2020 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles did a lot of doubling up

The Philadelphia Eagles did a lot of doubling up in the 2020 NFL Draft.

The Philadelphia Eagles set out to add speed to their roster in the 2020 NFL Draft, and they more than accomplished that at a number of different positions on their roster.

The Eagles used their top overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft on TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor, but Reagor was merely the beginning of a trend for Philadelphia in this particular draft class.

Throughout the 2020 NFL Draft, the Eagles put together some intriguing combinations of players at a variety of positions, and every move they made added a dynamic element of speed to the roster.

Eagles 2020 NFL Draft class

• WR Jalen Reagor, TCU
• QB Jalen Hurts, Oklahoma
• LB Davion Taylor, Colorado
• S K’Von Wallace, Clemson
• OL Jack Driscoll, Auburn
• WR John Hightower, Boise State
• LB Shaun Bradley, Temple
• WR Quez Watkins, Southern Mississippi
• OT Prince Tega Wanogho, Auburn
• DE Casey Toohill, Stanford

The first double-up for the Eagles in this class came with their top two selections — two players named Jalen.

All kidding aside, the first four rounds of this draft would lay the groundwork for the Eagles to come up with some interesting pairings (or groups of three) throughout the draft.

A trio of wide receivers

The Eagles opened things up with the speedy, physical, and exceptionally confident Jalen Reagor. Reagor was being underrated by the media throughout the draft process after a final season at TCU which included some really poor quarterback play. So poor at times that Reagor was credited with some dropped passes that by my eye looked like horrendous throws more than anything.

Even if Reagor had some concentration drops, there’s no doubt he has strong hands and he showed that in a number of contested-catch situations.

Philadelphia’s “slowest” wide receiver in this class is Boise State’s John Hightower, whose 4.43 speed constantly showed up on tape as a vertical threat out of the slot.

Quez Watkins ran a blazing 4.35 at the Scouting Combine and he is coming off of a tremendous junior season at Southern Miss with over 18 yards per reception.

This trio of receivers is dynamic, and the Eagles didn’t stop there, either. They also traded some draft capital for 49ers speedy receiver Marquise Goodwin, a veteran who should factor into their 2020 plans as well.

Goodwin averages 17 yards per catch in his seven NFL seasons and ran a 4.27 at the 2013 Scouting Combine.

Don’t blink or you’ll miss all four of these receivers the Eagles added throughout the 2020 NFL Draft.

Two blurs at linebacker

You have to respect the Eagles’ commitment to speed in this draft class.

In the third round, they selected Colorado’s Davion Taylor, somewhat of a surprise inclusion in the top 100 picks given his overall body of work, but not a surprise when you look at his athletic upside.

Taylor’s 4.49 puts him in the 95th percentile among linebackers in the 40-yard dash, and he has significant upside in coverage as well with his explosiveness and short-area quickness.

The Eagles paired him up with Temple linebacker Shaun Bradley in the sixth round, another player who clocked in with the 93rd percentile for speed with a 4.51.

Both of these linebacker selections for the Eagles finished in the top five at the linebacker position in the 40-yard dash.

Auburn Tigers offensive line reunion

The starting bookend tackles this past season for the Auburn Tigers were Prince Tega Wanogho (LT) and Jack Driscoll (RT).

The Eagles managed to get both guys, which I didn’t even realize until after the draft’s conclusion.

The Eagles took Driscoll in the fourth round and he was announced as an offensive guard, so we’ll likely see him transition inside in the pros.

Tega Wanogho was a lot better this past season than a sixth-round pick, and likely a steal for the Eagles in that slot as well as they have developed offensive linemen in recent years.

Although Wanogho didn’t test at the Combine athletically, he is known for his nimble feet and athleticism at the left tackle position. Would you believe me if I told you Driscoll was in the 91st percentile with his 5.02 40-yard dash?

Every single pick in this class for Philadelphia has speed as a major asset, but the way they paired up early picks with later-round picks is a really fun draft strategy that could make Philadelphia one of the most improved overall rosters in the NFL in 2020.