Good 2nd Round WR Value for Eagles

INDIANAPOLIS - Just assume for a minute that the Eagles don’t draft a wide receiver in the first round, and they go for a cornerback like Florida’s C.J. Henderson or a pass rusher like Iowa’s A.J. Epenesa.

What if they wait (shudder!) until the second round (gasp!)?

Thirty-two players would come off the board between their current pick at No. 21 and their next pick at No. 53. That is, if the Eagles didn’t try to trade up in the second round, something they certainly could pull off given that they are expected to have 10 picks in the draft, including two in the third round and three in the fourth.

Receivers will fly off draft boards across the league in those first 52 picks. There could be as many as at least 10 taken in that time, so what if the Eagles wait until the second round?

No worries. There is plenty of value in the second round, keeping in mind that not every single top-flight receiver is going to be picked in the first round.

The first three on my list fit that bill and could possibly be found in the second round. These three would require some ingenuity by the Birds in order to move up that round to get them since they won’t linger there long.

They are:

Laviska Shenault, Colorado. Some may be surprised to see him on this list, but a core muscle injury that required surgery last week and will sideline for up to two months could be concerning enough to push him into the second round.

Jalen Reagor, TCU. Added 10 pounds leading up to the Combine, going from 195 to 205. It may have slowed him down a bit. He had hoped to run his 40 in the low 4.3s but settled for a 4.47. Not exactly tortoise-like. Still, he could slide to early second round. His punt returning ability would be a big plus for the Eagles.

Tee Higgins, Clemson. Higgins didn’t work out at the Combine but took interviews – formal and informal – with a variety of teams. There is plenty to like about Higgins, so it could be a longshot that he lasts beyond pick 35.

Here are some that could fall in their lap in the second round:

K.J. Hamler, Penn State. Hamler all but begged for the Eagles to draft him during the Combine, talking about how he is good friends with Eagles running back Miles Sanders and how he patterns his game off Eagles receiver DeSean Jackson. He did not run at the Combine and only tested in the bench press (15 reps at 225), but that doesn’t matter.

What matters is he is fast and can stretch the field or turn short crossing patterns into long touchdowns, just like Jackson. What also matters is his size. At 5-9, 178, his durability could be a question mark over the long haul of a 16 or 17 game season.

Hamler would also solve the punt return question the Eagles need to answer.

Played just two seasons at Penn State after tearing an ACL as a freshman. In 2018, he had 42 catches for 754 yards (18.0 average) and five touchdowns while returning 20 kicks for 523 yards, (26.2 average) and 14 punts (6.9-yard average) on 14 returns. Last year, he had 56 catches for 904 yards (16.1 yards per catch) with eight touchdowns while returning 24 kicks for a 21.4-yard average and 23 punts for a 5.5-yard average.

Gabriel Davis, Central Florida. Davis has been productive since the moment he set foot on campus. At 6-2, 216, he made 152 catches for 2,447 yards and 23 touchdowns in three seasons.

His numbers went up each year, and he finished his career with 72 receptions for 1,241 yards and 12 scores. He ran a 4.54 at the Combine.

Chase Claypool, Notre Dame. There are questions as to whether Claypool’s future is as a receiver or tight end. Either way, he really helped himself at the Combine and the Eagles could determine where he fits should they draft him. He ran a 4.42 at the Combine, which is sizzling for someone who is 6-4, 238 pounds. He made 13 starts last year and was the Irish’s leading receiver with 66 receptions for 1,037 yards (15.7 average) and 13 touchdowns, which was ranked top 10 nationally.

Van Jefferson, Florida. Began his career at Mississippi before transferring to Florida for two years. He did not work out during the Combine but met with several teams. At 6-1, 200 pounds, Jefferson also has some punt and kick returning experience. He started all 13 games in his first season with the Gators, leading the team in receiving with 35 catches, 503 yards (14.4 average) and six touchdowns then did it again as a senior with 49 receptions for 657 yards (13.4 average) and six TDs.