The Philadelphia Eagles bounced back from a horrible 2020 season to go 9-8 last season. The Eagles also qualified for the NFL Playoffs on the last week of the season, but were bounced from the NFC Wild Card Game with a 31-15 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The biggest issue with that loss was that the Eagles were down 31-0 in that game, which shows that Philadelphia needed to do some work this off-season in order to become a better contender in 2022.
That work was done when the Eagles traded a first-round pick and a third-round pick to the Tennessee Titans for WR A.J. Brown. This move was necessary because the Eagles have been missing on almost all of their wide receiver picks for about a decade. Adding a #1 receiver to the team means that Philadelphia will have an even better chance to progress this season.
After making this trade, the Eagles were left with five picks in the 2022 NFL Draft. Let us take a look at who Philadelphia selected.
Round 1, Pick 13: Jordan Davis - DT - Georgia. 6'6", 341 lbs (5.5 tackles for loss, 2 sacks).
The Eagles are set at defensive tackle with Fletcher Cox and Javon Hargrave, but the team could not pass on drafting Davis. Davis has to be double-teamed on each and every play because of his size and his speed (4.78 40 yd-dash at the NFL Combine). Adding him to the defensive tackle mix means that the Eagles will not have any issues with having pressure up the middle.
Round 2, Pick 19: Cam Jurgens - C - Nebraska. 6'3", 303 lbs.
Future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce decided that this season will be his last season before he retires. Jurgens was a three-year starter at center for the Cornhuskers. Jurgens will become the starter in 2023.
Round 3, Pick 19: Nakobe Dean - LB - Georgia. 5'11", 229 lbs (72 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, 6 sacks, 2 INT, 6 pass break-ups, 2 forced fumbles).
Although NFL scouts see him as being undersized at inside linebacker, Dean is able to disrupt what opposing offenses are trying to do each and every play. He should see plenty of time on passing downs.
Round 6, Pick 2: Kyron Johnson - LB - Kansas. 6'0", 235 lbs (61 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, 4 forced fumbles).
Johnson will add depth at linebacker because he started at OLB and at ILB last season for the Jayhawks.
Round 6, Pick 20: Grant Calcaterra - TE - SMU. 6'4", 241 lbs (38 rec, 465 yds, 4 TD).
Calcaterra will contend for a back-up TE position.
The Eagles drafted pretty good with only five picks by shoring up the front seven on defense and finding the heir apparent to Kelce. Grade: B+.
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