Young Eagles offensive stars not named Hurts who are expected to impress

Kenneth Gainwell was a nice find for the Eagles in the fifth round of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The analysis of collegiate stars differs from one draft pundit to the next every year when these guys are officially introduced to the NFL audience, but when the Philadelphia Eagles made the decision to take Kenneth Gainwell 150th-overall, during Round 5 of the 2021 NFL Draft, one word kept coming up over and over again… ‘steal’.

Gainwell racked up 1,550 rushing yards on 235 carries, 662 receiving yards on 57 receptions, and 17 total touchdowns during 18 career games at the NCAA level as a member of the Memphis Tigers from 2018 to 2019. The American Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year Award and a First-Team All-AAC in 2019 was the result.

Year one of his NFL career yielded some sweet fruit as well. In 16 games with one start playing primarily in a reserve role, he hauled in 33 passes for 253 yards. He racked up another 291 yards on 68 carries. He reached the end zone five times as a rusher and once as a receiver. Then, in Philly’s lone playoff game, he racked up 55 yards on six touches, and he scored again as a receiver.

The expectation is this. Philadelphia will find more ways to get the ball in Gainwell’s hands in 2022, and that will result in a breakout season. This young man is going to be a fan favorite and splitting snaps with Miles Sanders and Boston Scott will keep him fresh all season.