Eagles' 2021 NFL Draft Class ranked best in NFL

[time2rock]

Eagles' 2021 NFL Draft Class ranked best in NFL

The Eagles’ 2021 NFL Draft Class is already getting rave reviews.

Howie Roseman’s nine-player draft class was named the No. 1 group from the weekend by The Athletic’s Dan Brugler, finishing considerably higher than Washington (15th), Giants (18th) and Cowboys (24th).

Ironically, the Eagles’ most controversial pick, Alabama center Landon Dickerson, seems to be the reason they landed the top spot.

The Eagles’ 2021 NFL Draft Class is already getting rave reviews.

Howie Roseman’s nine-player draft class was named the No. 1 group from the weekend by The Athletic’s Dan Brugler, finishing considerably higher than Washington (15th), Giants (18th) and Cowboys (24th).

Ironically, the Eagles’ most controversial pick, Alabama center Landon Dickerson, seems to be the reason they landed the top spot.

Brugler writes:

Favorite pick: Landon Dickerson, OG/C, Alabama
The Eagles had no shortage of candidates here, which is the main reason they are No. 1 on my list. But Dickerson gets my vote because of his combination of high-end talent at any of the interior line positions and his impact in the locker room. His injury history is troublesome, but well worth the risk.

There is no doubt Dickerson is skilled, and if he didn’t have a long injury history, very well might have been a top-20 pick. Four season-ending injuries in five seasons, however, is certainly concerning.

Outside of Dickerson, Brugler listed Texas Tech cornerback Zech McPhearson as a Day 3 player who could surprise. McPhearson should get the chance to play early if he impresses, considering he is the only cornerback the Eagles drafted, and the roster is incredibly thin right now at the position.

The fact that the Eagles landed the top spot without even a mention of DeVonta Smith, their first-round pick, is a sign of how deep Brugler seems to believe this Eagles’ draft class is.

Of course, we won’t know for at least a year which team truly ended up with the best draft class. We will have to see which players that were drafted this weekend can actually play in the NFL, and which team did the best job finding those players. Roseman’s history of struggling in the draft should certainly raise some skepticism that he will actually end up with the best draft class.

As of now, however, it seems most analysts agree with Brugler — Roseman seems to have done a great job in the 2021 NFL Draft.

https://www.audacy.com/94wip/sports/eagles/eagles-2021-nfl-draft-class-ranked-best-in-nfl

[Erie]

I'm allowing myself optimism the more positive reviews that I read. But yes, the success of this draft seems to hinge on Dickerson's long term health. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

35 minutes ago, Erie said:

I'm allowing myself optimism the more positive reviews that I read. But yes, the success of this draft seems to hinge on Dickerson's long term health. 

I agree with you I think there's reason to feel more positive about this draft. They've taken guys with real upside. That may not work out for them but I like that they've tried to identify those potentially good prospects.

[birdman#12]

I think the majority of fans like the players picked but I think the majority of fans know the eagles had much bigger needs elsewhere on the field and could have addresses those needs without reaching.

They got 2 good, maybe really good, players at 2 and 3.  But they still have the big needs with their back 7.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

1 hour ago, birdman#12 said:

I think the majority of fans like the players picked but I think the majority of fans know the eagles had much bigger needs elsewhere on the field and could have addresses those needs without reaching.

But drafting for need is where teams can go very wrong. 

I'm no Howie fan and I've made that clear on here many times. Personally I'd like to see him gone. But he's drafting to rebuild an ageing roster. I don't think he should force picks based on need. This team isn't competing this year so they've got time. 

[time2rock]

27 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

But drafting for need is where teams can go very wrong. 

I'm no Howie fan and I've made that clear on here many times. Personally I'd like to see him gone. But he's drafting to rebuild an ageing roster. I don't think he should force picks based on need. This team isn't competing this year so they've got time. 

Add to that the fact that we all knew this was going to make more than a single draft/offseason to complete the rebuild.  He took care of WR and DL this year (and potentially added a piece to the OL).  Hopefully next year the draft aligns with our board such that we can address secondary (in a big way), more iOL, and perhaps LB.  

[birdman#12]

56 minutes ago, UK_EaglesFan89 said:

But drafting for need is where teams can go very wrong. 

I'm no Howie fan and I've made that clear on here many times. Personally I'd like to see him gone. But he's drafting to rebuild an ageing roster. I don't think he should force picks based on need. This team isn't competing this year so they've got time. 

That's a misconception......teams go wrong by drafting for need when they reach for a player.  Or they draft a kid based on "potential".  All teams draft for need.  But those picks have to be a player who is slotted to go at the pick position the team has.....

The eagles NEED CBs......they were in the right position to take one and fill a need with a player who was expected to go in the 2nd round.  

What are draft boards for? Need.  And then it's refined for when those players aren't available in the team's draft slots.  It is refined for best player available, its refined for medical risks, it's refined for character issues, refined for scheme fits among other things.

Taking a CB with the 2nd round pick was not going to be a forced pick....there were guys there that would have legitimately been worthy of that pick and the eagles would have addressed a big need.  And I've been a supporter of Roseman.....but this draft made me wonder about how he interprets the eagles needs.  

Drafting a CB was not only a team need, but in the NFC East, teams are loaded with dam good WRs......Dallas with Lamb, Cooper, Gallup. Washington with Samuel, McLaurin and Humphries, and the Giants with Golladay, Shepard and Toney........Slay can't cover them all......and it wasn't a good time to push that need down the road.

[UK_EaglesFan89]

56 minutes ago, time2rock said:

Add to that the fact that we all knew this was going to make more than a single draft/offseason to complete the rebuild.  He took care of WR and DL this year (and potentially added a piece to the OL).  Hopefully next year the draft aligns with our board such that we can address secondary (in a big way), more iOL, and perhaps LB.  

And the thing is... He may not be able to completely rebuild the secondary next year either. But if they stick to their board then they'll put together a really good team and yeah sure they'll have a weakness but that's true of every team. 

[UK_EaglesFan89]

10 minutes ago, birdman#12 said:

That's a misconception......teams go wrong by drafting for need when they reach for a player.  Or they draft a kid based on "potential".  All teams draft for need.  But those picks have to be a player who is slotted to go at the pick position the team has.....

Ok yeah that's completely fair but also that's kind of what I was saying. They can't draft for need and end up reaching and what's being suggested by some fans is that they should have. They should have drafted CBs even if they didn't really have them graded that high.