Alabama’s Landon Dickerson. (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
The Philadelphia Eagles had a good draft in 2021, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t mistakes that could come back to haunt them.
Eagles fans have got to be feeling pretty good about the 2021 NFL Draft.
Philadelphia had nine selections and used them to address a load of needs. Best of all, they stuck it to the Giants by leaping them to steal DeVonta Smith, a wide receiver who will instantly upgrade the passing game.
Despite those victories, Howie Roseman and company did miss the mark a few times.
Here are three mistakes the Eagles made in the 2021 NFL Draft
3. Taking the risk on Landon Dickerson
There’s no question Landon Dickerson is a good offensive lineman. He might have even been worth a first-round selection on ability alone. The trouble is his ability isn’t the only factor teams had to take into account when drafting him.
Dickerson’s injury history is bad. He’s already had two ACL surgeries and additional procedures for ankle injuries.
It’s not that Dickerson was a bad selection. He can play center or guard, with experience at tackle as well. That kind of versatility with his blocking capabilities is extremely valuable for a team that will need to replace veterans across the line in the future.
Moreover, the offensive line wasn’t a critical need for 2021. There were other positions that could have used a second-round addition, especially when the pick that got made was such a gamble on the injury front.