Philadelphia Eagles steal Kenneth Gainwell in the fifth round

The Philadelphia Eagles did not enter the 2021 NFL Draft with a major need at the running back position but did a nice job of finding value at the position in the fifth round. With the 150th pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles took Kenneth Gainwell, a dynamic running back prospect out of Memphis.

Gainwell burst onto the scene in 2019, making plays all over the field for Memphis. In 2019, Gainwell carried the ball 231 times for 1,459 yards and 13 touchdowns. He also made an impact in the passing game, hauling in 51 receptions for 610 yards and three touchdowns.

In Kenny Gainwell, the Eagles find an impact playmaker at the running back position who can come in and make an immediate impact. Gainwell is an extremely quick and explosive player who finds holes quickly and shows impressive burst through the gap. He is a smooth ball carrier who displays natural ball carrier vision and also shows solid contact balance for a speed-based player.

Gainwell’s path to immediate playing time likely comes from his ability to impact the game as a receiver. This prospect is a smooth route runner out of the backfield who displays soft hands and has a knack for getting upfield quickly after the catch. He is a fantastic natural playmaker in the passing game who should be able to provide immediate value as a safety valve target for Jalen Hurts in the passing game.

Miles Sanders is a strong starting running back for the Philadelphia Eagles who will be holding down that starting job for the next two seasons. That being said, Gainwell is a strong complementary player who also has a ton of upside going forward. If this Gainwell pick hits, the Eagles could easily move on from Sanders after his contract ends after the 2022 season.

Paying running back is rarely a smart move in the NFL and stealing Kenneth Gainwell in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft could give the Eagles some nice flexibility at the position in the near future.