The Eagles should draft Justin Jefferson in the first round
By John Buhler
The Philadelphia Eagles need to address wide receiver with the No. 21 overall pick in the upcoming draft and they need to pick Justin Jefferson out of LSU.
LSU Tigers wide receiver Justin Jefferson has to be the pick for the Philadelphia Eagles at No. 21.
Philadelphia won the NFC East last season , but an injury-riddled receiving corps is what ultimately did the Birds in. The Eagles lost free-agent acquisition DeSean Jackson early in the season, Alshon Jeffery midway through the season and Nelson Algholor couldn’t stop dropping footballs. Injuries happen, but this was excessive.
With this being arguably the best wide receiver draft in history, the Eagles should target Jefferson because he can be a highly-productive receiving playing opposite a bona fide superstar. Had sophomore sensation Ja’Marr Chase been draft eligible, he would be the unquestioned first wide receiver off the board this spring.
In Jefferson’s junior season at LSU in 2019, he had 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns. While his 13.9 yards per reception could have been better, Jefferson is the type of possession receiver the Eagles can put to work in the passing game right away. The best part about him going to Philadelphia is he wouldn’t even be the Eagles’ second receiving option.
This is because tight end Zach Ertz is top three at his position in the NFL. Assuming he bounces back from injury, Jeffery would occupy the No. 1 receiving spot. Agholor will be a free agent and Jackson can provide the deep vertical presence to make this Philadelphia receiving corps complete. Let’s not forget what could happen is J.J. Arcega-Whiteside pops in year two out of Stanford.
In college, Jefferson caught passes from a top-two pick in Joe Burrow as he will with Carson Wentz. Though not as accurate as Burrow, Wentz will want to find Jefferson on third down.
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All told, the Eagles would be getting a safe and productive receiver by taking Jefferson. There are other receivers with higher variance than him, but the Eagles need to hit on this pick.
Jefferson is the right choice.