The Philadelphia Eagles added nine players to their roster at the 2021 National Football League (NFL) Draft, which was held from April 29 to May 1 in Cleveland, Ohio. Philadelphia entered the draft with the No. 12 pick in the first round, but acquired the No. 10 pick from the Dallas Cowboys in exchange for pick No. 12 and a third-round selection. The Eagles used this pick to select University of Alabama wide receiver DeVonta Smith.
One of the premier wide receivers in the draft, Smith led the NCAA in receiving touchdowns (23), receiving yards (1,856), and receptions (117) during the 2020 season and won the Heisman Trophy as the top player in college football. Through four seasons at Alabama, he accumulated 46 touchdowns, 235 receptions, and 3,965 receiving yards. Despite leading all wide receivers in the three major statistical categories last season, Smith was the third wide receiver taken in the draft, due in part to concerns about his size. He weighed 166 pounds during the NFL combine, but Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was unbothered by Smith's weight, noting that “good players come in all shapes and sizes.”
The addition of Smith is expected to boost a receiving core that struggled in 2020. The Eagles' wide receivers had the third-fewest receiving yards last season, ahead of only the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. Smith is likely to catch passes from Jalen Hurts, a teammate in his first two seasons at Alabama.
After the first round, the Eagles focused heavily on improving their offensive and defensive lines. The only other playmaking offensive player selected by the team was running back Kenneth Gainwell in the fifth round. The University of Memphis alumnus is projected to compete for backup minutes along with Jordan Howard and Boston Scott, and is a dual-threat running back who recorded 1,459 rushing yards and 610 receiving yards in 2019. He chose not to play in 2020.
With its second pick in the draft, No. 37 overall, Philadelphia selected University of Alabama offensive lineman Landon Dickerson. While Dickerson has proven himself effective at both guard and center positions in college, he also has an extensive injury history. He tore his ACL for the second time in last season's SEC Championship and previously missed time due to an ankle injury.
Philadelphia used its remaining six selections to bolster its depth on defense. The team drafted Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Milton Williams in the third round. Last season, the 6-foot-3-inch, 284-pound player recorded 45 tackles, 10.5 of which were for a loss of yards, and 4.5 quarterback sacks. He was just as impressive in 2019, with 59 tackles and 5.5 quarterback sacks in 12 games.
From there, the Eagles addressed a critical need by drafting Texas Tech corner Zech McPhearson, who had four interceptions last season and was named to the All-Big 12 Football First Team. The Eagles also drafted USC defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (No. 189), Coastal Carolina defensive end Tarron Jackson (No. 191), LSU linebacker JaCoby Stevens (No. 224), and Tulane linebacker Patrick Johnson (No. 234).
One of the premier wide receivers in the draft, Smith led the NCAA in receiving touchdowns (23), receiving yards (1,856), and receptions (117) during the 2020 season and won the Heisman Trophy as the top player in college football. Through four seasons at Alabama, he accumulated 46 touchdowns, 235 receptions, and 3,965 receiving yards. Despite leading all wide receivers in the three major statistical categories last season, Smith was the third wide receiver taken in the draft, due in part to concerns about his size. He weighed 166 pounds during the NFL combine, but Eagles general manager Howie Roseman was unbothered by Smith's weight, noting that “good players come in all shapes and sizes.”
The addition of Smith is expected to boost a receiving core that struggled in 2020. The Eagles' wide receivers had the third-fewest receiving yards last season, ahead of only the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. Smith is likely to catch passes from Jalen Hurts, a teammate in his first two seasons at Alabama.
After the first round, the Eagles focused heavily on improving their offensive and defensive lines. The only other playmaking offensive player selected by the team was running back Kenneth Gainwell in the fifth round. The University of Memphis alumnus is projected to compete for backup minutes along with Jordan Howard and Boston Scott, and is a dual-threat running back who recorded 1,459 rushing yards and 610 receiving yards in 2019. He chose not to play in 2020.
With its second pick in the draft, No. 37 overall, Philadelphia selected University of Alabama offensive lineman Landon Dickerson. While Dickerson has proven himself effective at both guard and center positions in college, he also has an extensive injury history. He tore his ACL for the second time in last season's SEC Championship and previously missed time due to an ankle injury.
Philadelphia used its remaining six selections to bolster its depth on defense. The team drafted Louisiana Tech defensive tackle Milton Williams in the third round. Last season, the 6-foot-3-inch, 284-pound player recorded 45 tackles, 10.5 of which were for a loss of yards, and 4.5 quarterback sacks. He was just as impressive in 2019, with 59 tackles and 5.5 quarterback sacks in 12 games.
From there, the Eagles addressed a critical need by drafting Texas Tech corner Zech McPhearson, who had four interceptions last season and was named to the All-Big 12 Football First Team. The Eagles also drafted USC defensive tackle Marlon Tuipulotu (No. 189), Coastal Carolina defensive end Tarron Jackson (No. 191), LSU linebacker JaCoby Stevens (No. 224), and Tulane linebacker Patrick Johnson (No. 234).
