Figuring out which Eagles will have major roles in 2021

technical details

is_video => true
is_chrome_page => null
article_body => "The Eagles are in the middle of a youth movement so it\u2019s no surprise that they will have young players with significant roles in 2021.<\/p>\r\n\r\nBut when asked about the importance of drafting players this season who can step in immediately, Howie Roseman confirmed as much during his press conference on Thursday.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\u201cAfter meeting with our coaching staff and getting their evaluations of our players, and some of our young players, I mean, it's clear that some of our young players are going to play right away, whether it's from last year's draft class, the year before, or players that we draft this year,\u201d Roseman said.<\/p>\r\n\r\nThe Eagles have 11 picks in April\u2019s draft and we obviously won\u2019t know how much those players will play until they actually make the picks. But whomever is drafted at No. 6 will very likely have a huge role. After that, we\u2019ll see.<\/p>\r\n\r\nBut what about the guys who are already on the roster?<\/p>\r\n\r\nWell, here\u2019s a list of young players \u2014 mostly drafted in the last couple years \u2014 who could see increased roles in 2021:<\/p>\r\n\r\nShaun Bradley (23):<\/strong> The linebacker was a sixth-round pick out of Temple last year. He played mostly on special teams but played a handful of snaps on defense and might have opportunity with Duke Riley and Nate Gerry hitting free agency.<\/p>\r\n\r\nAndre Dillard (25):<\/strong> The 2019 first-round pick will probably battle Jordan Mailata for the starting left tackle job. And as much as everyone loves Mailata, we can\u2019t completely rule out the possibility of Dillard winning that job. After all, the Eagles liked him enough to draft him in the first a couple years ago.<\/p>\r\n\r\nTravis Fulgham (25): <\/strong>No, Fulgham wasn\u2019t drafted by the Eagles, but he was a sixth-rounder in 2019 and he had a magical month-long stretch with the Eagles during 2020. Is he ready to be a starting receiver? Not sure. But he\u2019ll get his chance to prove it soon.<\/p>\r\n\r\nJohn Hightower (24):<\/strong> The 2020 fifth-round pick out of Boise State played a lot of snaps early in his rookie season but struggled and seemed to fall out of favor with the coaching staff. He was an afterthought by the end of 2020 but has some talent and will get a chance to compete in training camp.<\/p>\r\n\r\nJalen Hurts (22):<\/strong> Unless the Eagles draft a QB with the No. 6 pick, Hurts will be the Eagles\u2019 starting quarterback a year after he was taken in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Oklahoma.<\/p>\r\n\r\nJordan Mailata (23): <\/strong>OK, so Mailata was a 2018 draft pick but he was so raw that I still decided to include him here. And he\u2019s still just 23. Mailata looked good as the starting left tackle at times in 2020 and if he just gets some more consistency, the Eagles might have their LT of the future.<\/p>\r\n\r\nJalen Reagor (22):<\/strong> It wasn\u2019t a great rookie season for the No. 21 pick from 2020 as he struggled through a rough first season that included a few injuries. But he still has a ton of athleticism and ability and maybe the new coaching staff will figure out the right ways to use him.<\/p>\r\n\r\nMiles Sanders (23):<\/strong> Sanders is still just entering Year 3. He already had a big role as the starting running back in 2020 but now he\u2019ll be in an offense that might actually run the ball. That should help.<\/p>\r\n\r\nJosh Sweat (23): <\/strong>Sweat was actually a member of the 2018 class but he\u2019s still really young. And with Vinny Curry unlikely to return, Sweat might be the clear-cut third defensive end in the rotation this season.<\/p>\r\n\r\nDavion Taylor (22): <\/strong>Taylor barely played on defense as a rookie. We all knew he was raw but how long are the Eagles supposed to wait to play him on defense? Taylor was a third-round pick and it\u2019s not crazy to expect him to play in 2021.<\/p>\r\n\r\nK\u2019Von Wallace (23):<\/strong> Even after landing Anthony Harris, there are still questions at safety as Rodney McLeod is coming off an ACL tear and Jalen Mills is gone. The Eagles will also use a third safety. So Wallace, the fourth-round pick from Clemson, might have some real opportunity. I\u2019d really like to see him play more in his second NFL season.<\/p>\r\n\r\nQuez Watkins (21):<\/strong> It took a while but Watkins, a 2020 sixth-round pick out of Southern Mississippi, showed flashes late in his rookie season. He seems to have a great connection with Hurts, which should help him now that Hurts is the presumed starter.<\/p>\r\n\r\nSubscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast:<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<a href=\"https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/id1376641140?mt=2\">Apple Podcasts<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/play.google.com\/music\/listen?u=0#\/ps\/Irihfctcpfeh635rf5ii7m25jzm\">Google Play<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/7efTly7UOHBSf8PKhqUmYC\">Spotify<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.stitcher.com\/s?fid=183796&refid=stpr\">Stitcher<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles\">Art19<\/a> | <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCXenWaHGZz4Ey4BObUUIyZQ\">Watch on YouTube<\/a><\/p>\r\n\r\n<iframe height=\"230px\" src=\"https:\/\/art19.com\/shows\/eagle-eye-philadelphia-eagles\/episodes\/994358ac-fa1b-40c7-9a18-cb18aabe9451\/embed\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/p>\r\n"
created => 1616181366
changed => 1616241600
status => true
hero_image_credit => "USA Today Images"
tags => null
field_bean_single_col => null
section => null
orig_image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1920","height":"1080","uri":"public:\/\/article\/hero\/Watkins_Q_USATSI_15341141.jpg","timestamp":1608765729}
image => {"alt":"","title":"","width":"1920","height":"1080","uri":"public:\/\/article\/hero\/Watkins_Q_USATSI_15341141.jpg","timestamp":1608765729}
video_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/philadelphia\/video\/howie-roseman-addresses-key-departures-including-pederson-and-wentz"
is_mediaid => true
mediaid => "JUy17_JAyp5v"
video_autoplay => null
video_automute => null
mpx_account_id => "BxmELC"
player_url => "https:\/\/www.nbcsports.com\/vplayer\/p\/BxmELC\/philly_main\/select\/media\/JUy17_JAyp5v?form=html&autoPlay=true"
chrome_data => null
description => "The Eagles will be relying on several young players in 2021. Here's a list of a few. By Dave Zangaro"
league => "NFL"
league_id => "104"
sport => "Football"
sport_id => "25"
image_credit => "USA Today Images"
no_promo => false
no_trending_in_body => false
no_recirc => false
no_trend => false
short_title => "Figuring out which Eagles will have major roles in 2021"
sponsorship_type => "presented_by"
type => "article"
alias => "\/philadelphia\/eagles\/figuring-out-which-eagles-will-have-major-roles-2021"
title => "Figuring out which Eagles will have major roles in 2021"
nid => "372006"
author_0 => "Dave Zangaro"
author_0_id => "16496"
mps => {"author_0":"Dave Zangaro"}
region => "philadelphia"
region_id => "3"
sponsor => null
sponsor_id => null
team_id => "137"
team => "Eagles"
published => 1616241600
article_type => "short"
meta => {"file":"\/mnt\/gfs\/rsnunited\/sites\/default\/files\/archive\/article\/philadelphia\/eagles\/figuring-out-which-eagles-will-have-major-roles-2021.json","assets":["public:\/\/article\/hero\/Watkins_Q_USATSI_15341141.jpg"]}

Eagles

/ by Dave Zangaro

Eagles

The Eagles are in the middle of a youth movement so it’s no surprise that they will have young players with significant roles in 2021.

But when asked about the importance of drafting players this season who can step in immediately, Howie Roseman confirmed as much during his press conference on Thursday.

“After meeting with our coaching staff and getting their evaluations of our players, and some of our young players, I mean, it's clear that some of our young players are going to play right away, whether it's from last year's draft class, the year before, or players that we draft this year,” Roseman said.

The Eagles have 11 picks in April’s draft and we obviously won’t know how much those players will play until they actually make the picks. But whomever is drafted at No. 6 will very likely have a huge role. After that, we’ll see.

But what about the guys who are already on the roster?

Well, here’s a list of young players — mostly drafted in the last couple years — who could see increased roles in 2021:

Shaun Bradley (23): The linebacker was a sixth-round pick out of Temple last year. He played mostly on special teams but played a handful of snaps on defense and might have opportunity with Duke Riley and Nate Gerry hitting free agency.

Andre Dillard (25): The 2019 first-round pick will probably battle Jordan Mailata for the starting left tackle job. And as much as everyone loves Mailata, we can’t completely rule out the possibility of Dillard winning that job. After all, the Eagles liked him enough to draft him in the first a couple years ago.

Travis Fulgham (25): No, Fulgham wasn’t drafted by the Eagles, but he was a sixth-rounder in 2019 and he had a magical month-long stretch with the Eagles during 2020. Is he ready to be a starting receiver? Not sure. But he’ll get his chance to prove it soon.

John Hightower (24): The 2020 fifth-round pick out of Boise State played a lot of snaps early in his rookie season but struggled and seemed to fall out of favor with the coaching staff. He was an afterthought by the end of 2020 but has some talent and will get a chance to compete in training camp.

Jalen Hurts (22): Unless the Eagles draft a QB with the No. 6 pick, Hurts will be the Eagles’ starting quarterback a year after he was taken in the second round of the 2020 draft out of Oklahoma.

Jordan Mailata (23): OK, so Mailata was a 2018 draft pick but he was so raw that I still decided to include him here. And he’s still just 23. Mailata looked good as the starting left tackle at times in 2020 and if he just gets some more consistency, the Eagles might have their LT of the future.

Jalen Reagor (22): It wasn’t a great rookie season for the No. 21 pick from 2020 as he struggled through a rough first season that included a few injuries. But he still has a ton of athleticism and ability and maybe the new coaching staff will figure out the right ways to use him.

Miles Sanders (23): Sanders is still just entering Year 3. He already had a big role as the starting running back in 2020 but now he’ll be in an offense that might actually run the ball. That should help.

Josh Sweat (23): Sweat was actually a member of the 2018 class but he’s still really young. And with Vinny Curry unlikely to return, Sweat might be the clear-cut third defensive end in the rotation this season.

Davion Taylor (22): Taylor barely played on defense as a rookie. We all knew he was raw but how long are the Eagles supposed to wait to play him on defense? Taylor was a third-round pick and it’s not crazy to expect him to play in 2021.

K’Von Wallace (23): Even after landing Anthony Harris, there are still questions at safety as Rodney McLeod is coming off an ACL tear and Jalen Mills is gone. The Eagles will also use a third safety. So Wallace, the fourth-round pick from Clemson, might have some real opportunity. I’d really like to see him play more in his second NFL season.

Quez Watkins (21): It took a while but Watkins, a 2020 sixth-round pick out of Southern Mississippi, showed flashes late in his rookie season. He seems to have a great connection with Hurts, which should help him now that Hurts is the presumed starter.

Subscribe to the Eagle Eye podcast: