From Maclin and McCoy to Sanders and Arcega-Whiteside

After being selected in the 2nd round by the Philadelphia Eagles, Penn State RB Miles Sanders and Stanford WR J.J. Arcega-Whiteside were officially introduced at the Nova Care Complex today.

This picture looked very familiar to one taken during the NFL Draft 10 years ago that led to the Eagles selection of two well-known offensive play-makers.

While Jeremy Maclin was a first-round pick, taking both Sanders and Arcega-Whiteside in the second round was the highest back to back selections the Eagles have made on a RB and WR since Maclin and McCoy in 2009.

Chip Kelly selected Nelson Agholor in the first round in 2015 but throughout the two Howie Roseman-led eras, Jordan Matthews was the only RB/WR that was selected before the third round. Even that pick screams of Chip Kelly influence, as a story came out that Kelly wanted to select Matthews in the first round.

Roseman and the front office have stayed true to their commitment of building the offensive and defensive lines. The two positions have made up six first and second round selections in seven drafts that Roseman has manned the roster.

Andre Dillard represents that philosophy but the Sanders and Arcega-Whiteside selections show exactly what Maclin, McCoy, and DeSean Jackson represented a decade ago.

The Eagles are ready to build a future core of weapons for Carson Wentz.

In back to back draft classes, Philadelphia has taken three skilled position players with four first and second-round picks. Zach Ertz was already an established, Super Bowl hero at TE but the organization still selected Dallas Goedert with their only pick in the top two rounds of 2018.

Now they have the best of both worlds. Established weapons in Alshon Jeffery, Jackson, Ertz, and Nelson Agholor. Goedert, Arcega-Whiteside and Sanders provide the youth and potential stability. Youth and stability the Eagles didn't have when Kelly decided to cast Jackson, Maclin, and McCoy out of town.

The similarities in the plan from 2009 and 2019 are very noticeable with the additions of Sanders and Arcega-Whiteside. The Eagles hope both can emulate what McCoy and Maclin did after being drafted ten years ago.

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