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Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles links ...
Winners and losers from Day 1 of the 2021 NFL Draft - DraftKings Nation
WINNERS: Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles took a lot of flack for moving down from the No. 6 overall pick to No. 12 overall pick back in March. Many fans thought they were making a mistake because it would take them out of the running for a star wide receiver. Well, GM Howie Roseman did not stand pat and leapfrogged the Giants to get the No. 10 pick from the Dallas Cowboys. From there, the Eagles took reigning Heisman Trophy winner Devonta Smith, who comes into Philly as their best wide receiver.
2021 NFL Draft Day 1 winners, losers: 49ers up, Justin Fields down - NFL.com
Eagles QB Jalen Hurts and WR Jalen Reagor: The Eagles not only passed on trying to upgrade at quarterback with Justin Fields still on the board, they found a No. 1 wideout for Hurts in DeVonta Smith, for whom they traded up to the 10th overall spot. While Smith’s relative lack of weight (170 pounds) gives him a different profile than most top receivers, his ability to get open at every level of the field will open up the Eagles’ offense. Smith can also help Reagor, last year’s first-round pick; Reagor makes a lot more sense as a No. 2 deep-threat complement to Smith’s all-field game than he does as a No. 1.
NFL Draft Results: Eagles trade up to Cowboys’ pick and select DEVONTA SMITH!!! - BGN
I can’t believe it! Wow. The Eagles were set to pick at No. 12, of course, before seeing the top two cornerbacks in Jaycee Horn and Patrick Surtain II go off the board in the top nine picks. The Dallas Cowboys, clearly desiring one of those players at an obvious position of need, missed out and were surprisingly willing to trade down with a DIVISION RIVAL. The Eagles gave up their second third-round pick at No. 84 overall to move up two spots ahead of the New York Giants, who were a potential threat to take the Heisman Trophy winner. Sure enough, Dave Gettleman actually traded down for the first time EVER after Smith went off the board! I’m so happy, you guys. Smith is the player that made the most sense for the Eagles, as we wrote about at length last week.
Locker Room Livestream: The Eagles Select DeVonta Smith!!! - BGN Radio
Shamus Clancy and Brandon Lee Gowton go nuts when the Eagles select DeVonta Smith. BLG and Shamus are joined by some BGN community members who share their instant raw reaction after it was announced that the Heisman winner is coming to Philly.
1st Round – WR DeVonta Smith - Iggles Blitz
If you watch the game tape, Smith played big. He was able to overcome press coverage. He was an excellent blocker on screens and run plays. Smith was a punt returner and also a gunner on the punt cover team. He isn’t shy about hitting or getting hit. Smith plays bigger than he is. He plays with an attitude. In his mind, he’s 6-4, 235. I think Smith has major value with his mindset and personality. Sirianni is trying to establish a new culture. He wants players who are 100 percent committed to winning. The Eagles had become bloated in recent years, worrying about contracts, leaking stories to the press and obsessing on individuality rather than being a team. Smith comes from Alabama, where players obsess on winning. He will do all the little things it takes to win.
Fantasy Football Opportunity Scores: Quantifying the landing spots for the 2021 first-round picks - PFF
Smith jumps into the mix as the highest-drafted receiver in the Eagles’ WR corps, far above last year’s first-round pick Jalen Reagor who is at WR49. Travis Fulgham is next in line, way down at WR113. Smith could quickly become the focal point of the passing attack, but Jalen Hurts will have to step forward to get him enough volume.
Was drafting DeVonta Smith a do-over for Jalen Reagor, or in line with the Eagles’ draft philosophy? - Inquirer
If the Eagles had never drafted Jalen Reagor, would they have still taken DeVonta Smith? It’s a fair question to ask after they selected Smith in the first round Thursday night, a year after they chose Reagor in the same round. The Eagles have never expended picks as high on receivers in consecutive years, at least in the modern era of the NFL. At any position it’s a rare occurrence. The last time the Eagles went back-to-back in the first round at the same spot was in 2005-06 with defensive tackles Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, respectively. But the latter selection didn’t raise many eyebrows at the time because the organizational philosophy of building from the lines out had already been established.
Philadelphia Eagles NFL draft picks 2021: Analysis for every selection - ESPN
Instant upgrade: The Eagles’ wide receivers combined for 2,082 receiving yards last season, the third fewest in the NFL behind the New England Patriots (2,063) and Baltimore Ravens (1,729), according to ESPN Stats & Information. Travis Fulgham led the Eagles in receiving yards last season with 539 yards — the lowest by a team leader last year. Smith has a real chance to be the Eagles’ top receiver his rookie season.
Ex-Pro Bowl WR makes very bold DeVonta Smith prediction - NBCSP
Reggie Wayne appeared on the Bleacher Report Draft Show on Thursday night, just minutes after the Eagles picked Smith, and was absolutely ecstatic for Eagles fans about the pick. Here’s what the Colts legend had to say about Smith’s future in the NFL, including a bold proclamation about his rookie year: “DeVonta Smith was my No. 1 receiver on the board. I know everyone was big on Ja’Marr Chase, and I was too, but DeVonta Smith? He can do it all. All the routes. It’s a lot of knocks on him because he’s small, but guess what? By far, every time he stepped on the field last year, and some of 2019, he was the best player on the field. That little guy, I don’t want to hear no more talk about his weight. He let everybody know throughout the combine process, we’re not bodybuilders, we’re football players. This dude is a football player. Special, special, special. Eagles fans, you got you a dynamic playmaker.
Why WR DeVonta Smith: ‘One of the top players in the draft for the Eagles’ - PE.com
“We saw a player that was a smooth mover. He can open up and run and he was a player that can win at all three levels from different alignments,” said Weidl, the team’s vice president of player personnel. “I think his ability to high-point the ball, to play above the rim, to adjust to the football, to make contested catches, really stood out. I think another thing about Smith that we really liked about the guy is his selflessness. Not only was he a productive receiver, he was a punt returner. He returned a punt for a touchdown this year against Arkansas. He’s been a gunner in the past on the punt team. When you talk about a teammate that would go above and beyond to help his team win, he embodied that. We’re excited to bring him in, excited to have that caliber of receiver that DeVonta brings to us.”
Alabama Crimson Tide NFL Draft 2021 Prospects: DeVonta Smith - Roll Bama Roll
It’s rare that you analyze a player and find no weaknesses, but when you do there’s a decent chance that the dude won a Heisman, Walter Camp, and Biletnikoff to go with a couple of national championships, with a walk-off TD catch in one and a 200+ yard first half in the other. There isn’t a safer bet in this draft if a high end starter at an important position is what you’re looking for. Go ahead and pass on him because of his size. He dares you.
NFL Draft 2021 results: Pick-by-pick grades for Round 1 - SB Nation
No. 10: ***TRADE*** Philadelphia Eagles: DeVonta Smith, WR, AlabamaThe Eagles made a move to jump up to the No. 10 spot, giving up the No. 12 overall pick and their third round selection this year. Dallas had been linked to a CB for much of the draft, and seeing two go in a row likely pushed them out. DeVonta Smith is the best receiver in this draft for my money, and a brilliant choice to give weapons to Jalen Hurts. There are concerns about his frame being too lean, or that he’s more of a generalist in an era of specialists — I don’t care. Smith is an elite player who will make noise in Philly. Grade: A+
‘Things I think’: Dave Gettleman gets “Kudos” for his first-ever trade down - Big Blue View
Yes, it was a bummer to watch the hated Eagles twist the knife on the Giants, or at least think they had done so, by jumping New York to grab the Slim Reaper, Devonta Smith. There will be those who say Howie Roseman and the Eagles outsmarted Gettleman to get Smith. I’m not one of them. Smith was never a primary target for me, though he may have been for the Giants. With only six picks in this draft, Gettleman really couldn’t move up. Even if he wanted to. He had to sit back, see how things unfolded and be willing to move back depending how things went. He was. In the end, it isn’t hard to argue that this was an even better outcome for the Giants than ending up with the Heisman Trophy-winning wide receiver.
Dallas Cowboys draft grade after selecting LB Michael Parsons No. 12 overall - Blogging The Boys
Micah Parsons is no doubt a phenomenal athlete, but in regards to positional value and providing immediate help, it’s difficult to justify a higher draft grade for the Dallas Cowboys decision to draft the Penn State LB then a solid “B”. Dan Quinn and his coaching staff now have to figure out where Micah Parsons fits in the 2021 plans. With Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch, and Keanu Neal in the fold. there will be a competition for snaps left in 2021.
The Washington Football Team Selects Kentucky LB Jamin Davis - Tyler’s Take - Hogs Haven
I see Davis slotting in as our WILL backer as a rookie, with the position flexibility to be able to kick to MIKE in certain looks as the offense dictates. As a true three-down backer, he can be used to cover the slot, drop hook/curl...buzz flats in zone, and rush the quarterback from the edge. I hope he is paired with Holcomb in nickel looks, getting our two best athletes at the linebacker position on the field together. Eventually, Davis has the ability to take over the middle of the defense if the staff so desires, as he can play sideline-to-sideline, drop high-hole in zone, or carry a TE on the seam route. Overall, I think this is the first time in a long time that Washington has a complete, every-down linebacker at it’s disposal. He should be an absolute beast behind what is arguably the best defensive line in the NFL.
2021 NFL Draft SB Nation Livestream: Picks 1-16 - The SB Nation NFL Show
Pete Sweeney, Rob “Stats” Guerrera and a bevy of team community guests from SB Nation break down the 2021 NFL Draft as it happens!
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