The Eagles appear ready to make like the Detroit Lions from the early 2000s and take another wide receiver in the first round of the NFL draft.
It didn’t work out so well for Matt Millen, the Lions' GM when he took Charles Rodgers second overall in 2003, Roy Williams seventh in 2004, and Mike Williams 10th in 2005. He was gone in 2008, though it was never confirmed whether Millen left on his own or was fired.
Now comes Eagles GM Howie Roseman who appears ready to travel the same path of taking receivers in the first round.
There are plenty of candidates for Roseman to take at either 15 or 18 if he stays put when the first round commences on April 28.
Last week, ESPN analyst Mel Kiper, Jr., gave his opinion on some of the receivers under consideration.
The longtime draft analyst said that none of the receivers in this class would be graded above DeVonta Smith, Ja’Marr Chase, or Jaylen Waddle – three players selected in the top 10 last year.
“Garrett Wilson would be the closest,” Kiper said. “Drake London, had he gone through the process clean - remember he had the fractured ankle last October against Arizona and not running the 40 and all that - Jameson Williams could have maybe been there, but he had the ACL in the national championship game.
“So, some things happened to prevent that … But there's I think six or seven that could go in the first round. … It's a deep, talented group. They're close to the three last year. Jameson, even with the injury, could still go top 20, maybe even top 10 possibly. But because of that, the three last year were rated a little bit higher.”
Kiper said there isn’t much that separates Wilson and his Ohio State teammate, Chris Olave.
“Olave is a professional in every sense of the word,” he said. “He's experienced. He catches the ball. He’s a precise route runner (and) he will (play) right away. So, I think if you get a Wilson at eight if you're Atlanta, you can get Olave in the middle of the first round at 15 If you're the Eagles.
“I love both those kids. I think they're not as highly rated as the three last year the three elite guys last year, but they're awfully close. They're certainly close enough to be very early picks in this draft.”
Williams, however, is the wild card when it comes to the Eagles.
“Everybody talks about teams moving up to get him now, and we're talking about him in the top 10,” said Kiper. “So, it depends upon how they feel about Jameson as compared to say Chris Olave who they could probably get at 15 without moving up.
“Then Drake London coming off the fractured ankle, hasn't run for the clock, how they feel about him. Garrett Wilson, if you want to move up into the top six, seven, you can get him ahead of Atlanta if he doesn't go No. 4 to the Jets, how they feel about those receivers. I do think Jameson Williams is the one they can probably get him if they stayed (at 15).”
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