Philadelphia Eagles: 3 wide receivers worth a Day 3 pick

There’s no doubt about it: The Philadelphia Eagles need to land at least one wide receiver in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Despite having drafted five receivers over the past three drafts, the Eagles only have three wide receivers who are locks to make their 53 man roster this fall, with JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Jalen Reagor, and Greg Ward all fighting for a roster spot alongside whichever other wide receivers end up on the roster come training camp.

Will that player come in the first round? Potentially so, with five-plus wide receivers expected to hear their name called later this month, but what if the Eagles opt to address two other positions, say defensive tackle and cornerback, and enter Friday night without another pass catcher on their roster? What if Rounds 2 and 3 break in very unflattering ways for Aaron Moorehead’s position grouping, and the Eagles find themselves entering Saturday without another wide receiver? Is that a recipe for disaster?

No, not necessarily. While Howie Roseman can’t afford to completely ignore wide receiver, as the addition of Zach Pascal alone won’t magically fix a position of weakness, there are a few quality players who could still be on the board on Day 3 who would be very good additions to the Philadelphia Eagles’ wide receivers room.

Here are three wide receivers the Philadelphia Eagles could target on Day 3.

If the Philadelphia Eagles miss out on the premier X receivers the first round has to offer, players like London Drake and Treylon Burks, and are unable to secure Day 2 options like North Dakota State’s Christian Watson or Georgia’s George Pickens, Alec Pierce might just be the name to watch in the fourth round – should he still be on the board.

A three-star recruit who joined the University of Cincinnati over Central Michigan, Bowling Green, and Miami (OH), Pierce began his career as a special teamer – AKA the Howie Roseman special – before gradually becoming a fixture of a Bearcats offense headlined by fellow 2022 NFL Draft class member Desmond Ridder. While he never eclipsed 1,000 yards during his three seasons as a regular contributor for Luke Fickell’s squad, Pierce led the team in receiving yards twice and was a featured target in the American Athletic Conference’s premier offense.

With his eligibility expired following a career-best 52 catches for 884 yards and eight touchdowns season, the 6-foot-3, 213-pound wide receiver took his talents to the 2022 NFL Draft Combine, where he ran a very impressive 4.41 and helped to prove that he was more than just your typical big-bodied X receiver.

On the Eagles, Pierce would likely learn under Zach Pascal, a player with a very similar set of skills, as he rotates in as an X wide receiver, plays near the goal line as a red zone specialist, and becomes a core performer Mack Hollins-style on special teams. All-in-all, not too shabby for a player who didn’t even receive an offer from the University of Minnesota after attending their spring camp in 2017.