My Top 10 NFC East Rookies Includes a Trio of Eagles

The NFC East took a step toward rising from the mediocrity it has been muddled in for far too long, with each of the four teams in the division putting together what looks to be solid draft classes.

My rule of thumb is to not judge a draft class until after three years’ worth of evaluations.

That didn’t stop me and fellow SI publisher Patricia Traina from taking a look around the NFC East at some of the rookies who could make an impact this season, and you can watch what we had to say with this story’s accompanying video.

Traina publishes Giants Country on the SI channel, and it’s hard not to like the draft New York put together under first-year GM Joe Schoen.

In fact, the Giants have who I believe will make the biggest impact as a rookie in fifth overall selection Kayvon Thibodeaux.

The Oregon product can put up double-digit sacks in the Giants’ defense.

He will certainly play plenty, and that’s what separates him from Eagles rookie Jordan Davis. Playing time and position actually.

Thibodeaux will play on the edge. Davis will be inside and be in a rotation with Fletcher Cox, Javon Hargrave, and Milton Williams.

As for the overall rookie of the year, don’t look for an Eagles player to win. They’ve never had one on either offense or defense, just like they never had an MVP, either.

A pair of NFC East division defensive players were defensive rookies of the year the past two seasons – Washington’s Chase Young in 2020 and Dallas’ Micah Parsons last year. Dallas’ Dak Prescott was the offensive rookie of the year in 2016.

The last rookie of the year for Washington came on offense in 2012 when QB Robert Griffin III won it.

The last Giants rookie to win was running back Saquon Barkley in 2018 while wide receiver Odell Beckham did it in New York in 2015.

Here are my top 10 rookies in the NFC East this season:

No. 1 – Kayvon Thibodeaux, Giants. If he does what he’s supposed to, he could be the rookie of the year. He will be another difficult pass rusher for the Eagles to contend with to go along with Washington’s Chase Young.

No. 2 – Jordan Davis, Eagles. The numbers may not be there at the end of the season, but he will make a big difference in whatever scheme defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon concocts from week to week.

No. 3 – Sam Williams, Cowboys. There’s something about this edge rusher I like and would have loved to see the Eagles take a chance on him. Yes, there was a red flag about some sort of charges for abuse, but they were dismissed.

If he can stay out of trouble, I like his potential to pile up some sacks on a defense that has to find a replacement for Randy Gregory. He came in the second round, 56th overall, which was five picks after the Eagles took Cam Jurgens.

No. 4 – Evan Neal, Giants. Maybe the Giants got it right and landed a stud offensive lineman. I think they did, but time will tell. He came from Alabama as the seventh pick overall.

No. 5 – Nakobe Dean, Eagles. It will be interesting to see how Dean is deployed initially and then as the season goes along. He can be one of the Eagles’ top linebackers, but exactly when that happens is unknown.

No. 6 – Brian Robinson, Commanders. Like Williams, this was somebody I believed a good fit for the Eagles. He was Washington’s third-round pick. H’s a power runner that can wear defenses down, something Philly doesn’t have. Plus, he’s from Alabama, having waited his turn behind Najee Harris, Josh Jacobs, and Damien Harris.

No. 7 – Jake Ferguson, Cowboys. The tight end, picked in the fourth round, could pay dividends early, especially with the Cowboys and Dalton Schultz at an impasse on contract negotiations. Schultz will play on the franchise tag of $10.93 million.

No. 8 – Tyler Smith, Cowboys. Dallas has a guard spot to plug and lost some depth, so this pick makes sense though not totally in love with taking him in the first round, 24th overall.

No. 9 – Grant Calcaterra, Eagles. There would appear to be an opportunity for a tight end who came in the sixth round and if his concussions issues are truly behind him, Calcaterra may very well find himself in a position to take advantage of that opportunity.

No. 10 – Sam Howell, Commanders. He was my favorite QB in a class where the first quarterback went at No. 20 (Kenny Pickett) then another one didn’t come off the board until Malik Willis at No. 86. Howell lasted to the fifth round, pick No. 144. If Carson Wentz struggles or gets hurt again, Howell could be ready to leapfrog Taylor Heinicke.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.