There are several ways to build a team. Maybe we're programmed, but we believe the best way to do so is copying the Philadelphia Eagles' business model. They aren't the first to do it, but vice president/general manager Howie Roseman certainly learned at the foot of Andy Reid.
Big Red often took an offensive or defensive lineman on the NFL Draft's first night. The reason was simple. He believed in a theory. A football game is won in the trenches.
No one has to question how the Birds and model NFL franchises go about their business. The road map to winning is an easy road to travel.
Find a franchise quarterback. Draft guys to protect him. Draft guys to make life uncomfortable for the opposing team's quarterback. Philly has struck gold during each of the past five NFL Drafts.
The Eagles have struck gold four times over with their last four second-round draft choices.
Drafts are crap shoots. They're inexact sciences. More often than not, each team's executives are better at doing their jobs than fans would be. Every once in a while, however, we see the opposite. Sometimes, fans get it and the guys who get paid to make team decisions don't.
We still don't know what Joe Schoen was thinking about during Saquon Barkley's negotiations, but we're glad he messed things up. We're even happy, in hindsight, that Howie Roseman made the mistake of taking Jalen Reagor over Justin Jefferson.
Calm down. Let us explain...
Though that decision cut us to the core at the time, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith probably wouldn't be on the Eagles roster now if he hadn't. Even worse, DeVonta would probably be a Giant today.
Other than that, Howie's drafts have been fairly solid. Again, no team hits on all of its picks, but Roseman has been money in the second round lately. Just check out his last four second-round selections.
Keep something in mind as you read this. Philly traded its second-round selection to the Houston Texans during the 2023 NFL Draft after taking Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith in Round 1. That explains why there was no player taken during that round in 2023.
Cooper DeJean (2024) - Round 2, Pick 40
The most recent Eagles second-round selection looks like a home-run ball already. Cooper DeJean began the regular season injured but hasn't looked back since Week 6 when he was inserted into the starting lineup.
Coop has played his way into the conversation of being a finalist for the Associated Press's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. That's a nice honor though the favorites are his teammate Quinyon Mitchell (Philly's 2024 first-round selection) and Los Angeles Rams star Jared Verse.
Cam Jurgens (2022) - Round 2, Pick 51
Admittedly. the announcement of Cam Jurgens' selection forced us to dig up some of his games at the NCAA level. We knew he was highly-touted, but if we're being honest, we never watched much of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Cam earned Jason Kelce's confidence and seal of approval, so before we did anything, we felt better quickly. Then, we watched him cook, and we saw something, an athletic but undersized center.
Where have we seen that before?
Fast forward to the present. After lining up at right guard in his sophomore season, he's taken over for the future Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee, and he has earned a spot on the Pro Bowl roster after his first full regular season as the Eagles center.
Landon Dickerson (2021) - Round 2, Pick 37
Landon Dickerson is brilliant at what he does. He has been named to the Pro Bowl roster at the end of each of the past three seasons. The Birds hit the jackpot here, and as long as he is healthy, they should have no issues at the left guard position.
Philly's appreciative of his efforts, and they showed that by inking him to a four-year, $87 million deal on March 11th. That makes him the highest-paid guard in the National Football League's history.
Jalen Hurts (2020) - Round 2, Pick 53
A move we all thought was a mistake turned out to be one of the best decisions this franchise ever made. We never thought Jalen Hurts didn't have potential. We just thought he didn't need to be taken as high as he was.
It was evident as soon as he stepped into the lineup that this was the guy his offensive teammates wanted to follow. A.J. Brown wanted to come to Philly to play with him. Jalen isn't perfect nor will he ever be, but he is certainly a franchise quarterback.
Final thoughts: Did you notice something? Remember when we talked about the proper way to piece a team together?
Philly stuck to their plan, adding a QB and two offensive linemen with three of their past four second-round picks. Wouldn't you know it? All three of those guys have been named to Pro Bowl rosters.