Eagles Draft Devonta Smith at 10: Is this What Hope feels like?
DEVONTA SMITH IS A PHILADELPHIA EAGLE
HOWIE ROSEMAN MADE ONE OF THE BEST MOVES OF HIS CAREER
What a day for Philadelphia!! When Kyle Pitts and Ja’Marr Chase were picked at 4 and 5, it solidified Howie's move to trade down as the right decision, because they never had a chance at the elite playmakers. But the tweets started flying as we got closer and closer. The big domino to fall was a surprise pick with Jaycee Horn going to the Carolina Panthers at 8. With the Eagles at 12, Smith had to survive the Broncos, the Cowboys, and the Giants (who especially needed wide receiver talent) to fall to Philly.
But Howie doesn’t play those games.
In a move we were begging for him to make last year, he invested in wide receiver and traded up with Dallas (ew) to move up two spots to number 10. The only pick they sent was number 84, which they got from the Colts in the Carson Wentz trade. That’s a highway robbery! A third-round pick to select an what I think is an elite wide receiver prospect, and keeping him out of the division? It doesn't get much better. The Cowboys seemingly traded back after their top CB targets were gone to pick a linebacker with character concerns (Classy!) and the Giants moved back to 20 and over-drafted Kadarius Toney out of desperation, which is just funny.
Is that... confidence in the Eagles direction? Do they have a GM that learned from his past mistakes and is making sure his new franchise QB doesn’t suffer the same fate? Do I have hope? The trade down looks even better in perspective, as this is what they did, simplified:
Eagles give:
Pick No. 6 (turned into Jaylen Waddle by Miami)
Carson Wentz (who requested a trade)
Pick No. 156
And got back:
Colts conditional 2022 2nd round pick (can convey into a 1st) Dolphins 2022 1st round pick
Pick No. 10 (Devonta Smith)
Pick No. 123
That’s incredible value, and I have serious concerns about Howie but he is having himself an offseason to remember with those trades and signings like Eric Wilson and Anthony Harris.
I feel like I haven’t even talked about Smith yet! He won the freaking Heisman trophy, and holds the following college football records:
Most Yards in one half of a College Football Playoff Game (215)
Most Single Season Receiving Yards by an SEC player (1,856)
Most Single Season Touchdown Receptions by an SEC player (23)
Most Career Touchdown Receptions by an FBS Player (46)
Most Receiving Yards in Career by an SEC Player
In addition to a HEISMAN TROPHY, it’s not a stretch to call Smith the most accomplished college wide receiver of the past 20 years. The Eagles finally have a young, very good wide receiver that doesn’t make me want to burn my eyeballs or throw something at my TV. They have a true difference-maker on the outside, which will do wonders for Jalen Hurts in his development as he’s reunited with his college teammate. For fun, here's a minute and a half of him frying top cornerback prospect Derek Stingley Jr. in coverage.
And here's what he might look like at the Linc, in his new threads with his new QB. It even looks right. (But in my opinion, 16 would be a much better number for him than 6, especially in the Eagles jersey fonts.)
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the future looks bright for the Eagles? I might come back after rounds 2 & 3 and want to fire Howie on the spot depending on his performance, but there’s nothing but optimism that I can have right now. And in the wise words of Jalen Hurts, "Let’s Get To It ❗❗".