CeeDee Lamb is big, fast and tough and unreal after the catch. Jerry Jeudy is deadly creating space off the line of scrimmage. Henry Ruggs has world-class speed and great hands. Justin Jefferson is smooth, fast and unbelievably production.
Who's the best fit for the Eagles?
Any of them, says NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, a former West Coast scout for the Eagles.
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When I look at the top four guys, between CeeDee Lamb, Jerry Jeudy, Henry Ruggs, Justin Jefferson, I think Carson Wentz would make a star out of any of those four players,” Jeremiah said.
The Eagles go into the first round of the draft Thursday with a desperate need at wide receiver, and they need to make sure they avoid with Wentz what happened with Donovan McNabb, who other than one year with Terrell Owens and a couple years at the end of his career with DeSean Jackson never had an elite wide receiver.
This is the Eagles’ best chance to find a worthy young playmaker that Wentz can grow with over the next few years.
Jeremiah, who worked with Howie Roseman here and Andy Weidl in Baltimore, has a pretty good idea how the Eagles’ brain trust thinks.
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And he believes Wentz will have a strong voice in the Eagles’ virtual draft room Thursday night.
“I think he does have influence,” Jeremiah said in a recent conference call. “I don't necessarily think it's over this particular player vs. that particular player. But I'd be shocked if they have not had conversations with Carson and sat down and said, ‘Hey, what do we need? Do we need more speed, do you need guys to be more reliable, do you need more size, do you want somebody that can play inside, can play outside? What will make you comfortable?’ And let him kind of build a menu for the type of player you want to bring in.”
All of which makes sense.
If you’re going to draft a wide receiver in the first round, why wouldn’t you consult with the guy who’s going to be throwing the ball to him for the next several years (they hope)?
“I definitely think he would have an input on that in terms of the skills and what they're looking for at the position,” Jeremiah said. “I don't necessarily think he's going to come in there and say, ‘I'd rather have K.J. Hamler than Laviska Shenault.’ I don't think he's going to have that type of say-so, but I do think he'll get a chance to craft the role and what they're looking for in that position.”
That said, Jeremiah ranks the top four receivers like this: 1) Lamb, 2) Jeudy, 3) Ruggs, 4) Jefferson.
“If you had the pick of the litter it would be CeeDee Lamb, if you can get him,” he said. “I think he's the best. He can do everything. He can give you the big-play ability down the field but he can also do a lot of dirty work on third down and in the red zone and he would give Carson a lot of free yards after the catch. That would be my choice.”
It might be impossible for the Eagles to get Lamb. But any of them would make the Eagles a much better team and make Wentz a much better quarterback.
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