The trade table was where it all came apart. The Eagles shipped out far more than they hauled back, and no amount of spin dresses up the bill. Too much went sideways, and the D- is the honest tally.
The Stover pick is fine in a vacuum, less so with interior defensive lineman and tight end still on the board. Nourzad has a lot of ground to make up just to look fairly priced. The interior defensive lineman spot stays a question, and it was the one they most needed an answer at.
That is an offensive lineman worth more than the slot they spent on him, plainly.
Bottom line, they will need several of these picks to beat their grades just to break even, and interior defensive lineman is still a hole.
Pick-by-Pick
R1.22
· Pick 22
· Kool-Aid McKinstry
· CB
· rank 19
Nothing to complain about; Kool-Aid McKinstry went a shade earlier than his grade, which is fine. That was the need underlined and circled, and now it is checked off.
R2.18
· Pick 50
· Chop Robinson
· DE-EDGE
· rank 35
A slide stopped in the 50th overall pick, with Chop Robinson worth more than the price. They walked in needing this and walked out with it.
R2.22
· Pick 54
· Jeremiah Trotter Jr.
· LB
· rank 59
No drama and no debate, Jeremiah Trotter Jr. went about where he belonged in Round 2, Pick 22. Useful depth more than a marquee fix.
R3.26
· Pick 89
· Cade Stover
· TE-EDGE
· rank 93
They zigged when the board said zag, taking Cade Stover at TE-EDGE with interior defensive lineman and tight end open.
R3.34
· Pick 97
· Tykee Smith
· S
· rank 96
They took Tykee Smith at par in the 97th pick, which is nothing to complain about. A need, and now a little less of one.
R4.11
· Pick 111
· Malik Washington
· WR
· rank 119
They jumped the gun on Malik Washington, taking him earlier than his grade liked. Better still, it is exactly the hole they had to fill.
R4.23
· Pick 123
· MarShawn Lloyd
· RB
· rank 130
By-the-book stuff, MarShawn Lloyd at pick No. 123 squarely in line with his ranking. The roster fit checks out.
R5.7
· Pick 143
· Sataoa Laumea
· OT
· rank 122
They barely believed it either: Sataoa Laumea still on the board at the Round 5 slot. One more legitimate question on the roster, answered.
R5.24
· Pick 160
· Chau Smith-Wade
· CB
· rank 166
Chau Smith-Wade at the Round 5 slot is neither steal nor reach, just the going rate. It answers the question that was keeping the coaches up at night.
R5.29
· Pick 165
· Joe Milton III
· QB
· rank 169
Joe Milton III in the 165th pick is fair value, right on his grade. A real hole, addressed with a reasonable pick.
R5.34
· Pick 170
· Javon Baker
· WR
· rank 184
A premium they did not need to pay, Javon Baker a notch or two before his time. It also answers one of the loudest questions on the roster.
R5.35
· Pick 171
· Curtis Jacobs
· LB
· rank 183
Curtis Jacobs in Round 5, Pick 35 is the kind of reach that only looks good if he outplays it. Insurance at a position that did not really ask for it.
R6.3
· Pick 178
· Julian Pearl
· OT-EDGE
· rank 189
They liked Julian Pearl enough to skip the value, taking him in pick No. 178. Hard to map this one onto the depth chart at all.
R6.5
· Pick 180
· Jaylen Wright
· RB
· rank 161
Jaylen Wright at pick 180 is daylight robbery; nobody expected him to last. It patches a soft spot without any drama.
R6.44
· Pick 219
· Hunter Nourzad
· C
· rank 243
A real head-scratcher, Hunter Nourzad in slot 219 is miles ahead of his ranking. A sensible fit for a spot that needed help.
