Even after Chip Kelly’s successful start with the Eagles, they came into the draft with a few needs that definitely needed to be addressed. They replaced DeSean Jackson and they added a pass rusher right in the beginning. Kelly’s knowledge of the Pac-12 conference also allowed him to draft a few players in the later rounds as well. Here’s who the Eagles selected:
Eagles Draft Picks
1st Round, 26th Overall – DE Marcus Smith (Louisville)
2nd Round, 42nd Overall – WR Jordan Matthews (Vanderbilt)
3rd Round, 86th Overall – WR Josh Huff (Oregon)
4th Round, 101st Overall – CB Jaylen Watkins (Florida)
5th Round, 141st Overall – DE Taylor Hart (Oregon)
5th Round, 162nd Overall – S Ed Reynolds (Stanford)
7th Round, 224th Overall – DT Beau Allen (Wisconsin)
Eagles Draft Grade: 7/10
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2014 Eagles Draft Review
The Best Player: Wide receiver Jordan Matthews will certainly help the Eagles replace DeSean Jackson, and they got tremendous value for him in the second round. He could have easily been drafted in the first round and defensive end Marcus Smith could have been drafted in the second round. Matthews has good size and speed and he will definitely allow Nick Foles to continue his early success.
The Best Value Pick: As I stated in the last category, drafting Jordan Matthews in the second round was a tremendous value, as he could have easily been drafted in the first round. He is the best player in this draft class and they picked him up in the second round.
The Head-Scratcher: Drafting defensive end Marcus Smith in the first round certainly made many people scratch their heads. They could have waited until the next round to take Smith, but it didn’t work out too badly after all, considering they drafted a first-round talent in the second round with Matthews. Pass rusher was a position of need, but drafting Smith this high certainly was confusing.
The Surprise Pick: The only surprising pick in this draft was Marcus Smith. The Eagles stumped all mock drafters, including myself, with that selection. After that, everybody knew the Eagles were going to take Matthews when they traded up and Chip Kelly predictably picked up a few Pac-12 players.
The Steal: Once again, Jordan Matthews’ value certainly makes him the “steal” of this draft class. Can you tell that I really loved that pick? Every other pick was either a reach or an appropriate value.
Most Likely to Make an Impact in 2014: I’m tired of praising Jordan Matthews, so I’m going to take another angle here. I’m going to go out on a limb and say that seventh-round pick Beau Allen will end up starting this season at nose tackle. Allen is 6’2” and he weighs 333 pounds, a size that will absolutely intrigue the Eagles and give Allen the chance to start at nose tackle. Bennie Logan is definitely a formidable nose tackle, so Allen will have his work cut out for him, but I think he can get the job done.
Most Likely to Be Cut: Nobody in this class will be cut. The Eagles have already signed Josh Huff and Beau Allen. I can’t see them cutting a fifth-round pick or higher.
Most Likely to Turn Heads in Camp: I’m going to stick with my bold prediction here and say that Beau Allen will turn heads in camp because of his massive body, giving him the opportunity to start this season. If he doesn’t have a dominant camp, his chances of starting are extremely slim.
Bottom Line: I gave the Eagles a 7 because I felt that they tried to address their needs, but didn’t exactly go for the best value at each pick in the process. Marcus Smith was definitely a reach, as was Josh Huff. That being said, trying to make safe picks isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and Jordan Matthews was a valuable selection. This draft depends on whether Chip Kelly’s faith in his former players and Pac-12 opponents pans out.
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