Eagles NFL Draft Grades After Surprising 1st Round

Opinions are like a certain body part… you know, everyone has one. Sometimes they are right, other times they are dead wrong.

When the Eagles selected TCU speedster Jalen Reagor with the 21st overall pick in the first round, the internet was ripe with armchair quarterbacks from Tioga to Warminster. Reagor’s impact may not be felt for two to three years down the line, and hopefully, there will be another Lombardi in the trophy case. The majority of talking heads liked the pick but wondered why the Eagles passed on LSU’s Justin Jefferson who went to the Vikings at pick No. 22.

There was also a good chunk of the fan base complaining about the team not being more aggressive, particularly in trading up to acquire CeeDee Lamb. The Oklahoma standout went to the Cowboys at pick No. 17. Let’s take a quick look around the league to see what some of the top experts had to say.

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Handing Out Grades for Jalen Reagor

Chad Reuter of NFL.com gave the Eagles a solid B grade for their first-round selection. He called Reagor both “competitive and explosive” in his analysis while noting that the TCU star will always be compared to Justin Jefferson.

Day 1 grade and analysis: B
Reagor has a chance to be a good NFL receiver. He’s competitive and explosive. The Eagles needed help at the position, so that box is checked. But his career will be compared to another receiver that some considered the lock selection in this spot: Justin Jefferson, who went one pick later to the Vikings. Will Jefferson’s size and speed make him a Davante Adams-type playmaker, making the Eagles regret this pick? Can Reagor outrun guys after the catch as he did in college? How good are his hands, really? We shall see.

Chris Trapasso of CBSSports.com also gave the Eagles a B for picking Reagor. However, he didn’t elaborate on why. Meanwhile, Sports Illustrated’s Andy Benoit whole-heartedly applauded the pick and handed out an A- grade. He said the move filled a “gargantuan void” and wrote:

Reagor fills a gargantuan void. He was an explosive outside weapon at TCU who showed he can also move into the slot. While maybe not quite a pure burner through and through, he can still get vertical—a notable trait given that Carson Wentz is innately aggressive when it comes to pushing the ball downfield. Reagor also impressed scouts with some of his route running nuance—another notable trait given that Doug Pederson’s offense, when it’s functioning comfortably, is built on detailed route combinations. Grade: A-

Then, there was ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky who has long been a staunch supporter of Carson Wentz and the Eagles. In fact, he was rumored to be in the mix for landing a coaching job with the organization. Orlovsky compared Reagor to Santonio Holmes or Percy Harvin. He loved the pick.

One, I did a TCU game two years ago and Jalen Reagor was the best player on the field. The most explosive player on the field, the fastest player on the field, one of those can’t get the ball to enough type of players on the field, and that’s when he had some pretty good quarterback play.

Number two, do not get caught up in the clock speed of 4.4. His tape speed is 4.3. It’s a difference-maker on tape. It’s faster on tape, on the field, than Justin Jefferson who also ran 4.4 but his speed in games shows up more than Jefferson’s.

Number three, don’t get caught up in the 5-11 frame. He is explosive down the field going at high-point footballs. So the height will not be a detriment. He doesn’t have the big body but he can go downfield and elevate. Think Tyreek Hill against the Texans, you know the jump ball that Mahomes throws to him at the two- or three-yard line.

And the last thing is this, I want the Eagles fans to envision a Santonio Holmes type of player, a Percy Harvin type of player, with the speed that you can utilize in this type of offense. It’s a good pick.

Heavy.com’s own Vinny Somma gave the Eagles a B for the pick and said Reagor could be the “most productive rookie wideout in 2020.” Eagles beat reporter Mike Greger agreed with the overall sentiment but offered a higher grade: A.

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