Maybe it’s better things turned out this way. Maybe it’s better the Philadelphia Eagles and general manager Howie Roseman made the decision they did in the 2020 NFL draft.
Otherwise, things may not have been fair for the rest of the NFL.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox called the Eagles selecting TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor over NFL All-Pro Justin Jefferson the “Worst Draft Pick of the Century” and it should make fellow NFC teams shudder to think of what would have happened if the Eagles had taken Jefferson.
The Eagles took Reagor at No. 21 overall — just 1 spot ahead of Jefferson to the Vikings at No. 22 overall.
“Looking to add a No. 1-caliber receiver in 2020, the Eagles used the 21st overall pick on TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor,” Knox wrote. “Even then, it was viewed as a questionable choice, as Reagor was coming off a down year (611 yards) and underwhelmed at the scouting combine with a 4.47-second 40-yard dash. In retrospect, selecting Reagor one spot before the Vikings took LSU receiver Justin Jefferson was a massive mistake. Jefferson has gone on to establish himself as a top-five wideout, if not the best pass-catcher in the league. With 8,480 receiving yards, four Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro nods and one Offensive Player of the Year award in six seasons, Jefferson is on a Hall of Fame trajectory.”
Jalen Reagor’s Miserable Time in Philly
It didn’t take long for the Eagles to realize they had a massive bust with Reagor. It was made all the more stark by Jefferson’s instant success.
As a rookie in 2020, Reagor had 31 receptions for 396 yards and 1 touchdown in 11 games, missing 5 games with a torn thumb ligament. That same season, Jefferson had 88 receptions for 1,400 yards and 7 touchdowns while earning NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors for the first time.
After 2 seasons in Philadelphia, Reagor was traded to the Vikings, where he had just 8 receptions for 104 yards and 1 touchdown in 2022 before he was released before the 2023 season. Reagor played for the New England Patriots in 2023 and spent 2024 with the Patriots and Los Angeles Chargers.
In 5 NFL seasons, Reagor has 86 receptions for 1,037 yards and 4 touchdowns in 64 games. In Jefferson’s worst year, in 2023, he had 68 receptions for 1,074 yards and 5 touchdowns in 10 games.
Everything Turned Out Fine for Eagles WRs
Let’s not shed too many tears for the Eagles. Their wide receiver room found a way to survive and thrive without Jefferson.
Since 2022, the Eagles have had arguably the NFL’s best wide receiver duo in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. They’re also 2 of the most highly paid players in the NFL.
Brown has been named NFL All-Pro in 3 of the last 4 seasons — all since he was traded to the Eagles from the Tennessee Titans — and signed a 3-year, $96 million contract extension before the 2024 season even though he’s probably going to be traded in the coming months.
Smith, the No. 10 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, signed a 3-year, $75 million contract extension in April 2024. He also became just the fifth player in football history to win the Super Bowl, a college football national title, and a Heisman Trophy after the Eagles won it all following the 2024 season.
Eagles Called Out for ‘Worst Draft Pick of the Century’