Re-Grading the Philadelphia Eagles' 2014 Draft Class
As the Philadelphia Eagles head toward a pivotal offseason, it’s impossible to ignore the lack of immediate success from the club’s 2014 draft class.
Let’s face it, aside from one or two players, the Eagles came away with very little in last year’s class, at least as far as this season is concerned. If we had to give a grade for the draft as a whole after one year, it would be hard to describe it as any less than a failure.
Of course, everybody knows you don’t award a final grade after one season. Some players need more time to mature than others. Some simply need opportunities that were not given. Nobody is writing anybody off here.
Still, the overwhelming lack of rookie contributions is concerning, both for the coming draft and for the futures of the young, aspiring talents. Ahead, we take a look at what each member of the class of ’14 accomplished and where they may ultimately be heading based on their body of work to date.
Marcus Smith
1 of 7
Sadly, the Eagles’ first-round selection doesn’t look any better with time. If anything, it looks worse.
Most rankings had Marcus Smith listed as a second- or third-round pick leading up to the draft, so when his name was called at No. 26, just about everybody was stunned. One year later, most people probably still don’t know who he is—including the Eagles.
That’s because Smith only lined up for 68 defensive snaps during his rookie year, according to Football Outsiders. In those 68 snaps over eight games, the 2013 AAC Defensive Player of the Year didn’t manage to register so much as a single tackle or official NFL statistic of any kind.
It’s almost as if Smith wasn’t even on the roster.
In his defense, the Louisville product wound up bouncing between outside and interior linebacker due to injuries at both positions. Then again, at this point it’s unclear where he fits best. Despite finishing second in the nation in sacks in ’13, Smith looked lost rushing the passer off the edge, but the middle was a whole-new world to him, too.
Of course, it’s only 68 snaps plus preseason, so how much can we really claim to know about Smith? It’s not uncommon for pass-rushers to face a steep learning curve upon reaching the NFL.
Still, when you take into account the list of productive players the Eagles passed on at positions of need and the uncertainty surrounding Smith’s future in the league, it’s difficult to feel optimistic. It’s too soon to toss around the B-word, but the concerns are perfectly justifiable.
Grade: D
Jordan Matthews
2 of 7
In the deepest wide receiver class of all time, Jordan Matthews’ rookie season can be easily overlooked. The numbers don’t lie, though.
Among rookie wideouts, Matthews finished fifth in receptions (67), fifth in receiving yards (872) and tied for fourth in touchdown catches (eight). Not bad for a second-round pick, especially considering the fact that of all but one of the players who finished ahead of him in any of the three categories was taken later.
It’s safe to say Matthews is the real deal. The question is what’s next for the Vanderbilt product.
For now, Matthews is expected to remain in the slot, where the Eagles can use his size (6’3”, 212 lbs) to exploit smaller cornerbacks. It worked like a charm in 2014 and should continue to be met with success for at least another season.
Perhaps down the road, Matthews will move to the outside into a starting role. It’s not a question of ability, but for the time being, what the Eagles are doing is working. Don’t be surprised if Matthews makes a push for 1,000 yards in ’15.
Grade: A
Josh Huff
3 of 7
Josh Huff had an extremely up-and-down rookie year. The lows were more memorable than the highs, but there were just enough flashes of potential to keep you hooked.
A lot of fans tend to get stuck on the negatives. Huff’s turnovers and untimely special teams miscues really stood out, conspiring to shift momentum to the opponents. The fact that he finished with just eight receptions for 98 yards didn’t endear him to the public, either.
However, from time to time, Huff would show glimpses of the explosion that led the Eagles to take the Oregon wideout in the third round. There was the 107-yard kick return for a touchdown, longest play in franchise history. There was a 44-yard catch-and-run where he stiff-armed a defender to the ground. There was the tenacious manner in which he got after defenders as a run-blocker.
No doubt, Huff is a little rough around the edges. Yet if he can just clean up the mistakes and mental errors, he showcased some NFL ability in limited opportunities. I wasn’t a big fan of the pick at the time, but I fully expect Huff to be splitting time with Riley Cooper on the outside in 2015.
Grade: C
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Jaylen Watkins
4 of 7
First and foremost, 2014 was fully expected to be a redshirt year of sorts for Jaylen Watkins. Of course, nobody knew quite how awful Bradley Fletcher was going to be, and it’s an indictment against anybody who couldn’t beat him out at cornerback—I’m just not sure how serious of a chance Watkins had.
The fourth-round pick out of Florida was only active for four games, and he didn’t record a single defensive snap until Week 17. Between Fletcher, Cary Williams, Brandon Boykin and Nolan Carroll, there was simply no need, or so the thinking was.
It’s pretty much impossible to grade a player given the circumstances. In the one game and 31 snaps Watkins played, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), he took his lumps, but he also held his own for a first-timer.
Watkins will enter his second professional season in a position to do far more. Fletcher is a free agent, Williams could be a cap casualty and Boykin’s future with the team is uncertain due to the coaches’ refusal to play him anywhere but the slot. If nothing else, Watkins should have an opportunity to compete for some role on defense.
Plus, unlike our next two subjects, at least Watkins contributed a minimal amount—as opposed to none at all.
Grade: C-
Taylor Hart
5 of 7
On the bright side, at least Taylor Hart made the team. Then again, he was the only member of the 53-man roster for all 16 games who was not activated once.
Once again, part of the issue is Hart was blocked. Between Fletcher Cox, Cedric Thornton and Vinny Curry, the Eagles are quite deep at defensive end. The only person a rookie could be expected to beat out for playing time is Brandon Bair, who also pitched in on special teams.
Regardless, you can’t ignore the fact that a fifth-round pick wasn’t good enough to dress for a single game day. Hopefully, with a full year in an NFL conditioning program, Hart will come back functionally stronger in 2015. Otherwise, it’s fair to wonder whether the Oregon product will even make it out of camp.
Grade: D
Ed Reynolds
6 of 7
As bad as it was that Hart didn’t even get a chance to wear his uniform, Ed Reynolds didn’t even get one. He was waived out of training camp and spent the entirety of the 2014 season on the practice squad.
To be fair, Reynolds has the built-in excuse of missing several spring workouts due to NFL rules that prohibited the safety from joining the team until after Stanford’s graduation. For all we know, those minicamps might’ve been crucial to his development.
Reynolds was signed to a futures contract by the Eagles at the conclusion of the regular season, so he will have another shot to make the team in ’15.
That being said, it’s usually not a good sign when a fifth-round pick doesn’t make the 53-man roster. A seventh-round pick is one thing. Round 5, you expect that person to hang around for a year or two at least. In Reynolds’ case, he could be staring at a none-and-done, barring a dramatic turnaround.
Grade: F
Beau Allen
7 of 7
Let’s not overrate Beau Allen. There was a lot of hype surrounding the 6’2”, 333-pound nose tackle coming out of training camp and into the first few weeks of season, some of it deserved.
Yet for now, Allen is merely a rotational player. Bennie Logan is the starting nose tackle, and Allen is not a threat at this point. The Wisconsin product’s size is a huge selling point, and with continued development, he could play a bigger role moving forward, but he certainly has a ways to go.
None of which is to complain. For a seventh-round pick, you can’t really ask much more for a player who can contribute for a few years and maybe, one day, grow into a starter. Allen is certainly an intriguing prospect and he looks like he could be headed for a nice NFL career, but he still has a ways to go before becoming a truly productive player.
Grade: B
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