The NFL Draft is the most crucial part of the offseason for any team in the league hoping to achieve sustained success. Carson Wentz will forever be considered the deciding factor as to whether the Eagles did a good job this weekend, but the rest of the later round picks will have a chance to make a difference on a roster that is currently in flux, thanks to a coaching change.
b made it a point to address the team's depth needs with their seven picks in the final four rounds of the draft. As with most regime changes, the Chip Kelly guys will be weeded out in order to make room for the Doug Pederson people. Here's a look at how the recent draftees will fit in to the Eagles plans in 2016 and beyond.
QB Carson Wentz, North Dakota State
2016: It was assumed that Wentz was going to take a redshirt year in order to pick up the nuances of Pederson's offense and adjust to the speed of the NFL. But with the drama revolving around Sam Bradford, that plan may be in a bit of jeopardy. If Bradford is moved between now and training camp, Chase Daniel will be named the starter, but his track record says his play won't exactly be inspiring. If Daniel is forced to play, expect Wentz to see the field sooner, rather than later in 2016.
Beyond: Well, this is easy: Wentz is the franchise going forward. If he doesn't see the field in 2016, chances are, he will head into 2017 with a chance to challenge for the starting spot. With the amount the Eagles gave up for him, Wentz will be given every opportunity to take the starting QB job and the team will be patient with his development.
OL Isaac Seumalo, Oregon State
2016: Seumalo can play both guard and center, but will be given a shot at the starting left guard spot in training camp. Depending on how quickly he adapts to Pederson's offense, Seumalo may be used as a back up in 2016. His versatility could make him a valuable depth piece and his athleticism makes him a step above the current reserve linemen on the Eagles roster,
Beyond: The Eagles obviously view Seumalo as a long-term starter on their offensive line. If he can't win the battle at left guard, there is a shot he replaces Jason Kelce at center down the road. Kelce struggled last season and although his track record suggests he can return to form. However, if he doesn't, the Eagles can conceivable cut Kelce after 2017 with minimal cap implications. Whether at guard or center, expect Seumalo to be lining up in the trenches for the foreseeable future.
RB Wendell Smallwood, West Virginia
2016: With the Eagles backfield consisting of Ryan Mathews, Darren Sproles and Kenjon Barner, there will certainly be carries for Smallwood. Mathews is injury prone and Sproles and Barner are strictly change-of-pace backs. Make no mistake, if he's healthy, Mathews will be the feature back, but his injury history and inability to catch will give Smallwood an opportunity to make an impact in this offense.
Beyond: Despite his opportunity in 2016, Smallwood may not be the feature back of the future. He certainly could be, and at minimum he will be the starter in 2017, but there is a reason he was still available in the fifth round and his off the field history make him a bit of a wild card. I'm not saying his future is dim, but to count on a fifth round pick to carry this offense seems a bit too optimistic for right now. Let's wait until he hits the field as an Eagle before we anoint him the next Brian Westbrook.
OL Halapoulivaati Vaitai, TCU
2016: Like Seumalo, Vaitai's most likely role in 2016 is as a backup, albeit on the outside. Vaitai's versatility to play both tackle spots either is lauded by analysts as a positive, or there is concern about his ability to play either spot well. With Jason Peters and Lane Johnson entrenched at the starting spots for 2016, Vaitai's ability to play both spots could make him the top tackle off the bench.
Beyond: Chances are, Peters will be gone after 2016, but unless the team refuses to address the tackle spot with an early pick, Vaitai won't be tabbed to be the Eagles next right tackle. Unless he shows great promise this year, expect Vaitai to be considered an above-average backup who would be serviceable should a long-term injury to one of the starters occur.
CB Blake Countess, Auburn
2016: Despite people screaming about the Eagles need at cornerback, they already have a lot of veteran bodies. With Eric Rowe, Nolan Carroll, Leodis McKelvin, Ron Brooks and JaCorey Shepherd on the roster, there isn't much room to hide a developmental prospect. Countess could be stashed on the practice squad for 2016 in hopes he can develop into a decent corner to replace one of the veterans on a short-term contract.
Beyond: At just 5'9", 184 pound, Countess doesn't exactly have the measurables to be a starting corner. He has the potential to be a nickel corner and a contributor on special teams. Countess also has experience at safety, so he could be developed into a third safety who specializes in pass coverage.
S Jalen Mills, LSU
2016: In the seventh round, Mills was an absolute steal as far as talent is concerned. His character questions are what made him fall this far, but as a seventh-round pick, there isn't much risk involved. With his skills, a team could snatch him up if the the Eagles try to stash him on the practice squad, so expect him to compete with Jerome Couplin and Ed Reynolds for the third safety spot this year.
Beyond: The Eagles have already invested a lot of money in Malcolm Jenkins and Rodney McLeod as their starting safeties, so unless Mills becomes the next Ed Reed, there is little chance for him to start on this team for the foreseeable future. Just like a lot of these late round picks, the Eagles can hope that Mills will develop into an above average reserve player who contributes on special teams and can fill in at safety and the slot corner spot.
DE Alex McCalister, Florida
2016: The Eagles defensive line has a lot of top-end talent, but is lacking some depth. Most of the defensive ends are converted 3-4 linebackers and the defensive tackles are nose guards or 5-techniques transitioning to Jim Schwartz's new scheme. McCalister doesn't yet weigh 240 pounds and is a raw pass rusher. He has impressive quickness off the ball and can either develop on the practice squad or if he really impresses in training camp, he could be used as a speed rusher off the edge in passing downs, but that scenario seems like a long shot.
Beyond: McCalister's best shot at sticking with the Eagles is as a situational pass rusher. He was used in a similar role at Florida and if he can keep his nose clean and polish up his pass-rushing instincts, he could be a successful role player for the Eagles.
LB Joe Walker, Oregon
2016: Walker fills an immediate need as a backup inside linebacker, something the Eagles didn't have on the roster before drafting him. With Jordan Hicks' injury history, Walker is relatively close to being the leader in the middle of the Eagles defense. Walker is relatively quick, but being undersized could hurt him when playing behind a penetrating defensive line.
Beyond: Walker can use his speed to be a decent special teams contributor. However, him making the team in 2016 is based solely on the lacking of any other options. If the Eagles start to prioritize the linebacker position in the future, Walker could find himself on the wrong side of the cut downs. Chances are he doesn't stick around for a while.
Tucker Bagley is a columnist for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @tbagley515.
