5 Best Philadelphia Eagles rookie seasons from 2000-2009

Jeremy Maclin was a nice new weapon for Donovan McNabb and a nice complement to DeSean Jackson in the Eagles’ offense.

The year after the Birds struck gold with DeSean Jackson in the draft, they looked for another game-breaker early and landed his partner in crime in the 2009 NFL Draft. Philadelphia uncharacteristically added a wide receiver on the selection meeting’s first night by selecting Jeremy Maclin, a sure-handed young star out of the University of Missouri.

One of the highlights of Maclin’s rookie season came in Week 5 when he hauled in six receptions for 142 yards with two touchdowns in a 33-14 blowout victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

He would end the 2009 season with 773 receiving yards and four touchdowns on 56 receptions.

Jeremy finished third on the team in receiving yards that season. Only DeSean Jackson (1.156) and Brent Celek (971) wound up with more.

The Mizzou alum also produced the third most receiving yards by a rookie league-wide that season, as he only trailed Minnesota’s Percy Harvin (790) and New York Giants star Hakeem Nicks (790).

The bright lights of the playoffs didn’t faze a young Maclin as he hauled in seven receptions for 146 yards with one touchdown in the Wild Card Game versus the Dallas Cowboys. With that performance, he would brake the franchise record for receiving yards in a playoff game, which was originally held by Keith Jackson who once notch 142.