Philadelphia Eagles 2021 NFL Draft Profile

The 2021 NFL Draft begins on April 29, which means that The Game Haus will be writing draft profiles for every team. Each NFL team will be evaluated heading into this year’s draft, as our staff recaps their last season, highlights their needs and pinpoints their potential 2021 NFL Draft targets. 

The Philadelphia Eagles are the subject of today’s 2021 draft profile.

Summary

Philadelphia the 12th overall pick after a trade with the Dolphins in the 2021 NFL Draft. Philadelphia had a record of 4-11-1, which was not enough to go to the playoffs, even though each team in NFC East had a below .500 record. The Eagles were remarkably still in the race for the playoffs until the Cowboys eliminated them from contention in their Week 16 matchup.

The Eagles had a tumultuous year, especially involving their former quarterback Carson Wentz. Wentz could not take care of the ball the whole season, whether it was a sack-fumble or an interception. Wentz was later benched and Jalen Hurts took over during their game against the Packers in Week 13. Hurts played as well as one could hope as a rookie coming off the bench in the NFL. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson was fired after the 2020 season after controversy surrounding Carson Wentz and having a below .500 record with a team that had the potential to make the playoffs. The Eagles hire a new head coach in former Colts offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni. He will look to rebuild the team and get the Eagles back to being a formidable opponent in the NFC East.

Philadelphia now look ahead to the 2021 draft. They will have many holes to fill on the team, such as the glaring need of a wide receiver. They also have other offensive and defensive needs that will be mentioned later in the article. This is an NFL draft profile on the Philadelphia Eagles.

The Eagles have four picks In the first three rounds of the 2021 draft.

2021 NFL Draft Picks

1st Round (one pick) Nos. 12

2nd Round (one pick) Nos. 37

3rd Round (one pick) Nos. 70 & 84

Team Needs

Wide Receiver: The Eagles released Desean Jackson and Alshon Jeffery earlier in the offseason. They desperately need help at the wide receiver position. The most consistent receiver the Eagles have is former Houston Cougars quarterback Greg Ward Jr. Travis Fulgham and Jalen Reagor showed glimpses of greatness, but are not consistent enough yet.

Quarterback: The Eagles 2020 third string quarterback, Nate Sudfeld, is in the free-agent market now. Selecting a quarterback at an earlier point in the draft could help the Eagles add a lot more depth to the position. This would also allow the Eagles to potentially end their quarterback struggles for the time being. The Eagles signed Joe Flacco last week, which is the veteran presence the Eagles need with potentially two young quarterbacks on the roster. He can craft both quarterbacks to become solid NFL starters.

Linebacker: The team could use some help at linebacker. Alex Singleton has been doing it all for the Eagles in 2020. Singleton has had some help from TJ Edwards, who has not been bad for Philadelphia. Adding more depth at linebacker should solidify this position for the Eagles, and make them a force for opposing offenses.

Cornerback: The Eagles signed Darius Slay last year, who is one of the better cornerbacks in the league. Unfortunately, he did not bring as much production as the Eagles would have liked in 2020. Avonte Maddox helped Slay out in the secondary this year, but he is still a little young to be taking consistent snaps. A draft pick would give Slay and Maddox some help in the secondary.

2021 NFL Draft Targets

First Round: 

Pick No. 12: Devonta Smith, WR, Alabama 

The Eagles first round draft has become unpredictable since they have traded down in the draft, trading with the Dolphins. Devonta Smith seems to be the best bet, since Kyle Pitts is likely to be gone before the Eagles can get him. Smith is a very talented receiver and won the Heisman Trophy in 2022. He is a great route runner and has the speed and the strength to get open and wreak havoc on opposing defenses.

Smith will help the Eagles get the much-needed production out of their receiving corp. The Alabama star had 1,856 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns in his National Championship campaign. Smith averages 15.9 yards a play whenever he has the chance to get his hands on the ball. If the Eagles decide to pick Smith, then look for him to make an impact early in Philadelphia. 

Second Round:  

Pick No. 37: Baron Browning, LB, Ohio State 

The linebacking position has been dominated by Alex Singleton for Philadelphia in 2021. It wouldn’t hurt to add some depth in the potion and draft Ohio State prospect Baron Browning. Browning is a great tackler as he had 20 solo tackles in his 2020 campaign with the Buckeyes. He also had one sack and one forced fumble. Browning is athletic and fast for a linebacker. He is also strong and has size, as he is 6-foot-3 and weighs 240 pounds. The Ohio State prospect is solid in coverage, which would be valuable for the Eagles. His height and athletic ability makes it easy to positioning on receivers.

This move would put some weight off of Singleton’s shoulders, as he was a great for the Eagles in 2020. Browning, who is 3rd Team All-Big 10 player, could have the making of strengthening the Eagles defense. 

3rd Round:  

Pick No. 70: Kellen Mond, QB, Texas A & M 

Kellen Mond had a terrific senior season as an Aggie. Mond can sling the ball around as he had 2,282 passing yards and 19 touchdowns. He didn’t turn the ball over much in his 2020 campaign. Mond had three interceptions on the season. The Aggie quarterback can also be a threat in the running game, as he had 294 rushing yards and four touchdowns on the ground. Mond has good size for a quarterback in the NFL. The Texas A&M star is 6-foot-3 and weighs 217 pounds. His size will make it hard for defender to bring him down and he has the strength to shed tackles for extra yardage. 

Mond would be a great third quarterback for the Eagles depth chart. Former Eagles back up, Nate Sudfeld, became a free agent this year. The Eagles bringing in Joe Flacco, who is a veteran, provides Mond with a great mentor. 

Pick No. 84: Aaron Robinson, CB, UCF 

Aaron Robinson could be a first-round draft pick, but it is more likely that he will be taken later. Robinson has good size as a cornerback since he is 5-foot-11. This gives him the ability to get better positioning on the receiver and match their height. Robinson is strong and physical and can jam wide receivers off the line of scrimmage. He can also tackle, which is another valuable skill that he brings to the table. 

In 2019, he had 54 total tackles for UCF and three interceptions. He also had 10 pass deflections during his 2019 campaign. In 2020, he was not as productive, but he was still solid. He had 41 total tackles, with 31 of them being solo tackles. He also had one forced fumble and six pass deflections. Robinson has all the attributes to be a starting NFL corner and could make an impact for the Eagles if they decide to choose him. 

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