Statistically, the Eagles best draft over the past twenty years was the 2002 draft where they selected:
- R1-26: CB Lito Sheppard (10 years, 48 AV)
- R2-58: S Michael Lewis (9 years, 43 AV)
- R2-59: CB Sheldon Brown (11 years, 55AV)
- R3-91: RB Brian Westbrook (9 years, 69 AV)
- R4-124: C Scott Peters
- R5-162: WR Freddie Milons
- R6-198: LB Tyreo Harrison
- R7-238: DE Raheem Brock (10 years, 43 AV)
Peters, Milons, and Harrison only totaled 21 games played and 1 total Approximate Value (AV) but the other five picks were long-term players in the league that greatly outperformed their draft slot.
This draft was not only the best Eagles draft since 2000, it was the 23rd highest value draft out of 702 total drafts by the league. Below shows an indexed value of every team’s draft since 2000. The number shown is that team’s AV share of that year’s total AV with the average draft indexed to 100, meaning a team with a value of 100 had an average draft and numbers above 100 are better drafts (as an example, a team with a 120 would have gotten 20% more value than the average draft).
In 2002 the Eagles 192.7 total draft value was not only their highest over this period by a large margin (the next closest are all in the 145-157 range) but almost doubled the average value of a draft. The five players above – Lito, Sheldon Brown, Michael Lewis, Westbrook, and Raheem Brock – all had career values above 43 AV. To put this in context:
- The average draft pick has a career value of 16 career AV
- The average value of 1st round selections is just under 43 career AV and day two draft picks is 22 AV
- Only 539 players out of 2,753 non-active draft picks (19.7%) since 2000 have accumulated a career value of 43 or more
I previously wrote on the Eagles top 10 best draft values with Brian Westbrook number two on the list behind only Jason Kelce, who is a likely hall-of-famer taken in the 6th round. Over a four year period, there was nobody better than Westbrook with the dual-threat averaging 75 receptions, 212 rushes, and almost 1,700 scrimmage yards per season.
With the Eagles famous draft double-up (actually triple-up with two corners and a safety with their first three picks), the trio of Lito, Sheldon, and Michael Lewis immediately remade the Eagles secondary. In a span that kept most of them together through the 2008 season, they totaled 41 interceptions in what seems like a different era when the Eagles defense averaged over 15 interceptions a year, a number they haven’t reached since 2017.
The last pick, 7th-rounder Raheem Brock, is another player that had a good career elsewhere. After the Philly-native and Temple grad was drafted, the Eagles ran out of rookie salary cap space and gave up his rights. Brock was claimed off waivers by the Colts and went on to have a solid 10-year career, recording 40.5 sacks and 14 fumbles forced and winning a Super Bowl championship.
Doubling-up in the draft
The Eagles have doubled-up with high picks a few times since then, but never with the same impact.
2010 – Doubling up on defensive ends
In 2010 they took two defensive ends, Brandon Graham in the 1st and Daniel Te’o-Nesheim in the 3rd with BG obviously being an all-time Eagle.
2011 – Disastrous corners
With picks in the 2nd and 3rd, the Eagles again tried to invest in their secondary with Jaiquawn Jarrett and Curtis Marsh. The two totaled 6 career AV and were both 10th percentile players.
2017 – Again trying to double-up on corners
For the third time, the Eagles double-up on corners with pre-injury projected 1st-round pick Sidney Jones taken in the 2nd and Rasul Douglas taken in the 3rd.
I love when teams double up in the draft. First, it is just exciting to really invest in a position. Too many people have their list of needs and when they mock, move neatly from one to the next and end with a mock that ”checks” all the key positions. And second, nothing in the draft is certain and it raises the chances of hitting at a position.
Reading Matt Alkire’s recent “Eagles Draft Preview” got me thinking more on this. In it, Matt speculates on the Eagles doubling up on pass rushers with a Karlaftis or Johnson in the first and Nik Bonnito in the second. I think Matt is right on DL being the most likely position to double up on. Here I wanted to dig into possible double-ups that could make sense this year (and caveats that positions should not force picks, Howie should and I believe will stay to their value board):
Pass Rush
I already covered Matt’s speculation on pass rushers above which is the most likely position to be doubled up on. Besides Karlaftis/Johnson and Bonitto, here are a couple of others across the entire line:
- R1 Jermaine Johnson and R2 Perrion Winfrey
- R2 Josh Paschal and R3 Kingsley Enagbare
Wide Receiver
Some are wondering if the Eagles would / should take a receiver in the 1st for the third year in a row but with where free agency prices are, wide receiver is becoming a position that just needs to be continually invested in. With DeVonta, Quez, and Zach Pascal, there probably isn’t room for multiple high picks but they need a WR2 and after the three mentioned, everybody else could be / should be upgraded:
- R1 Treylon Burks and R3 Jalen Tolbert
- R1 Chris Olave and R3 Alec Pierce
- R2 George Pickens and R3 Khalil Shakir
Secondary
I don’t read anything specific into the fact that three of the four times the Eagles doubled up with day 1 and day 2 picks, it was for cornerback. Given the various corners they have been collecting and the need at safety, I will mix corners and safeties here:
- R1 Kaiir Elam and R3 Kerby Joseph
- R1 Lewis Cine and R3 Coby Bryant
- R1 Daxton Lewis and R2 Cam Taylor-Britt
Bonus: Special Teams
A little off-topic as these won’t be day 1 or day 2 picks, but I couldn’t resist and the Eagles have actually shown some interest in special teamers. You all know my feelings on punter but the other ST spot they really need is a returner:
- R3 Marcus Jones and R5 Jordan Stout
- R4 Velus Jones and R5 Jordan Stout