Philadelphia Eagles 2015 Draft: The Good, the Bad and the Baffling
The Philadelphia Eagles did some good things in the NFL draft over the weekend. They also made a few decisions that will be open to scrutiny. Then there were the ones that simply make you scratch your head.
Every NFL draft has its share of high spots and low points—and usually its downright confusing moments, too—and the Eagles were no different in 2015. Some picks warrant praise, others are bound to be questioned and there was plenty of strange over the course of seven rounds.
In this recap of Philly’s draft, we look at the six players selected and three days’ worth of Eagles news and transactions from the standpoint of the good, the bad and the baffling. What decisions do you believe were smart, which warrant criticism, and which did you simply not understand?
The Good: Nelson Agholor, WR, USC
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Philadelphia had a shot at a number of impressive physical specimens with the 20th overall pick in the draft. Nobody would have batted an eye had it gone with wide receiver Breshad Perriman out of UCF, cornerback Byron Jones out of Connecticut or outside linebacker Alvin Dupree out of Kentucky. All have incredible upside and potential based on their size and athleticism.
Yet Perriman, Jones and Dupree weren’t necessarily the most productive players in college football. Instead, the Eagles went with a prospect who got it done on the football field, not at the combine, selecting Nelson Agholor out of USC.
Agholor was one of the most productive wideouts in the nation in 2014, finishing seventh with 104 receptions, ninth with 1,313 yards and tied for seventh with 12 touchdowns. He also returned two punts for touchdowns.
Agholor can instantly jump into the mix at wide receiver for the Eagles, who were still reeling from the unexpected departure of Jeremy Maclin in free agency. Because he’s not the biggest (6’0”, 198 lbs) or fastest, his ceiling may not be as high as other players or even receivers in the draft. That being said, he’s a football player, something that isn’t necessarily true of somebody just because he’s big and strong and runs well in a straight line.
The Good: Eagles Invest in the Secondary
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The Eagles have a need at cornerback. They also have a hole at safety. Eric Rowe could potentially fill either right away, though Chip Kelly informed members of the media he’ll begin his NFL journey at corner, per Geoff Mosher of CSNPhilly.com.
Regardless, even with the money invested in free agents Byron Maxwell and Walter Thurmond this offseason, cornerback was a huge area of concern entering the draft. Thurmond is unreliable, to say the least, and Maxwell is the only corner on the roster under contract beyond 2015 now that second-year player Jaylen Watkins is switching to safety, per Tim McManus of Philadelphia magazine.
If Rowe doesn’t pan out as a starting cornerback, the Eagles can always give him a shot at safety a year or two down the road. A four-year starter for Utah, Rowe played both positions in college—three years at safety before switching to corner as a senior.
Philadelphia then doubled down on the cornerback position in the sixth round, selecting JaCorey Shepherd out of Kansas and Randall Evans out of Kansas State. Seeing as the Eagles secondary ranked 32nd and 31st against the pass the last two seasons, respectively, and the unit jettisoned three of four starters this offseason, it probably can’t be a bad thing to invest heavily in this area.
The Bad: Jordan Hicks, ILB, Texas
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It’s not that Jordan Hicks is a bad player necessarily. Truth be told, we don’t know. Some might call the selection a reach, but obviously the Eagles would disagree with that assessment.
What’s bad is the Eagles didn’t have an immediate need at interior linebacker, or arguably any need at all if Mychal Kendricks isn’t traded. Prior to Hicks’ arrival, the depth chart reads as follows: Kendricks, Kiko Alonso, DeMeco Ryans, Brad Jones, Najee Goode and Emmanuel Acho. Those are a lot of quality, experienced players.
To be fair, Alonso, Ryans and Goode are all coming off of season-ending injuries. Kendricks has only one year remaining on his contract and Ryans will be 31. It’s not as if interior linebacker is a picture of stability.
That being said, the Eagles certainly had much bigger issues that could’ve been addressed at this stage. Safety and the offensive line certainly spring to mind as areas that went unaddressed early in the draft, either of which could’ve been found in Round 3. Instead, the Eagles wound up with another linebacker, further complicating a crowded field.
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The Bad: No Picks in Rounds 4 and 5
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“Short-term sacrifice for long-term gain.” That’s how Kelly described the trade of Philadelphia’s fourth-round pick in 2015 for the Detroit Lions’ third-round pick in 2016 during a press conference carried live on The Comcast Network.
Honestly, it’s hard (impossible?) to argue with trading a lower pick now for a better selection later. The downside, as Kelly noted, is it hurts right now. The Eagles went the entire fourth and fifth rounds of the draft without making a selection due to various trades, and as a result only picked up six players in the draft.
The case could be made the Eagles needed to come away with more help from this draft. Unfortunately, several areas went underserved or unaddressed completely as a result of the lack of draft choices at Philly’s disposal.
The Baffling: Offensive Line Goes Unaddressed Again
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Then-general manager Howie Roseman described the Eagles’ failure to land an offensive lineman in the 2014 draft as a “dagger in the heart” to Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer. In 2015, it feels a little more like a broadsword to the neck.
Philadelphia’s offensive line depth has been challenged by injuries in two of the past three seasons. And with three projected starters in their 30s, deteriorating health and general decline are likely to set in at some key positions. The club already released right guard Todd Herremans, and is set to replace him with journeyman Allen Barbre.
Yet not one offensive lineman’s name was called when the Eagles were on the clock. Granted, drafts fall a certain way, and if the player the front office was taking wasn't available there’s not much that can be done. That being said, it’s increasingly becoming an issue.
Future Hall of Fame left tackle Jason Peters is 33. All-Pro left guard Evan Mathis will be 34. These guys can’t hold up forever, and in fact the entire line has had trouble withstanding injuries. It’s very confusing why this is not a bigger priority.
The Baffling: Reported Offers for Marcus Mariota
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Eagles head coach Chip Kelly denies offering players in a trade for Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota, or making any formal offer at all, according to Andy Schwartz of CSNPhilly.com. But do you believe him?
It’s hard to buy it given all the noise about Kelly moving up in the draft to get his beloved quarterback out of Oregon. Numerous rumors that swirled for months and intensified before the draft had Philadelphia offering anywhere from two to three first-round picks, possibly tossing in mid-rounders, then any combination of Sam Bradford, Evan Mathis, Brandon Boykin, Mychal Kendricks or Fletcher Cox from their existing roster.
Had any of these deals gone through, would there even have been a team left in Philly for Mariota to lead?
Ultimately, I believe Kelly that these reports were largely unsubstantiated. Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com reported the head coach admitted a deal for Mariota wouldn’t happen as far back as March, saying, “We will never mortgage our future to go all the way to get someone like that.”
What’s baffling is that nobody believed him, that speculation swirled endlessly for months despite Kelly’s admission and that anybody believed these trade proposals were ever a good idea in the first place.
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