Philadelphia Eagles: Was the 2017 NFL Draft class a flop?
The More Notable Picks
In the first four rounds, the Eagles selected four players who were expected to have a somewhat significant role from their rookie season and beyond. Out of the four, I would say only one of them are legitimately in danger of being cut at some point. The others will be a part of the team, but it’s hard to guess if any of them have earned a second contract so far.
Mack Hollins, WR, 118th pick
Mack Hollins was an exciting pick for Philly. While his special teams’ abilities likely made the pick more attractive to the team, his potential as a wideout was intriguing. He didn’t do much in his rookie season, but the small flashes on offense made everybody excited for Hollins’ Sophomore effort in 2018. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t make it on the field.
At this point, Hollins is struggling to get on the field as he deals with his third injury in the matter of a year. Durability wasn’t a concern coming out of college, but injuries have plagued Hollins since he’s been in the NFL. At this point, the former North Carolina wideout is in danger of being released this summer. If he can’t get on the field, but others behind him impress in the preseason, there should be no reason why the Eagles hold onto him.
What needs to happen? Hollins needs to get on the field and dominate in the preseason. He showed flashes against starters, so there should be no reason why he can’t be a WR1 against backups in the preseason. He’s in danger of getting cut.
Rasul Douglas, CB, 99th pick
Don’t be surprised if we’re saying Rasul Douglas panned out to be the best pick of the 2017 NFL Draft class for the Eagles by the end of the 2019 season. For the most part, Douglas has been healthy, which already makes him a lot more valuable and reliable than a lot of the others. Douglas was selected after Sidney Jones as an insurance, but at this point, Douglas is ahead of him in progress.
For whatever reason, it doesn’t seem like Jim Schwartz is Douglas’ biggest fan, but what No. 32 brings to the secondary is undeniable. He’s a ballhawk, and arguably the most reliable cornerback when it comes to forcing turnovers. Not to mention, he was visibly the best tackler in the secondary towards the end of last season. This guy is making a push to become a starter on the Eagles defense, and that third-round pick doesn’t look too bad at all.