Grading every Eagles first-round draft choice during Doug Pederson’s era
18. player. 54. . . . Jalen Reagor - 2020
Jalen Reagor never became the game-changing, dual-threat wide receiver the Eagles hoped he’d be when they drafted him.
It was a night that will live in infamy. Philadelphia surprised many of their fans and the rest of the NFL in 2020 by choosing to ignore Justin Jefferson and draft Jalen Reagor out of TCU instead. Reagor landed with Philly by way of the 21st pick. The Minnesota Vikings landed Jefferson with the following pick.
There isn’t a Birds fan living that doesn’t know how that worked out.
A shoulder injury forced Reagor to miss time in training camp. He was placed on the injured reserve on September 30th of 2020 and missed five games due to a torn ligament in his thumb.
He finished his first season with 31 receptions, 396 yards receiving, and one touchdown. He also returned four punts for 94 yards and found his way to the end zone once as a returner. If you’re interested, Jefferson appeared in all 16 games with 14 starts and collected 88 receptions that resulted in 1400 yards, seven touchdowns, and the first of three consecutive Pro Bowl appearances to begin his career.
Philadelphia hoped the 2021 season would provide a breakout for Reagor. It wasn’t. He continued to regress.
His sophomore campaign provided unforgettable moments like a dropped pass on a sure TD during the final drive of the Week 12 loss versus the New York Giants. There was also the Wild Card playoff loss versus the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He muffed two punts and lost one by way of a fumble.
In 2021, the Eagles found his replacement. They upgraded again in 2022 by adding A.J. Brown and Zach Pascal during the offseason which meant Jalen Reagor was the odd man out. On August 31st, he was traded to the Minnesota Vikings for a 2023 seventh-round pick and a conditional pick in 2024. Regardless of what Philly does with both picks, they’ll be in better shape than having Reagor on the roster. He’s without question the worst first-round draft choice of the Doug Pederson era.
