5 Wide Receivers Philadelphia Eagles Could Draft to Replace Jeremy Maclin

Letting Jeremy Maclin leave in free agency puts Eagles head coach Chip Kelly in a situation in which he will likely have to spend a high draft pick on a wide receiver.

As of now, Philadelphia has Jordan Matthews, Josh Huff and Riley Cooper as its expected starters. Matthews thrived in the slot role as a rookie in 2014, and the team may want to keep him in that spot.

That would push Huff outside, though, and the third-round rookie from 2014 struggled even in limited snaps as a fourth receiver. Likewise, Cooper was far too often invisible on the outside, ranking just 62nd in yards for the season among wide receivers.

His contract—and the fact that he's a good blocker—will bring him back for '15, but the ideal scenario is that Kelly phases out his snaps to a younger, more effective wideout.

The Eagles didn't make a move for Andre Johnson, and Larry Fitzgerald's recent contract restructuring suggests he'll stay in Arizona. That means Kelly needs to look to the draft, or this positional group is in trouble in 2015.

Bases on the fact that Kelly jettisoned DeSean Jackson and then let Maclin walk in free agency, it's safe to say he covets big receivers. It's highly unlikely the Eagles can get Kevin White, Amari Cooper or DeVante Parker in the draft, which means they won't appear on this list. These are realistic options for the Eagles from their first-round selection (pick No. 20) ranging to the middle rounds.

All stats courtesy of NFL.com

Jaelen Strong

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If Kelly doesn’t draft a quarterback with his first-round selection, there’s a good bet Arizona State’s Jaelen Strong is his top target among wide receivers.

Strong is everything Kelly wants in a receiver. He’s tall, strong, fast and played at a Pac-12 school. His 42-inch vertical leap suggests he can be a dynamic presence in the red zone. His measurables are similar to Jordan Matthews', but better.

Strong will likely get drafted right around the Philadelphia Eagles’ 20^th selection. If he’s still there, he’s well worth that draft slot. If he’s gone, a second-round receiver may be the best option.

Breshad Perriman

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Breshad Perriman has managed to fly under the radar, but he’s a borderline first-round talent with the exceptional size Chip Kelly covets in his wide receivers.

Perriman is 6’2” and over 210 pounds, and he averaged a ridiculous 20.8 yards per catch for the University of Central Florida in 2014. He’s the son of a former NFL wide receiver, Brett Perriman, and Breshad is a likely top-40 pick in the draft. Should Kelly decide to trade down from the first round, Perriman could be an intriguing upper second-round draft selection.

Nelson Agholor

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USC’s Nelson Agholor is a similar player to Jeremy Maclin. Agholor is 6’0” and 198 pounds. So is Maclin. Agholor ran a 4.42 40-yard dash. Maclin ran a 4.45.

Agholor also went to a Pac-12 school, which means he’s on Kelly’s immediate list of approved receivers. The Eagles already hosted Agholor for a pre-draft visit. Agholor doesn’t have the elite size to push him into the first round, but he’s a solid Day 2 prospect.

Devin Smith

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Whether Chip Kelly will admit it or not, the Philadelphia Eagles missed DeSean Jackson in 2014. They could have used his speed to take the top off of opposing defenses, and they certainly won’t get it from anyone they currently have on their roster.

Smith ran "just" a 4.42 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine, but he plays significantly faster. He’s a burner with game-breaking speed. He averaged a ridiculous 28-plus yards per catch for Ohio State in ’14, and over 50 percent of his receptions were for more than 25 yards.

Smith is also 6’0” and close to 200 pounds. That’s significantly bigger than Jackson. Smith is worth a second-round pick for sure.

Chris Conley

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The NFL Scouting Combine put Chris Conley on the national radar. The Georgia receiver didn’t blow anyone away with his numbers at college, never putting up more than 657 receiving yards in a single season.

As a result, don’t expect Conley to go in the first two or even three rounds. But he projects to be a successful player long-term, especially given his size (6’2”, 213 pounds) and a ridiculous 4.35 time in the 40-yard dash. He’s worth a mid-round flier for a coach who thinks he can get the most out of him.