Not the biggest receiver, Waddle is one of the most explosive athletes in the draft and extremely dynamic in the open field. With Jerry Jeudy and Henry Ruggs off to the NFL, Waddle started the year with four 100-yard games before breaking his ankle. In fact, Waddle (557 receiving yards) outproduced (the eventual Heisman Trophy winner) DeVonta Smith (483) through the first four games of the season.
Trading out of the sixth pick might limit the Eagles' options for finding presumptive starting quarterback Jalen Hurts a true No. 1 receiver, but general manager Howie Roseman's gamble pays off with the defending Heisman Trophy winner still on the board. An elite route-runner with sticky hands and graduate-level understanding of defenses, Smith would be an ideal complement to last year's speedy top pick, Jalen Reagor.
Howie Roseman has taken his lumps the past few months, and many of them were warranted. His decision to trade down from No. 6 to 12 seemed curious at the time, but he still gets the third-best receiver in the draft in Smith to go with former Bama QB Jalen Hurts.
Like the Dolphins, the Eagles take advantage of the benefits of trading down by still getting a top prospect at a need position while adding a future first-round pick for their move back from sixth to 12th overall.
The Eagles could go wide receiver here or add to the trenches, but Philadelphia also needs help at cornerback. Horn and Darius Slay starting on the outside would help make cornerback a strength.
They could go with an outside corner in Round 1 and add a nickel corner with one of their three Day 2 picks. Horn would start immediately opposite Darius Slay and potentially be a significant upgrade over the options currently in place.
The NFC East is suddenly strong at receiver, with Kenny Golladay joining the Giants and Curtis Samuel going to the Washington Football Team, so the Eagles will need as many talented cover men as possible.
The Eagles traded out of the top 10 and moved to No. 12, which essentially took them out of the quarterback race. They could also miss out on the top wide receivers; I suspect they would jump at Waddle if he made it here. Just looking at this roster, though, corner should be a priority, and they'd have their pick of all of them if the board shakes out this way. Surtain is the most fundamentally sound defensive back in this class.
Could the Eagles really go with a WR in the first round a year after taking a WR in the first round? Yes. Waddle's medicals will come in and we'll see where he's at health-wise, but I won't be surprised if Howie Roseman and Co. go ahead and grab the talented wideout (and former Jalen Hurts teammate) to pair with Jalen Reagor.
