NFC East Draft Grades: Giants bolster offense, Eagles polish ranks
By Ian Cummings
Philadelphia Eagles
Round 2 – South Dakota State TE Dallas Goedert (A)
Round 4 – Pittsburgh CB Avonte Maddox (C+)
Round 4 – Florida State DE Josh Sweat (A+)
Round 6 – TCU OT Matt Pryor (B+)
Round 7 – Australia OT Jordan Mailata (B)
The Philadelphia Eagles did some moving before the draft conclusion, and by the end, they had added only five rookies from the current class. Still, even with a small amount of picks to choose from, the Eagles found a way to add multiple players who project well as immediate contributors.
The best pick for the Eagles, by far, is the selection of Florida State defensive end Josh Sweat in Round 4. Sweat is a bit undersized, but with his natural athleticism and burst, Sweat was projected as a late first-rounder in some circles. For whatever reason, either due to his moderate injury concerns or positional utility, he slid to the Eagles on Day 3.
The team has to be feeling good about this pick. Sweat joins an already stacked rotation of edge rushers that consists of Brandon Graham, Derek Barnett, Michael Bennett, Steven Means, and Chris Long.
The Eagles didn’t score on any picks of similar value, but they still managed to add a couple more high-upside selections with their remaining four picks. Dallas Goedert will help seamlessly carry over talent that was lost from the departure of Trey Burton at tight end, Matt Pryor has good potential and provides depth at tackle, and the same can be said for Australian rugby star Jordan Mailata, although he will have a steep learning curve playing his first snaps of football.
The Eagles could have done more to address the cornerback position than pick the undersized Avonte Maddox, but the Eagles’ roster was fairly solid to begin the draft phase, and last weekend, it only got better.
Philadelphia Eagles Draft Grade: B+