May 03, 2015
Gus Ruelas/AP
Most pundits seem to approve of the Eagles' selection of USC WR Nelson Agholor.
As we noted yesterday after the draft concluded, there's a feeling that you can never really evaluate a draft class until three years have gone by, but that's not going to stop me and my media ilk from judging the draft less than a day after it has wrapped up. Personally, I prefer the more scientific smiley face grade approach, but let's take a look at some of the guys who doled out letter grades.
The Eagles missed the playoffs last season, and defense was the main reason. The secondary, to be specific. And after Philly selected USC receiver Nelson Agholor in the first round (ostensibly to replace Jeremy Maclin), the really wise pick came in the second round with Utah's Eric Rowe, who's played cornerback and free safety at a high level. In the third round, the choice was Texas outside linebacker Jordan Hicks, who could be a pass-rusher in a rotational sense. Then, two cornerbacks from the Sunflower State: Kansas's JaCorey Shepherd (No. 191), and Kansas State's Randall Evans (No. 196). Shepherd, a former receiver, might be the bigger project of the two, while Evans is the more polished player.
The skinny: Poor Agholor will have the distinction of being "Not Marcus Mariota" in Philly, but that doesn't matter. He'll be a great fit for Chip Kelly's offensive system. His return game is not to be underestimated either, and he's a picture-perfect replacement for Jeremy Maclin. Don't be surprised if he has the most catches of any rookie wideout next season. Rowe brings great coverage skills, and as a bonus, he can play both safety and corner. Hicks could turn out to be a quality player if he can stay healthy.
#JimmyNote: Agholor won't be "Not Mariota." Sam Bradford will.
Best pick: Rowe - Getting Rowe at No. 47 was a nice value. He has a chance to make a big impact for the Eagles.
Questionable pick: Hicks - Maybe Hicks will take over Mychal Kendricks' job, but the third round seemed a round or two too early.
If the Eagles weren't making a move for Marcus Mariota in the first round, it was apparent the team needed to fix the secondary. The Eagles smartly did that with Rowe and Shepherd. Rowe will be fine at either safety or cornerback and Shepherd has great instincts to play the slot. Agholor is a nice replacement for (Jeremy Maclin).
Overview: Even after whiffing on Marcus Mariota, the Eagles kept their cool and made a lot of good draft-weekend moves. Not included here was a deal with Detroit that netted Philadelphia the Lions' 2016 third-round pick in exchange for the Eagles' 2015 fourth-rounder. I think it's good forward-thinking process for teams to make moves like that. Agholor will seamlessly replace Jeremy Maclin. Rowe was seen by some as a safety in the pre-draft phase, but will be a press corner in Philadelphia and is a good bet to start opposite Byron Maxwell right away. Hicks seems like a luxury pick considering the Eagles' inside linebacker depth, but will contribute on special teams and could replace Mychal Kendricks by as soon as 2016. Although Shepherd has athletic limitations, he was one of the best cornerbacks in college football last season. I'm admittedly not as familiar with Evans and Mihalik. This draft wound up generating few headlines, but I feel confident the Eagles got better. (And they get to keep Fletcher Cox!)
Best Pick: I love second-round pick Eric Rowe, a big corner who fits with what teams want now. He could also play safety if needed.
Questionable move: Third-round pick Jordan Hicks, a linebacker from Texas, has talent, but he has been plagued by injuries. The third might have been a little high.
Third-day gem: Sixth-round corner JaCorey Shepherd is a former receiver who has a lot of athletic ability. He has a chance to push for a roster spot.
Analysis: The Eagles didn't make the big move to go up and get Marcus Mariota, although they tried, so they kept their picks. They picked receiver Nelson Agholor in the first round, which I like. I love the Rowe pick as well. Nice job, Chip Kelly.
Philadelphia Eagles: The Eagles apparently did all they could to try to move up for Mariota. It didn’t work, so the night probably goes down as a major failure in Coach Chip Kelly’s view. The Eagles’ consolation prize was getting WR Nelson Agholor at 20th. They needed another play-maker at receiver after parting with DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin the past two offseasons. But there is room to wonder if they should have taken Breshad Perriman instead.
Chip Kelly did well to resist trading away a lot of picks, and nailed Agholor as a direct great replacement for Jeremy Maclin. Rowe has a shot at starting right away, too. The rest is underwhelming depth for the defense, at the cost of ignoring the real position of need there (safety) and offensive line depth.
Chip Kelly might not have the maestro he coveted to run his offense, but he didn't leave this draft empty-handed. He has put a premium on guys that will buy in, and I think he got those types and hit a couple home runs in the process. Nelson Agholor to me just screams "high floor." He's a great route runner, plucks the ball out away from his body, has the proven toughness of a return man -- you should hear Polian talk about that -- and is sneaky explosive. He can get behind defenses. I also think Eric Rowe at No. 47 overall was a steal. He is a great kid and offers up versatility (CB or S), and I thought he'd be a good value as early as the end of Round 1. Jordan Hicks was a bit of a reach, but I can see where depth need is, given the group they have at linebacker. JaCorey Shepherd was often overlooked at Kansas, but was a steady performer and certainly helps at cornerback, and though Derron Smith had a reputation that surpassed what he showed on tape, that's a good need fit in Round 6. Eagles fans feeling let down by this draft should cheer up -- they got some good pieces. If Sam Bradford is indeed the answer, they can be back in the playoffs.
#JimmyNote: For the purpose of clearing up any potential confusion, the Eagles did not draft Derron Smith. Mel had a long weekend, so we'll give him a pass on that one.
Follow Jimmy on Twitter: @JimmyKempski
