When history looks back on the 2016 Eagles’ draft class, they’re not going to care about seven of their eight picks. They’re really not. It’s all going to come back to whether North Dakota State quarterback Carson Wentz was able to develop into a franchise player at the most important position in sports.
The pressure on Wentz is even more extreme than your typical number two overall selection because the Eagles traded a slew of draft picks, plus defensive starters Kiko Alonso and Byron Maxwell, for the right to move up 11 spots in the first round of the draft.
Right now, the goal for the Eagles, other than Wentz transforming into the next Donovan McNabb, is rebuilding in year one of the Doug Pederson era. I expect anywhere from five to seven of the Eagles’ draft picks to make the team in 2016. Here’s my complete recap of the draft, including a brief breakdown of their expected role moving forward.
1(2) – Carson Wentz, QB, North Dakota State
I still haven’t figured out how the Eagles plan to handle the Sam Bradford drama. If there was a market for overrated, overpaid injury-prone prima donna former number one overall draft picks who want a locked-in starting spot for the next five to ten seasons, I think the Eagles would quickly make a trade. But as it stands now, there really isn’t a market for a player who posted incredibly mediocre numbers in 2015 while yet again showing that he can’t stay healthy for a full season.
I believe Bradford will say, meaning Wentz opens the season as the backup. But if/when Bradford struggles, as he has done every season since he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2010, you’ll hear the fan base call for Wentz to step in as the starter. Wentz will likely be the starter by the end of the season. If Bradford is traded this offseason, which is probably a goal for the Eagles, expect Daniel to open the year as the starter with Wentz taking over in a few weeks. Regardless of what happens at quarterback in 2016, the Eagles made it obvious by trading up to pick two that Carson Wentz is the future of the franchise.
3(16) – Isaac Seumalo, G/C, Oregon State
The Eagles absolutely needed to address their offensive line in the draft, almost to the point of overdrafting rather than missing out on a potential run of linemen. On paper, it looks like the Eagles may have slightly overdrafted Isaac Seumalo, the versatile guard/center out of Oregon State. Most experts had a mid-round grade on Seumalo, but I’m not sure I ever saw him drafted as high as the middle of the third round. Then again, it really means nothing at this point. Seumalo has the ability to play all three interior positions, and in a pinch, he could move outside to tackle. I expect him to compete with veteran free-agent acquisition Stefan Wisniewski for the starting spot at left guard in training camp.
5(14) – Wendall Smallwood, RB, West Virginia
Running back was another position the Eagles really needed to add through the draft, especially after trading starter DeMarco Murray to the Tennessee Titans. Ryan Mathews was productive last season, although his play really tailed off after a midseason concussion. He’s shown that he can’t handle a full workload and it’s hard to trust Darren Sproles and Kenjon Barner for more than 8 to 10 total carries per game. I believe the Eagles would have drafted Jordan Howard had the Bears not snatched him up right before the Eagles’ selection. I think Wendall Smallwood will be given a chance to prove his value as a situational back, but I’m not banking on more than six to eight touches per game. The NFL is strange with running backs. You usually know what you have in a late-round offensive lineman. You have no idea with a running back.
5(25) – Halapoulivaati Vaitai, OT, TCU
Hal, as I like to call him, is a player that a lot of experts are high on. I’ve already seen multiple reports suggesting he could be the team’s starting right tackle as early as 2017, assuming the Eagles move on from future Hall of Famer Jason Peters and Lane Johnson moves to the blind side. For just 2016, Hal is purely a depth player. Given the current state of the Eagles’ offensive line, he will probably enter the season as the top backup at tackle.
6(21) – Blake Countess, CB, Auburn
It’s going to be tough for Blake Countess to earn a roster spot. Really tough. The Eagles are lacking for playmakers at cornerback but their depth is actually pretty good. Eric Rowe and Nolan Carroll are the presumed starters. After that, it’s anybody’s guess. I tweeted my prediction for the cornerback depth chart, and I actually had Countess ninth, behind Rowe, Carroll, Leodis McKelvin, JaCorey Shepherd, Jaylen Watkins, Denzel Rice, Ron Brooks and Randall Evans. He could easily work his way up, likely with a ceiling at nickel corner, but realistically, my expectations are minimal for Countess, especially during his rookie season.
7(12) – Jalen Mills, DB, LSU
Jalen Mills is easily my favorite value pick for the Eagles in this draft class. A projected second or third-round pick by most experts, Mills kept sliding down draft boards until the Eagles grabbed him with the first of their three seventh-round selections. Off-the-field concerns are the reason for Mills’ fall, but on the field, he has a really good chance to earn not only a roster spot but legitimate playing time at either cornerback or safety. Both safety spots are filled, and it’s hard to see any rookie beating out Pro Bowler Malcolm Jenkins or free-agent acquisition Rodney McLeod. But nickel corner was a major area of weakness for the 2015 Eagles, with Jenkins having to man the slot after rookie JaCorey Shepherd was lost for the season in training camp. Expect Mills to compete with players like Shepherd, Countess, McKelvin, Watkins and Rice for playing time. I’d be surprised if he didn’t make the team and stunned if he didn’t at least earn a spot on the practice squad.
7(19) – Alex McAlister, DE, Florida
Perhaps the lightest defensive lineman in the entire NFL, McAlister feels like a player whose 2016 ceiling is the practice squad. The Eagles do have a need at pass-rusher, but I’m not expecting a seventh-round pick to compete for playing time behind established veterans like Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry and Connor Barwin. My guess is that McAlister doesn’t make the team or the practice squad.
7(30) – Joe Walker, LB, Oregon
Joe Walker is an intriguing selection, and not just because he went to a college that Eagles fans have grown very familiar with. Walker was a tackling machine at Oregon and he’ll compete for a roster spot with players like Najee Goode and Brandon Hepburn. I think Walker will make the official 53-man roster and earn playing time on special teams as a rookie.
