September 16, 2017
As long as you're taking in some college football action this Saturday afternoon/evening, here are some players who could make some sense for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2018 NFL Draft.
To note, the Eagles currently have seven draft picks in the 2018 NFL Draft, listed here.
Torrey Smith showed last Sunday that he can take the top off a defense, but he may only be a short-term fix. The Eagles may look to add a young speedster on the outside, like they did in the 2017 draft, when they took Shelton Gibson, although obviously that has not worked out.
Washington fits the bill, as he has averaged 19.8 yards per catch over his career.
| James Washington | Rec | Yards | YPC | TD |
| 2014 | 28 | 456 | 16.3 | 8 |
| 2015 | 53 | 1087 | 20.5 | 10 |
| 2016 | 71 | 1380 | 19.4 | 10 |
| 2017 | 8 | 243 | 30.4 | 3 |
| TOTAL | 160 | 3166 | 19.8 | 31 |
A highlight reel:
Note in the video above that Washington does a great job adjusting to balls in the air that aren't perfectly thrown, which is something Carson Wentz didn't get much help with in his rookie season.
Barring injury of some kind or unknown off-field issues, he'll be a first-round pick.
While Washington above may be a faster, younger Torrey Smith, Courtland Sutton is more of an Alshon Jeffery clone. At 6'4, 216, Sutton has a wide catch radius, and he excels at winning 50-50 catch opportunities, as well as in the red zone. His numbers:
| Courtland Sutton | Rec | Yards | YPC | TD |
| 2014 | 2 | 27 | 13.5 | 0 |
| 2015 | 49 | 862 | 17.6 | 9 |
| 2016 | 76 | 1246 | 16.4 | 10 |
| 2017 | 10 | 185 | 18.5 | 5 |
| TOTAL | 137 | 2320 | 16.9 | 24 |
A highlight reel:
The Eagles' wide receiver corps are certainly better in 2017 than they were in 2016, but they can still stand to continue to improve. The Eagles will have to decide whether or not they try to re-sign Alshon Jeffery to a long term deal after adding him on a one-year contract this past offseason.
Clemson has produced quite a bit of receiving talent over the last half decade:
| Clemson WRs | Year | Team | Round | Overall |
| DeAndre Hopkins | 2013 | Texans | 1 | 27 |
| Sammy Watkins | 2014 | Bills | 1 | 4 |
| Martavis Bryant | 2014 | Steelers | 4 | 118 |
| Adam Humphries | 2015 | Buccaneers | UDFA | UDFA |
| Charone Peake | 2016 | Jets | 7 | 241 |
| Mike Williams | 2017 | Chargers | 1 | 7 |
Deon Cain is the next in line. Cain, like Washington above, has good speed and is a threat to take the top off a defense. Additionally, he has good hands, great body control, and is thought of as a good blocker. A highlight reel:
Again, I expect the Eagles to continue to give Carson Wentz added weaponry at receiver.
The guy who will have to cover Cain will be Jaire Alexander. If you haven't yet heard of Alexander, you will, as he is as sticky a cover corner as there is in college football.
In 2016, Alexander had 5 INTs, 9 pass breakups, a forced fumble, and he was also an electric punt returner. A highlight reel:
You can never have too many corners, and I believe the Eagles will continue to target the position. With Darren Sproles likely retiring after this season, Alexander could double as the punt returner.
Jones' game is all about speed. His career numbers at USC:
| Ronald Jones | Rush | Yards | YPC | TD |
| 2015 | 153 | 987 | 6.5 | 8 |
| 2016 | 177 | 1082 | 6.1 | 12 |
| TOTAL | 330 | 2069 | 6.3 | 20 |
In 2016, Jones started slowly, but he turned it on big-time at the tail end of the season. In his first seven games as a sophomore, he had 62 carries for just 285 yards and 2 TDs. In his last six games, he had 115 carries for 797 yards and 10 TDs. A highlight reel:
The Eagles' needs at running back this upcoming offseason are obvious.
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