Day One
Jalen Reagor was the start of what would be a blood flowing, heart-pumping weekend for Eagles fans.
When the notification popped up that Reagor was the pick, it was met with a multitude of reactions ranging from elation to utter despair.
“WHY OH WHY wasn’t it Justin Jefferson?!”
“WHY DIDN’T THEY TRADE UP FOR LAMB?!”
I’ll admit the Lamb addition to the Cowboys stung like a beehive was on my head, but adding Reagor lessened the sting.
Day Two
But then pick 53 happened. Jalen Hurts happened. Let me preface the rest by saying I think Jalen is an amazing person and player. He is the leader you’d want on your football team. But I, as well as you reading probably, was so perplexed as to WHY.
Why did Howie put Carson in that position? Why did Howie put Jalen in that position? A position that sets up ultimately for each to fail. If Wentz has a bad game, the boo birds will be out and will be calling for Hurts. If Hurts comes in for one of his “gadget plays” and doesn’t perform then the boo birds will be out for Howie on wasting a pick.
Day two ended with the Eagles picking Davion Taylor, an extremely raw linebacker with tons of speed.
What direction was this team going? What was happening? Why did Howie pass on so many playmakers for Wentz and why did he draft a “Taysom Hill” player in the second round? It left so many questions Friday night and Saturday morning for fans and journalists. The memes were out in full force.
Day Three
Howie started off day three with a bang by selecting popular Eagles Twitter target K’Von Wallace. He immediately made an impact on the fanbase with his tweets:
They lowkey stealing if you ask me. ? They ready get way more than they got me for. Let’s work.
— #KMasterLock™$$ (@KVonWallace) April 25, 2020
??
— #KMasterLock™$$ (@KVonWallace) April 25, 2020
Green my fav color too. Wow
— #KMasterLock™$$ (@KVonWallace) April 25, 2020
My @Eagles fans def the best. They up there with the Clemson fans bruh fr. I love philly already !
— #KMasterLock™$$ (@KVonWallace) April 25, 2020
Wallace was atop many draft boards as one of the top safeties, projected as early as the second round. An argument could be made that the Eagles did better with Hurts in the 2nd and Wallace in the 4th rather than a safety like Chinn or Davis in the 2nd and a project like Cole McDonald or Jake Fromm.
After the Wallace move, Howie grabbed Auburn tackle Jack Driscoll with the intention of moving him to guard. Driscoll noted that he was working on center drills during pre-draft workouts.
However, more despair came when the notification “Eagles trade pick to Cowboys” came up. How could you trade with Jerry, Howie? They got 164 and 2021 5th round pick in exchange for 146.
But they immediately traded that 164th pick to the Dolphins for 173 & 227. Howie was wheeling and dealing. In the process of that happening, they also swapped 6th round picks with the 49ers and also acquired speedster Marquise Goodwin.
More speed was on the way in the form of John Hightower (168), and then Howie performed yet another trade. Sending the 173 and 227 picks the team had just received, in exchange for 196, 200, and 233 from the Bears.
196 kept Shaun Bradley from Temple in the same city, and 200 brought more speed in the form of Quez Watkins.
The 210 pick became Prince Tega Wanogho, who is known for being extremely athletic but there are red flags about his knee.
Inside the Birds’ Geoff Mosher had an interesting tidbit about Prince:
Twelve years after the #Eagles draft a King (Dunlap) from Auburn, they get a Prince (Tega Wanogho) from Auburn. Same position, too.
— Geoff Mosher (@GeoffPMosher) April 25, 2020
Their final pick (233) became Casey Toohill, who was announced as an edge rusher despite playing linebacker at Stanford.
Overall
After a tumultuous first two days, day three brought clarity to just how Howie envisioned the 2020 roster: more athletic and more dynamic.
Each pick, with the exception of Wanogho who did not post a RAS score, had elite traits in RAS scoring.
Prince Tega Wanogho
Casey Toohill (RAS based on LB), as DE:
Toohill as a DE. https://t.co/VZEe3RRb7D pic.twitter.com/LcPV3Klmct
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) April 25, 2020
Howie looked at the league and realized who needed a quarterback this year or next, and took an extremely talented quarterback to benefit his own team.
No matter how angry fans were at him, Howie made a decision that will benefit the team in the future. If Wentz goes down, which I do not foresee, Hurts can come in and provide insurance and the playbook does not need to change. While finding an exceptional backup plan, Howie found gems in the draft for positions of need.
Howie toyed with our heartstrings but played a beautiful ballad.
Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
