2020 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles final 7-round 2020 NFL mock draft

Wentz is the only player during Roseman’s nine years drafting for the Eagles that didn’t play on either the offensive or defensive line. Roseman takes the maxim “building through the trenches” to a whole new level, as he consistently favors drafting or signing free agent players that are either offensive line, defensive line or adjacent players.

Nowhere is this more noticeable than the defensive line where Roseman keeps a consistent stable of elite starters and backups who could be starters on any of the other 31 NFL rosters. The one notable exception to this first-round rule has been Wentz, who broke that mold for the Eagles in 2016 after the disastrous Sam Bradford/Chip Kelly experiment.

In the 2020 NFL Draft, however, Roseman looks slated to break that rule. EVEN though Roseman has drafted only line players in the first round and EVEN though this year’s draft class is rich in wide receiver prospects, it is still probable that the Eagles draft a wide receiver in the first round this year.

The reason? The lack of a true deep threat on the Eagles roster in recent years has cost the team multiple games throughout that time. Last year, DeSean Jackson was supposed to play that role, as the prodigal deep threat returned to the team that drafted him after years in the NFC wilderness. Too bad he got hurt in Week 2 and never was useful on the field again. Jackson will be 34-years old before the end of the 2020 regular season and has a long history of injuries.

Alshon Jeffery has been the closest thing to a “number one” receiver that the Eagles have had since 2017. He played fantastically in 2017 and 2018, but a long history of injuries, talent regression and locker room bad-blood put him on the shortlist to be traded before the start of the 2020 season. Nelson Agholor, first-rounder drafted by Kelly in 2015, was released after an up and down career in Philadelphia.

The list isn’t much better from here. J.J. Arcega-Whiteside was drafted in 2019 but was never integrated into the Eagles roster effectively. His future with the team is unclear going into this year’s draft. Greg Ward Jr. was a hero in 2019, coming off the practice squad to help the offense make the final playoff push. His 70 percent catch rate overshadows his 254 yards receiving in seven games, never earning more than 71 yards in a single game.

In the end, it comes down to investment. Roseman and the Eagles front office handed Wentz a massive contract before the 2019 season started. The front office has essentially bet their careers that Wentz can be the long-term quarterback this franchise has lacked since the departure of Donovan McNabb.

They are betting that the 2017-2018 Super Bowl season was not a fluke and that a series of unfortunate injuries that abridged his past three seasons do not recur. In short, the Philadelphia Eagles need receiver help.

Recent reports indicate the Eagles are attempting to move up in the draft. Ostensibly to draft a better wide receiver than they would get at 21, they may have a hard time finding a trade partner that would be willing to let them move up without sacrificing serious draft capital.

That being said, while Roseman may have eight picks to use in the 2020 NFL Draft, five of them are after the third round, making their odds of being instant starters this season highly doubtful. If the Eagles can make it happen, they will try and draft Alabama junior Jerry Jeudy.

Jeudy has all the measurements the Eagles covet in a wide receiver. At the Combine he ran a 4.45 in the 40-yard dash, confirming Jeudy’s speed on film. At 6-foot-1, 193-pounds, he is taller than the average wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft, a trait the Eagles have valued over the years. While 193-pounds is a little slight for a wide receiver his size, it allows him to run at top speeds, something the Eagles are prioritizing in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Jeudy has fantastic hands at the catch point, which allows him to yank the ball out of the air easily, without becoming overly physical with the defender. His deep speed after the catch makes him a big threat downfield, menacing opposing secondaries. With two seasons of film to watch, Jeudy is no “one-year wonder” and has consistently been a producer on the field.

In the last two seasons, he has 2,476 yards receiving and 24 touchdowns. Which, would be impressive on its own, nevermind the fact he shared the field with Henry Ruggs during that time, another legitimate number one receiver. There is so much to like about Jeudy that his presence on the field would be a force multiplier, allowing other receivers the opportunity to get open, drawing away defensive backs.

While predominantly a slot receiver, Jeudy can play outside, as he switched up his line ups all the time at Alabama. Considering the exodus of slot receiver Agholor, Jeudy as his replacement would be an enormous upgrade.

The Philadelphia Eagles need to prioritize a deep threat wide receiver in the 2020 NFL Draft. At the same time, they also need to find a quality slot receiver that can replace Agholor.

The biggest hurdle to drafting Jeudy will be other teams. Recent reports have said the Denver Broncos are attempting to move up in the 2020 NFL Draft to get “one of the top three wide receivers”. And the Arizona Cardinals have said they have not ruled out drafting a wide receiver. Neither team was expected to draft a wide receiver in the first round and have earlier picks than the Eagles.

Still, Roseman is one of the best general managers in the NFL and has a good track record of trading picks. In every draft, he consistently finds ways to either move up for a promising prospect or trade down for extra picks. And while some media outlets have the Eagles staying put at 21 to draft a lower-rated wide receiver, Roseman likely makes a serious push to draft a higher-ranked wide receiver like Jeudy.

Expect Roseman to make a serious push to move up and draft Jeudy.