The Eagles addressed another team need in the fifth round of the Draft, selecting running back Wendell Smallwood from West Virginia.
The 5’10”, 208-pound back from Wilmington, DE comes in as a bit of an unknown, but has some tools that could make him a solid selection down the road.
Here’s a scouting report on the newest Eagles running back.
Smallwood is no hype, no flash, all business. Among his most notable strengths is an ability to attack the crease and run aggressively. There’s nothing wrong with that at all.
He has a good ability to read the field, pick up blitzes and remains sharp when on offense.
That said, there are questions as to whether his frame works for the NFL. His size and durability are certainly a question mark, which probably makes this a bit of a reach for the Eagles at this point.
Smallwood is a good runner with great hands and a capable blocker, but doesn’t appear to have the athleticism to make him a standout back.
Perhaps the biggest knock on him is the lack of flash and flair. He’s not a standout. He doesn’t make jaw-dropping plays. He’s just a gritty worker who continues to stack up quality runs that can make a drive successful.
His hands make him a potential option for a pass out of the backfield, some believe the best back in the draft on the pass, and his smarts and will on the ground can make him a good third-down back, but he’s more likely to slip behind another running back on the depth chart as a depth and role player.
Smallwood is a work in progress prospect for the Eagles, but a solid selection when you see his body of work as a whole.
In his career at West Virginia, Smallwood played in 38 games, rushing for 2,508 yards and 12 touchdowns in his career. He also caught 68 passes for 618 yards.
The Eagles had an immediate need at running back for sure and as the names started to disappear, they had to do something. It’s a little out of left field, and he may be considered a bit of an undersized running back, but it could be an effective pick with the proper development.
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
