6 Eagles on Thin ice Following the NFL Draft

2. Kenneth Gainwell, RB

In no way is this a knock on Kenneth Gainwell, who has done a good job whenever he's been on the field. In three seasons, the fifth-round selection from Memphis has 895 yards rushing with 605 receiving. He's averaging 4.4 yards per carry and 7.0 per reception with 12 total touchdowns.

Gainwell even did well during the playoff run following the 2022 campaign. Against the New York Giants, he ripped off 112 yards and one touchdown while averaging 9.33 per attempt. He slowed down from there with 48 yards in the win over the San Francisco 49ers and 21 yards in the Super Bowl loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Philadelphia let Miles Sanders walk in 2023 but Gainwell didn't take over the starting role since they added D'Andre Swift in a trade with the Lions. Again in 2024, the starter left but the Eagles brought in Saquon Barkley in free agency.

That means Gainwell is again RB2 at best but now has the toughest challenger to his spot he's had to deal with. In Round 4, the Eagles selected Will Shipley at No. 127. Throughout the weekend, they tarded back and this was another example of them adding extra picks while still bringing in a stud.

Shipley had 2,748 yards and 31 touchdowns in three seasons for the Tigers. His numbers were much better in 2022 than in 2023 but he has the makings of a complementary pick who can give this offense a spark. That might push Gainwell down to RB3 which isn't ideal for him.