It seems like no wrong can be done in Philadelphia. The Eagles walked out of day 1 of the draft as winners and somehow continued the trend on day 2. After beefing up the defensive line in round one by selecting two former Georgia Bulldogs, the Eagles continues to focus on their needs and allowed the draft to fall to them.
Patience has been the greatest weapon for Howie Roseman and company. While fans are used to the aggressive nature of the team’s GM, Roseman had his best poker face on in the second round. While teams were trading up to get premium players, the Eagles traded out of the second round and waited for their guys.
Philadelphia traded the 62nd pick in the draft to the Texans for the 65th pick, the 188th pick, and the 230th pick. This led to Philly having back-to-back picks to open the third round. With the 65th overall pick, the Eagles filled an immediate hole by drafting Alabama Tackle, Tyler Steen, to play Guard.
Eagles find their guard
This is the second Alabama offensive lineman that the Eagles have drafted in three years with Landon Dickerson being the first. Steen is seen as the long-term option at guard although he will have to battle Cam Jurgens for the spot first. The Eagles added another versatile piece for Jeff Stoutland that could pan out very well soon.
When Tyler was asked about moving from Tackle to Guard, he mentioned, “I got an opportunity to play guard at the Senior Bowl and I felt good. I felt pretty good over there. I feel like I played across the offensive line, and so getting the opportunity to play guard at the Senior Bowl was pretty good. I felt pretty comfortable over there.”
After losing Brandon Brooks and then Isaac Seumalo, it seems that Steen can be the long-term answer at Guard after Cam Jurgens moves to center when Jason Kelce retires. This pick has Jeff Stoutland written all over it. Steen was asked about playing within the Eagles O-line and for Jeff Stoutland.
He stated, ”I know they have a great culture over there with the Eagles. I know they got some really good players across the offensive line. I know one of the best offensive lines in the NFL and it’s a great honor to be a part of that, to get the opportunity to be a part of that.”
Tyler Steen continued on with praise for the Eagles legendary offensive line coach, ”I know Coach Stoutland is an incredible coach. I know he’s got a lot of respect across the country, so I can’t wait. I can’t wait to be a part of that.”
The Eagles get an A+ for this pick as they beef up the trenches to keep their QB safe.
BIG need filled by BIG time player
For the next pick, Philadelphia made a move that answered so many questions. The Eagles selected a fan favorite with the 66th pick as they drafted Illinois Safety, Sydney Brown. Brown immediately becomes the best safety on the team’s roster and is the perfect replacement for C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
He’s as versatile as they come as he can play in the box or deep safety. Another huge plus is his ability to cover tight ends which has haunted the Eagles over the last several seasons. Brown is an instant starter for a defense that had a huge hole next to Terrell Edmunds.
The former Illinois product is considered to be a red-star guy for the Eagles. This means the franchise expects the world out of him on and off the field. With expectations that high, it looks like Brown will be a huge focal point for Sean Desai’s defense.
After a huge day 1 and 2 of the NFL Draft, the Eagles will enter day 3 with some very late picks. Could they move up and get a weapon for Jalen Hurts or will they trade for a veteran that can make an instant impact?
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
