Predicting Eagles' Key Stat Leaders for 2021 NFL Season

With the start of the 2021 season, the Philadelphia Eagles are entering a new era. They no longer have the head coach (Doug Pederson) or quarterbacks (Carson Wentz and Nick Foles) who helped them win the first Super Bowl title in franchise history during the 2017 season.

Nick Sirianni is now the Eagles' head coach, while Jalen Hurts will get an opportunity to be their starting quarterback after flashing his potential at times during his rookie 2020 campaign. Philadelphia didn't have the cap space to be big spenders this offseason, but it made a few moves and added a wave of young talent to its roster via the 2021 NFL draft.

The NFC East was wide open last season (when Washington won the division at 7-9), and it could be the same in 2021. So that means the Eagles could turn things around after finishing with a disappointing 4-11-1 record last year and last in the division.

If Philadelphia is going to have a bounce-back year, it will need big seasons from several key players. Here are some early predictions for three key stats leaders for the Eagles in 2021.

QB Jalen Hurts

Chris Szagola/Associated Press

Sirianni hasn't named Hurts the Eagles' starting quarterback yet, but it's clear that's where things are headed. The 22-year-old is the top option in a QB group that also features veteran Joe Flacco and rookie Jamie Newman, an undrafted free-agent signing.

Hurts made four starts for Philadelphia last season, but he appeared in 15 games, passing for 1,061 yards, six touchdowns and four interceptions, while rushing for 354 yards and three touchdowns. He's also impressed Sirianni, who will be a first-time head coach in 2021.

"Jalen has done a heck of a job learning the offense," Sirianni told reporters last Friday, per Glenn Erby of Eagles Wire. "He’s impressive in there. He’s really got a good control of it. ... It’ll be exciting to get on the field with him and see him do it physically."

If Philadelphia's key offensive playmakers can stay healthy (such as running back Miles Sanders and tight end Dallas Goedert), Hurts could take a big step forward in 2021. That especially may be the case now that the starting job should firmly be his.

Expect a big season from Hurts that will help the Eagles improve and give them optimism for the long-term future.

Prediction: 3,734 passing yards and 26 passing touchdowns; 610 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns

WR DeVonta Smith

Tim Tai/Associated Press

In 2020, the Eagles used their first-round draft pick on wide receiver Jalen Reagor, who had 31 receptions for 396 yards and one touchdown in his rookie season. Philadelphia may get some much bigger numbers from Smith, its 2021 first-round selection, during his debut campaign.

First, it helps that Smith already has a connection with Hurts. They were at Alabama together from 2017-18, so they know what it's like to play on the same offense. That familiarity could help both put up big numbers in 2021.

Also, Smith enters the NFL with a ton of top-level college experience. Over his four-year career with the Crimson Tide, he had 3,965 receiving yards and 47 total touchdowns. Of course, his biggest season came in 2020, when he hauled in 117 passes for 1,856 yards and 23 touchdowns and won the Heisman Trophy.

During the lead-up to the draft, there were some who were skeptical of Smith's NFL potential because of his size. But he proved his doubters wrong in the college ranks, and his speed and skill set should help him do the same at the next level. And that will start with an impressive rookie campaign in which he'll establish himself as one of the Eagles' top offensive players.

Prediction: 61 receptions for 937 yards and nine touchdowns

CB Darius Slay

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

Slay was traded to the Eagles prior to the 2020 season, and he quickly became a veteran leader for their defense. That's a role that the 30-year-old cornerback will again serve for Philadelphia's defense, especially with some young players likely to have substantial playing time in the secondary.

In his first season with the Eagles, Slay had 59 tackles, one interception and six pass deflections in 15 games. He's been a solid defender throughout his eight-year NFL career, as he's a three-time Pro Bowler and a one-time All-Pro selection.

If Philadelphia can play better defense around Slay—and it could, particularly because of the free-agent addition of safety Anthony Harris—then the cornerback could put up bigger numbers than he did last year.

Slay will build off his first season with the Eagles, providing mentorship to the younger cornerbacks on the roster and leading by example. As Philadelphia takes a step forward defensively in 2021, Slay will lead the charge and prove that he's still a top cornerback as he enters his 30s.

Prediction: 57 tackles, four interceptions and 15 pass deflections