Philadelphia Eagles 7-round mock draft: Trading back for a new star WR

With an entire new coaching staff set to be in place for the 2021 season, and a cap situation that can only be described as “less than ideal”, the Philadelphia Eagles have their work cut out for them in terms of building a competitive roster over the next couple of years.

In this most recent mock draft, I explore what a full seven rounds of drafting would look like should the Eagles opt to trade back come draft night, while still prioritizing the ever important wide receiver position.

The Philadelphia Eagles select…

While a majority of the WR prospect conversation this offseason has been dominated by the likes of DeVonta Smith and Ja’Marr Chase, there’s another elite pass-catcher in this year’s upcoming draft pool that people have been glossing over – Jaylen Waddle.

Now obviously, the Eagles possess the sixth overall pick in the 2021 Draft, not the ninth. What I facilitated in this specific scenario was a trade down from #6 to #9 with the Denver Broncos. Both Smith and Chase were off the board at #6, and QB Justin Fields was still available. Denver has the motivation to jump the likes of Detroit and Carolina to snag their quarterback of the future, while the Eagles were able to accumulate some future draft compensation in 2022.

Prior to Waddle’s 2020 injury, many had him right at the top alongside Smith and Chase in terms of who the best WR would be in the 2021 draft class. According to PFF, his career passer rating when targeted (152.0) actually ranks second amongst all draft-eligible receivers – only trailing Smith by 1.4 points and actually edging out Chase by 9.4 points.

Waddle is a smaller built WR at just 5-10, 182 lbs (bigger than Smith, FWIW), but his speed is a complete game changer. He made explosive plays on the outside, in the slot, and even in the backfield for Alabama – he was all around just a fantastic weapon. Waddle would immediately become the Philadelphia Eagles best overall receiver, no questions asked.