Team-by-Team Draft Recap: Philadelphia Eagles
The Chip Kelly Show certainly lived up to its billing in year one as the Eagles offense definitively became the best rushing attack in the NFL. The team proved they weren’t satisfied with the results when they jettisoned miscreant wide receiver DeSean Jackson earlier this offseason as they’ll look to evolve to another level. Fantasy owners should be optimistic now that Kelly has had a full year to institute his system, one of the few in the NFL which has proven capable of supporting high end fantasy options at each position.
Marcus Smith, DE/OLB (Round 1, Overall #26, Louisville)
Due to the hybrid 3-4 defense the Eagles employ, Marcus Smith will likely have much more of a “real life” impact than he does fantasy impact for your IDP squad. He’s a gifted pass rusher with the ability to drop back into coverage so his versatility will go a long way to help revamp a fairly porous defense which was exploited by the Saints in the 2013 playoffs. He’ll eventually replace Trent Cole as a full-time starter and could gain some IDP value in big-play leagues, especially if he stays listed as a defensive end. Given the uncertainty of how he’ll be classified, I wouldn’t consider drafting Smith before the mid-fifth round in a standard IDP rookie draft.
Jordan Matthews, WR (Round 2, Overall #42, Vanderbilt)
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Heading into the draft, the Eagles had the worst wide receiver corps in the NFL outside of Charlotte, so when the team traded up in the second round, this selection shocked nobody. I was a little surprised they didn’t go with the physical Davante Adams or the local hero in Allen Robinson, but Jordan Matthews will fit in dandily. I initially questioned whether his lean, wiry frame would be sturdy enough to hold up in the NFL, but given his physical attributes (6’-3”, 212 pounds) mirror those of All-Pro AJ Green (6’-4”, 211 pounds), it shouldn’t be held against him. Chip Kelly will line him up all over the field, particularly in the slot, to take advantage of the mismatches created by Matthews’ athleticism, enormous catch radius and ability to run every route on the tree. He’ll see the field early and often as there isn’t much competition for snaps on the roster which makes him a safe early first round selection in your rookie draft.
Josh Huff, WR (Round 3, Overall #86, Oregon)
The most encouraging comment I can make about this pick relates to Huff’s familiarity with Chip Kelly’s schemes and nomenclature. Some NFL Draft analysts loved this pick ,but I unfortunately do not share their enthusiasm as I view Huff (5’-11”, 206 pounds) as having a much lower ceiling than a player like Donte Moncrief, who was selected four picks later by the Colts. Huff’s presence will certainly help the team given their previously discussed lack of wide receiver depth but he’ll ultimately settle into a niche role where he’s used in specific circumstances and as a catalyst on special teams. The only way he’ll carve out anything more significant is if Jeremy Maclin doesn’t hold up. Those attributes do not a fantasy star make, so don’t bother drafting Huff until the late rounds.
Jaylen Watkins, DB (Round 4, Overall #101, Florida)
If the Eagles weren’t going to have a shot at Sammy Watkins, they were hell-bent on grabbing his talented half-brother Jaylen. He was initially listed as a cornerback but given the lack of talent in the Philadelphia secondary, he could end up earning playing time as a safety. However, there’s nothing much to see here from an IDP perspective at this time.
Taylor Hart, DE (Round 5, Overall #141, Oregon)
Hart is nothing more than a depth guy as a 3-4 defensive end. No IDP value of which to speak.
Ed Reynolds, S (Round 5, Overall #162, Stanford)
The Eagles needed secondary depth and Reynolds provides it. He’s a strong candidate to end up on the practice squad.
Beau Allen, DT (Round 7, Overall #224, Wisconsin)
At 6’-2” and 330 pounds, Beau Allen is a mountain of a man. His selection here in the seventh round made me feel a little bit better about the Eagles missing out on Louis Nix III in the third.
Undrafted Free Agents and Other Notes
On Day Two of the NFL Draft, the Eagles made a minor trade with the Bills, sending them former dynasty darling Bryce Brown in exchange for a mid-round pick in 2015. The result effect is a boost in value for both Brown, who will now back up CJ Spiller and Fred Jackson (both of whom are currently set to enter free agency next Spring), as well as Chris Polk, who did well in spot duty backing up LeSean McCoy last year. Polk is now one of the must-own handcuffs in fantasy football as he is an injury away from being the lead back on the premier rushing attack in the NFL. The Eagles traded for Darren Sproles a couple months ago but he’s not going to see nearly as many carries as he will pass targets. Thus, the fallout from all of this is a sudden need for a capable RB3 on the roster.
After the NFL Draft ended, the Eagles quickly brought in two running backs to compete for the job: Henry Josey (Missouri) and David Fluellen (Toledo). Both players were highly productive in college and at one point were solid mid-round NFL prospects. However, durability concerns in both cases caused them to slip out of the draft entirely and although they have completely different styles, there is a good chance for one of them to make the final roster. Josey is a little bit similar to Darren Sproles in that he’s more of a scat back at 5’-8” and 194 pounds. Fluellen at 5’-11” and 225 pounds, on the other hand, is more of a straight-line bruiser in the mold of Polk. It’s a situation worth monitoring as summer camps progress but at this point, neither is worth rostering except in the deepest of deep leagues.
The only other undrafted rookie free agent worth mentioning here is former University of Florida tight end Trey Burton (6’-2”, 224 pounds) who projects as more of an H-back in the NFL. He will likely end up on the practice squad but could end up seeing the active roster if the Eagles decide to part ways with disappointing James Casey later this summer.
What did you think of the Eagles’ draft? Let us know in the comments below and follow Jeff on Twitter @jefeberan for further discourse.
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