philadelphia’s roster. All Smith did last season was produce a 94.9 PFF grade with 23 touchdowns. He can play either wide or in the slot — it doesn’t matter. His diminutive size may have scared some teams off, but he has shown he can get open against anyone.
Day 2: If it weren’t for injuries, Landon Dickerson would be a high first-round pick and one of the best offensive linemen in this draft. But multiple ACL injuries caused his stock to come with a significant medical red flag. Taking that gamble in the second round is a lot smarter than doing so in the first. The Eagles can look for him to replace Jason Kelce long-term and maybe find a starting spot at guard in the meantime.
Williams is undersized on the interior. However, he showed at a historically impressive Pro Day that he has the athleticism necessary to win at that size in the NFL. He took a big leap forward this past season, improving his PFF grade from 72.6 to 90.8 from 2019 to 2020. The Eagles are set at starter between Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave, but Williams adds to the depth inside following the loss of Malik Jackson.
Day 3: The Eagles are getting incredible value for Patrick Johnson, a player ranked 92nd on PFF’s Big Board. He is a nice technical player but needs to create consistent value by showing up to play on every down. When he’s on his game, he is a very good player.
Yahoo Sports
Favorite pick: Dickerson
There’s a considerable health risk here, as four of Dickerson’s five college seasons ended with injury. If he can stay healthy, the Eagles landed one of the smarter, tougher, more physical interior linemen with an early second-round pick. Jason Kelce is in the twilight of his career, and Dickerson brings intangibles — and about 50 more pounds — that are similar to the Eagles’ longtime great. We’re holding out hope that Dickerson can have a long career because he has virtually everything desirable in an offensive lineman, save for a clean medical history.
Least-favorite pick: Williams
We moved Williams into our top 100 list before the draft at No. 87 overall because of his tremendous athleticism, intriguing upside and hot motor. He remains a project whose traits outweigh his production, and his size could be a limiting factor. He’s neither massive nor long for interior duty, so he’ll have to clean up his technique and learn better balance and keep blockers from getting into his chest so often. We don’t hate this pick, but we don’t think it was their best.
Overall: After a thoroughly confusing 2020 draft effort, the Eagles rebounded quite nicely with this year’s haul. The leapfrog over the Giants to grab Smith was inspired; they wouldn’t have gotten him otherwise. McPhearson (three career blocked kicks, four INTs in 2020), Gainwell and Tuipulotu were well worth the value where they were picked. Jackson has some Hugh Douglas vibes to him, able to make game-changing plays but also the kind of player who draws a lot of attention from referees. Stevens and Johnson could vie for roster spots. They also netted a lot of 2022 draft ammo with the trades with the Colts and Dolphins. For a team supposedly wallowing in dysfunction, the Eagles appeared to make the most of this class.
The Ringer
Danny Kelly gives the Birds a B+
The Eagles sent Dallas a third-round pick to move up two spots in the first round and select Smith, but that seems worth it: They come away with a big-time playmaker and the no. 1 receiver for their offense. Philly doubled down on Alabama players by nabbing Dickerson, who should bolster the interior of their line right away. I’m intrigued by Gainwell, as the fifth-round pick could complement Miles Sanders and become a pass-catching threat in space. And on defense, the Eagles did well by nabbing Williams and Tuipulotu. The former has the tools to emerge as a subpackage rusher early in his career.
The Draft Network
This is an impossible class to grade here, as the Eagles just took giant swings left and right and hoped for the best. If DeVonta Smith translates despite a rail-thin frame, Landon Dickerson stays healthy, Milton Williams turns his athletic ability into legit pass-rush work, Zech McPhearson builds his body into one that can hang on the outside, Kenny Gainwell actually finds an RB/WR role, and JaCoby Stevens capitalized on elite athleticism in a way he never did at LSU, this is the greatest class ever. But the floor is also mighty low here, especially when you consider the trade up for Smith.
Sports Illustrated
Conor Orr gives the Eagles a B-
Kudos to the Eagles for not leaving Jalen Hurts without a shot in 2021. The DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson picks go a long way toward healing an increasingly veteran offensive line and diversifying a wide receiver corps that has been threadbare over the past two seasons.
Dickerson, who is coming back from an ACL injury, represents the kind of high-upside injury bet that many teams made in the upper-middle rounds this year. While some won’t hit, Dickerson is a player who can operate at any position on the offensive line in a pinch, but right away will compete for a shot at guard.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com