The Eagles 2018 Draft Class Has a Bright Future
It’s no secret that the drafting and free agency acquisitions made by the Philadelphia Eagles have been lacking over the last few years.
Howie Roseman has more often than not missed opportunities to bring in talent to this team, whether it’s young or veteran talent.
It’s been noted on several occasions that these misses have caused a lot of the struggles for this Eagles team the last few years. Instead of piling on more to this mess, we’re going to look at the other side of things.
One of the most recent draft classes have shown signs of improvement this season and give the Eagles optimism moving forward.
Let’s take a look at the Eagles 2018 draft class and the bright future they have ahead.
Dallas Goedert
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After trading out of the last pick in the first round, the Eagles took Dallas Goedert in the second round, 49th overall. After losing depth at tight end, the Eagles needed a good backup tight end to Zach Ertz, and Goedert was the choice for them.
Every year in the league, Goedert has continued to improve and show he can be a top tight end in this league. Down the stretch in 2019, he was one of the top receiving targets for the Eagles in their late run to the playoffs. Early this season, it was clear that Goedert would be the top tight end option in this offense when healthy. He was getting the most targets among the group and opened up the vertical passing game a lot better than the other tight end options.
Injuries have held back Goedert’s production and numbers this season, but the talent is still there and more to be unlocked. With uncertainty for Zach Ertz as an Eagle next year, it’s clear Goedert is going to be the top tight end moving forward.
Avonte Maddox
Another piece of the Eagles trading out of the first round in 2018. Avonte Maddox was selected in the fourth round, 125th overall by the Eagles. He had a strong rookie year where it seemed like he was always in the right place to make a needed play. It looked as if he had the versatility to play outside corner, slot corner, or even free safety at times.
The last two years have been a little different than what Maddox showed us during his rookie year. He’s battled through injuries and showed he’s capable of being beaten on the outside when matched up against bigger receivers. Granted, this is the Eagles’ fault for thinking he could be a true outside cornerback and getting rid of all of their cornerbacks. Maddox fits best as a slot cornerback, as he has the ability to keep up with slot receivers and make a play in the short passing game.
I still think Maddox has a bright future if he can be put in the best ability to make plays. It’s up to the Eagles to do so for Maddox.
Josh Sweat
Here is one of the brightest spots you can look at in Howie Roseman’s drafting history. Josh Sweat was selected a few picks after Maddox at 130 overall. The biggest concern for Sweat coming into the draft was injury history, as he dealt with knee injuries in high school and college. Other than that, he was a can’t miss prospect. Howie certainly didn’t miss on Sweat.
Sweat spent most of his rookie year going through a redshirt year and learning to become a better player. He did get playing time and showed flashes but still needed time to develop. In his second season, he showed a lot more ability and stepped into being a defensive end on situational downs. 2020 is where he has truly taken off. Even in a limited role, Sweat has been dominant on the field for the Eagles. He’s shown he can get after the quarterback at a high level and give the Eagles a big play when needed. He has six sacks on the season and three forced fumbles.
Sweat is coming off of arguably his best game as a pro, where he sacked Saints quarterback two times and forced a fumble on a key fourth down. It’s safe to say the Josh Sweat breakout season is here, and he will be making big plays for a long time.
Matt Pryor
Here’s a player that still seems to be a little bit of a wild card moving forward. Matt Pryor was a sixth-round, 208th overall pick in 2018 as a depth piece on the offensive line. Pryor was thrown into the fire at the end of 2019 when Brandon Brooks went down with an injury and later started the Eagles’ lone playoff game.
2020 has been a year where Pryor has gotten his most experience as a pro. What makes Pryor a key piece moving forward is his versatility along the entire offensive line. He’s played both tackle and both guard positions this season and has gone against some of the league’s best defensive lines. He hasn’t performed the best out there at times, but he’s still learning to play each position and needs the most reps possible. As a sixth-round pick, he’s presented nice value and has plenty of room for improvement.
Jordan Mailata
The final pick for the Eagles 2018 draft and what started as a complete flyer of a selection. A former rugby player who had never taken a snap of the football, Jordan Mailata was taken in the seventh round, 233rd overall by the Eagles. We had no idea how this pick would play out, as translating from one sport to another is never an easy task. After almost three years, this experiment is finally paying off.
The first two years, it never felt like we would see the Jordan Mailata Experience play out, as he was either a fringe roster candidate or an IR candidate every year. In 2020, he finally got the chance to show he can play in the NFL. After taking over for Jason Peters at left tackle, Mailata showed that he could play and block elite pass rushers in this league. He’s been able to learn the position quickly and on the fly and get better each week with more reps.
The one mistake the Eagles made was trying to switch him from left to right tackle after Peters came back. Mailata struggled, but he was still the right man for the job at left tackle. It’s his job for the taking moving forward, and the Eagles have gotten amazing value from their seventh-round pick. It may have taken years to happen, but the wait was definitely worth it. The Eagles have a true building block for their offense in Mailata.
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