Howie Roseman Doesn't Rule Out Moving Up in Draft

Eagles general manager could try to trade up to grab either CeeDee Lamb or Jerry Jeudy, though many mock drafts have them staying at No. 21 and getting the third member of the Big Three, Henry Ruggs

INDIANAPOLIS – The NFL Scouting Combine switched gears a bit on Thursday, as defense made an appearance. Specifically, defensive linemen took to the podiums inside the Indiana Convention Center.

But there is still a buzz about the receiver class that has a chance to be the most historic group to enter the NFL in forever. Receivers took to the field inside Lucas Oil Stadium on Thursday night to run the 40-yard dash and do other drills.

Then there’s the buzz that still surrounds the Eagles and what they will do with their 10 picks in the draft, which begins on April 23. It doesn't figure to abate until that day arrives.

There is buzz that the Eagles could be poised to move up in the first round or that they will stay put, in which case they will pick Colorado’s Laviska Shenault.

Shenault revealed recently that he ran into Kobe Bryant on Dec. 29 while sitting courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game. Bryant, wearing an Eagles hat, said to Shenault, "Man, Philly sure needs a receiver."

Shenault has a skillset that would make Eagles fans happy. At 6-0, 227, Shenault can play the slot or outside. The one thing he hasn't done is return kicks, which is something the Eagles need to find somebody to do.

"I think my versatility is a good thing." said Shenault. "I don't want to be in one spot. Then, I wouldn't get that many balls or attempts. I want to be able to mover everywhere. I want to be able to create mismatches everywhere on the field."

General manager Howie Roseman did not pour cold water on the idea of possibly moving up in the draft when he met with reporters earlier in the week.

“We would love to say that we’re going to be having 10 picks, but there were moments in the last two drafts (when the Eagles had just five picks each year), when there were guys within (trading up) reach, that we would want to move up (for), and we just didn’t have the ammunition to do it,” said Roseman. 

“So if there is a guy still that we thought was an incredibly highly valued, and we could go up and go get him, we couldn’t take that off the table.”

Presumably there are three receivers worth trading up, even though many mock drafts have the Eagles being able to stay put at No. 21 and grab one of them, which is Alabama’s Henry Ruggs.

Roseman may not want to take any chances, and maybe he will end up preferring one of the other two – Oklahoma’s CeeDee Lamb or Alabama’s Jerry Jeudy.

“If (the Eagles) trusted me to be a part of their organization I would love to be a part of it; not really my choice to make,” said Jeudy. “We got a lot of great receivers out here in this combine. They know how to do different things, really. It's very humbling really, being named one of the top receivers in the class, among all these great receivers. there's a lot of great receivers in this class. Very humbling.”

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry let it be known that he would be willing to either move up or down in the draft. Berry worked for Roseman last year in Philly, so Roseman may be enticed to move all the way up 11 places to ensure that he grabs the first one and the one he may have rated highest of them all.

The price would be steep, perhaps even requiring next year’s first-round pick.

“I don’t think it’s a mistake not taking guys early in the strength of that draft, because what happens, is, guys at other positions fall to you, because of that, and that gives you an opportunity to still get value,” said Roseman. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to take the right players. When we look back at those drafts and maybe some of the decisions we’ve made, maybe you go into a draft thinking, ‘Hey I’m going to come out – you mentioned in (2017), running backs.

“You go into it thinking this is such a great class, I’m going to get one. And then maybe you have this in the back of your mind – I’m going to come out of the draft with that position. And then as it gets later in the draft, maybe you’re trying to force some things. But I think what we’ve learned about that is that sometimes there’s drafts where there’s no rhyme or reason.

“Sometimes there’s drafts where you go, ‘Hey it’s a great running back draft, so we’re going to get a guy later than we thought.’ And sometimes in that situation, guys are going, ‘I’m going to get the one I really like, and make sure that if it’s an historical class, this is a guy I really like.’”