Philadelphia Eagles: 5 players on Howie Roseman’s wish list

Eagles will draft two wide receivers early

Remember the 2002 NFL draft? You may recall the Eagles using two of their first three picks on CBs – Lito Sheppard and Sheldon Brown at picks No. 26 and 59, respectively. (The Eagles also owned the No. 58 pick, which I’ll get to in a moment.)

This draft set up the team’s best run of success in franchise history, as they’d go on to win four of the next five division crowns, including a trip to Super Bowl XXXIX. Locking down the secondary was clearly a priority for Andy Reid that offseason.

Serving as director of football administration with the Eagles in 2003, Roseman developed his GM acumen in the wings of Reid’s tutelage. This philosophy would be a wise one to follow this year.

Roseman has been largely underwhelming when it comes to drafting WRs, but with an aging roster and a need for offensive weapons, the time is now to go all-in on surrounding Wentz with playmakers.

LSU wideout Justin Jefferson checks off a number of boxes. Jefferson led the NCAA with 111 catches for 1,540 yards and 18 touchdowns as he helped the Tigers win a National Championship this past January, and Roseman certainly values collegiate production. The 6-foot-3 Louisiana native clocked an impressive 4.43-second 40-yard dash at last week’s combine and figures to be an aggressive slot receiver at the next level.

Roseman should be all-in on Jefferson. But this alone is not enough.

The Eagles will likely sign a free agent receiver this offseason (Breshad Perriman, anybody?), but they need to draft a young speedster to open up the outside. You can never have enough speed, and the team would be wise to invest a second or third-round pick on another wideout to develop. A speed threat such as Penn State‘s KJ Hamler is an interesting name to keep an eye on. (Plus, he already has one advocate on the Eagles.)