Eagles Improving Other Teams in Top Rounds of NFL Draft

Jan 4, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles (9) throws the ball as New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan (94) chases in the second quarter during the 2013 NFC wild card playoff football game at Lincoln Financial Field. The Saints won 26-24. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

3) 2011 NFL Draft, First Round

Philadelphia Eagles select Danny Watkins, Offensive Guard (22nd overall)

New Orleans Saints select Cameron Jordan, Defensive End (23rd overall)

This one just hurts. I could honestly take away any comparison to another team’s pick and it would still be extremely disappointing. It’s the whole idea of taking a player in the first round who only played FBS college football for two years, then adding on that they are four to six years older than your average NFL Draft choice even before they step on the field, then adding in that the actual result for the Eagles was a colossal waste of a draft choice that ultimately set the tone for a season chock full of eventual sadness, and finally that the player selected with the very next pick has been quite successful.

As a rookie, Danny Watkins missed getting into training camp on time on an already shortened NFL offseason and didn’t start a regular season game until Week 5. The highlight of his Eagles tenure was starting the final twelve games of the season, but from there essentially spent his entire Eagles career either struggling to get healthy, falling out of favor with former offensive line coach Howard Mudd, or having his desire to play football questioned before unceremoniously being cut by the team’s then-new head coach, Chip Kelly, in 2013.

New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan was not immediately a monster on the defensive line for the Saints, but still contributed positively with 31 tackles and a sack as a rookie in 2011. Since, he has trended upwards each year and peaked with a breakout 2013 that had him tallying 12.5 sacks. Also, he has started in all but one game in his three-year career. It’s not exactly rocket science to say that the Eagles would have benefitted from having Cameron Jordan, a contributor to his team, opposed to a first round pick who made it all of two seasons before the plug was pulled.