Eagles Coach Doug Pederson Sees Some Peyton Manning in Carson Wentz

When the Philadelphia Eagles traded five draft picks for the No. 2 overall pick in this year's draft (and a future conditional pick), they did so expecting to get a franchise quarterback with that pick.

That appears to be what they got.

Philadelphia used that pick on North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz, who the team viewed as its quarterback of the future. At the time, Sam Bradford was projected to be the Eagles' Week 1 starter, but a preseason injury to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater led to a Bradford trade. With that move, Wentz's time arrived sooner than anticipated.

No worries. The rookie has met, if not exceeded, expectations.

Wentz has led the Eagles to a 3-0 start, throwing for 769 yards and five touchdowns (with zero interceptions) through the first three games of his career. The first-round pick has impressed many, including his coach, Doug Pederson.

On Monday, Pederson compared his young passer's work ethic to one of the greatest to play the game, according to Brandon Lee Gowton of PhillyMag.com:

"

It's Peyton Manning-ish. And you hate to label, I don't want to put labels on guys, but that's how Peyton prepared. That's how these top quarterbacks prepare each week. [Wentz] has that [work ethic] now as a young quarterback and that will just carry him throughout his career. The challenge now is the more success, how much gets pulled on him and taken away from him. But he's off to a good start and it's definitely part of the process in his preparation.

"

Now that's high praise.

Some will say Pederson is biased in his assessment, but he's not the only to make such a lofty comparison so early in the rookie's career. Brian Baldinger of NFL Network (via Ian Rapoport) also sees promising signs:

There will be those who try to take away from Wentz's impressive start, citing the fact that he has gone up against the woeful Cleveland Browns and Chicago Bears. However, a 34-3 beatdown of the Pittsburgh Steelers should go a long way toward validating the Philadelphia quarterback's hype.

Will Wentz have a career as accomplished as Peyton Manning's or Aaron Rodgers'? It's too early to tell. But there's no denying that he is making the Eagles look smart for dealing a package of draft picks to move up to get him.