The 2021 NFL Draft is less than a month away, and with 11 picks, Howie Roseman and the Eagles are facing perhaps more pressure than ever to find starting players throughout the draft.
As always, the receiver position is near the top of the list of needs heading into the draft.
Assuming LSU's Ja'Marr Chase doesn't fall to them, here are 15 receivers the Eagles should be targeting throughout the draft:
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: 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.
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: 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.
Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
Height/Weight: 6-foot-2, 210 pounds
College Stats: 147 catches, 2,395 yards, 19 touchdowns (31 games)
Projected Round: 1st/2nd
Analysis: Bateman is outside of the top-three receivers in this draft, but he still has a very high ceiling. Bateman is used to carrying the responsibility of being the No. 1 receiver in an offense, and although he doesn't have the gamebreaking speed the other receivers at the top of the draft do, he should be able to contribute right away.
Kadarius Toney, Florida
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 193 pounds
College Stats: 120 catches, 1,590 yards, 12 touchdowns (38 games)
Projected Round: Late 1st/2nd
Analysis: He isn't viewed as having No. 1 receiver potential, but there aren't many receivers in the draft that have the big-play potential that Toney does. Toney is lighting quick and dangerous with the ball after the catch, making him a threat not only as a receiver but as a gadget player the right coach could get creative with.
Rondale Moore, Purdue
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 180 pounds
College Stats: 178 catches, 1,915 yards, 14 touchdowns (20 games)
Projected Round: 1st/2nd
Analysis: Moore is one of the best receivers in the draft at winning at the line of scrimmage and then using his quick first step to create separation. Injuries have been a bit of an issue for Moore, but he been pretty dominant when he has played, scoring 14 touchdowns in 20 games and consistently making big plays when Purdue needed him.
D'Wayne Eskridge, Western Michigan
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 190 pounds
College Stats: 121 catches, 2,244 yards, 15 touchdowns (43 games)
Projected Round: 2nd/3rd
Analysis: Like Toney, Eskridge is a home-run hitter that will bring elite speed to any offense he joins. He is extremely dangerous after the catch and also has the potential to be an impact player in the return game. He is good off the line of scrimmage, but his small stature is a bit of a concern and it is possible he might have to move inside to the slot. Drops are also occasionally an issue.
Elijah Moore, Ole Miss
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 185 pounds
College Stats: 189 catches, 2,441 yards, 16 touchdowns (31 games)
Projected Round: 2nd
Analysis: The Eagles badly need speed on offense, especially at receiver, so once again they will be targeting some of the quickest receivers in the draft. Moore certainly fits that description. Moore is undersized like Eskridge, but brings a lot of the same skills, including an ability to create separation at the line of scrimmage. Unlike Eskridge, Moore has great hands and drops haven't been an issue.
Chatarius "Tutu" Atwell, Lousiville
Height/Weight: 5-foot-9, 165 pounds
College Stats:139 catches, 2,303 yards, 20 touchdowns (42 games)
Projected Round: 4th
Analysis: Atwell is an interesting prospect because of his elite speed and ability to track the ball down the field — something the Eagles' receivers have struggled with at times. Atwell has totaled 1,142 yards after the catch during his time at Louisville, making him one of the most productive YAC receivers in the draft. If the Eagles don't land a receiver at the top of the draft, Atwell might be their best bet at landing a big-play threat in the middle rounds.
Dyami Brown, North Carolina
Height/Weight: 6-foot-1, 185 pounds
College Stats: 123 catches, 2,306 yards, 21 touchdowns (32 games)
Projected Round: 5th
Analysis: Brown played almost exclusively on the outside during his time at North Carolina, but chances are he might need to move to the inside in the NFL. Wherever he lines up, however, he should be able to contribute right away as he is a great route runner that has the speed to get behind defenses.
Nico Collins, Michigan
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 215 pounds
College Stats: 78 catches, 1,388 yards, 13 touchdowns (27 games)
Projected Round: 6th
Analysis: The Eagles need speed, but they also need size as well, unless J.J. Arcega-Whiteside takes a huge leap forward in is third season. Collins is arguably the best athlete in the draft at his size, standing 6-foot-4 with speed good enough to make him a deep threat down the field. Collins has shown the ability to consistently win 50/50 balls and does a great job tracking them down the field, which is how he was able to average 17.7 yards-per-catch during his time at Michigan.
Dazz Newsome, North Carolina
Height/Weight: 5-foot-11, 190 pounds
College Stats: 188 catches, 2,435 yards, 18 touchdowns (43 games)
Projected Round: 3rd
Analysis: Newsome has slightly better size than some of the quicker receivers on this list, which is a positive, although he doesn't seem to be able to break as many tackles as some of the smaller receivers. Newsome is at his best with the ball in his hands on gadget plays, taking advantage of the blocking and using his speed to turn a short catch into a long gain. He needs work at the line of scrimmage, but would be dangerous right away in an offense that knew how to use him.
Trevon Grimes, Florida
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 218 pounds
College Stats: 100 catches, 1,464 yards, 14 touchdowns (38 games)
Projected Round: 5th
Analysis: Florida has a few intriguing options in the draft at receiver, and with new quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson having coached both of them last season, the Eagles will likely take a long look at all of them. Grimes is an intriguing option, standing 6-foot-4 with great hands and down-the-field ability. Grimes is going to take some time to adjust to the NFL as he needs work as a route runner, but his raw athleticism is definitely worth taking a chance on in the later rounds.
Antony Schwartz, Auburn
Height/Weight: 6-foot, 179 pounds
College Stats: 117 catches, 1,433 yards, 6 touchdowns (43 games)
Projected Round: 5th
Analysis: Last draft the Eagles seemed to just add the quickest players they could, and if they use that same mindset this year, Schwartz will end up on the team. Schwartz is a track star that at one point held the world record for the 100 meter dash, running it in just 10.07 seconds. That speed has yet to translate into a dominate receiver, but with the right coaching he could prove to be one of the steals of the draft.
Jonathan Adams Jr., Arkansas State
Height/Weight: 6-foot-3, 220 pounds
College Stats: 166 catches, 2,306 yards, 21 touchdowns (40 games)
Projected Round: 7th
Analysis: Adams Jr. knows how to do one thing — get down the field and make a play. That is certainly a valuable skillset, as at 6-foot-3, he is a good enough athlete to compete down the field in the NFL right away. The issue with Adams Jr. is that he hasn't shown he can do much else, and is going to need plenty of coaching with both his route running and at the line of scrimmage.
Khalil McClain, Troy
Height/Weight: 6-foot-4, 222 pounds
College Stats: 77 catches, 945 yards, 13 touchdowns (24 games)
Projected Round: 7th
Analysis: A tall, athletic receiver that can win jump balls and dominated a lower-level of competition, McClain has the physical traits the Eagles should be looking for in seventh-round pick.
You can reach Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
