Philadelphia Eagles need to prioritize talent over scheme in the 2021 Draft

Philadelphia Eagles need to target the best player available in the 2021 Draft.

There’s been a lot of discussion in recent days in regards to who the Philadelphia Eagles should ultimately be targeting with their first-round pick. They select sixth overall, so the options are going to be pretty wide. No matter what happens in the first five picks before them, there will be some semblance of a difference maker on the board when its the Eagles turn to draft.

So who should Howie Roseman ultimately draft with that ever valuable #6 pick? A superstar wide receiver like DeVonta Smith or Ja’Marr Chase? A lockdown corner like Patrick Surtain II? A franchise linebacker in Micah Parsons? How about a new quarterback should someone like Zach Wilson or Justin Fields slip a few spots?

Ultimately speaking, all of these options are genuine “positions of need” for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. You don’t lose 11 games by mistake, so it’s pretty safe to say that the Eagles need help at a variety of different spots.

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However, thinking about the upcoming NFL Draft in terms of “what position do the Eagles need the most?” is the wrong way to go about it. Not only is it foolish to draft a player in the top-ten based off positional need, but the Eagles have repeatedly tried to draft “good scheme fit” players in recent years – and it simply hasn’t provided good results.

The team drafted Andre Dillard as a “Jason Peters replacement” in 2019, and selected JJ Arcega-Whiteside in the following round due to his perceived ability to simulate Alshon Jeffery’s role as a traditional “X” recover. In 2020, Howie Roseman and co. passed on Justin Jefferson due to their belief that Jalen Reagor better fit their scheme as a deep threat. That’s a decision that proved to be historically bad this past regular season.

The Eagles have tried to build a specific offensive (and defensive) culture over the last three seasons, and it simply hasn’t worked. They’ve routinely passed on more talented players due to the belief that scheme fit > on-field talent, and it’s ultimately led them to a four win season.

When it comes to the 2021 Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles need to abandon traditional beliefs surrounding “position of need” and/or “scheme fit.” Selecting in the top-ten is a unique opportunity, and Philly needs to walk away from it with the best talent possible.

Whether it’s Chase, Smith, Surtain II, or even someone we don’t usually see at the top of mock drafts, the Eagles need to prioritize talent over everything else during this year’s draft. Forget “culture fit” and all of that nonsense – when you’re 4-11-1 you simply have to start adding elite talent to your roster. When it comes down to it, the position that the Eagles target in this year’s draft doesn’t matter, as long as it’s a guy who can immediately come in and make a difference.