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If the Philadelphia Eagles go for a top defensive player in the first round, then an offensive playmaker will likely be the priority at pick No. 37. There are multiple reports that the team has pledged to surround Jalen Hurts with talent.
And there are intriguing options galore likely to be available in the second round, including a “game-breaking skill player.” Rondale Moore ran a blistering 4.29 seconds in the 40-yard dash on his pro day while hitting a 42.5-inch vertical jump.
The 5-foot-7, 181-pounder is small for a No. 1 wideout but the Eagles can put him in the slot and let him work his magic. Two injury-riddled years had pushed him down draft boards, but that super fast 40-time might move him back up. He’s projected to go late second round or early third round.
“That 5-foot-7 size doesn’t really show up when you can run away from everybody and that’s what he did at Purdue,” NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah said. “So, you’re buying the fact that he can return to what he was in 2018 and be healthy and dynamic and explosive. I think there’s a lot of love on the streets for this guy around the league.”
The Eagles are expected to give Jalen Reagor snaps in the slot and competition breeds success. Moore is a triple threat as a wide receiver, gadget-play specialist and punt or kick returner — and a guy whom Reggie Bush said: “reminds me of myself.”
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Ole Miss WR Elijah Moore Raises Draft Stock
A recent ESPN mock draft had the Eagles grabbing Rashod Bateman in the second round, but that seems like a stretch. The stud receiver from Minnesota is likely to be off the board. However, there is another name to watch: Elijah Moore.
The 5-foot-10, 178-pounder was originally seen as a slot receiver but his 4.35 seconds in the 40 has opinions changing. Moore caught 86 balls for 1,193 yards and eight touchdowns last year at Ole Miss.
He led the nation in receiving yards per game (149.1) and receptions per game (10.8) in 2020. Moore’s strengths jive with what Philly needs the most: a sure-handed pass-catcher (10 drops on 200 career catchable targets) who excels at breaking tackles in space and picking up tough yards after the catch. He has been compared favorably to a young Randall Cobb or Diontae Johnson.
Shi Smith Emerging as Hidden Gem
All the focus at South Carolina has been on first-rounder Jaycee Horn who could be the best cornerback in this draft. Watch out for Shi Smith, his teammate on the offensive side of the ball. He should be there in the third or fourth round.
The 5-foot-10, 186-pounder finished with 633 yards on 57 receptions in a shortened nine-game season. Smith posted 4.33 seconds in the 40-yard dash — tied for fourth-best of all the current pro days — and 36-inch vertical jump.
Here is a scouting report on Smith, via Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network:
Smith is likely going to be a slot guy at the next level. That is no slight to him, either. Slot receivers in the NFL are needed, especially those like Smith. Few can make the tough grabs that he can and sustain the punishment he has shown he can withstand. The ability to win on these contested catches and be fearless with reckless abandon over the middle of the field will be attractive to several teams.
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