Philadelphia Eagles: An ideal re-draft of their 2019 class

Nothing changes with the second pick either.

This one isn’t too hard to figure out. Miles Sanders developed right before our eyes in 2019. At first, he struggled to find the running lanes the offensive line cleared for him, and he was eager to burst through the nearest opening. He was still valuable when he was used primarily as a receiver in the first half of the year. In the second half of the year, he transitioned into a new role as not only the starting running back in Jordan Howard’s absence but also as a primary playmaker in the offense.

Sanders finished 18th in the NFL and first among rookie running backs in all-purpose yards. He collected 818 rushing yards on 179 carries (4.6 yards per attempt), 509 receiving yards on 50 receptions, and six total touchdowns. Not to mention, in the playoffs, he ran for 69 yards on 14 carries even though he wasn’t one-hundred percent with his ankle. Sanders also provided value in pass protection, which everyone was told was an area of concern for him coming out of college.

His best play came down the stretch with the season on the line. In week 15, he tore up the Washington Redskins defense with 122 rushing yards on 19 carries along with 50 receiving yards on six receptions. He also scored two total touchdowns. In week 16, he didn’t disappoint in the biggest game of the NFC East’s year with 79 rushing yards, 77 receiving yards, and one touchdown on 25 total touches against the rival Cowboys. He exited week 17’s matchup with the New York Giants early with an injury, but he already had racked up 52 rushing yards on just nine carries.

Head coach Doug Pederson found ways to utilize Sanders in the offense and running backs’ coach Duce Staley made sure he always ready to go. The Eagles appear to have made the right choice with this pick. Sanders still has to perform consistently over the next few seasons, but Howie Roseman and the front office found themselves a key contributor at the least.