The Eagles weren’t the only team reshaping their future tonight. The NFC East teams all made notable moves, adding talent on both the offensive and defensive side. Did they make the right picks, or did they fumble the package? Let’s break it down:
Dallas Cowboys: LB Micah Parsons, #12
The Cowboys clearly wanted Patrick Surtain II, and when he was taken by the Denver Broncos, panic no doubt set in. This led to the most surprising event of the night: Dallas actually traded back with the Eagles.
By moving two spots back, Dallas picked up Penn State linebacker Micah Parsons. From a Cowboys fan’s perspective, it’s an alright pick. Dallas desperately needed defensive players (albeit more so in the secondary), and Parsons will make a nice duo with fellow linebacker Leighton Vanderbilts Esch.
Although Parsons opted out of the 2020 season due to Covid, he’ll be bringing a ton of skills to the NFL, which includes his speed, range, and size.
While “character issues” didn’t cause Parsons to fall the way some thought, it’s certainly still a concern (especially for a team that has had controversial players in the past). CBS Sports has also given the Cowboys a B- grade for their pick, so that’s something Eagles fans can take enjoyment in.
Washington Football Team: LB Jamin Davis, #19
Another NFC East team, another linebacker: WFT selected Kentucky’s Jamin Davis at #19. According to NFL.com, while he doesn’t have quite the college starting experience some would like, Davis still brings a lot of potential to the table thanks to his athleticism, focus, and vision.
However, Davis is still from a finished product, and he’ll need more time before he’s a weekly contributor.
Another big positive here is that a guy like Justin Fields or Mac Jones didn’t fall to WFT (or that Washington didn’t attempt to trade up for them). Instead, Washington will remain without a future quarterback for at least one more season and instead bet on Ryan Fitzpatrick to have one more productive year.
New York Giants: WR Kadarius Toney, #20
Following the Eagles’ selection of Smith, the Giants made it clear that they were also after Smith by trading with the Chicago Bears and moving back to #20, while also gaining the #164 overall pick, a 2022 first-round pick, and a 2022 4th-round pick. Not a bad haul.
The Giants went offense and took Florida wide receiver Kadarious Toney. NFL.com says Toney “plays bigger than his size,” and has excellent cutting abilities, although they do note that, like Davis, he’ll need more time to polish out.
There was some thought that Toney would be a second-round pick, so it’s a possibility the Giants reached here (always a fun sentence to type!) Still, Toney could form a scary wide receiver unit alongside Kenny Golladay, Darius Slayton, and Sterling Shepard (if they all stay healthy, that is). The Eagles might need to grab a corner in the second round to help defend against these guys.
