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UPDATE: Ian Rapoport followed up with the following (perhaps after hearing from a certain team):
Rephrasing an earlier tweet for clarity: Early on in the draft prospect, the #Eagles felt Zach Wilson was a strong prospect, but for where they are, they felt moving back and collecting a future 1st rounder was a better way to build a team.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 26, 2021
ORIGINAL STORY BELOW.
It’s been a busy Friday full of draft day trades with still over a month until the 2021 NFL Draft. The Eagles traded the No. 6 overall pick to the Miami Dolphins for their No. 12 overall pick and a first-round pick in 2022 — a pick the Dolphins got just minutes earlier in a trade with the 49ers for the No. 3 overall pick. It turns out, that the No. 3 pick was something the Eagles were eyeing as well, if it got them QB Zach Wilson.
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Wilson’s Pro Day was on Friday, and the Eagles sent both offensive coordinator Shane Steichen and quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson. There was definite interest by the team, as noted by Brandon Gowton earlier in the day.
“ESPN’s Chris Mortensen previously sorta suggested there’s some internal support for the Eagles to trade up and get Wilson. But that inclination doesn’t come from Jeffrey Lurie, who reportedly wants to give Hurts a chance as the 2021 starter.”
However, there’s very little chance that Wilson would’ve fallen to No. 6, so the Eagles would have had to be aggressive to consider taking the quarterback. The No. 3 overall pick went to the 49ers in exchange for their No. 12 pick, their 2021 third-round comp pick, and their first-round picks in 2022 and 2023. It would have been very surprising for the Eagles to give up that kind of draft capital. Instead, they traded back.
The Eagles’ reported interest in Wilson, though, hardly suggests the organization is all in on Jalen Hurts.