What Can Philadelphia Eagles Expect from Nelson Agholor in 2015?

For those who expected Philadelphia Eagles head coach Chip Kelly to pull off a king’s ransom and trade for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota, it didn’t happen. It’s not as if he didn’t try, as the Eagles were reportedly offering quite the haul for Mariota.

"

What package are #Eagles talking about to go to No. 1 or No. 2? Two 1st rounders, a 3rd rounder, Fletcher Cox, Boykin, Kendricks, more. Wow.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 30, 2015"

At this point, it’s likely that the Eagles will roll in 2015 with Sam Bradford at the helm, and Kelly’s first move was to get his new quarterback the best available wide receiver.

USC’s Nelson Agholor is a player Kelly worked out twice, and Agholor has eerily similar measurables to recently departed receiver Jeremy Maclin, a player who put up 1,318 yards for last year’s Eagles and made the Pro Bowl.

"

Per @SBNation the #Eagles are bringing in WR Nelson Agholor for a workout-USC alum is a mirror image of Jeremy Maclin pic.twitter.com/YsT7mONbzY

— Michael (PJ) Quinn (@PJbleedsgreen) March 15, 2015"

In essence, Kelly allowed Maclin to sign a $55 million extension with the Kansas City Chiefs and then drafted his replacement in the first round.

"

Nelson Agholor is Jeremy Maclin's replacement, but significantly younger, cheaper and healthier. #Eagles

— Bryn Swartz (@eaglescentral) May 1, 2015"

Last year, the Eagles liked Jordan Matthews in the slot, where the 2014 second-round rookie put up 67 catches, 872 yards and eight touchdowns. But per Zach Berman of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Kelly wants to use Matthews more outside in ’15.

That will leave the other outside spot open between Riley Cooper, Josh Huff or Agholor. Cooper disappointed in the first year of a five-year, $22.5 million contract, struggling to beat separation. Huff was a vast letdown as a rookie third-rounder, finishing with just eight catches against four drops.

Still, the coaching staff remains optimistic about Huff, who has playmaking skills when he’s in the open field, as evidenced by his 107-yard kick-return touchdown against Tennessee and his 44-yard catch-and-run against Dallas.

It’s likely Agholor will be worked in as a slot receiver, which was the role Matthews held last year. Agholor is seen as a polished route-runner, perhaps a poor man’s version of Amari Cooper, but he's definitely a player who can contribute in his first season in Kelly’s offense.

"

"He's played inside & outside. Smart, versatile, really understands the game."- Coach Kelly on @nelsonagholor pic.twitter.com/rwRtaAvko4

— Philadelphia Eagles (@Eagles) May 1, 2015"

Was it a reach for the Eagles to take Agholor at No. 20? Perhaps slightly, but Kelly obviously felt the value matched the need. In keeping with his tradition, Kelly picked a Pac-12 player—one who performed extremely well against him back in college.

"

In Kelly's final year at Oregon, Nelson Agholor put up a six-catch, 162-yard performance against him as a freshman.

— Sheil Kapadia (@SheilKapadia) May 1, 2015"

Agholor finished his college career with a strong season, totaling 104 receptions, 1,313 yards and 12 touchdowns. Kelly’s offense has been very receiver-friendly, coaxing career seasons out of DeSean Jackson (2013), Cooper (2013) and Maclin (2014). There’s no reason to think Agholor won’t be successful in this offense.

"

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"

Fair expectations for Agholor may be a shade below what Matthews put up last season; 60 catches for 700 yards and five to six touchdowns sounds reasonable. Agholor will assuredly contribute as a punt returner and perhaps even in the backfield, seeing as he’s a converted running back. 

Eagles fans who wanted Mariota can take consolation in the facts that Kelly kept his talented defensive players (Fletcher Cox and Mychal Kendricks, namely), did not forfeit future first-round picks and added a quality wide receiver with the 20th selection.