Grading every move Howie Roseman made during the 2020 NFL draft

April 25, 2020August 26, 2020 votetheprocess 0 Comments 2020 NFL, Carson Wentz, Chip Kelly, Cowboys, Dallas, draft, draft grade, Goodwin, grade, Howie Roseman, Jalen Hurts, Jalen Reagor, Marquese, Marquise Goodwin, trade

My general rule of thumb for gauging how a fan base feels about a certain topic is to not take social media into account. Social media is often too reactionary. Who the hell am I kidding? Social media is 100% reactionary. Good analysis and rational thinking get lost in the mix of sensationalist memes and people in their sports-bunkers prophecizing the end of their team and society as we know it.

Getting out and talking to people on sports topics whether it be at a local diner, gas station, at work or at school is how I gauge what everyday people think of ongoing sports topics. Now I’m on quarantine and haven’t seen anyone outside of my parents and cat for the past month, so social media is all I have to go by. And people were pissed by some of the Eagles draft picks. You would have thought people were breaking social distancing rules to gather and form an angry mob outside of Howie Roseman’s house the way they were reacting to some of these decisions he made.

Well, not to worry because I waded through the shit of the world wide web to give you an honest grade on how Howie did. Here is “Grading every moving Howie Roseman made during the 2020 NFL draft.”

1: Round 1, Pick 21 – WR Jalen Reagor (TCU)

Grade: B+

This is the pick that really got the Mel Kiper apologists up in arm. An anonymous GM even said that this was the worst pick of the draft. Sensationalism and mob-mentality outrage is the perfect duo for what makes a great pick in the long-run. A chef’s kiss if you will. The only reason I would’ve been outraged by this pick is if the Eagles didn’t draft a wide receiver. The wide receiver position is by far the weakest position on the Eagles right now. I will never slander Greg Ward a day in my life for the way he carried the receiving core late last year, but besides him, which wide-outs did Carson Wentz have to throw to? Those other wide receivers on the depth chart in the playoffs were guys like Deontay Burnett, Chaz Pennypacker, Robert Davis, Deon Contalo, Shelton Gibson and Michael Townsend. Half of those names I just made up.

Point is, the Eaglges desperately need WRs and Reagor will, in time, fill that hole. As my colleague pointed out, his in-game speed is incredible and Reagor will easily be the fastest guy on the field unless Tyreek Hill decides to suit up in the secondary. The speedy and agile threat that Reagor brings is much needed for the Eagles and hasn’t been seen consistently since (don’t shoot me) Nelson Agholor’s 2017-2018 season that ended in a Super Bowl. Now imagine that season that Agholor had (and forget the other three), but consistently, quicker and with better hands. If Wentz and Reagor get on the same page, they will be fun to watch.

2: Round 2, Pick 53 QB Jalen Hurts (Oklahoma)

Grade: D

If your philosophy is to pick the best player available, then this is a great pick. However, if you’re the Philadelphia Eagles who were hanging on by a thread last year with gaping holes on both sides of the ball, you can’t afford to pick that way. Personally, I would’ve preferred another WR – any of the ones available at the time, but Howie went with Jalen Hurts.

I like Jalen Hurts and think he has a role in the NFL in some capacity going forward, but I don’t see how he fits onto the Eagles right now especially with Carson Wentz under contract until 2024. Right now for the Eagles it should be Wentz-or-bust for at least the next couple years. I get that he has struggled with injuries in the past, but we should live or die by him right now and do everything we can to make the team around him better. Hurts is apparently going to be used like Taysom Hill in Philly, which could be interesting, but the Eagles have bigger needs than finding a backup QB in the second round.

classy Wentz

3: Round 3, Pick 103 LB Davion Taylor (Colorado)

Grade: A-

This was another hole in the Eagles that they needed to fill. As you probably know by now that due to his strict faith as a Seventh Day Adventist, Davion only played about 1.5 games his senior year of high school. He would listen to the roar of the crowd from his bedroom (which was a short distance away from the high school), to gauge what was going on in the games he wasn’t allowed to attend.

By the time he turned 18, it was no longer his mother making the calls with Davion fully in control as a grown man. He apparently told God that if he didn’t want him playing football, show him a sign in the form of being cut from the community college he was trying out for. God told him “Son, put your pads on.” From there, Davion worked his way up to Colorado and ultimately being drafted in the third round by the Eagles.

This kid has the potential to be very good as he will adapt well to the ever changing game of football with his freak athleticism and speed. At Colorado’s Pro Day he posted a 40 time of 4.39. That combined with the fact that he is basically new to the sport of football means that there is plenty of room to grow for this kid and I’m excited to find out what his ceiling is.

4: Round 4, Pick 127 S K’Von Wallace (Clemson)

Grade: B

With the departure of Malcolm Jenkins, this was yet another position that the Eagles needed to address in the draft. He’s got a little Brian Dawkins in him in the sense that he went to Clemson and is a hard hitting and aggressive safety. However he lacks awareness and speed in man-t0-man coverage. He may be thrust into games early for the Eagles, but the bright lights shouldn’t affect him due to all the big games he played for Clemson.

Also, he’s got a pretty impressive highlight tape.

5: Round 4, Pick 145 OL Jack Driscoll (Auburn)

Grade: C+

Jack Driscoll, a star character in the King Kong franchsie – oh sorry wrong notes. Jack Driscoll, a lineman from Auburn, has the speed, technique and heart to play at the NFL level, but probably lacks the size and power. He will be a project for the team and shouldn’t immediately be throw to the wolves.

6) Round 5, Pick 168 WR John Hightower (Boise State)

Grade: A

AS MANY WIDE RECEIVERS AS IT TAKES. This is one of the better value picks in the later rounds as Hightower was an essential part of this past seasons Boise State team. A former track star, he’s got great speed and yards-after-the-catch ability with a clear weakness in going up and getting 50/50 balls. However, for a 5th round pick this is well worth it. I also like him because after he told his grandma where he was drafted, she said “We’re going to fucking Philly.”

Check out some highlights from John Hightower at Boise State on that sweet, sweet blue turf:

7) Round 6, Pick 196 LB Shaun Bradley (Temple)
Grade: C+

I’m a huge Temple football fan when they are good. So, for a brief period this past fall, I watched a lot of their games. Shaun Bradley (not the one Tracy McGrady dunked on) proved to be a clear defensive leader for the cherry and the white. However, he doesn’t have any clearly outstanding defensive play-making abilities and lacks the size and speed to make any sort of impact right away for the Eagles.