Former Eagles Scout Daniel Jeremiah Explains Why Team Should Take Jaylen Waddle If He's Available At No. 12
PHILADELPHIA (CBS)- The Eagles hold the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft following a trade with the Miami Dolphins and there's still plenty of speculation about what they will do in that spot. Mock Draft experts have the organization selecting wide receiver, corner or linebacker with that pick. Former Eagles scout and current NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah explained why he would take Alabama's Jaylen Waddle if the receiver is there at 12.
Presented with a hypothetical scenario in which all three Alabama prospects, Waddle, DeVonta Smith and Patrick Surtain Jr. are available, Jeremiah said Waddle would be his pick pointing to the explosiveness that he brings to the table.
"But I would take Waddle," Jeremiah said. "He's too intriguing to me with what he can do, and in a league where you need explosive plays, he gives those to you. He's going to take a lot of pressure off the quarterback. He's going to have an influence on the run game, as well. Anything that you might have liked about Jalen Reagor, Jaylen Waddle does all those things infinitely better. To me at least you put him out there, you hope Reagor continues to grow and now you've got a track team with those two guys out there because they can both fly. That would be the way I go."
Waddle was also the pick for ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay in his latest mock draft for similar reasons. The 22-year-old Houston native is coming off an ankle injury that cut short his junior year but he was off to a flying start before that with 28 catches for 591 yards and four touchdowns in just six games. Jeremiah noted that he's not disrespecting Smith or Surtain, just saying that if he had his pick, it would be Waddle.
"Again, I like Devonta Smith. He is ranked right behind him, 5 and 6 on my list, and Surtain is my top corner. It comes down to guessing what they want to do," Jeremiah said. "I would say if I am guessing what they would do in that situation, I would say it would be hard for them to go receiver in back to back years. I would guess they would go corner. I would take Waddle."
There is one thing to consider that Jeremiah hinted at there. The Eagles have not selected receivers with back-to-back first round picks in team history. After using their first rounder on Jalen Reagor last year would they really go for the triumvirate of Jaylens this year? We'll see how the board falls next Thursday when the Draft begins.
