Philadelphia Eagles 2020 NFL Draft grades: Jalen Hurts coming aboard
Best Pick: K’Von Wallace, S, Clemson
Wallace probably should have been a Day 2 pick, and the Eagles got him early on Day 3 to fill one of the notable voids on their defense. He shouldn’t have any trouble standing out among the safety crop in Philadelphia when he gets the opportunity, with only Rodney McLeod seemingly locked into a starting job or even a significant role right now.
In the fourth round, the Eagles got one of the best players on a very good defense from one of the top programs in college football.
Wallace was naturally underappreciated playing with top-10 pick Isaiah Simmons at Clemson. So he’s a fairly easy choice as Philadelphia’s best pick of the 2020 class.
Honorable Mention: Prince Tega Wanogho
Worst Pick: Jalen Hurts, QB, Oklahoma
Tabbing Hurts as Philadelphia’s worst draft pick this year is not a referendum on him, or his potential to become an NFL starting quarterback. It’s purely based on the team that took him, where they took him and their immediate plans for him in the name of being in on an apparent offensive curve.
The Eagles ignored more critical needs by drafting a quarterback so early, thus taking unnecessary risk that they could address those needs in a credible way later. The positional value was just not there for them in the second round, regardless of Doug Pederson’s immediate plan for Hurts.
The Eagles also made a notable trade on Day 3 of the draft, getting wide receiver Marquise Goodwin from the San Francisco 49ers as the teams also swapped sixth-round picks. With Reagor, Goodwin and to a lesser degree Hightower and Watkins, Philadelphia has taken steps to bolster and reshape its wide receiver group.
Narrowing strictly to the incoming picks, the Eagles rallied to come in with a pretty good 2020 draft grade.