The Philadelphia Eagles have seen their fair share of 2nd-Round picks turn into franchise legends. They didn’t realize in 1996 that Brian Dawkins would become the most beloved athlete in Philadelphia sports history.
Zach Ertz didn’t look like he’d last in Philadelphia in 2016. He later caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl LII.
However, the Eagles have also seen their fair share of 2nd-round picks who turned into draft busts.
NFL Draft
The Eagles fan base has certainly called out Howie Roseman, Andy Reid, and other decision-makers for their shortcomings during their tenures in the front office.
Related Content: Ranking Philadelphia Eagles 1st-Round Picks Since 1999
The NFL Draft is wild, random, and predictably unpredictable. The best NFL organizations have their fair share of misses. They also make up for it with solid draft strategies, positional priorities, and careful selection of players they believe can translate their skills to the next level.
Success Since 1999
The Eagles have advanced to seven NFC Championship Games and three Super Bowls since Jeffrey Lurie hired Reid in 1999. The effects of the decision have made the Eagles one of the most successful organizations in the NFL during Lurie’s tenure.
They have made their draft picks based on positional priority for quarterbacks and offensive and defensive linemen. Reid struck first by identifying his foundation with Donovan McNabb. He then consistently tried to find pass rushers in the early rounds, sometimes to his detriment.
His protegee Howie Roseman has shouldered intense criticism for past questionable draft-day decisions. Forgettable picks like Sidney Jones might skew the overall perception, but the Eagles have been able to cover the types of mistakes that every NFL franchise makes.
Roseman’s strategy aligns with Reid’s philosophy to build in the trenches and identify the franchise quarterback. Philadelphia’s history of 1st-round picks and 2nd-round picks provides more than enough examples.
28. S- Jaiquawn Jarrett (2011)
Any Temple University product will excite the Philadelphia fan base, but Jaiquawn Jarrett struggled to get on the field. He spent most of his two seasons with the Eagles as an inactive.
27. LB- Matt McCoy (2005)
McCoy struggled to gain a rhythm at the linebacker position after the Eagles drafted him with a late second-rounder in 2005. He made bigger contributions in two stops after he left Philadelphia.
26. OG- Bobbie Williams (2000)
The Eagles picked twice in the second round in 2000. Todd Pinkston had a more successful career than reserve guard Bobbie Williams.
25. LB- Quinton Caver (2001)
Caver was an early example of a linebacker during the Andy Reid era who never figured out his role. He played 16 games in two seasons with the Eagles.
24. DE- Victor Abiamiri (2007)
Abiamiri never lived up to his draft status. He played three seasons with the Eagles and recorded four sacks.
23. DT- Trevor Laws (2008)
Andy Reid placed a heavy emphasis on the defensive tackle position. He used the highest pick the Eagles had for the third time in four seasons to build the defensive interior by choosing Trevor Laws out of Notre Dame in 2008.
His career never got off the ground. He only started two games for the Eagles.
22. CB- Sidney Jones (2017)
The decision to select Sidney Jones at the 2017 NFL Draft in Philadelphia came as a surprise given that the Eagles expected the Washington product would miss his entire first season. Jones struggled in a reserve role in 2018 and 2019 despite depleted secondaries begging for a high-profile player to break out as a starter.
21. LB- Barry Gardner (1999)
The Eagles nailed their first selection in 1999 by identifying the foundation of their franchise in Donovan McNabb. Their second-round pick wasn’t nearly as successful.
20. CB- Eric Rowe (2015)
The instability of the Chip Kelly era didn’t help Eric Rowe develop in Philadelphia. He played only one season with the Eagles before they sent him to the New England Patriots, where he won two Super Bowl rings.
19. S- Nate Allen (2010)
Nate Allen racked up starting experience in questionable secondaries from 2010-2014. He never stepped into a role to replace some of the best defensive backs in franchise history whose careers came just before his.
18. QB- Kevin Kolb (2007)
The Kolb era ended before it really began. The Eagles traded Donovan McNabb in 2010 intending to hand it over to the third-year quarterback out of Houston. An injury in the first game of the season opened the door for Michael Vick to steal the starting job.
The Eagles traded Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals in 2011.
17. OT- Winston Justice (2006)
The Eagles drafted Winston Justice with the 39th-overall pick in 2006. Most Eagles fans will remember him for one poor performance against Osi Umenyiora, but he also had his fair share of strong performances in five seasons in Philadelphia.
16. WR- Reggie Brown (2005)
The Eagles stole the 35th-overall pick in 2005 from the Miami Dolphins in a trade for A.J. Feeley the previous offseason. Reggie Brown looked like a blossoming wide receiver through his first two NFL seasons, but his production ultimately dwindled.
15. OG- Cam Jurgens (2021)
Jason Kelce helped out the scouting department in 2022 when the Eagles chose his successor. Cam Jurgens possesses the same style of athleticism that could help him mimic Kelce’s success in Philadelphia.
14. TE- L.J. Smith (2003)
Fans will naturally remember that the Eagles passed on tight end Jason Witten to draft L.J. Smith. It’s tough to shake comparisons to a superior player at the same position in the same draft class within the NFC East.
It doesn’t mean Smith never became a contributor though. He started 65 games in six seasons with the Eagles, and he eclipsed 600 yards in a season twice.
13. WR- Todd Pinkston (2000)
The memories of Todd Pinkston in Philadelphia aren’t always positive. He was a flawed player, but he worked himself into a complementary role in his fifth and final NFL season in 2004 as the deep threat who could draw defenses away from Terrell Owens.
12. WR- Jordan Matthews (2014)
Jordan Matthews stormed out of the gates with over 800 yards in each of his first three NFL seasons. He slipped in production after the Eagles traded him in 2017. They brought him back as a retread (twice) out of desperation to patch up thin wide receiver corps.
The Eagles mishandled their need for a wide receiver in one of the best draft classes the position has ever seen. Mike Evans, Sammy Watkins, Odell Beckham Jr., and Brandin Cooks all came off the board early. Davante Adams, Allen Robinson, and Jarvis Landry were still on the board, but the Eagles chose Matthews in the second round and later took Josh Huff in the third round.
11. RB- Miles Sanders (2019)
The statistics speak volumes about Miles Sanders. He compiled 4906 yards from scrimmage in regular-season and playoff games over four seasons with the Eagles. He ranks just below players with less impressive statistical output because he didn’t always utilize a dominant offensive line properly.
The former Penn State star left the Eagles on a sour note with a forgettable performance in Super Bowl LVII. He fumbled once and got away with a mistake that replay determined as an incomplete pass.
10. LB- Mychal Kendricks (2012)
The pure athleticism of a linebacker like Mychal Kendricks excited the fan base. He never turned into the Pro Bowler the Eagles envisioned. However, he did start 78 regular-season and playoff games in six seasons, including Super Bowl LII.
9. OG- Landon Dickerson (2021)
The Eagles drafted the Alabama star with the 37th-overall pick after taking DeVonta Smith in the first round. At 6-foot-6 and 333 pounds, he had no problem jumping right into the NFL.
8. DE- Vinny Curry (2012)
The Eagles dominated the line of scrimmage throughout the 2017 season. Their fearsome pass rush included a rotation of almost two full units.
Vinny Curry hadn’t always fit perfectly into defensive schemes after the Eagles drafted him in 2012. However, he teamed up with Brandon Graham, Chris Long, and Derek Barnett to give opposing quarterbacks nightmares.
The New Jersey native ultimately piled up 30 sacks in two stints with the Eagles.
7. S- Michael Lewis (2002)
Andy Reid thought outside the box at the 2002 NFL Draft. He took Lito Sheppard in the first round and Michael Lewis in the second. Drafting two defensive backs shocked Eagles fans who considered their secondary the best in the NFL.
The strategy paid off when the Eagles restocked their secondary with key contributors like Lewis who soon replaced aging veterans.
6. CB- Sheldon Brown (2002)
Brown went one spot behind Michael Lewis. He stepped in as a starter in his third season and ultimately played eight in Philadelphia. The former South Carolina Gamecock solidified his legacy with a bone-crushing hit on Reggie Bush in the playoffs after the 2006 season.
5. TE- Dallas Goedert (2018)
The Eagles lost Brent Celek and Trey Burton after their victory in Super Bowl LII. They prioritized the tight end position with their first selection in the 2018 NFL Draft in the 49th-overall spot. David Akers famously trolled the crowd in Dallas when he walked to the podium to make the selection.
4. RB- LeSean McCoy (2009)
Andy Reid prioritized drafting explosive offensive weapons late in his tenure as head coach. LeSean McCoy stepped into the Eagles backfield as a second-round pick in 2009. Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson also provided firepower for Donovan McNabb on the outside.
McCoy broke the franchise’s all-time rushing record, but his tenure ended on a sour note in 2015 with an ugly divorce from Chip Kelly.
3. WR- DeSean Jackson (2008)
DeSean Jackson built a complicated legacy in Philadelphia. His first stint with the Eagles ended unfairly, and he ultimately retired in third place on the franchise’s all-time receiving list. However, his immaturity worked to his detriment as a player at times.
Eagles fans will always remember the exhilarating walk-off punt return against the New York Giants in 2010. They’ll also have a hard time forgetting his foolish mistake to drop the football as part of an end zone celebration. Spats with Andy Reid and the mishandling of injuries during his second stint also must be part of his legacy.
2. TE- Zach Ertz (2013)
Brent Celek was already on the roster when Chip Kelly arrived in 2013. However, the former Pac 12 head coach prioritized a receiving tight end out of Stanford.
Zach Ertz didn’t have the smoothest ride to begin his career in Philadelphia. Fans vehemently criticized him for a perceived lack of effort in 2016 when he missed a block against the Cincinnati Bengals.
All he did to change their minds was catch a clutch fourth-down pass from Nick Foles minutes before scoring the game-winning touchdown for the only Super Bowl the Eagles have ever won.
He left Philadelphia in 2021 second in franchise history in receptions, fifth in receiving yards, and seventh in receiving touchdowns.
1. QB- Jalen Hurts (2020)
The decision came under fire instantly. Why would Howie Roseman draft a quarterback in the second round with a long-term investment in Carson Wentz as the franchise quarterback? His “quarterback factory” comment didn’t exactly please the fan base.
Jalen Hurts made everyone forget about the controversy with a meteoric rise into the top tier of NFL quarterbacks. Where would the Philadelphia Eagles be if Roseman hadn’t boldly tried to draft Wentz’s backup with the entire world watching the remote NFL Draft in 2020?
