Philadelphia Eagles select Andre Dillard: Grade, reaction for 2019 NFL Draft

The Philadelphia Eagles traded up in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft and selected offensive tackle Andre Dillard. Grading the pick.

The Philadelphia Eagles came into the 2019 NFL Draft with a roster that is ready to compete for a Super Bowl. They are a player or two away from being a legitimate Super Bowl team in my eyes, but the Eagles also are in that position because they are a great organization. They never force draft picks and are alway thinking about the future.

That was proven in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft when they moved up from pick 25 to pick 22 and selected former Washington State offensive tackle Andre Dillard.

The Eagles traded No. 25, 127 (Round 4) and 197 (Round 6) to the Baltimore Ravens for the 22nd selection. Honestly, only giving up a fourth and a sixth for a player that Howie Roseman said was top 10 on their board is a great deal.

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Dillard is regarded as the best pass protector in the draft, mainly because of the offense he played in. The 6-5, 315-pound left tackle is a great athlete and it flashes on film. Dillard is able to move around effectively and rarely gets beat.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Dillard allowed 13 total pressures and only one sack in his 722 pass-blocking snaps. He also had the highest pass protection grade of any starting tackle in the country. That is insane and highlights how good he is at protecting his quarterback.

If there was one knock on Dillard, his ability in the run game is lacking, but the Eagles need to protect quarterback Carson Wentz now and in the future. Philadelphia does not value the run game as much other teams do, and this pick highlights that.

They want to make sure Wentz is protected and now when Jason Peters retires after this season, Dillard can step right in and be the guy. That also allows Lane Johnson to stay on the right side, where he is the best right tackle in football.

This may not have been a sexy pick for the Eagles and fans may have wanted something a little more flashy, but this was a great pick by the Eagles. Wentz is the main priority of the franchise, and that showed by taking Dillard at pick 22.

Grade: A