This was by far the toughest class to evaluate. The Eagles got their franchise quarterback in the second round, but everywhere else was just so bad.
The selection of Jalen Hurts at the time was a puzzling one as Carson Wentz had signed a massive contract extension the previous offseason and led them to the playoffs three straight seasons, but his injury history must’ve scared Eagles brass, which led to the selection of Hurts. Wentz got benched towards the end of the season, and was traded to the Colts the following year, and Hurts has been the starter. Since then, he’s played like an MVP the last two seasons, and earned a giant contract extension, but they failed to win a Super Bowl, and the ruthless Philly fans are calling for Hurts’ head, so they’re not even convinced he’s actually the guy. That is ridiculous, and most teams would kill for a guy like Hurts, but he just quite isn’t viewed as the guy, even though he’s proved it, and the team backs him, but the one thing missing is the ring.
The biggest blemish on this rough draft is one of the biggest jokes of the last four years in the selection of wide receiver Jalen Reagor, who notably went before Justin Jefferson, the best receiver in the league. He dealt with injuries as a rookie and finished with less than 400 yards in a year where Travis Fulgham and Greg Ward were the top WRs. The next year he had fewer than 300 yards playing in every game behind DeVonta Smith and fellow draftmate Quez Watkins. He was ironically traded to the Vikings before the 2022 season for a fourth and seventh round pick. He only had eight catches on the season, but was the team’s primary punt returner. He was released before the 2023 season and signed with the Patriots, and finished with seven catches.
As previously mentioned, sixth-rounder Quez Watkins always found his way into the lineup, recording 647 yards his second season, but slipped down the depth chart as the years went on. Fifth-rounder John Hightower didn’t quite have that success, recording 10 catches as a rookie, then spending 2021 on the practice squad before a release the following year. He spent that next season on the Chargers practice squad and is currently in the UFL.
Third-rounder Davion Taylor was named a starter his second season before an injury and was later released, then spent the 2023 season on the Cardinals practice squad. Sixth-rounder Shaun Bradley has stuck with the team and has been a core special teamer.
The other player that has stuck around is backup tackle Jack Driscoll. Often filling in for the injured Lane Johnson at left tackle the last four seasons, he started eight games at right guard following an injury to Brandon Brooks before an injury of his own. With nine career starts at tackle, he’ll get a job to provide solid depth as a swing tackle and fill-in starter.
Fourth-rounder K’Von Wallace has had a very strange, yet semi-successful career. His first three seasons he was mainly a backup safety playing around 20% of snaps, but was released before the ’23 season. He got claimed by the Cardinals, started five games for them, played 100% of snaps in all five, then released in October. He then got claimed by the Titans, and ended up starting seven games. Strange, a backup for three years, cut, played every snap for five games for one team, cut, then started seven for a third team.
Prince Tega Wanogho spent his rookie year on the practice squad, but was released and signed with the Chiefs and bounced between the active roster and practice squad the last three years, starting zero games. Casey Toohill was released during his rookie year and claimed by Washington. He started 14 of the last three seasons and had seven sacks as a rotational pass rusher.
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