2020 NFL Draft: Five first-round targets for the Philadelphia Eagles

This one feels counter-intuitive when you first consider it. Wasn’t it Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie who said running backs were over-valued in a 2019 interview with The Athletic? Wasn’t it Roseman who always undervalued running backs in the draft, until the 2019 draft?

To be clear, this one feels like the least likely of the five prospects in this article. The Philadelphia Eagles have consistently underappreciated the running back position, in the draft and free agency.

Opposed to having a lead-back like the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants, the Eagles prefer to have a running back-by-committee system, where various running backs with receiver abilities line up in the backfield. Since Roseman assumed general manager duties in 2010, the Eagles have only drafted one running back before the fourth round, and it was Miles Sanders last year.

There are two specific reasons to think the Eagles may buck this historical trend in the 2020 NFL Draft: First, Roseman himself said after the Wild Card loss that his scouting department would have to re-evaluate how they value players in the draft.

For a general manager who built a Super Bowl-winning roster less than three years ago, that has also brought the Eagles to the postseason three years in a row shows a large amount of humility. Several teams in the NFL would just be happy to make the postseason that many times in a row and rest on their laurels.

Second, this past offseason Roseman traded for Chicago Bears running back Jordan Howard, who was on the final year of his rookie contract. Several analysts bemoaned the move, as it would create an uncomfortable situation for the Eagles after the season. Namely, trading a draft pick for a one-year rental.

The Howard trade ended up being one of the bright spots in Roseman’s personnel decisions in 2019. Howard ended up exiting the season early with an injured shoulder, but he looked as good as promised when he played this past season. By having a strong running back rushing and fanning out as a check-down option, the Eagles looked more well-rounded offensively than they had in 2018.

Analytics indicate that running back production is far more dependent on the offensive line than the runner (see Le’Veon Bell‘s 2019 season). With the number one offensive line heading into 2020 according to PFF, the Eagles could add an explosive element to their offense if they draft a talented enough running back this year.

While Sanders had an excellent rookie season, he cannot be this team’s only running option. With Corey Clement and Howard likely to leave in free agency along with Darren Sproles retirement, the Eagles will need to find another high-level running back to pair with Sanders in the backfield.

The devaluation of running backs in the NFL has been a double-edged sword for the Philadelphia Eagles. While the Eagles have undervalued the position for several seasons, the good news is that many other teams have recently come to this conclusion as well. So there is a potential for this team to select the number one ranked running back in the 2020 NFL Draft class.

Arguably, that would have to be D’Andre Swift, the Georgia Bulldog junior. The running back is from the Philadelphia area, but sentimentality will not be the motivation for bringing him on to the Eagles roster. Swift is a gifted running back, who is incredibly slippery and very hard to tackle. At 5-foot-9, 215 pounds Swift has left many linebackers in the dust during his time in the SEC.

Besides being a talented running back, Swift doubles as a receiving option. Coach Pederson in the past has asked his running backs to act as the fifth receiver, not just in check-down situations, but lined up as receivers. Swift makes a great receiving option since he is very difficult to tackle. Sanders played a similar role in 2019 for the Eagles, racking up 509 yards in receptions.

On Swift’s speed, he is one of those players that, if he makes it out into the open field, he is gone. Several times at Georgia Swift would serve as a receiving option and take off for large gains down the field. His Combine results will be interesting since he may be the fastest running back in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Eagles may hold their nose at the idea of drafting a running back in the first round. It may be counterintuitive to everything they hold dear, as they incorporate analytics into roster decisions more than the average team. But by the end of the 2019 season, the Philadelphia Eagles were losing because of offensive troubles, not defensive. The defense gave up 22 points on average and gave up 17 points or less in half of the games this past season.

The Philadelphia Eagles need an offensive spark for 2020. Howard seemed to be that for several games early in the 2019 season but fell short of his potential because of injury. They will need to address the position in the offseason, whether that’s in the draft or free agency.

This team may have more important skill positions to fill in the draft, like receiver or cornerback. If they aren’t impressed with any in the 2020 NFL Draft, don’t be surprised if they take a shot at running back and go against the grain.