Where do the Eagles stand following the 2021 NFL Draft?

The Philadelphia Eagles did a fantastic job during the 2021 NFL Draft, filling significant holes at wide receiver and in the trenches. Many fans often feel confident going into the upcoming season and tune into the national media to see what the analysts think about their team. Several sites put together power rankings of all 32 teams and how they stand following the draft and these rankings were not kind to the Eagles.
Philly isn’t expected to be a powerhouse but according to most of these websites, the Eagles could be looking at another top-five selection in 2022 at the moment. Here is a quick roundup of numerous power rankings that have been released over the last few days.
Sporting News: 22
“The Eagles like what they have in Jalen Hurts, and Nick Sirianni’s rookie direction as head coach should give them a spark, too. They hope to have better luck fighting age and injuries, but being caught between contending and rebuilding is a tough spot.”
You can view Sporting News’ complete rankings here:
NFL: 25
“We love the Day 2 pick of Landon Dickerson, an All-American center at Alabama who fell out of the first round because of medical red flags. Philly is going to love Dickerson if he can stay healthy.”
You can view NFL’s complete rankings here:
Pro Football Network: 27
“The Eagles have now given Jalen Hurts all the tools he should need to succeed. This organization will probably turn the ball over less next year as well. Still, they are a difficult team to back in 2021.”
You can view Pro Football Network’s complete rankings here:
CBS Sports: 27
“Jalen Hurts takes over as the quarterback now with the trade of Carson Wentz. They added a nice weapon for him in receiver DeVonta Smith in the first round of the draft. But there are a lot of questions at other spots.”
You can view CBS’s complete rankings here:
Bleacher Report: 28
“Quarterback Jalen Hurts showed some flashes down the stretch as a rookie, but he is far from a sure thing. Even with Smith in the fold, the Eagles have the weakest assemblage of passing-game weapons in the NFC East. An offensive line that once was a strength for the team has shown cracks as of late, too. The secondary also remains a mess. Veteran Darius Slay struggled mightily in 2020, and the depth chart behind him leaves much to be desired.”
You can view Bleacher Report’s complete rankings here:
NBC Sports: 28
“Howie Roseman did his best Bill Belichick impression by loading up on Nick Saban proteges for quarterback (and Crimson Tide alum) Jalen Hurts. If the 166-pound Smith can hold up at the NFL level, he’ll give Philly’s offense some much-needed explosiveness.”
Fanduel: 30
“Super Bowl Odds: +8500”
You can view Fanduel’s complete odds list here:
- Average Rank: 27th
- High: 22
- Low: 30
- Average ranking pre draft: 26
Most of these rankings seem to be a bit harsh. By no means are the Eagles playoff contenders this upcoming season but they should be able to put together a season that should net them a spot in the early 20s. Only time will tell with more roster moves likely on the way including Zach Ertz and possibly a cornerback in free agency.
Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas | USA TODAY Sports