A history lesson on the No. 15 pick in the NFL draft

 

The Eagles made a blockbuster trade with the Saints on Monday but still managed to hang on to their top draft pick. They still have No. 15, which came from them in a trade with the Dolphins last April.

The Eagles have had the No. 15 pick just twice in their history. They used it on defensive end Jerome McDougle out of Miami in 2003 and on tackle J.D. Smith back in 1959.

In the last 20 years, 10 different positions have been chosen with the No. 15 pick. The most-selected position was linebacker four times.

Here’s a look at every player taken at No. 15 in the last 20 years:

2021: QB Mac Jones *

Did the Patriots find their long-term replacement for Tom Brady? They sure hope so. It was a good rookie season for the former Alabama quarterback. In 2021, he led the Pats to a 10-7 record, completing 67.6% of his passes for 3,801 yards with 22 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He was named to the Pro Bowl.

2020: WR Jerry Jeudy

The standout Alabama receiver ended up being the second receiver off the board after Henry Ruggs II went at No. 12. In Jeudy’s first season, he caught 52 passes for 856 yards and 3 touchdowns, but in Year 2, he was able to play in just 10 games thanks to an ankle injury. The Broncos are hoping the acquisition of Russell Wilson will start to unlock the talent that made Jeudy the No. 15 pick.

2019: QB Dwayne Haskins

The Commanders made Haskins, the Ohio State product, the third quarterback taken in the class, but he didn’t become the franchise quarterback in Washington. Haskins played most of two underwhelming seasons in Washington before he was released during the 2020 season. Haskins signed with the Steelers in 2021 and they tendered him as an RFA this offseason.

2018: OT Kolton Miller

The Raiders drafted Miller out of UCLA and was named their starting left tackle to begin his rookie season. In his first four years in the NFL, Miller has started 63 of a possible 65 games and has improved greatly in his young career. Miller signed a three-year, $54 million contract extension last April.

2017: S Malik Hooker

The pick after the Eagles took Derek Barnett, the Colts took Hooker out of Ohio State. His career in Indy didn’t go to plan. In four seasons with the Colts, Hooker played a total of 36 games (35 starts) thanks to a couple serious injuries. Hooker moved on to Dallas in 2021 and had a nice season coming off an Achilles tear. He agreed to a two-year contract with the Cowboys this offseason.

2016: WR Corey Coleman

The Browns drafted Coleman out of Baylor as the top receiver in this class, but he never lived up to that. In fact, he’s been a major draft bust. In two seasons with the Browns, Coleman played in 19 games but had disappointing numbers. He played with the Jets in 2018 but didn’t do much and hasn’t played in the NFL since. This offseason, the Chiefs signed him, so the 27-year-old will get another shot.

2015: RB Melvin Gordon **

The Chargers used a pretty high pick for a running back when they took Gordon out of Wisconsin. In his five years with the Chargers, Gordon had 4,240 rushing yards with 36 touchdowns and made two Pro Bowls (2016 and 2018). After the 2019 season, Gordon became a free agent and signed a two-year deal with the Broncos. In his two years in Denver, Gordon rushed for 1,904 yards with 17 touchdowns and at age 28 is a free agent again.

2014: LB Ryan Shazier **

The linebacker from Ohio State was everything the Steelers thought he would be and was a back-to-back Pro Bowler in his third and fourth NFL seasons. But on Dec. 4, 2017, Shazier suffered a severe spinal contusion, needed spinal stabilization surgery and was forced to retire. Shazier’s recovery has been inspirational as he has come back from paralysis and launched the Ryan Shazier Fund for Spinal Rehabilitation. https://ryanshazierfund.org/ But his story is a reminder just how dangerous this game can be.

2013: S Kenny Vaccaro

While Vaccaro never became a star, he was a solid player after the Saints drafted him out of Texas. He played five years in New Orleans (68 games) and another three years in Tennessee (42 games) before retiring after the 2020 season to launch an esports company.

2012: DE Bruce Irvin

A few spots after the Eagles drafted Fletcher Cox, the Seahawks took Irvin from West Virginia. He spent the first four years of his career in Seattle and had 8 sacks as a rookie in 2012. At 34, Irvin is a free agent this offseason but has played 11 NFL seasons for five different teams and has 52 career sacks, 315 career tackles and 64 career TFLs.

2011: G Mike Pouncey ****

A little later in this first round, the Eagles drafted a guard named Danny Watkins who didn’t have quite the same career as Pouncey, who mostly played center in the NFL. The Dolphins’ No. 15 pick out of Florida had a nine-year career but was a four-time Pro Bowler (three with the Dolphins, one with the Chargers). Injuries derailed the end of his career but Mike and twin brother Maurkice retired at the same time in 2021.

2010: DE Jason Pierre-Paul *** +

The Eagles drafted Brandon Graham a couple spots before the Giants took Pierre-Paul from South Florida and it didn’t help Graham when JPP got off to a hot start, getting named to two Pro Bowls in his first three seasons and making the All-Pro team in his second year when he had 16 1/2 sacks. After eight years with the Giants, Pierre-Paul moved on to the Bucs and helped them win a championship. JPP was still in the league in 2021 and in his NFL career has 91 1/2 sacks.

2009: LB Brian Cushing *

The USC linebacker was great for the Texans right away. In 2009, Cushing started all 16 games and filled up the stat sheet on the way to a Pro Bowl nod and the AP Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. But that was Cushing’s best NFL season. He got popped a couple times in his career for PEDs and injuries piled up. He still played nine seasons with the Texans and retired as the young franchise’s all-time leading tackler.

2008: G Branden Albert **

The Chiefs took Albert out of Virginia and then moved him to tackle, where he played six seasons for Kansas City. He made the Pro Bowl in 2013 and then signed a big free agent contract to join the Dolphins. He played three years in Miami, making one more Pro Bowl. He was traded to the Jaguars after the 2016 season but retired from the NFL.

2007: LB Lawrence Timmons +

The linebacker from Florida State ended up playing 10 years in Pittsburgh and made his only Pro Bowl in his eighth season. In his 10 years with the Steelers, Timmons missed just two games and had 983 tackles and 35 1/2 sacks. He finished his career with one year in Miami in 2017.

2006: CB Tye Hill

The Rams took Hill out of Clemson and he spent the first three years of his career in St. Louis, playing in 28 games with 21 starts, but he ended the 2007 and 2008 seasons on IR. He was traded to the Falcons but lasted just one year there before getting cut and moving on to Tennessee and then Detroit. His last NFL action came in 2010 with the Lions.

2005: LB Derrick Johnson **** +

The linebacker from Texas spent most of his 14-year career with the Chiefs before playing in 2018 with the Oakland Raiders. Johnson played six full seasons before making his first Pro Bowl in 2011, which was also his All-Pro season. In his 13 years in Kansas City, Johnson was a four-time Pro Bowler and played in 182 games with 169 starts. In his Chiefs career, Johnson totaled over 1,100 tackles with 27 1/2 sacks, 40 QB hits and 14 interceptions.

2004: WR Michael Clayton

Clayton was drafted by the Buccaneers out of LSU one spot before the Eagles drafted Shawn Andrews. His career got off to a fantastic start and he had 80 catches for 1,193 yards and 7 touchdowns as a rookie in 2004. But then he had knee surgery that offseason and was never able to get back to his level of play in 2004. His next best season came in 2008 when he had 38/484/1. Clayton spent six years with the Bucs before playing 11 games with the Giants in 2010 and 2011.

2003: DE Jerome McDougle

The Eagles drafted McDougle out of Miami one spot before the Steelers landed future Hall of Fame safety Troy Polamalu. McDougle was a flat-out bust for the Eagles. McDougle’s time with the Eagles was full of injuries and then McDougle was even shot during a robbery attempt in 2005 and missed the entire season. He missed two full seasons in his time with the Eagles. Ultimately, McDougle played in 33 games with the Eagles and notched just 3 sacks. He played in four games for the 2008 Giants before he was out of the league for good.

2002: DT Albert Haynesworth ** ++

The big defensive tackle from Tennessee spent the first seven years of his career with the Titans and was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2007 and 2008 and even finished second in Defensive Player of the Year voting in 2007. Haynesworth was a great player but he’s unfortunately remembered most his infamous stomping incident and his mega contract (7 years, $100 million) with Washington that didn’t work out. Haynesworth’s deal in Washington is considered by many to be one of the worst free agent signings ever.

* Pro Bowl; + All-Pro

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/nfl-draft-2022-history-eagles-no-15-pick

Looking at this, it certainly seems LB would be the way to go at 15. That said, there's a good chance Howie trades up a couple spots to take a Dlineman...especially if Jordan Davis is still there, say at pick 12 or 13.  The Ravens picking directly ahead of the Eagles will almost 100% take either a DL or LB.  Davis would certainly be a Ravens kind of player so Howie will feel the need to hop them just in case, then we'll see Baltimore pick Devin Lloyd at 14, lol.

3 minutes ago, EaglesAddict said:

Looking at this, it certainly seems LB would be the way to go at 15. That said, there's a good chance Howie trades up a couple spots to take a Dlineman...especially if Jordan Davis is still there, say at pick 12 or 13.  The Ravens picking directly ahead of the Eagles will almost 100% take either a DL or LB.  Davis would certainly be a Ravens kind of player so Howie will feel the need to hop them just in case, then we'll see Baltimore pick Devin Lloyd at 14, lol.

I rarely feel like there is a 0% chance at anything, but taking a LB in the 1st is about as close to that as I think you can get.  I've been saying for a while now that I truly believe Howie will attempt to make a slight move up for a player he really wants (most likely a DL ... possibly a CB like Gardner if he is still there but I doubt he will be) - a move that would involve a 3rd similar to last year's jump a couple spots to get Smith.  Now that we just added that 3rd from NO makes this even more likely IMO.

11 minutes ago, time2rock said:

I rarely feel like there is a 0% chance at anything, but taking a LB in the 1st is about as close to that as I think you can get.  I've been saying for a while now that I truly believe Howie will attempt to make a slight move up for a player he really wants (most likely a DL ... possibly a CB like Gardner if he is still there but I doubt he will be) - a move that would involve a 3rd similar to last year's jump a couple spots to get Smith.  Now that we just added that 3rd from NO makes this even more likely IMO.

That's what I'm thinking now.  I think a 3rd will be good enough to get us up to 12.  I think the Eagles will be targeting Jordan Davis, I really do.  This will be Cox's last season with the Eagles and who knows how much more Hargrave can give us.  This would be a typical Howie move and I think the odds of it happening are pretty high.  Outside chance this same trade-up scenario would be for a WR (Drake London, maybe?).

That said, if it were me...I'd just sit tight at 15 and 18 (now that we have the 23' first) and take BPA.  Or, pending who was on the board at 18, I'd entertain a trade-back into the 20's to get another pick or 2 and take the best available Safety (unless we sign one between now and the draft).

20 minutes ago, EaglesAddict said:

That's what I'm thinking now.  I think a 3rd will be good enough to get us up to 12.  I think the Eagles will be targeting Jordan Davis, I really do.  This will be Cox's last season with the Eagles and who knows how much more Hargrave can give us.  This would be a typical Howie move and I think the odds of it happening are pretty high.  Outside chance this same trade-up scenario would be for a WR (Drake London, maybe?).

That said, if it were me...I'd just sit tight at 15 and 18 (now that we have the 23' first) and take BPA.  Or, pending who was on the board at 18, I'd entertain a trade-back into the 20's to get another pick or 2 and take the best available Safety (unless we sign one between now and the draft).

Some will argue "well Hargrave is only 29" but Cox turned 31 and we saw his level of play drop off a couple of years ago so I completely agree with you planning for the future now seems like a smart strategy (especially considering Hargrave is only signed through the upcoming season).  Rather than overpay for a player that will turn 30 before the start of the next season (by offering him a contract extension) at a time when his play is likely to decline, I feel the smarter strategy is to add fresh blood to the pipeline that will replace him in a year.  There are a few strong candidates to do so (Davis as you mentioned, Wyatt, Leal who could probably be a trade down target (or trade up in 2nd).  Already have Williams who flashed some potential as a rookie this past season ready to take over the other starting spot. 

So potentially:

2022 = Cox / Hargrave

2023 = Williams / Davis or Wyatt or Leal or ?

And who knows, maybe Howie is able to unload Hargrave by the trade deadline for additional 2023 draft capital to a contending team that feels they need to boost their chances at a championship.  

Some very good players picked there with the #15 pick in the draft. Here's hoping we can have success with that pick this year. 

2 hours ago, time2rock said:

Some will argue "well Hargrave is only 29" but Cox turned 31 and we saw his level of play drop off a couple of years ago so I completely agree with you planning for the future now seems like a smart strategy (especially considering Hargrave is only signed through the upcoming season).  Rather than overpay for a player that will turn 30 before the start of the next season (by offering him a contract extension) at a time when his play is likely to decline, I feel the smarter strategy is to add fresh blood to the pipeline that will replace him in a year.  There are a few strong candidates to do so (Davis as you mentioned, Wyatt, Leal who could probably be a trade down target (or trade up in 2nd).  Already have Williams who flashed some potential as a rookie this past season ready to take over the other starting spot. 

So potentially:

2022 = Cox / Hargrave

2023 = Williams / Davis or Wyatt or Leal or ?

And who knows, maybe Howie is able to unload Hargrave by the trade deadline for additional 2023 draft capital to a contending team that feels they need to boost their chances at a championship.  

Hargrave is a good/solid player but yeah, after next season he will probably begin his decline.  Fletch is a franchise icon and that's the only reason he's still here (that and they didn't get what they deemed to be a fair trade offer for him).  But his time with the team is on life support.

If they don't trade up for Davis, my bet is they target Perrion Winfrey.  The question with him is whether they should consider him at 18, try to trade back and take him...or try to trade up in Round 2 to land him.  But, I bet he's the guy they target after Davis.  I like Winfrey better than Wyatt...but that's just me.

Still so many possibilities they can do in this draft.  What would be Howie-like too is trying to land Ojabo in Round 2 with the injury discount, lol. 

15 hours ago, time2rock said:

I rarely feel like there is a 0% chance at anything, but taking a LB in the 1st is about as close to that as I think you can get.  I've been saying for a while now that I truly believe Howie will attempt to make a slight move up for a player he really wants (most likely a DL ... possibly a CB like Gardner if he is still there but I doubt he will be) - a move that would involve a 3rd similar to last year's jump a couple spots to get Smith.  Now that we just added that 3rd from NO makes this even more likely IMO.

Wonder if Ojabo will slip into the 2nd round?