A few weeks ago, one of our writers wrote a detailed piece about how the honeymoon for Howie Roseman is over, and that he needs to start making better selections in the draft. I share a much different opinion of Roseman than he does, as I feel Roseman is more of an underrated drafter than anything else. I will look at the last two drafts just to keep it simple, but it is easy to see that Howie uses every draft pick to its fullest potential.
2018
1st Round Pick: Traded to Baltimore for 2018 2nd Rounder and 2019 2nd Rounder
The value was not there for Philadelphia. It was obvious that Lamar Jackson was destined to go in the 1st round and Baltimore offered the right package to get up to the back of the 1st round . As you will see the haul got by Philly was worth it.
Original 2nd Round Pick: Traded for Carson Wentz: Nobody should doubt this pick. There wasn't a single player available better than Carson here. An MVP-caliber starting QB was well worth the trade two years prior.
Baltimore's 2nd Round Pick: Dallas Goedert (trade up)
Philly ended up using one of the picks from the Lamar Jackson trade to move up here and take Goedert out of South Dakota State. Goedert has been very solid in his time, solidifying himself as a top 15 TE in the league, giving Philadelphia arguably the best TE duo in the league with him paired with Zach Ertz.
3rd Round Pick: Traded for Ronald Darby
Darby hasn't been spectacular, but he has been the starting CB ever since he got here, including in Super Bowl LII. There weren't very many starting caliber CBs available if any at that this point in the draft
Original 4th Round Pick: Avonte Maddox
Maddox has been the steal of the draft in my opinion. He is Arguably the best CB on the team and plays with intensity every play. Aside from the head and neck injury earlier this season, he has been solid almost every game he plays.
Minnesota's 4th Round Pick: Josh Sweat
This pick was received during that whole Sam Bradford highway robbery. Sweat has recorded two sacks so far this season in his first real action. He hasn't developed into a superstar, but then again he was never supposed to. He is a solid depth piece that continues to develop.
5th Round Pick: Traded to Indianapolis to move up for Goedert
Howie has to pay the price to jump ahead of Dallas to draft Dallas. Definitely well worth it.
6th Round Pick: Matt Pryor
Late picks are basically like lottery tickets, you just had to hope you hit and get a serviceable player in this part of the draft. Pryor struggled in the preseason, but still made this season as the main backup guard. Not amazing, but not horrible.
7th Round Pick: Jordan Mailata
The Rugby player out of Australia, a physical anomaly, has showed his potential, which is all you can ask for in a 7th rounder. Coach Stoutland has been teaching Mailata for two seasons now, and Mailata is getting better and better. Could be a solid backup to Lane Johnson for years to come, but back-to-back season-ending injuries will call into question his durability.
2019
1st Round Pick: Andre Dillard (trade up)
The heir to the LT position, Dillard had a rough first real game in Minnesota, but has since played well whenever he's been asked to take the field for Jason Peters. The best pick for the Eagles at that position, which is why Howie traded up to make sure he could get him.
Baltimore's 2nd Round Pick: Miles Sanders
The other piece to the Lamar Jackson trade, Sanders WILL develop into the three down back we are hoping for. Easily the 2nd best back in this past draft and he is certainly playing like it.
Original 2nd Round Pick: JJ Arcega-Whiteside
I know I know, Eagles fans want to call him a bust but I can't because it is way too early. I watched him at Stanford, the kid is good and has the potential. He needs time to adjust to the NFL. Give him a season and see what happens in 2020.
3rd Round Pick: Traded for Golden Tate
Was it a franchise changing trade? No. Did Philly end up making the playoffs after trading for him? Yes. Did he have a key TD in the Chicago game in the playoffs? Yes. The league is all about what have you done for me lately, but the Eagles are in a win now mode. So in my eyes the trade was worth it for that rental piece.
4th Round Pick: Shareef Miller
Sadly he has been buried in the DE room, but the time will come. With the Eagles trading for Gerald Avery, it looks like he may be buried deeper. This may be a pick that becomes a wash come 2020 53-man roster cutting time.
5th Round Pick: Clayton Thorson
The only obvious bust on this list, he only lasted one preseason with the Eagles. I believe Howie wanted Easton Stick, but the Chargers probably knew that which is why they jumped at the opportunity to select him before the Eagles could. Philadelphia panicked and settled for Thorson. He looked bad, very bad.
6th Round Pick: Traded for DeSean Jackson
Worth it just for the nostalgia alone. That first game was amazing. It is too bad he is injured, but next year is not too far away.
7th Round Pick: Traded for Hassan Ridgeway
You know what, the kid wasn't playing that bad before his season-ending injury. We all had that, "who is this guy?", thought when his named popped up on the screen but for a player traded for nothing, he isn't half bad. Better than any player available at the time.
In conclusion, Howie isn't as bad at drafting as people have been trying to say, with just one absolute wasted pick in these past two drafts. It is obvious Howie prefers using the draft picks for more than drafting, so you can't fault him for trading draft picks to try and get known commodities. Let's be honest though, at the end of the day at least we don't have Dave Gettleman calling the shots.
