Breaking down the Philadelphia Eagles' class in the 2019 NFL draft.
Round 1, No. 22 overall: Andre Dillard, OT, Washington State
My take: This value was too good to pass on. The Eagles moved up from No. 25 to No. 22 overall to snag their eventual replacement for 37-year-old standout left tackle Jason Peters. The Eagles like to build from the inside out and just added a potential blue-chipper to an already strong offensive line group.
The Eagles' view: Executive vice president of football operations Howie Roseman said Dillard was the top offensive tackle on the Eagles' board and a top-10 prospect for them overall. To ensure they didn't lose the player, they gave Baltimore a fourth-round pick (No. 127 overall) and a sixth-round pick (No. 197 overall) to slide up to No. 22. That leaves Philadelphia with four remaining picks -- two second-rounders, a fourth and a fifth.
What about Mailata? The Eagles have been very high on their seventh-round pick of a year ago -- former Australian rugby league player Jordan Mailata. There is no clear path to a starting job for Mailata now with Dillard as the heir apparent to Peters and Lane Johnson firmly entrenched at right tackle. Roseman acknowledged that this wasn't exactly a need position, but that adding talent to the offensive line is always a priority.
Round 2, No. 53 overall: Miles Sanders, RB, Penn State
My take: The Eagles use a second-round pick on a running back for the first time since 2009, when they selected LeSean McCoy. Sanders, the successor to Saquon Barkley at Penn State, is a patient runner with above-average balance and a capable receiver in the passing game. He rushed for close to 1,300 yards and nine touchdowns last season. Sanders has some work to do in pass protection. Paired with Jordan Howard, he'll help bring Philly's ground game to new heights after a down season in 2018.
JJ Arcega-Whiteside is a natural receiver and a big target with good body control out of Stanford.
Round 2, No. 57 overall: JJ Arcega-Whiteside, WR, Stanford
My take: Checking in at 6-foot-2 and 225 pounds, Arcega-Whiteside has a large catch radius and serious box-out skills, not unlike current Eagle Alshon Jeffery. He averaged nearly 17 yards per catch with 14 touchdowns last season in Stanford's pro-style system. The addition of Arcega-Whiteside could intensify trade talks regarding Nelson Agholor, who is in the final year of his contract and making $9.4 million in 2019.
Shareef Miller is a defensive end out of Penn State who recorded 41 tackles and 7.5 sacks during his junior season earning third-team All-Big Ten honors.
Round 4, No. 138 overall: Shareef Miller, DE, Penn State
My take: After using their first three picks on offensive players, the Eagles address the defensive front with Miller, who had 7.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss last season. He's known for his strength and effort but lacks polish. He'll have a chance to develop further as a pass rusher behind Brandon Graham and Derek Barnett.
Clayton Thorson is a quarterback out of Northwestern who threw for 17 touchdowns and more than 3,000 yards in his senior season.
Round 5, No. 167 overall: Clayton Thorson, QB, Northwestern
My take: Carson Wentz's teammate at North Dakota State, Easton Stick, goes off the board one pick before the Eagles get on the clock, so they select Thorson, a 6-foot-4, 222-pound QB who started all four years at Northwestern. He has a good arm but lacked consistency as a thrower (58.4-percent completion rate). The coaches will work to develop him as Wentz and Nate Sudfeld man the first two quarterback spots.