Grading the 2019 NFL Draft: NFC East
By Bryan Perez
Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles crushed the early rounds of the 2019 NFL Draft. It got started with the selection of Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard, who was widely regarded as the best pass-blocking prospect in the class. He’ll need some time to adjust to NFL power — especially in the run game — but he has the benefit of not being forced into the starting lineup right away. He can learn behind Jason Peters, assuming the veteran is still on the roster at the end of training camp.
Philadelphia added more juice to the offense in the second round with the selections of RB Miles Sanders and WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside. Sanders brings a Saquon Barkley style of play to the Eagles, which is fitting considering he served as Barkley’s backup for most of his collegiate career. He instantly becomes Philadelphia’s most talented running back and should have little trouble unseating Jordan Howard for lead-back duties.
As for Arcega-Whiteside, his ability to win contested catches was among the best in this year’s draft and his crossover release off the line of scrimmage is near-lethal. He’s going to be a big part of the Eagles’ passing game and could challenge to lead the league’s rookies in receiving touchdowns in 2019.
Philadelphia added Penn State edge defender Shareef Miller and developmental QB Clayton Thorson (Northwestern) in the fourth and fifth rounds, ending what was a high-impact three-day haul.