ESPN Draft Expert Reveals Eagles Pick: ‘Forced to Feel That Way’

DeVonta Smith

Getty DeVonta Smith during the Alabama win vs. Ohio State.

There appears to be a raging debate in Philadelphia about whether Jalen Hurts is the future face of the Eagles’ franchise. Did the dual-threat quarterback show enough in a very limited tryout to earn the job?

Everyone has an opinion on Hurts, including ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper Jr. who revealed his latest mock draft on Tuesday’s “First Draft” podcast. He started the conversation by trying to make sense of the Carson Wentz trade — “I don’t understand it,” Kiper mused — before turning his attention to this year’s draft. Kiper isn’t sold on Hurts, but he finds it impossible for the Eagles to pass on an elite receiver at pick number six.

One of the top two pass-catchers — LSU’s Ja’Marr Chase or Alabama’s DeVonta Smith — should still be there. Philly needs to turn their draft card back in with one of those potential game-changing SEC players on it. Don’t be tempted to take a quarterback there, not even if Ohio State’s Justin Fields or BYU’s Zach Wilson slips down the big board.

“Do you pass on them [Chase or Smith] to take a quarterback? I don’t think so, you take one of those receivers at six — and you go for it with Jalen Hurts,” Kiper told co-host Field Yates. “You see what happens with him and next year you decide what you want to do with the quarterback. I don’t know if he earned it or showed enough but I would stick with Hurts. See how he evolves or develops.”

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Ex-Eagles Player Talks About QB Controversy

Former wide receiver Jason Avant returned to the Eagles’ organization as a coaching intern in 2020. He was charged with mentoring the young pass-catchers as part of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. He was around the team every day and walked away impressed with Hurts.

Speaking to NBC10’s John Clark, Avant said the second-year quarterback never acted like a backup. Did that make Wentz uncomfortable? Maybe.

“The thing that I loved about Jalen during this process is that Jalen never has a backup mentality,” Avant told Clark. “Jalen has always thought that he was the best quarterback in the room. And he has never said that. He’s never come out and said that. But his disposition says that. And if that made Carson uncomfortable, no one knows.”


Kelly Green Uniforms … Finally!?

Is this the year the NFL changes their uniform policy regarding the one helmet rule? Hopefully.

Team owner Jeffrey Lurie has been pushing for the return of the franchise’s iconic Kelly green jerseys for years but the sticking point is that NFL franchises must stick with the same helmet for the duration of the season. That means if they were to break out Kelly green jerseys, then they would have to pair them with a midnight green helmet. No dice since that would look atrocious.

The league is expected to hold its annual owner’s meetings later this month where the rule change may be discussed. The last time the Philadelphia Eagles wore any semblance of Kelly green was 2010. Stay tuned.

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