Nelson Agholor Could Be Chip Kelly's Next Star At Wide Receiver
By Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Eagles wasted no time addressing a major need at the NFL Draft when they selected USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor with the 20th overall pick. Chip Kelly's system is friendly to quarterbacks which means it's friendly to wide receivers as well.
With a wide receiver core that has no established No. 1 option, Agholor has a chance to make an impact early and be Kelly's next star at the wide receiver position.
While Kelly has not had too many longstanding relationships with his top wide receivers since coming to Philadelphia, he has helped his players at that position produce some of the best numbers of their careers.
DeSean Jackson had his most productive season with Kelly in 2013 and Jeremy Maclin followed that trend in 2014. Both receivers posted over 1,000 yards and received Pro Bowl nods, but both were on other teams following the season.
That more than likely will not be the case for Agholor. He may not be an Oregon guy, but there may not be another prospect better suited for Kelly's system (you know, besides that Mariota guy).
CBSSports' Rob Rang graded the drafts for the NFC East and while he gave the Eagles a 'B' for their overall class, he recognized that Agholor could be an A+:
"With so much talk of the Eagles looking to move up to nab Marcus Mariota, it would be easy to miscast Nelson Agholor as a consolation prize. In reality, Agholor's agility, speed and soft hands made him arguably the second-most pro-ready receiver in this class (behind No. 4 overall pick Amari Cooper). It won't take long for Agholor to prove a star in coach Chip Kelly's offense."
The Eagles offense has proven to be very effective when it comes to getting wide receivers in space and in favorable match ups. Agholor's versatility will give him a chance to be utilized on the inside where he can take advantage of linebacker and safety match ups.
He also has the ability to play on the outside and compete for time out there in the spot left vacant by Maclin, a player with eerily similar measurables.
With Agholor in tow, and with two second-year players in Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff, the Eagles could be building something special in the wide receiver core.
