Stay Put
Laviska Shenault Jr. | Colorado
Size: 6’2″, 220 lbs.
Shenault is a specimen – big, broad, long, thick. Whatever adjective you want to use, he’s big and strong and what teams want out of their number one. He doesn’t necessarily pop of the screen as a physically imposing guy, but he uses his body well and won’t be out muscled.
Speed: For a man his size, impressive. Apparently he runs a sub 4.40, but I’m not convinced; seems like somewhere in the 4.4s is about right. He may not quite reach the levels of DK Metcalf combine dominance, but he’s probably the best candidate to come close. Whatever he does end up running, he’s fast on film, takes no time at all to get going and rarely gets brought down from behind.
YAC and route running: He’ll have no trouble racking up yards after the catch, or after contact. Fantastic contact balance mixed with a natural feel for space makes him a very potent threat with the ball in his hands. Shenault can make you miss or run you over. His route running is raw, but he did run a lot of different routes at Colorado. Physical ability allows him to make plays even if his routes aren’t perfect.
Scheme fit: As a guy that does a bit of everything, you’d be hard pressed to find a team he doesn’t fit with. Coming from a fairly dysfunctional offence, Shenault may take a year or two before he hits full form. He would be afforded that in Philly. He ran all kinds of stuff in college (including wild cat and reverses) and it’s difficult to figure what he’s best at or how he should be featured. Therefore, he too would force Doug Pederson and staff to get creative.
Consistency and production are lacking with only one 1,000 yard season, and there is a chance, however small, that he never becomes a polished receiver. For a team that desperately needs to get it right, there may be a few question marks left unanswered.
The other question is where do you put him this year? He projects as a solid option to overtake Alshon’s spot in the offense, but that was supposed to be Arcega-Whiteside’s role. Drafting Laviska may mean that experiment is already over. Could he be your big slot receiver? That also leaves the spot of future deep threat left unresolved.
If rumors that Alshon may be on his way out of Philly, the Eagles could be in desperate need of an X receiver and Shenault would be an intriguing option — one that is immediately more versatile than Arcega-Whiteside. With the talent he has, all this speculation is ultimately splitting hairs — but if the Eagles do take Laviska, it may take a few weeks for him to break out.
There are some new health concerns that may cause some stir, but I doubt it would cause him to fall out of the first round.
Jalen Reagor | Texas Christian
Size: 5’11”, 195 lbs.
Undersized, but has some bounce which allows him to play bigger than his stature with the ball in the air. He reminds me a lot of Tyreek Hill size-wise, but he’s an inch taller and about ten pounds heavier. Still, he does his best to avoid contact and won’t always sacrifice his body to make catches over the middle.
Speed: Even with such a stacked class, he may be the quickest receiver of the bunch. He goes 0 to 60 in the blink of and eye and has no trouble maintaining his top speed or changing direction. He’ll likely run in the low 4.3s, but his on-field speed profiles like a 4.2 guy.
YAC and route running: Reagor is a human joystick, regularly making defenders look silly. That can get him into negative yardage situations where he tries to do to much, but that will lessen with experience. He truly has the ability to make something out of nothing. One knock is that he doesn’t seem to love contact with the ball in his hands. His route tree was limited in college, but still managed to showcase his crafty route running. He’s just slippery.
Scheme fit: I personally think Reagor may be exactly what this offense needs. He’s a slot guy with outside versatility that offers you speed along with silky smooth route running. The drop issue could rear it’s ugly head again and he doesn’t offer much in the way of blocking, but I think he gives you enough in other facets to cover for that. He also has return value, which the Eagles are in need of.
The biggest problem is I think 21 is too early for Reagor, but he won’t be around when the Eagles pick in the second. If he’s your guy you have to get him, but I just don’t think he’s Philly’s wheelhouse unless he falls to them in the second. I don’t know if fans would be entirely thrilled with Reagor at 21, especially if a guy like K.J. Hamler could be had in the second round.
Tee Higgins | Clemson
Size: 6’4″, 216 lbs.
Long, large and in charge, Higgins is the premier size guy in this year’s draft class. He adds incredibly sure hands to his already unbelievably wide catch radius. You’d like to see him use his length and size a bit more against opposing dbs, and you’d expect better blocking. Nevertheless, for a team looking to play “above the rim”, Higgins is your guy.
Speed: Minimal. He made a living running vertical routes at Clemson, but owed more to his length and leverage than speed. He’s got a good understanding of how to use his natural ability to win routes, which makes up for some lack of athleticism. However, because of his incredible length, his strides will pick up speed and if allowed to release downfield, he will surprise some opponents. His lateral quickness and agility aren’t noteworthy.
YAC and route running: Higgins ran a very limited route tree in college. His football IQ would lend to him diversifying, but he won’t ever be a premier route runner. At his size, he should get more credit than he does, but there is noticeable rounding at the top of his routes and his breaks aren’t exactly sudden. He doesn’t offer as much as a yards after catch specialist either. He will cause some trouble for smaller DBs by simply being too big to bring down and will make the occasional man miss.
Scheme fit: If the Eagles do move on from Alshon, Higgins’ name would immediately become part of the conversation. I think the Eagles want a bit more versatility out of their receivers, but Higgins shows just enough finesse to warrant some hope in that regard. All signs would point to Arcega-Whiteside taking a back seat if Higgins was the pick. From the outside looking in, drafting another big, tall, basketball player seems like the opposite of where the Eagles want to go. Nonetheless, you can never go wrong getting your franchise quarterback a receiver as sure handed as Higgins.
Draft-wise, his projections are all over the place. Being a champion affords you some sort of boost up the boards, but holes are beginning to be poked in his game. There is no denying Higgins’ track record. However, a lack of versatility does not exactly lend to the modern NFL and teams are starting to look for more from their number one receivers. Therefore, he could find himself going as early as the latter half of the first round, or falling to the mid second (maybe even further down the list). This will likely depend on if he can show some athleticism at the combine.
Continued on the pages below.
