In the end, the Eagles stayed home.
After months of speculation that Chip Kelly would charge up the draft board in Round 1, the Eagles kept the 20th overall pick and selected USC wide receiver Nelson Agholor. It's a necessary addition to a wide receiver corps that has parted ways with Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson in back-to-back offseasons.
Agholor becomes the eighth Pac-12 player selected in Chip Kelly's three years with the Eagles. He was a standout as a two-year starter with the Trojans, totaling 179 receptions for 2,571 yards and 20 touchdowns. Philadelphia adds a sure-handed receiver and strong route runner who can do damage after the catch. He projects as a replacement for Maclin on the outside with plenty of upside in Kelly's high-octane offense.
It's the latest new piece in an offense that will look very different than the one that ended the 2014 season. Agholor joins fellow newbies Sam Bradford, DeMarco Murray and Ryan Mathews to form a new nucleus in Philly.
The move makes plenty of sense, though Thursday night will likely be remembered for the inability to land a new franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota. They instead settle for an upgrade that should benefit Bradford, who surely knows how close he came to further career upheaval.
The latest Around The NFL Podcast recaps the first round of the NFL Draft. Find more Around The NFL content on NFL NOW.
