The Philadelphia Eagles hold the 21st overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. This year there is no inclination on which side of the ball the Eagles will address with that pick; it could go either offense or defense.
Most fans feel the team will need to address the offense with their first pick, specifically the wide receiver position. The Eagles were plagued with injuries and lack of talent at the position in 2019, which in turn left Carson Wentz having to lean on practice squad receivers late in the season. Every single fan and analyst agrees that Howie Roseman cannot let that happen again. The last time I thought the Eagles were going to take a wide receiver in the first round was back in the 2017 draft when I was expecting the Birds to draft Mike Williams out of Clemson. Williams ended up not lasting long enough to draft and was instead picked up by the Los Angeles Chargers. He has since become a valuable asset in Anthony Lynn's offense out west.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Eagles really would benefit by adding a shutdown cornerback (even if will Jalen Mills and Ronald Darby re-sign with the team and stay healthy). Drafting a cornerback in the first round is a rarity for Philadelphia -- the last time it happened was when the team grabbed Lito Sheppard out of Florida in 2002.
It is always a good idea to draft an offensive lineman no matter what round, but is it worth using a first-rounder on one for the second year in a row? I guess it depends on what Jason Kelce's retirement plans are.
With everything said, the Eagles are currently expected to draft a wide receiver with the 21st pick, but a cornerback selection should not come as a surprise either.
If I were Howie Roseman and I had to draft a wide receiver, I would select Tee Higgons out of Clemson. Last season Higgons had 59 receptions for 1,167 yards and 13 touchdowns. He is a towering receiver that can make big-time plays when called upon, and can likely be Alshon Jeffery's permanent replacement when Jeffery likely leaves the team after the 2020 season (unless Roseman somehow finds a way to dump him without taking too much of a loss).
Now, if I had to draft a cornerback, I would select CJ Henderson out of Florida. Last season Henderson was really quiet, but he had a solid career in Gainesville and was mentioned all season about being a first-round talent. Recent history says Gator cornerbacks don't transition well into the NFL, but I think Henderson will break that narrative if he ends up in midnight green.
Even though recent drafts haven't been widely-prasied, I trust that Howie Roseman will make the right decision on what is best for the Birds' future. The odds are also in Philadelphia's favor in that the team won't have constant devastating injuries for the fourth season in a row. The depth on this team (when healthy) is solid enough to do some damage in the NFC. The silver lining is that the Eagles should be healthier in 2020, and hopefully, Roseman nails his first-round selection this year while also finding a few late-round gems.
