The Philadelphia Eagles look a lot different than they did a year ago, as new head coach Nick Sirianni has not named a starter at any position quite yet.
This makes sense, as Sirianni and the Eagles don't want to show their hand to opposing teams is they are planning on taking a quarterback. Hurts showed flashes of potential as a dynamic, dual-threat quarterback who could be a mainstay of the Eagles offense as he develops.
One thing that could speed up the development of Hurts is drafting a wide receiver with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft.
With quarterbacks rising up draft boards this year, the Eagles have a chance to get one of the best wide receiver prospects in this draft despite picking outside the top 10.
Here are three wide receivers Philadelphia should look to draft on Thursday.
DeVonta Smith, Alabama
After the Heisman-winning season Smith had last season, he would be the top wide receiver prospect in this draft not named Ja'Marr Chase.
The main concern about Smith from draft corners is his size, as at 6'1″ and 175 pounds, some NFL teams are worried that he will get shoved off his route and outmatched by bigger corners.
As veteran wide receiver Torrey Smith pointed out on Twitter earlier this week, with Smith's elite speed and ability to make defenders make in space, size should not be that much of a priority.
DeVonta Smith will do fine in the NFL. It’s harder to get off press in college because dudes can put hands on you all the way down the field. He was nice off the line in college. That boy can run some routes too. His weight isn’t an issue 🤷🏿♂️
— Torrey Smith (@TorreySmithWR) April 21, 2021
Smith's size wasn't an issue in college, as he didn't miss a lot of games in his time at Alabama, proving to be durable, which is one of the most important traits a speed receiver can have in the NFL.
Given Smith's potential and proven track record in college, it would be wise for Eagles fans to hop on that hype train with him.
Would Smith be better if he added 10-15 pounds of muscle in a few seasons? Of course. But his skinny frame shouldn't be a reason for the Eagles to shy away from him. They would be foolish to pass up on Smith if he is available at No. 12.
Jaylen Waddle, Alabama
Smith shouldn't be the only Alabama receiver Eagles fans have their eye on, as some draft experts like Waddle better than Smith despite Waddle coming off an ankle that sidelined him for almost the entire 2020 season.
Alabama has been known as a wide receiver factory in recent years, as players like Amari Cooper, Julio Jones and Calvin Ridlay have become offensive cornerstones with their respective teams, with Henry Ruggs and Jerry Jeudy showing flashes of elite play in their rookie years.
Waddle, like Smith, could be the next great Alabama receiver in the NFL, as his speed off the line of scrimmage and innate ability to make defenders miss makes him worthy of a pick in the top half of the first round.
NFL draft analyst and former Eagles scout Daniel Jeremiah made a compelling case for Waddle to the Eagles on Thursday, claiming that Waddle would be an instant upgrade over Jalen Reagor, who Philadelphia took with their first-round pick last season.
“He’s too intriguing to me with what he can do, and in a league where you need explosive plays, he gives those to you. He’s going to take a lot of pressure off the quarterback. He’s going to have an influence on the run game, as well. Anything that you might have liked about Jalen Reagor, Jaylen Waddle does all those things infinitely better. To me at least you put him out there, you hope Reagor continues to grow and now you’ve got a track team with those two guys out there because they can both fly. That would be the way I go.”
The ankle injury is a little concerning, being that Waddle's agility could be hurt by it early in his career. If Waddle makes a full recovery, he has the potential to be the No. 1 option in the Eagles passing game, and a wise pick at No. 12 if Smith is off the board.
Rashod Bateman, Minnesota
Not many Golden Gophers have been drafted in Minnesota school history, but head coach P.J. Fleck has helped to change, and Rashod Bateman is one of the best prospects to come out of Minnesota.
If there is a run on receivers and Chase, Smith and Waddle are all off the board, Bateman could be a quality option for the Eagles with his smooth route-running, short-area quickness, and ability to make a catch in a crowd.
He doesn't have blazing speed to get past NFL defenders, but he doesn't necessarily need it thanks to his acceleration of the line of scrimmage and his football I.Q., as he does a great job of doing all the little things well.
Bateman doesn't necessarily jump off the page as a prospect like the pass catchers mentioned above, but his knack for making big plays makes him far better than a consolation prize for the Eagles.
These clips are from the 2019 season, but they do an excellent job of showcasing how Bateman is almost always open, helping the Golden Gophers pick up big chunks of yards in a hurry.
The Ringer's Danny Kelly compared Bateman to Michael Thomas in his draft guide, as his combination of quick feet, top-tier body control, and solid hands remind you of the Saints stud in more ways than one.
Even if Bateman is only 75 percent as good as Thomas is for the Saints, that's a huge win for the Eagles, who are looking to formulate an offensive identity that the Minnesota standout can certainly be apart of.
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