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Philadelphia Eagles: 2021 NFL Draft grades for top 3 picks

By Drew DeLuca

CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: DeVonta Smith poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected 10th by the Philadelphia Eagles during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - APRIL 29: DeVonta Smith poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell onstage after being selected 10th by the Philadelphia Eagles during round one of the 2021 NFL Draft at the Great Lakes Science Center on April 29, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, 2021 NFL Draft (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia Eagles, 2021 NFL Draft (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Grading the top three 2021 NFL Draft picks from the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Entering the 2021 NFL Draft, Philadelphia Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman were under fire from Eagles fans and several members of the media after a string of disappointing draft performances.

Under the watch of Lurie and Roseman, the Philadelphia Eagles have drafted exactly one Pro Bowl player since 2013: Carson Wentz, who was recently run out of town after a catastrophic fall from grace never before seen from a player who was an MVP candidate in his second NFL season.

Over the last two seasons, the luster from the team’s first Super Bowl Championship slowly began to fade, and Eagles fans watched in disbelief as their team drafted wide receivers J.J. Arcega-Whiteside and Jalen Reagor instead of DK Metcalf and Justin Jefferson, respectively.

Tensions continued to mount throughout the offseason in the City of Brotherly Love, where disgruntled fans viewed Thursday night’s NFL Draft opening round with a uniquely Philly combination of passion, excitement, and existential dread. Exhibit A: the “Fire Howie” chant in the middle of a Phillies game last week, and the priceless comments that followed.

Philadelphia Eagles select WR DeVonta Smith at Round 1, Pick 10 via trade

Grade: A

With his back against the wall, Roseman did the unthinkable: execute a trade with the rival Dallas Cowboys, leapfrogging mutual division rivals, the New York Giants, in the process. The Eagles coughed up a Round 3 pick to move up just two spots and snag DeVonta Smith right out from under the G-Men. Was it worth it? Early results say “yes”:

To analyze the Eagles’ selection of Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith with the 10th overall pick, we’re not above strutting just a bit. You see, we can’t say that we called this landing spot perfectly, but we were on the money in our Fantasy Football analysis of the top rookie wide receivers in the 2021 NFL Draft class:

"“We will be surprised, but not shocked, if Smith lasts beyond No. 12 in Thursday’s NFL Draft,  as he’s a no-brainer selection for the Eagles in that spot; his presence there would presumably mean that cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Jaycee Horn would be off the board already.”"

Thus, that’s a clear A-graded selection to kick off the draft for the Eagles. But what about Day 2?

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