The NFL Draft is finally behind is finally behind us. The Eagles ended up selecting 5 players after entering the event with the most draft picks. The Eagles traded multiple picks to trade up on day 1. A month ago, the Eagles had 3 first round picks, after trading one pick to pick up a 2nd first rounder in 2023, and traded for AJ Brown.
Here are my grades for each of the Eagles draft picks.
13. Jordan Davis DT Georgia A+
The Eagles only first round selection of the 2022 draft. With Fletcher Cox on a 1-year deal, it seems his time on the team is coming to an end. With the selection of Davis, the Eagles look to lock-up the defensive line for the future. Howie Roseman always builds from the trenches and that shows from this pick. Davis truly excels at stopping the run and filling in the gaps. Davis helps solidify the defensive line. With Brandon Graham, Fletcher Cox, Jason Haragrave, Hassan Reddick, Josh Sweat, and now Jordan Davis, our defensive line just got 10x more scary.
51 Cam Jurgens C Nebraska C-
We all know Jason Kelce will probably retire after the 2022 season. This pick is looking to the future, and I do not expect Jurgens to see the field in 2022, unless Kelce goes down with an injury. The reason for the low grade is for the confusion over Landon Dickerson. We drafted the former Alabama center in the 2nd round last season, with the expectation he would replace Kelce at some point. Dickerson played a lot of guard last season, so is Dickerson the future guard and Jurgens the future center?
83. Nakobe Dean LB Georgia A++ (1st round talent in the 3rd???)
Dean was expected to be taken in the first round. He was in the green room in Vegas during the draft. Instead of going in the first, he fell to the 3rd. Concerns over his injured shoulder and Dean not getting surgery saw the Georgia star fall to the Eagles in the 3rd round. This is an A- grade because of how valuable of a player he is, and how we got him in the 3rd. The Eagles took a top LB in the 3rd...WOW. Dean is has excellent coverage skills, elite movement, violent blitzer, and a smart, physical, instinctual player with every tool needed to be a stud 3-down LB.
Kyron Johnson LB Kansas B+
Howie has never valued the LB. This off-season he signed two day 1 starters, and went into the draft and added two more. I was unsure of Johnson at first. He will be used more on the EDGE. The reason I gave this pick a better grade, is because this means Derek Barnett will start to lose reps.
If you are unsure to, here is Johnson lining up against Evan Neal during Senior Bowl practice.
198 Grant Calcaterra TE SMU B-
The Eagles have always run with two TE's. With Dallas Goedert being the only TE on the roster who should actually be on an NFL roster, this pick will help lock down the TE room. Calcaterra has excellent hands and excelled at both Oklahoma and SMU. Not going to brag, this was the only pick I got right in my 7 round Eagles mock draft!
Not a draft pick: Draft day trade for AJ Brown WR A+++++
The 18th pick was traded to the Tennessee Titans for Pro Bowl WR AJ Brown. Before the Eagles picked in the first round, they saw all the top end WR's fly off the draft boards. Instead of taking risk on a WR, they went out and got an established WR. They got another WR who can play alongside DeVonta Smith, and gives Jalen Hurts a new weapon. All the pressure is on Hurts now. They gave him the weapons, got him a better defense, and made the team better than last season. On top of everything, the Eagles also signed Brown to a 4 year extension.
Overall Grade A+
The Eagles had one of the best drafts in the NFL. They surrounded Jalen Hurts with more playmakers, got first round talent in the 3rd round, kept draft capital in 2023, and made this team into serious contenders in the NFC East. They never reached on players (like Howie loves to do,) and they took the steal of the draft. I love this draft for the Eagles!
Instead of taking a risk on a WR, we saw them go out and trade for a Pro Bowl WR. Howie finally learned the value the LB position. We love to build through the trenches and we did that with our first two picks. I am still curious what this means for Landon Dickerson, but if he can stay productive at guard, no one will complain that he was once a center. We should see Jalen's game elevate. Good defense will lead to better offense. Jordan Davis add so much to our line. He excels so well at filling in gaps and stopping the run. He also ran one of the fastest 40's among lineman at this year's combine. If you are upset about this draft, get ready to be wrong.