The 2020 NFL Draft gave sports fans the opportunity to break away from the monotony of social distancing. There were plenty of stories and incredible moments, and for the first virtual draft ever, it went incredibly well. Plenty of teams made great picks, and some teams made some interesting suggestions. Let’s analyze the picks of the Philadelphia Eagles.
ROUND 1, PICK 21- WR Jalen Reagor: B
I’m becoming fonder of Reagor the more I analyze his play, but I think the pick could have gone other places. I still believe Justin Jefferson would have been a better selection. Better yet, the selection should have been on a defensive player, or the Eagles should have traded back. Reagor is incredibly speedy, and he has potential, but I wonder how high his ceiling is. Overall, I think it’s an okay selection.
ROUND 2, PICK 53- QB Jalen Hurts: C+
Yes, the Philadelphia Eagles do have issues with QB health, but, at this time, this is nowhere near their biggest issue. This pick should have addressed at least 10 other positions. Hurts is a talented QB, but the Eagles needed to address other issues first. It’s too early to take a QB. The idea of “Taysom Hill 2.0” is intriguing, but, if it doesn’t work, this is a botched pick, especially when Carson Wentz just signed a huge deal.
ROUND 3, PICK 103- LB Davion Taylor: A-
Taylor is a speedy linebacker, and this pick addresses a position that the Eagles desperately needed to bolster. While he is a work in progress, Taylor has potential, and he plays extremely hard. He’s determined and aggressive, and I believe that he can contribute in a big way this season. I absolutely love this selection.
ROUND 4, PICK 127- S K’Von Wallace: A
All last season, I dreaded watching the Eagles on defense. While their front was good, the secondary was porous and weak. Opposing quarterbacks had a field day tearing up the Eagles’ safeties and corners. Wallace has experience in big games, and he’s been coached by one of the best NCAA coaches in the country. He should be plugged in quickly, even though the Eagles have added plenty of support this offseason. I expect Wallace to have a big role with the Eagles.
ROUND 4, PICK 145- OL Jack Driscoll: B+
Driscoll has experience at two different universities, and he showed that he can stay healthy. He started 45/46 games that he played in during his collegian career. He can play different roles on the offensive line, and the Eagles need plenty of depth on their offensive line. Don’t be surprised if he plays both guard and tackle, like he did in college.
ROUND 5, PICK 168- WR John Hightower: A
Hightower played two seasons at a Hinds Community College before arriving at Boise State. In fact, Hightower didn’t even make the football team during his first season at Hinds Community College. He is determined, and he is fast. He can add a vertical downfield threat, and this will help open up the field for the rest of the receivers and tight ends. I like this pick, and it’s a great selection for the 5th round.
6th-and-7th Round Selections
For the 6th and 7th round selections, I am going to give my general opinion. I don’t have enough knowledge or information on these players to truly give an informed opinion, and I refuse to just restate someone else’s opinion. I really like Shaun Bradley and Prince Tega Wanogho, I am okay with Casey Toohill, and I’m not a fan of Quez Watkins.
Overall
As a whole, I would give the draft a grade of a B. The late picks were fantastic, but the earlier picks really bring down the grade. The 1st and 2nd round selections hold a lot of weight in the overall grade, and some late picks can’t bring the grade up that much. The Eagles needed to address plenty of holes, and they did. However, some holes were addressed with the wrong player, and some were addressed too late.
Credit: Some background information was gathered from the Eagles’ website.
Eric Fenstermaker 