The Eagles will pick 22nd overall at this year’s NFL Draft. The draft this season starts on April 25th and will be hosted in Detroit. It will be among their most important picks in recent memory. Last year it felt like the Eagles were already a great team, and were just looking for an extra piece. But we learned that this is a deeply flawed team, in dire need of help. Getting a great player at pick 22 will be key to them getting back on track.
They need help at cornerback, linebacker, and safety. If Haason Reddick gets traded, they will need help at Edge Rusher too. Plus with Howie Roseman, we know there is always a chance he goes O-Line. They might not have an immediate need there. But Lane Johnson is nearing the end of his career, and I would never put it past Howie to use a premium pick to bring in the RT of the future. It will not be what fans want. The Eagles should use it on someone who will help them right now. But Howie’s history means we can’t rule it out.
Surprisingly, in the 88 years, the NFL has been holding the draft, the Eagles have only held the 22nd pick 6 times. They only actually made a selection there 4 times. Two of those picks came from when pick 22 was still outside of the 1st round. Twice they started with pick 22 but traded it either for more picks or in one case for a player. And more recently, they traded up to pick 22.
So before we get to the draft in late April, let’s go back through their history at the 22nd pick. Has that pick historically worked out for them? Or is having it a bad sign?
Here is how it has worked out for the Eagles every time they owned pick 22:
1997- Traded Pick 22 To The Cowboys
Allen Rossum #25 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs with the ball during the game against the Indianapolis Colts at the Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Colts defeated the Eagles 44-17.
The Eagles started out with pick 22 in 1997. But they never actually used it. They sent it to Dallas for picks 25, a 1997 5th round pick 155th overall, and a 1998 3rd round pick (85).
The Cowboys took TE David Lafleur, who flamed out of the NFL within 4 seasons. But the Eagles pick at 25, DE Jon Harris, was out of the NFL after only 2 seasons with 2 sacks. Their pick at 155, TE Luther Broughton didn’t make the team and wound up on the Panthers. He did return a couple of seasons later when they traded for him. But he never developed into an impact player.
With the 85th pick the next season they took Allen Rossum. He went on to set a club record at the time for kick return yards. So it was not a complete wash. He is still 2nd all-time in Kick Return yard behind Brian Mitchell for the Eagles.
