Wide receiver prospects the Eagles should draft to join A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith

The Philadelphia Eagles were one of just four NFL teams to finish with multiple 1,000-yard wide receivers last season. It speaks to the insane talent both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith possess. The only problem is the depth behind those two pass-catchers is shallow and that's putting it lightly.

Veteran options Julio Jones, Olamide Zaccheus, and Quez Watkins will all be unrestricted free agents come March 13. There is a gaping hole on the roster at WR3 and the 2024 NFL Draft offers a chance to fill it in. Here's a look at three wide receiver prospects capable of making an immediate impact.

Ladd McConkey (Georgia)

The Eagles have used five draft picks on Georgia prospects over the past two years. Maintaining that trend with Ladd McConkey wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, the 22-year-old has shown he knows what it takes to win a championship and rack up yards after the catch no matter who he is facing.

McConkey averaged 14.4 yards per touch and totaled 18 touchdowns as a Bulldog. He regularly uses his ability to change direction on a dime to create separation as a route-runner and is praised for his consistent acceleration. Those are two crucial traits of slot receivers that stick around in the NFL.

It's worth noting McConkey has seen a recent rise in mock drafts. That can be attributed to the 4.39-second 40-yard dash and 1.52-second 10-yard split he posted at the combine. His speed looks even faster on game film, so the front office should be over the moon if he is still available at No. 50 overall.

Roman Wilson (Michigan)

Keep an eye on Michigan's Roman Wilson as he also comes with championship experience. The Hawaii native tallied 789 yards and 12 touchdowns on 48 receptions throughout the Wolverines' national title season. His average of 16.4 yards per catch ranked second in the Big Ten conference.

What sticks out about Wilson is his willingness to take on contact at any point. He relies on it to get away from defenders when running routes and to serve as a blocker when someone else has the ball. An ability to play bigger than his size (5-foot-11, 185 pounds) gives him great upside at the next level.

It's vital to remember new offensive coordinator Kellen Moore's Los Angeles Chargers offense ranked eighth in snap motion percentage (25.9%) in 2023-24. The Eagles ranked dead last (10.9%). Any shift to more motion would benefit a prospect like Wilson, who got moved around all the time at Michigan.

Jha'Quan Jackson (Tulane)

Another strategy the Eagles could take is signing a free agent wideout on a short deal and spending a late-round pick on a receiving prospect in need of refinement. Jha'Quan Jackson is a name that comes to mind in that scenario because of the stats he put up as a standout kick returner at Tulane.

Jackson's elusiveness was on display as he logged 772 yards on 35 kick returns (22.1-yard average) across three seasons. Meanwhile, Philadelphia's 254 total kick return yards checked in as the sixth-lowest mark last campaign. Adding a fresh face to that portion of the team would be a welcome sight.

Of course, learning alongside an elite duo in Brown and Smith would give Jackson ample room to improve as a slot receiver. He already showed a glimpse of how hard he will work to do just that with a polished gauntlet drill run at the combine. Drops that plagued him in college are in the rearview mirror.

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