Getty Alabama WR Henry Ruggs II could be available when the Eagles select in the 2020 NFL Draft.
It’s never too late to start looking toward next year. The Eagles have tons of options on college rosters across the country.
Philadelphia (5-5) would have the No. 17 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft if the season ended today. Of course, they could move up — or conceivably down — depending on how the final six games play out.
Shockingly, the Eagles still have a decent chance of winning the NFC East — assuming they win out and knock off the Cowboys in Week 17. Either way, this roller-coaster 2019 campaign has taught everyone that speed matters. Especially speedy receivers.
As mock drafts start to take shape across the NFL, let’s focus on some names the Eagles might want to look at. There are options. Help could be on the way.
Henry Ruggs III, Alabama
There might be no one better suited to help the Eagles immediately than the 6-foot, 190-pound speedster from Alabama. Ruggs is projected to go between 12th overall and 15th overall, depending on the mock board you trust. That means the Eagles might have to trade up to nab him. They should.
Ruggs has 32 receptions for 620 yards and six touchdowns, including a 148-yard receiving game earlier this season. How fast is he? Well, he broke the 100-meter dash record in high school and reportedly ran the 40-yard dash in the 4.25 range. To put that in perspective, the NFL scouting combine record is 4.22.
CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma
Lamb has 44 receptions for 983 yards in nine games this year for the Sooners while averaging a whopping 21.3 yards per catch. He’s a generational talent: 6-foot-2, 189 pounds who can tail it at a respectable 4.45 in the 40. His biggest strength is tracking the football, something no one — especially not Nelson Agholor — can seem to do on the Eagles’ roster right now.
Lamb also has a knack for showing up in games, including five performances with 135-plus receiving yards. He had 10 catches for 171 yards in Oklahoma’s big rivalry win over Texas on Oct. 12. He was projected to go in the Top 10, but an undisclosed injury may drop him down the board.
Tee Higgins, Clemson
This is the player that may fall right into the Eagles’ laps in the first round. Most mocks have him going around No. 18. Higgins plays in a high-octane offense at Clemson so his numbers may be slightly inflated, but the kid can flat-out get after it. Higgins has been called the most complete receiver in the 2020 draft due to his combination of size (6-foot-4) and route running, but he lacks elite speed after running a 4.75 in the 40 in high school. He does have a knack for creating space and finding the end zone. Higgins has 40 catches for 799 yards and eight touchdowns this year.
Devin Duvernay, Texas
Touchdown, @TexasFootball! 🤘
The Longhorns tie it up thanks to this Devin Duvernay TD.
Duvernay could be the steal of the draft, a guy available in the second round. He has exceeded expectations in 2019 and already surpassed 1,000 receiving yards with 87 receptions for 1,017 yards and seven touchdowns. Two weeks ago, versus No. 6 LSU, the senior standout hauled in 12 balls for 154 yards and two touchdowns. More importantly, he’s a burner. Bleacher Report ranked him as the seventh-fastest player — not just wide receiver — in college football entering the year.
Jalen Reagor, TCU
Mama There Goes That Man JALEN REAGOR 💥 #Devy t.co/oKDZh7Dl5P
Reagor looks like a young DeSean Jackson, only with roughly 20 more pounds of bulk. He was due for a breakout season in 2019 but has greatly disappointed and failed to live up to the hype. Question mark? Maybe. Or perhaps it’s a blessing in disguise for the Eagles as they could possibly land him in the second round. He’s projected to go late in the first round or early in the second.
Reagor only has 36 catches for 545 yards, but he has had to deal with a constant rotation at the quarterback position at TCU. His top time in the 40-yard dash was 4.35 and he became the youngest TCU receiver to break the 1,000-yard mark in 2018. Speed kills in the NFL. Remember his name.
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