The Eagles need to find an impact wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft.
The good news is that with where they are currently slated to draft, No. 15 and No. 18, there should be plenty of options on the board at receiver. In fact there is a good chance the best player on the board regardless of position when the Eagles go on the clock for both first-round picks is a receiver.
It is up to Howie Roseman, the front office and the coaching staff to find the right one.
Who should they pick? And what qualities should they look for in any receiver they do draft?
After watching plenty of receivers come-and-go the last few seasons, here are the qualities (in order) I think are important for the Eagles to look for in any receiver they draft:
** Winning at the line of scrimmage on the outside vs. press-man coverage
** Special qualities (speed, size, etc)
** Route running
An obvious example of a receiver who checks two of this boxes is Devonta Smith. Smith came to the NFL pro-ready since he could win at the line and was an excellent route runner. If a receiver can't do that, they better have some elite physical trait that makes them worth taking a chance on.
Qualities I don’t want in any receiver being taken in the first round?
** Lack of experience against press-man coverage
** Projected to be best in the slot
** Have to get him the ball in creative ways (screens, etc)
A good example of a receiver who (so far) has failed in the NFL because he came to the league with those traits is Jalen Reagor. Reagor was a poor route runner, couldn't beat man coverage and was best after the catch. If the best plan to get the most out of a receiver is to get him the ball in space, I'm out.
With all that being said, here is my big board for the top receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft:
1. Jameson Williams, WR, Alabama: Williams has the the potential to be the next Ja’Marr Chase or Justin Jefferson when it comes to going to a team and making an immediate impact. Williams would have been, and very well still might be, the first receiver taken in this year’s draft if not for the torn ACL. Williams has a proven track record of creating separation on the outside vs. man coverage. He has the speed to get behind defenses and run away from defenders once he has a step on them. He has excellent hands and does a great job tracking the ball down the field. Add in good size and Williams checks all of the boxes for what teams are looking for in receivers in today’s NFL. The concern with Williams is how his speed will be after the ACL tear. Considering his age and how quickly players return from ACL tears chances are he will be the same player he was before the injury. But if Williams looses his speed he doesn’t have much to fall back on, which is a concern for any team using a first-round pick on him. Highest I’d Take Him: Trade up to No. 10
2. George Pickens, WR, Georgia: Pickens has the potential to be the steal of the draft at wide receiver. He has elite size, standing 6-foot-3, and is great at using that size to be physical with defenders. He has the kind of attitude you want from a big-body receiver as he doesn’t back down from any defender and knows his size gives him an advantage over anyone in his way. Pickens is very good off the line of scrimmage both due to good footwork and a quick first step, which is a special quality for someone his size. Pickens has great hands and is good at winning jump balls down the field. He also showed the ability to make catches out of poor throws, consistently using his long arms to reach out for overthrown passes. The one issue with Pickens is he ran a limited route tree in college, but with good coaching and more experience running those routes, Pickens has No. 1 WR potential.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 15. Would take him as high as Williams but Eagles won’t need to move up for him. Would also trade back into 1st round for him if he is still available in the 20s.
3. Chris Olave, WR, Ohio State: Olave has speed in the two areas receivers need it most — at the line of scrimmage and down the field. Olave is quick off the line of scrimmage, both with his first step and his ability to beat man coverage. Olave wins at the line of scrimmage with his speed but also seems to have a good plan of attack on how to beat press coverage. Once Olave has separation he has the speed to get down the field and make big plays behind the defense. Olave is great at tracking the ball down the field which is key for any receiver that is going to be counted on to be a big-play threat. Olave could step onto any NFL team and be a contributing receiver right now, but needs to work on his route running to end up being a special player. He doesn’t seem to have No. 1 receiver potential but he can be a high-level No. 2, and his speed could eventually force defenses to put a safety on his side of the field.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 15
4. Garrett Wilson, WR, Ohio State: Wilson spent the majority of his time at Ohio State on the outside and did a decent job of creating separation consistently. He is not at the level of a Devonta Smith when it comes to route running and winning vs. man coverage, but he might be the closest in the draft in terms of coming to the NFL with a polished game. Wilson has the YAC ability to move around the line of scrimmage and is a threat when he gets the ball in space. Wilson doesn’t have any elite physical traits, but he is ready to contribute right away, and has a very high floor.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 15
5. Drake London, WR, USC: London feels like the prospect that has the biggest boom-or-bust potential. At his best he is a big bodied receiver that could be a Mike Evans type of player at the next level. He doesn’t have great speed, but he does have great hands and does a good job of making contested catches. He has some position versatility as he played the slot his first two years at USC before moving to the outside full time. He could be a big slot in the NFL while also having the size to win jump balls down the field on the outside. He uses sizes off the line of scrimmage more than speed/footwork, which is slightly concerning, but he was able to create separation. London will be able to win vs. man coverage in the slot, but it isn’t clear if he will be able to create enough separation on the outside to win consistently, and relying on him to just win jump balls all the time seems like a risky plan.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 15
6. Alec Pierce, WR, Cincinnati: Pierce brings two special qualities to the NFL — he is 6-foot-3 with great straight-line speed down the sideline. He also has great hands, is a good route runner and showed the ability to win at the line of scrimmage. Add in that he averaged 18.0 yards-per-catch last season with eight touchdowns and there is plenty to like about Pierce. The only real difference between Pierce and London is that London has a proven track record of winning contested catches, whereas Pierce does not. If Pierce didn’t do it in college it is hard to see him doing it in the NFL. Still, the size and speed is there, which gives him a high ceiling, and his route running gives him a relatively high floor as well.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 51 or move up slightly in the second round to get him
7. Skyy Moore, WR, Western Michigan: Moore could be the quick, playmaking slot receiver the Eagles are looking for. Other receivers might have ran faster 40 times, but Moore is one of the quickest receivers in this draft, which shows in his quick cuts and quick release off the line of scrimmage. What separates Moore from other gadget-type slot receivers in this draft is his ability to beat man coverage. He is undersized at just 5-foot-10, so he is likely not going to be able to beat the bigger, more physical corners on the outside, but should have success on the inside. Moore is also a threat after the catch, and he should make some big plays in the NFL over the middle. Moore also has the confident, dynamic personality you want to see from a receiver. The Eagles have been looking for a slot receiver all offseason and had a formal meeting with Moore at the NFL Combine. He is a definite possibility for the team in the second/third round — he makes it that far.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 51 or move up slightly in the second round to get him
8. Justyn Ross, WR, Clemson: Prior to the 2020 season the oddsmakers would have likely had Ross as the favorite to be the top receiver taken in his draft class. After missing an entire season due to a spinal injury, and then missing time in 2021 due to a foot injury, Ross comes to the NFL with some medical concerns that can’t be overlooked. Ross does have some special qualities, as he can make catches in tough spots — especially over the middle — and has good hands. He lined up all over the field at Clemson and ran a variety of routes, which will help him transition to the NFL. Ross dealt with very poor quarterback play, which is both a legit excuse while also being a worrisome one, considering Jalen Reagor also got a lot of “he had a bad quarterback” excuses coming out of TCU. Ross feels like he is good at a lot of things, not great at any, but the total package could end up being a very dependable starting receiver on the outside.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 83
9. Christian Watson, WR, North Dakota: Watson is one of the toughest receivers to get a read on in this draft. He is pretty much only being discussed and considered as a top of the draft receiver because of one thing — he is an insane athlete. Watson is 6-foot-4 with elite speed down the sideline. He is close to Jameson Williams when it comes to his ability to flat out run past his defenders both once he has a step on them and once he has the ball. The issue? Watson played against bad competition in college and barely saw any press-man coverage because the cornerbacks across from him played off of him since they were not good enough athletes to stay with him after the snap. Watson is going to take a ton of coaching to become a contributor at the NFL level and he likely won’t make a big impact his rookie season. His size and speed, however, are things that can’t be coached — and if he lands in the right spot it wouldn’t be surprising if in 2023 he is one of the best receivers from this draft class.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 83
10. Treylon Burks, WR, Arkansas: The biggest concern with Burks is that he lined up mostly in the slot in college, and as a result, doesn’t have a ton of experience winning vs. man coverage on the outside. It isn’t clear if he can create separation at the line of scrimmage consistently on the outside. Burks seems best suited in a Deebo Samuel kind of role. The issue? Samuel is a special player in a special situation and trying to duplicate what he does seems like a recipe for disaster. Burks will be a good player in the NFL but I don’t see the special qualities that make him worth taking over other receivers with higher ceilings. As a second/third round pick? Burks would be more attractive. As a first-round pick, not as much. For the Eagles, however, Burks could be a player they target since they have been looking for slot receivers this offseason.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 51 (Strictly just because at that point the value would be too good to pass up, even if I do like other receivers better)
11. Jahan Dotson, WR, Penn State: There is a lot to like about Dotson. He wins contested catches, he has great hands and he is electric after the catch. He can also be an impact player as a punt returner, which will help him contribute early on for any team that takes him. The issues with Dotson, however, might make it hard for him to be a legitimate starting receiver on the outside in the NFL. He is undersized at just 5-foot-11 and 178 pounds. His size was an issue in college as he had trouble beating physical corners at the line of scrimmage. If he couldn’t do it in college it isn’t going to be any easier in the NFL where the corners are bigger and stronger. Dotson is either going to need to dominate from the slot or get in an offense that uses him in creative ways to be worthy of a 1st/2nd round pick.
Highest I’d Take Him: No. 83
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com