Grading the Eagles’ 2019 Draft Class
Another season has come and gone for the Eagles with lots of questions regarding the coaching staff and the injured players returning.
Fans can reflect on the previous offseason moves made and the impact they made.
The team has taken some criticism over the last few years on who they have picked. It has been perceived that they have missed on multiple players not named Carson Wentz.
This season’s draft class featured some that had bigger roles than expected.
Round One, Pick 22: Andre Dillard, OT // Grade: B-
Jason Peters once again faced injuries throughout the season with his growing age. Andre Dillard was drafted for this specific reason. He was put to the test against the Dallas Cowboys in week seven where things didn’t go as well for him. After that game, he would make three more starts where he showed to be effective covering Carson Wentz’s blindside. His pass blocking got better as the year went on and now seems to be a good pick for the Eagles.
Sitting behind a future Hall of Famer in Peters was a plus for Dillard’s development. It’s not known when he will be a full-time starter, but he looks to be the future left tackle for this team.
Round Two, Pick 53: Miles Sanders, RB // Grade: B+
After a slow start on the ground during the first half of the season, Jordan Howard’s injury ignited Miles Sanders 2.0. No doubt that fans saw a bright future with Sanders in the backfield. He was dynamic with his ability to catch the ball and his speed outside the tackles. Sanders made defenses miserable with trying to contain him. He led all NFL rookies in yards from scrimmage with 1,327 yards while scoring six touchdowns in the process. Sanders and Boston Scott made for a formative team at running back and made the Eagles decision to bring back Jordan Howard harder.
Both of the young running backs are the future of the Eagles and should play a big role next season.
Round Two, Pick 57: J.J. Arcega-Whiteside // WR, Grade: C+
Rough start for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside to begin his career. He dropped a critical fourth and 16 passes in the end zone late in the fourth quarter in a loss to the Detroit Lions. After that game, Arcega-Whiteside lost playing time until Alshon Jeffery and Nelson Agholor went down with injuries.
Arcega-Whiteside played better towards the end of the season with most of the attention going to Dallas Goedert and Greg Ward Jr.’s performances. He finished the season with just 10 catches for 169 yards and one touchdown. There is work to be done with him, but he’s on the right path to redemption in 2020.
Round Four, Pick 138: Shareef Miller // DE, Grade: D+
Shareef Miller was impressive in preseason recording two sacks and seven tackles in four games. Miller’s performance was good enough to earn him a spot on the team. His performance in the regular season? Basically non-existent.
He played a total of two snaps against the Buffalo Bills and that’s pretty much it. It’ll be interesting to see the impact of him next season with Vinny Curry hitting free agency. He’s quick off the edge and makes him an effective pass rusher. Eagle fans hope to see more of him next season.
Round Five, Pick 167: Clayton Thorson // QB, Grade: F
It’s hard to grade Clayton Thorson any other way since he didn’t make the final roster. He struggled in the preseason as it became clear quickly that the game was moving too fast for him. He was seen as a developmental quarterback with the future as a backup quarterback. He only completed 48% of his passes in the preseason with one touchdown and three interceptions.
With Josh McCown being signed on after Nate Sudfeld’s injury, Thorson didn’t make the most of his opportunity to win the backup job and was cut. He spent the season with the Dallas Cowboys on their practice squad and recently signed a reserved/future contract.
Undrafted Rookie Standouts
T.J. Edwards
T.J. Edwards stepped up after Nigel Bradham missed time with injuries and Zach Brown was cut from the team. Edwards ended up starting four games and played every game this season with 30 tackles recorded. He played well against the run and was a solid tackler.
While some development is needed, he was a great example of “next man up” and earned a spot on the Eagles heading into the 2020 season.
Anthony Rush
Called upon in the last nine games of the season, Anthony Rush came in with injuries to Malik Jackson and Timmy Jernigan and played effectively. He recorded nine tackles and two pass deflections. He will make for a reliable backup next season and might play more if the team decides not to bring back Jernigan since he’s a free agent.
Featured Image: Al Pereira/Getty Images
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