Anything is possible on draft night — just ask Jalen Hurts and Carson Wentz.
Still, with the 2021 NFL Draft now just two days away, the list of players the Eagles could be targeting is shrinking.
The chances of them taking an offensive linemen seem slim. A defensive linemen is possible, but would likely require a trade down from No. 12. A quarterback? Don't rule it out, but it would certainly be a franchise-altering decision if they actually did it.
So who are the players most likely to be an Eagle by the end of the first round?
Here is how I would rank them heading into Thursday night:
1. Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Height/Weight: 5-foot-10, 182 pounds
College Stats: 106 catches, 1,999 yards, 17 touchdowns (34 games)
Projected Round: 1st (top 15)
Analysis: Waddle seems like the player the Eagles are targeting in the first round. After initially thinking he would likely be there at No. 12, it is possible they have now decided they might need to move up a few spots, and if they do jump to No. 9, Waddle seems like the target.
If Waddle was in the 2020 NFL Draft, he might have been the first receiver taken. If he didn't suffer a broken ankle last season, he might be the first receiver off the board in the 2022 NFL Draft. Waddle has elite-level speed and could be the big-play threat that the Eagles hoped they were getting in Jalen Reagor. He hasn't proven he can dominate for long stretches like Smith had, but Waddle arguably has a higher ceiling.
Waddle checks off all the boxes that Roseman would look for in a receiver — elite speed, high ceiling and can be sold as a value pick, considering he is coming off an injury.
2. DeVonta Smith, Alabama
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 175 pounds
College Stats: 235 catches, 3,965 yards, 46 touchdowns (47 games)
Projected Round: 1st (top 15)
Analysis: If Waddle is gone, and the Eagles are sitting at No. 12 with Smith on the board, chances are he will be the pick.
Smith is a lot like LSU's Justin Jefferson last season. He has great hands, is a great route runner and has dominated at the highest levels (and biggest stages) of college football. Like Jefferson, Smith has one issue everyone is focusing on, and it seems to be impacting his draft stock. For Jefferson, it was that he played in the slot. For Smith, it is his weight. Jefferson was the best rookie receiver in the NFL last season. If the Eagles can look pasts the overblown concern around Smith's weight, they might get the best rookie receiver as well if they take Smith at 12.
Plus, the Eagles already laid the groundwork to take Smith last week when they explained that being a No. 1 receiver isn't about height/weight, but about the ability to win at the line of scrimmage — which Smith might be the best at in this draft among the receivers.
3. Ja'Marr Chase/Kyle Pitts
I am not ready to rule out either Chase or Pitts landing on the Eagles.
Yes, it will require things to break the Eagles' way on Thursday night, but it isn't as far-fetched as you might think. The Eagles would need quarterbacks with the top four picks. They would need the Cincinnati Bengals to take Oregon tackle Penei Sewell. That would guarantee one of either Chase or Pitts would be on the board at No. 7. If that happens, the Eagles could overpay to make a jump up — and they certainly have the draft assets to do it if needed.
As much as the Eagles are indeed rebuilding, there is also no denying they need to hit on this pick, and making their fans excited along the way would certainly help. That isn't lost on Howie Roseman or Jeffrey Lurie. A move back up the board for Chase or Pitts should not be ruled out.
4. Jaycee Horn, South Carolina
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 205 pounds
College Stats: 30 games, 101 tackles, 23 pass deflections, 2 INTs
Projected Round: Top 15
Analysis: I'm skeptical the Eagles will trade up for a cornerback, which is why I don't have Patrick Surtain on this list. They are likely to play zone coverage this year, which lessens the need for a corner that projects as being the best in man coverage. They are also a team that believes in winning by either throwing the ball or pressuring the quarterback, so using a top-15 pick on a corner would be a surprising decision.
Still, there is a difference between trading up for a cornerback and having one fall into your lap — and there is a chance when the Eagles go on the clock that Horn is the best player on the board.
Horn is a strong prospect, lining up against some of the best receivers in college football during his time at South Carolina and faired well against all of them, a great sign of things to come in the NFL. He didn't create a ton of turnovers in college, but is more due to a lack of passes coming his way than poor ball skills. Not only is he excellent in coverage but he is strong against the run as well. Horn has the physical, confident attitude you want in a No. 1 cornerback, and could be a tone setter on the defensive side of the ball once he gets comfortable at the next level.
5. Gregory Rousseau, DE, Miami
Weight/Height: 6-foot-5, 265 pounds
College Stats: 14 games, 59 tackles, 19.5 TFL, 15.5 Sacks
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: Worst-case scenario for the Eagles would be if they go on the clock and each of the players already listed are gone. That would leave the Eagles would the option of either trading back, which they could do, or reaching at No. 12. If they do reach, it will be at a position they truly value, which is why I could see Rousseau being their pick.
Rousseau might have been the top pass rusher taken in this year's draft if he played in 2020, but with just 14 games play in college he is considered very much a project at this point. There is plenty to like about Rousseau, who is not only one of the tallest edge rushers in the draft, but has a 84-inch wingspan as well. The concern with Rousseau is that he hasn't displayed much of a pass-rushing repertoire, which is why some view him as a safer pick in the second round as opposed to the top half of the first.
Still, the potential is undeniable — and he could end up being a dominant player at the next level.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
