Howie Roseman overruled Eagles scouts on two huge NFL draft stars last year

Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman made two huge mistakes last NFL Draft.

The last two offseasons have not been kind to Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman.

Frankly, the only team in the NFL that has looked worse over the last 16 months are the hopeless Houston Texans. So at least the Eagles have that going for them. With Doug Pederson being let go and Carson Wentz being traded, it revealed the ugly truth about the power struggle running rampant within the Eagles organization. Roseman and owner Jeffrey Lurie are in the middle of it.

Jeff McLane of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports Roseman overruled the scouting department with their first two picks of the 2020 NFL Draft. Roseman sided with the coaching staff that TCU wide receiver Jalen Reagor would be a better fit in the offense than former LSU standout Justin Jefferson. In a loaded receiver class, Jefferson was the best of them all for the Minnesota Vikings.

When it came to their second-round pick, Roseman took former Alabama and Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts when the Eagles already had Wentz on the roster. The scouting department wanted to take free safety Jeremy Chinn out of Southern Illinois. Though the Carolina Panthers struggled last year, Chinn flourished in his first year playing in Matt Rhule’s defense.

Philadelphia Eagles: How concerned should fans be about Howie Roseman?

While it is way too early to say the Eagles whiffed big time on those two draft picks in question, it cannot sit well with Eagles fans that Roseman is this quick to overrule his scouting department. Taking a wide receiver out of the Big 12 is always a tricky proposition because we do not know how developed their route trees are coming out of the Power 5’s Air Raid conference. It is an issue.

Jefferson may have played alongside other elite talent at LSU, but he had no issues effectively replacing Stefon Diggs in the Vikings’ passing game. He was the best part of their otherwise underwhelming season. As for Hurts, that pick can be justified if he is given a fair opportunity to be the Eagles’ starting quarterback in 2021. Otherwise, it was an organization-altering draft pick.

Look, there is a ton to like about Hurts. He has excellent dual-threat playmaking abilities. Hurts has handled adversity phenomenally since his days at Alabama. More importantly, he is an outstanding teammate and one with universal appeal from his days as a college football superstar. Most players in the college level do not garner that type of acclaim. It is a testament to who he is.

However, drafting Hurts in the second round further shattered Wentz’s confidence, enough to the point where he essentially forced a trade out of town after five seasons. If Hurts can continue to develop in Eagles uniform, then this pick may not be as head-scratching as it initially was. With that in mind, the Panthers might have a Pro Bowl-caliber player in the secondary already in Chinn.

All eyes are on Roseman and the Eagles front office as they prepare for the 2021 NFL Draft.