Philadelphia Eagles Draft Picks 2017: Grade the Shelton Gibson selection

The Philadelphia Eagles traded down twice in the fifth round before selecting West Virginia wide receiver Shelton Gibson at pick No. 166 in the 2017 NFL Draft.

I love the beginning of Gibson’s NFL.com scouting report: “Flat. Out. Fast.” That same profile includes a quote from an NFL scout who compared Gibson’s tape to DeSean Jackson simply running by defenders in college.

Gibson’s speed is for real. He ran a 4.38 40-yard dash at his pro day. He also boasts elite agility and acceleration; his 60-yard shuttle score is in the 99th percentile. Gibson’s athletic ability translated into his stats, too. He ranks second all-time in college yards per reception with 23.1.

The Eagles have sorely lacked a true deep threat for too long now. Gibson can immediately be a valuable role-player for the Eagles.

Gibson obviously lacks polish that would have seen him drafted higher if he had it. Route-running has been identified as an area for improvement. The 22-year-old isn’t an instant Day 1 starter.

Still, he’s a nice pick for the Eagles in the fifth round. With Torrey Smith, Mack Hollins, and Gibson now in the fold, Philadelphia has truly added some nice deep speed to their receiving corps this offseason.

I’ll give this selection an A- rating. Grade the pick for yourselves below.