NFL Draft Results: Eagles select Jalen Reagor with pick No. 21

With the 21st pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles select ... TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor!

The Eagles notably passed on rumored first round target Justin Jefferson to take Reagor instead.

Reagor was also previously linked to Philly, as we wrote earlier on Thursday.

Reagor’s upside is definitely intriguing. The 21-year-old profiles as the explosive threat that the Eagles could really afford to add to their receiving corps. There’s thought he’d go higher in the draft if not for being held back by horrendous quarterback play at TCU.

At the same time, Reagor is not without considerable downside. Drops have been an issue. His 4.47 40-yard dash at the Combine was slower than expected. Former NFL executives like Daniel Jeremiah and Gil Brandt don’t even have Reagor ranked in their top 50 prospects. The Eagles taking him at No. 21 could be a big reach.

“His 2019 tape does raise some concerns even when taking into account the abysmal quarterback play. Reagor didn’t seem committed to selling decoy routes, blocking, or squeezing every yard out of his opportunities after the catch. That last concern comes up in the analytics, as his YAC average dropped considerably over the last three years (7.8 > 5.9 > 3.8) and he only broke a total of 5 tackles in ‘19. You can explain some of that away by arguing poor placement, but too many times Reagor was in self-preservation mode and sought out the sidelines.”

It is nice to see the Eagles finally addressed the wide receiver position after neglecting to give Carson Wentz help in free agency. Hopefully Reagor can live up to his potential.

It is also still disappointing that the Eagles came so close to potentially getting CeeDee Lamb only to see him go to the Dallas Cowboys. Reagor feels like a consolation prize in this regard.

I’m okay with this pick but I don’t feel like it’s a home run. It’s a boom or bust move for a team that has a really dire receiver situation. If Reagor works out, great! If he doesn’t, the Eagles are potentially back at square one. I preferred Jefferson’s profile because I thought he was a safer bet to be a good pro even if he wasn’t the most ideal fit.

I will say, the thought of Reagor and DeSean Jackson on the field at the same time is exciting. One can only hope the Eagles will now be able to generate a lot more big plays than they have with their slow, plodding offense over the past couple seasons.

Here’s a scouting report via NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein:

Spotty quarterback play helped cause a production drop, but his focus and competitiveness also seemed spotty at times. Reagor is a smooth athlete with blazing speed who has more playmaking talent than receiver skill and play-callers need to account for that when determining how to utilize him. He’s electric with the ball in his hands so getting it to him quickly rather than asking him to consistently make plays for himself as a ball-winner could be crucial. When 2019 is balanced against his 2018, the grade and projection begin to climb with a versatile receiver who’s able to spice the offensive gumbo.

College stats via Pro Football Reference:

Spider graph via Mockdraftable:

Highlights:

Grade the pick

Remaining Eagles draft picks

1st - No. 21 - Jalen Reagor, WR, TCU

2nd - No. 53

3rd - No. 103

4th - No. 124

4th - No. 145

4th - No. 146

5th - No. 168

6th - No. 190

Eagles top remaining needs

Wide receiver

Linebacker

Safety

Cornerback