Eagles Add a Wide Receiver, Just the Wrong One

The Eagles added a wide receiver on draft day.  It just was not the receiver that Eagle fans wanted to see.  Philly traded up to the 19th pick and selected Jeremy Maclin out of Missouri in the first round of the NFL Draft. 

Many draft experts were expecting the Eagles to take running back Knowshon Moreno from Georgia in the first round.  The Denver Broncos unexpectedly took Moreno with pick number 12. 

The selection of Maclin is a bit of a head scratcher.  If the Eagles felt that receiver was an area that needed to be upgraded and they were willing to surrender a first-round pick to do it, then why not package the picks and get Anquan Boldin?  He is the big target the Eagles desperately need in the red zone.  Were the Eagles just being cheap and didn’t want to pay Boldin?  That is sure what it looks like.

Maclin is also a very similar player to someone they already have on their roster.  He looks like DeSean Jackson with worse hands.  Neither one is the prototypical west-coast wide receiver. 

Wide receiver was hardly this team’s biggest area of need.  They have more holes at running back and tight end.  Top tight end prospect Brandon Pettigrew was on the board at the time when the Eagles made their first-round selection.  Pettigrew is an excellent blocker and a threat in the passing game.  Fans will be questioning why the Eagles didn’t select Pettigrew. 

On the positive side of this selection, nobody can question Maclin’s speed or playmaking ability.  The additional speed on the outside will help to stretch opposing defenses.

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