In-Depth Look at Philadelphia Eagles' Most Intriguing Selection: Nelson Agholor

For months leading up to Chip Kelly's first draft as general manager of the Philadelphia Eagles, the buzz, of course, centered around whether the third-year head coach would be able to pull off a massive draft-day trade for Heisman quarterback Marcus Mariota. Although Mariota ended up getting selected No. 2 overall by the Tennessee Titans, the Eagles still pulled off a quietly productive draft. 

Kelly used five of his six picks on the defensive side of the ball, including three on cornerbacks. But his most intriguing selection came when he picked USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor with the 20th overall pick in the first round. 

Agholor, who stands 6'0" and weighs close to 200 pounds, has the exact same measurables as Jeremy Maclin, whom he will be attempting to replace in the 2015 season. Agholor's best player comparison on Mock Draftable is Reggie Wayne, the former star receiver for the Colts.

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Michael Irvin compared Nelson Agholor to Randall Cobb. "He will make wonderful things happen on the football field." #EaglesDraft

— Eagles Insider (@EaglesInsider) May 1, 2015"

While Kelly prefers bigger players on his team, Agholor isn't exactly DeSean Jackson, who stood 5'9" and weighed 165 pounds. Agholor plays much bigger than he really is, and pound-for-pound he'll be one of the toughest players on the Philadelphia Eagles. 

A dominant running back, wide receiver and defensive back in high school, Agholor was heavily recruited to USC, ranking as the third-best receiver in the 2011 class by Rivals.com. During his college career, Agholor went from a freshman who barely played to a solid starter as a sophomore to a legitimate weapon as a junior. Agholor's junior season, in which he caught 104 passes for 1,313 yards and 12 touchdowns, caused the USC wide receiver to declare for the NFL draft. 

As the 20th pick in the first round, Agholor is a very safe choice with almost no chance of becoming a bust. Most importantly for his future career in the National Football League, he's playing in Chip Kelly's offense. Every wide receiver, from DeSean Jackson to Riley Cooper to Jeremy Maclin, has turned in a career year in Kelly's offense.

If there's a position Kelly excels at coaching, it's wide receiver. Jackson's 2013 campaign and Maclin's 2014 season both rank among the best in franchise history by a receiver. Jordan Matthews' 2014 campaign might be the best ever by a rookie receiver. 

On a team that was relatively limited at the wide receiver position before the draft, Agholor figures to compete for a starting spot from Week 1. Last year's rookie Matthews will likely be the team's top receiver, with Agholor the odds-on favorite to win the other starting outside spot. Oregon's Josh Huff, a third-round pick in 2014, should win the slot role, while veterans Riley Cooper and Miles Austin can compete for the next two spots on the squad. 

What makes Agholor so valuable is his ability to line up both inside and outside. He's succeeded at both in college, and he's fast enough (4.42 in the 40-yard dash) with tremendous route running to exceed wherever the Eagles line him up on the field. He's not afraid to go across the middle and take a big hit. He'll block, and he'll do it pretty well, too. He can stop and start on a dime. He possesses talented hands, rarely dropping a ball. And he's a high-character player who boasts the necessary IQ to succeed in Kelly's offense. 

The official scouting report on Agholor on CBSSports.com said:

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Runs hard and picks up speed as he goes, showing surprising toughness as a finisher to get every yard he can. Possesses very good vision to set up blocks, as well as the courage and quickness to cut-back against the grain to take advantage of over-pursuing defenders.'

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Year	No. 1 Receiver	No. 2 Receiver
2013	83-1,332-9	47-835-8
2014	85-1,318-10	67-872-8

In Matthews, Agholor and Huff, the Eagles have a trio of young talented receivers who can line up at either receiver spot. Compare that to Kelly's 2013 season, when veteran Jason Avant's speed became a major liability in the passing game, as well as the 2014 season, when Riley Cooper's inability to create separation played a major role in Nick Foles' disappointing third season. 

Agholor was also a dynamic punt returner during his final two seasons at college, as he averaged 14.6 yards per return with four touchdowns. The Eagles currently have veteran Darren Sproles as their main returner, but Agholor could take over for Sproles in a couple of seasons. Then again, by 2017, he might be such a dominant receiver that the Eagles won't want to waste him on punt returning duties. 

His ceiling in the NFL isn't going to reach that of a player like Sammy Watkins or Mike Evans. But on the Eagles offense, as long as Chip Kelly is running the show, Agholor should become a very good receiver for many seasons to come.