Philadelphia Eagles draft review
Philadelphia Eagles draft review 1 (22). Andre Dillard, OT: 6-5, 315, Washington St.
2 (53). Miles Sanders, RB: 5-11, 211, Penn St. 2 (57). JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR: 6-2, 225, Stanford
4 (138). Shareef Miller, DE: 6-5, 254, Penn St. 5 (167). Clayton Thorson, QB: 6-4, 222, Northwestern
Grade: B For the second straight year, the Eagles made just five picks -- and one, as a quarterback, won't help early -- but they mostly made them count. They swooped in front of Houston to nab Dillard as Jason Peters' heir, and Sanders' versatility fits perfectly into Doug Pederson's offence. Arcega-Whiteside is an excellent red-zone weapon to spell (or eventually replace), Alshon Jeffery.
Best pick: Some have concerns about Arcega-Whiteside separating from man coverage, but he dominates on contested catches like Jeffery and DeAndre Hopkins do, using his frame to box out smaller DBs. He's already a solid route-runner, so with a little more refinement, he could be quite dangerous. Upside pick: Dillard doesn't have to play right away, but he's ready as a pass protector if Peters gets hurt. In the meantime, he'll be working with renowned O-line coach Jeff Stoutland to improve in run-blocking. Given Dillard's tremendous athletic gifts, he could become a top-five left tackle down the line.
Google News