The debate for months leading up to the NFL draft for Eagles fans was the new top receiver that would be wearing Midnight Green come next September. Like fans of the movie series Twilight staking their allegiances with Team Edward or Team Jacob, Eagles fans rallied their support behind their pass catcher of choice. 

The fighting between the Ja’Marr Chase company and the Kyle Pitts posse (with a smaller allegiance of Devonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle fans trying to interject) was fierce for weeks… but what if it was for nothing? What if on April 29th Howie Roseman hands in his draft card and it’s not a receiver written down? In that case, you might just have to throw your support behind one of these receivers later in the draft.

1. Nico Collins, Michigan

The Eagles had a very particular method for drafting receivers last year, taking the Lightning McQueen approach and targeting speed. First-round pick Jalen Reagor, as well as later-round selections Tim Hightower and Quez Watkins, can all fly and add that deep threat element, but what the Eagles lack is a true X receiver. Travis Fulgham showed flashes of it last year but disappeared a bit after looking like the second coming of Deandre Hopkins for a four-game stretch.

If the Eagles wanted to find that true dominant X receiver, then Nico Collins would be a great option on day 2. Collins meets the eye test, his 6’4 height towering over cornerbacks. The tape shows Collins making tough contested catches routine when the ball was thrown accurately that is. He has really good straight-line speed, hitting a 4.45 40 yard dash at his pro day. He’s a tad bit raw as a route runner, though his releases are far more advanced than you’d expect, and his tape is hampered by atrocious quarterback play, but Nico Collins has the potential to be a star.

2. Josh Palmer, Tennessee

Sticking with the need at X receiver, Josh Palmer is another intriguing option. Palmer suffered from the same abysmal quarterback problems as Nico Collins, affecting his stats with the Volunteers. When the ball does find itself near Palmer, he does special things. He has some of the best body control in the class, able to make circus catches. His ability to make catches away from his body is truly special. At the Senior Bowl Palmer impressed mightily with his blend of route running and phenomenal hands. He’s another great X-type receiver that the Eagles could target on day two.

3. Cornell Powell, Clemson

Powell is a player that should go much higher than he probably will in the draft, and the Eagles should very much be the benefactors of drafting him. After being buried behind top-tier wide receiver talent at Clemson over the years, Powell finally broke out for Clemson this year, finishing as one of the hottest receivers in college football. In his final six games, Powell averaged over 120 yards a game and scored five touchdowns in that span. He was as good as anyone in college football down the stretch. 

Powell is a good athlete, testing solidly at his pro day. He is sufficient enough as an athlete to work off of his technique, and boy is his technique good. He isn’t going to blow you away athletically. He might not have a main athletic trait, but his main trait overall is just being a good football player. He’s smart, technical, gets open, and most importantly for Eagles fans, he catches the ball! He’s a bit reminiscent of Jason Avant and would be a great addition to the Eagles offense.

4. Simi Fehoko, Stanford/Jalen Camp, Georgia Tech/ Josh Imatorbhebhe, Illinois

I lump these three together because they both fall under the same category. All have high athletic upside, but both are heavy projects. Simi Fehoko doesn’t really know all of the intricacies that comes with the wide receiver position. He isn’t really a complete receiver by any means. He is an athletic freak though and was able to dominate at times his Senior year as a result. He’s big, fast, and has a freaky ceiling if he reaches it.

Jalen Camp and Josh Imatorbhebhe both are in the same mold of each other as players. Both are bigger X-type receivers, Camp standing a shade under 6’2 and Imatorbhebhe a shade under 6’1. Both have insane jumping ability, Imatorbhebhe’s 46.5 vertical jump would’ve broken the combine record this year if they held it. Both have to develop as receivers but the athletic upside is there to be scary steals on day three.

-By: Jacob Keppen

Writer

The offseason certainly just got a lot more interesting for Eagles fans.

It had been one of the most boring offseasons in recent memory for Eagles fans. While other teams splashed the cash, looking at you New England, the Eagles held tight. They made two signings, bringing former Minnesota Vikings safety Anthony Harris and former elite quarterback Joe Flacco in on one-year deals. Many Eagles fans wondered when the team was going to really make a move, but none would’ve expected a move quite like this.

In an event that pretty much no one saw coming, the Philadelphia Eagles traded back six spots with the Miami Dolphins and will now select 12th overall in the 2021 NFL draft. The Dolphins began the day with the third overall pick. They traded back with the San Francisco 49ers after receiving a boatload of first-rounders, then proceeded to move back up in a trade with the Eagles. For moving back six spots, the Eagles received a first-round pick from the Dolphins. 

The 49ers now pick third, the Dolphins will be selecting their pick at six, and the Eagles now sit at 12th overall. Got it?

Many Eagles fans are now left wondering, what now? The pick at six seemed so easy, take the best pass catcher available. Most fans had their hearts set on Ja’Marr Chase or Kyle Pitts. The biggest question was which one of the two was still going to be there. Now at 12, the pool of potential picks looks pretty different. There are a few possible ways the Eagles could handle the first round of the draft in Cleveland.

There’s a very obvious situation that a lot of people are overlooking. There’s an idea that Philadelphia is completely out of the race for a top-four receiver (Kyle Pitts is being included in this.) This idea is mostly wrong. It is highly improbable that all four of the top receivers in Ja’Marr Chase, Kyle Pitts, Devonta Smith, and Jaylen Waddle are all gone by the Eagles selection. Judging off of drafts over the past decade, it certainly would be an unprecedented event and a peculiar one considering how far the top wide receivers fell last year. There’s a very good shot that one of those four guys is still there for the Eagles at 12. The Eagles get their top receiver a little later and a first-round pick richer.

Say it does happen, and somehow all four of the top receiving weapons are gone by the time the Eagles pick. This just means some serious talent is going to be available. The Eagles do have more holes than just wide receiver, a lot more holes in fact. Two players that immediately spring to mind for the pick at 12 are South Carolina’s cornerback Jaycee Horn and Alabama’s cornerback Patrick Surtain. 

Jaycee Horn turned a lot of heads with his insane pro day and hopefully has forced more people to watch his wonderful tape. He is an ultra-aggressive cornerback, who has a scary combination of length and physicality to go along with top percentile athleticism. Patrick Surtain is a bigger technician of a cornerback. He plays with the technique and smarts that you’d expect from an Alabama cornerback, but with the ability to keep up with receivers down the field. Big, technical, and physical, Surtain is an ideal fit in new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme. Both have NFL pedigree, both of their dads multiple-time pro bowlers in the NFL, and both have the potential to lock down opposing receivers alongside Darius Slay.

The Eagles could opt to bolster their offensive line as well. The line should be a bit better than last year with Brandon Brooks returning at right guard, but how much longer do a lot of these Eagles linemen have, at least at a high level? Jason Kelce is going to go down as one of the greatest Eagles ever but has battled retirement for multiple years now. He’ll be turning 34 this season and the Eagles need to find a replacement soon (Creed Humphrey or Josh Myers in the 2nd please.) Brandon Brooks will be 32 and is coming off of his 2nd Achilles tear. I have faith that he can be very good again this season, but how much longer does he have? There are questions all over the line moving forward in Philadelphia.

One of the biggest hopes for Eagles fans, besides a receiver falling, is Northwestern’s offensive lineman Rashawn Slater falling to 12. Slater is one of the best overall players in the draft and could fill a variety of roles for the Eagles. If they wished to do so, he could start at left tackle and hold the position down for the next decade. If the Eagles like what they have in Mailata, he can immediately start and become one of the best guards of his generation. Another offensive lineman to watch out for at 12 is USC’s guard Alijah Vera-Tucker. He is as solid of a first-rounder as you can get. He’s a plug-and-play starter that should be a really good player for the next decade. Philly could immediately boost their interior line at twelve, then take a receiver in the second round.

Just like how the offensive line is aging and needs retooling, so does the defensive line. Looking specifically at edge rusher, Brandon Graham is still going strong. He's 33 though so a replacement will be needed soon. Former first-round pick Derek Barnett’s contract will be coming up after the season and if he doesn’t have a breakout year, the team might opt to move on from him.

Michigan’s Kwity Paye would be a great fit if he’s still on the board at 12. There are so many similarities between him and fellow Wolverine Brandon Graham. The two have nearly identical measurables. Both are traditional hand-in-the-dirt 4-3 defensive ends. I think that Paye can progressively play more inside on passing downs as he bulks up, just as Graham does. What makes Paye even more intriguing of a prospect is that not only is he a powerful rusher, he is a phenomenal athlete as well. His three-cone drill has become the stuff of legends this year, and he recently ran a 4.52 (unofficial) at his pro day. If the Eagles wanted to find the successor for Brandon Graham, they certainly could do a lot worse than Kwity Paye.

Overall there are a ton of options this year for the Eagles at 12th overall. This is a special draft where there’s not much of a gap between the top ten and the middle of the first round. You can get really good players at 12th overall, including players you wouldn’t expect. It’s all up to Howie Roseman now to make the right pick.

Writer

-By: Jacob Keppen

This offseason is one of the most important offseasons in recent memory for the Philadelphia Eagles. The slate is almost completely wiped clear following last season’s disappointing 4-11-1 finish, with a new: head coach, offensive coordinator, and defensive coordinator for the 2021 season. This is the first offseason of the Nick Sirianni era in Philadelphia, and while Doug Pederson’s time as Eagles head coach might’ve deteriorated rapidly, Sirianni still has to follow the coach that brought Philadelphia their first Super Bowl. We don’t know exactly what systems Sirianni and new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon will implement or what players they will be eyeing up in this draft, but here are three players that the Eagles new regime should give a long look at this offseason.

1. Ifeatu Melifonwu, CB Syracuse

Looking at the Colts cornerbacks, they value long physical corners that can press receivers. Rock Ya-Sin, Pierre Desir, Quincy Wilson, and most recently this year Xavier Rhodes all fit the bill as bigger, physical corners. All four of them were starters for the Colts with Gannon as cornerbacks coach. Ifeatu Melifonwu could be someone that Gannon likes a lot.

Many will sour on Melifonwu simply because of his last name, but don’t let his brother keep you from drafting a potentially good corner in Ifeatu. Ifeatu Melifonwu at 6’2 212 has all of the size you want in a cornerback, very much fitting the bill of Gannon’s previous corners. Melifonwu is a smooth athlete for his size. He has some good short-area quickness and some good feet. He is patient and doesn’t waste his movements. Melifonwu is active in the run game, using his size and physicality to disengage with receivers and tackle ball carriers. The most notable thing about Melifonwu is his great ball skills. He has length and technique should be a terror once the ball is in the air. He could be the next corner that Gannon develops into a real playmaker, something the Eagles desperately need.

2. Rhamondre Stevenson, RB Oklahoma

Miles Sanders needs a bit of help, and Oklahoma’s Rhamondre Stevenson would be a great complementary back. For years I feel the Eagles have desperately needed a powerback. Think back to the Super Bowl winning year. The Eagles had Legarrette Blount, as well as Jay Ajayi. They could get it done in short-down situations and in the red zone. I am a big fan of Miles Sanders. I think he’s a great threat, but I think having a good backup that can run with power would help Sanders out a lot.

Rhamondre Stevenson is one of the best power backs in the 2021 NFL draft. He has great size, playing the season at 246 pounds and participating at the Senior Bowl at 227. He is extremely hard to wrap up on size alone. He runs with violence and physicality, but also has some good patience and finesse to his game. He shouldn’t be able to move the way he does being that big! Rhamondre Stevenson would add a powerful punch that the Eagles offense has been missing over the past few years.

3. Ja’Marr Chase, WR LSU

Ja’Marr Chase to Philadelphia is one of the best fits in the entire draft, and if the LSU wide receiver is still on the board at 6 the Eagles should probably just take him. The Eagles have a ton of speed at wide receiver. There’s a lot of really good potential secondary weapons that can score on any play. What Philadelphia truly needs though… what Jalen Hurts really needs… is a true #1 receiver. This is Ja’Marr Chase.
Ja’Marr Chase is one of the most physical receivers in the draft, despite not being as tall as some others. He plays through contact and is a contested-catch monster. Chase is built like a running back, and you might mistake him for one with the ball in his hands. He has the potential to be a really good route runner but is still raw in some areas. I’m not too concerned because he just turned 21 and has plenty of room for growth. Ja’Marr Chase will be the true #1 this offense needs and I believe will benefit everyone around him. With less pressure on him to carry the offense, and the emphasis more on what makes him great as a speedster, expect to see the real Jalen Reagor stand up with Chase opposite of him. Chase can elevate this offense to new heights and be the #1 Philly has been missing for years.

Writer

-By: Jacob Keppen