Analyzing the Eagles 2020 Draft
Despite mock draft and fan-favorite Justin Jefferson still on the board, the Eagles opted to go another route, choosing Jalen Regaor with their first pick in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Round 1 – Pick 21: Jalen Reagor, WR // TCU
Watching CeeDee Lamb fall to the arch-rival Dallas Cowboys with the 17th pick certainly stung, but Reagor fits the mold of what the Eagles are looking for on offense.
In three seasons Reagor racked up 22 scores on 3,296 all-purpose yards. Reagor lined up all over the field playing outside and slot receiver, even while taking snaps out of the backfield.
Jet sweeps, bubble screens, and fly routes maximize Reagor’s strengths as a speed receiver.
The speed demon out of TCU ran two unofficial 4.22 and 4.27 40-yard dash at his virtual pro-day, despite disappointing many at the NFL Combine with a 4.47. Cut the tape on and one can clearly see Reagor runs faster than a 4.40 and was once clocked at 22.6 mph according to Jeff McLane.
Coming in at 5’11, 206 lbs Reagor is more than just a deep threat. In college, Reagor showcased his ability to make contested catches, which results in a 42-inch vertical jump. Despite being under 6’0, Reagor still has the capability to play above the rim.
Selecting Reagor at 21 comes with concern. Reagor is a player with boom or bust potential. Criticisms stem from a lackluster senior season, which saw Reagor barley break 600 receiving yards (611). In his last two seasons as a horned frog, Reagor was open on 73% of targets the past two seasons, but only 37% of those targets were accurate per PFF.
Carson Wentz needs better receivers, and Reagor needs better QB play. The two complement each other nicely.
Drops have been a flaw in Reagor’s game per Bill Huber: In 2018, Reagor dropped six of 137 targeted passes, according to Sports Info Solutions. In 2019, he dropped nine of 92. Of our top 32 receivers, he ranked a woeful 30th in drop rate. Players who drop passes in college tend to drop them in the NFL too.”
The last thing the Eagles need is another receiver who drops the football.
Philly held three pre-draft meetings with Reagor, in addition to new receivers coach (Andrew Moorehead) coaching the wide-out drills at the combine. The coaching staff seems to feel comfortable fixing his issues. Philadelphia wanted a burner on the outside, and that’s what they got when choosing Reagor.
This seems like a reach at No.21 but the team sees through his stats and focuses on his upside.
Round 2 – Pick 53: Jalen Hurts, QB // Oklahoma
This was the most controversial draft pick in Philadelphia Eagles history.
With much bigger needs at LB, WR or even CB, the Eagles elected to take a QUARTERBACK in Jalen Hurts with the 53rd pick in the draft, when they already have $128,000,000 invested in Wentz.
Absolutely flabbergasting.
Considering Wentz’s injury history, it is not surprising the Birds wanted to go QB shopping in this year’s draft…but it was not something they should have done with their second pick. They could have gotten a guy on Day 3…
Speaking of that second pick…
Roseman did not want to use his second selection (No. 53) as ammunition in a draft-day trade to swap spots with Atlanta and select CEEDEE LAMB. Instead, Roseman sat on his hands and let the Cowboys select Lamb the very next pick, while the Eagles settled for Reagor…
Instead, Roseman holds on to that pick and turns it into Jalen Hurts…
L O L
This is how the organization supports Wentz?
It is clear Doug Pederson and company value the backup QB position, but this selection has Philly fans scratching their heads.
After winning SEC Freshman of the year at Alabama, Hurts was eventually benched in favor of Tua Taglovalia and transferred to Oklahoma. As a senior at OU, Hurts had his best season throwing the football in 2019 with 32 TD’s and 8 INTs. To cap it all off, Hurts almost had 1,300 yards rushing (1,298) his senior season, and finished second place in the Heisman Trophy running.
Including his days at Alabama, Hurts has accounted for 80 passing TD’s, 43 rushing TDs and 20 INTs.
Hurts is a dual-threat QB who loves to use his legs and accelerates in evading pressure.
On the other side of things, Hurts’s athleticism hurts him at times, as he tends to break the pocket when throws are still left to be made. Scouts also critique Hurt’s decision making at the time.
While trying to make sense of this pick, Hurts does have a ton of upside. His accuracy as a passer has improved from his time at Bama. Hurts has been in both starting and backup roles throughout his collegiate career, with his coaches constantly emphasizing his character throughout the process. Hurts is no stranger to adversity. Landing in Philadelphia is a great thing for him, as he still needs to develop the holes in his game. Eagles like Hurts as a player, person, and teammate.
Expect to see Hurts used in a “Wildcat” type of package in 2020.
Guessing the Eagles can call it the “Wildbird“?
Roseman had this to say about the selection:
“For better or for worse, we’re Quarterback developers. We want to be a Quarterback factory”
This quote is hilarious considering the Eagles took a QB, Clayton Thorson, in late in last year’s draft but cut him after six months. Suddenly we are running a QB “factory”?!
The only way the Eagles will see TRUE VALUE from this pick is if Wentz misses significant time. This draft was supposed to be about building around Wentz, and the selection of Hurts does not support that statement. Are the Eagles really concerned with Wentz’s injury history. Does the team value Hurts’s skillset enough to set him in some special plays for him?
Sal Paolantonio got the scoop on ESPN revealing texts with him and coach Pederson. Paolantonio said he simply asked “Doug why’d you do it?” and Pederson responded with:
“He has a great skill set that we can use as a Quarterback, and as a runner. He’s tough competitive, and a proven winner. He will be a great addition to our Quarterback room.”
Hurts has commonly been compared to (yep, you guessed it) Dak Prescott throughout the draft process.
Round 3 – Pick 103: Davion Taylor, OLB // Colorado
In case you were wondering…his middle name is Jalen! Noticing a trend here?
All jokes aside, this is a solid selection for the Birds. Coming in at 6’2 22l5 lbs, and running an astounding 40-yard dash, Taylor can be seen as a positionless player. Taylor is a “thumper“, with his tape as a reminder of his big hit ability.
Although Taylor is listed as an LB, he is a hybrid player that has experience playing in the secondary.
Having a jack of all trades on defense is something that should be intriguing to Jim Schwartz. We have seen Schwartz get creative with the way he uses his safeties.
The Eagles defense has been longing for a player with Taylor’s 4.37 speed.
Despite impressive measurables and versatility, Taylor is a raw prospect, having only played two years of D1 Football. Prior to playing at Colorado, Taylor attended junior college. Taylor’s talent is undeniable, but it may be a while before it can be tamed. Scouts critique his knowledge of the position but admire his attributes as an all-around player.
During Taylor’s selection Trey Wingo reported:
“He played exactly one and one-half games of high school football and parlayed that into a football scholarship at Colorado”
Overall, Taylor capped off his career at Colorado with 129 total tackles, (18 TFL), two sacks, and six fumble recoveries.
Round 4 – Pick #127: K’Von Wallace, S // Clemson
Steal of the 2020 NFL Draft?
This pick has the potential to be the best of the 2020 Draft class. Wallace had an accomplished collegiate career with 156 tackles, two sacks, five interceptions, alongside two national championships at Clemson. Despite the accolades, Wallace did not test as well at the combine than people thought.
The last time the Eagles selected a Safety from Clemson…it worked out pretty well for them.
Focusing on the playing field, Wallace lined up in the slot 50% of the time his final season. Schwartz was probably won over by Wallace’s versatility.
According to ProFootballFocus, Wallace has had a 92.1% grade in coverage since 2017. Sounds great for an Eagles defense that ranked 19th against the pass last year. Granting his skills in coverage, Wallace was most effective when he was asked to blitz.
Wallace wreaks havoc has a blitzer.
Expect to see Wallace in a Malcolm Jenkins like-role for years to come.
Wide Receivers
Day 3 for the Birds can be summed up it one word…SPEED!
During the later part of the Draft, Philadelphia focused on surrounding Wentz with pass catchers. Speed is an emphasis on both of these receivers’ games. Philly fans should be happy with these two play-makers.
In the fifth-round, Philly went with John Hightower. Hightower hauled in 82 catches for 1,447 yards and 14 TD’s all while averaging an impressive 17.6 yards per catch. At 6’2, Hightower is the tallest receiver on the roster behind Alshon Jeffery. It is nice to see the Eagles compliment the receivers they have on the roster.
Just prior to drafting Hightower, Goodwin and a seventh-round (No.210) pick came over in a trade with the San Francisco 49ers, while the Eagles coughed up a seventh-rounder of their pwn (No. 190). Goodwin was clocked at 4.27 coming out of college. The Eagles essentially gained Goodwin’s services for only a sixth-round selection…
Goodwin is now signed on a one-year deal worth up to $1.35 million.
Talk about a steal.
Although Goodwin is susceptible to injury, Roseman could not pass on his speed at that price.
“With the 200th pick in the NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select…”
Watkins was the fourth receiver the Eagles acquired over the Draft weekend. All the reinforcements possess top-end speed. Watkins can fly posting up a 4.35 during the 40-yard dash, which ranked second-fastest among all receivers at the 2020 Combine.
Daniel Jeremiah thinks Watkins would have been a third of our fourth-rounder in any other draft, but the depth at the receiver position caused Watkins to slip in the Draft. This is a tremendous value pick for the Birds if Watkins pans out.
Adding explosive playmakers in the passing game seems to be a priority.
Lineman/Late Rounds & Picks
- Jack Driscoll (OL) was selected at No. 145 out of Auburn. Driscoll has the ability to play both guard and tackle, so it will be interesting to see where the Birds end up playing him on their offensive line. The pick adds depth at o-line, and a possible replacement to the void at swing tackle left behind by Halapoulivaati Vaitai.
- Shaun Bradley (LB) was selected in the sixth-round at Pick No. 196 out of Temple. The New Jersey native does not have to go too far from home. Bradley is the second linebacker taken by the Birds in this year’s draft. This selection solidifies depth at LB, an area the Eagles were expected to bulk up. Bradley also adds value on special teams.
- Prince Tega Wanogho (OT) was selected in the sixth-round at Pick No. 210. Wanogho was the second offensive line taken by the Birds, as well as the second player from the University of Auburn. Wangho reunites with Driscoll, the two look to provide depth on the Eagles offensive line. A knee injury causes Wangho to wait around until the sixth-round to hear his name called. This pick also the potential to an out into an eventual role-player along the line. Injuries impacted Wangho’s draft stock.
- Casey Toohill (DE) was selected in seventh-round at Pick No. 233. Toohill is thought of as a project player. Hopefully, he can come in and compete for the third DE slot on this roster.
Featured Image: CBS Sports HQ
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