Best and worst recent top 10 picks by the Philadelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles have had six draft picks in the top 10 since Jeff Lurie bought the team in 1994. Some have worked out, others have not.
Here’s the best and worst of those picks:
Good | WR DeVonta Smith (10th pick, 2021)
After Philadelphia chose Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson in 2020, Eagles fans were thrilled when the team traded up with Dallas to get Alabama’s Heisman winner.
He’s off to a great start with 159 catches for 2,112 yards and 12 touchdowns his first two seasons. He even led Super Bowl LVII in receiving with seven catches for 100 yards.
Better | QB Donovan McNabb (2nd pick, 1999)
McNabb was famously booed at the draft, but there’s no arguing with what he did in Philadelphia. In 11 years, McNabb threw for 32,873 yards with 216 touchdowns and ran for 3,249 yards and 28 scores.
After leading his team to five NFC Championship games, McNabb had his number retired in 2013. He’s the Eagles’ all-time passing leader and a member of their Hall of Fame.
Best | OT Lane Johnson (4th pick, 2013)
Johnson’s stats speak for themselves. He’s made four Pro Bowls with two first-team All-Pro selections and a Super Bowl championship. He hasn’t given up a sack since Week 11 of 2020 and shows no signs of slowing down at age 32.
Bad | DT Corey Simon (6th pick, 2000)
Simon’s career started well but ended badly. He had 32 sacks and nine forced fumbles as an Eagle and broke the team’s rookie record with 9.5 sacks. But even with those numbers, Philly fans expected more.
Simon held out in 2004 and needed most of the regular season to get into shape. He did it again in 2005 but by then Philadelphia had seen enough and released him. Two years later he was out of the league.
Worse | QB Carson Wentz (2nd pick, 2016)
Philadelphia traded up with Cleveland to take Wentz second-overall in 2016. Like Simon, Wentz’s career started with so much promise. His 33 touchdowns and 3,296 yards in 2017 were a big reason the team went to the Super Bowl, but a knee injury ended his season early.
He signed a four-year, $128 million contract in 2019, but was benched after 12 games in 2020 after throwing 15 interceptions and 16 touchdowns. He’s since played for the Colts and Commanders and is currently without a team.
Worst | DE Mike Mamula (7th pick, 1995)
Philadelphia was so enamored with Mamula’s combine performance, they traded three picks to get him. Originally considered a mid-round prospect, Mamula shot up the draft board by being one of the first players to work out specifically for the scouting combine.
Unfortunately, Mamula left his best moves in Indianapolis. He had just over 200 tackles and 31 sacks in five NFL seasons and remains a cautionary tale for NFL general managers.
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