Get to know the 2022 Eagles Draft class

The long-awaited 2022 NFL Draft has come and gone, and the Eagles, by many accounts, had a fantastic weekend. Several major media outlets gave the Eagles grades of A- and above, and ESPN’s Mel Kiper gave the Birds a B+. They managed to land star wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Tennessee Titans in exchange for the 18th overall pick. In addition to trading for Brown, the Eagles bolstered their defense in two of their first three picks, while adding some young talented prospects. Here are the members of the Eagles 2022 Draft class.

Round 1 Pick 13: Jordan Davis – Defensive Tackle (University of Georgia):

The Eagles traded up two spots from 15th overall (along with the 124th overall pick, the 162nd, and 166th overall pick) with the Houston Texans to select Jordan Davis. Davis was the star of the historically good 2021 Georgia defense. He is a freakish athlete, standing at 6 feet, 6 inches tall, weighing in at 340 pounds, and running a 4.78 40-yard dash at 4.78 seconds. Davis is just the third player in NFL Scouting Combine history over 330 pounds to run a 40-yard dash under five seconds. In both the passing game, Davis is nearly impossible to block with just one offensive lineman, dominating opposing linemen with an effective bull-rush maneuver and his exceptional lateral agility. Davis is a well rounded interior defensive lineman who should turn into a very productive player for the Birds.

Round 2 Pick 51: Cameron Jurgens – Center (University of Nebraska):

With their second pick in this year’s draft, the Eagles drafted the 6 foot, 3 inch, 290 pound center Cameron Jurgens. The Nebraska product might be a great replacement for Jason Kelce when he eventually retires or departs. Jurgens has all the tools to thrive in offenses that implement lots of moving pockets, which would certainly benefit the mobile nature of Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts. Jurgens was apparently handpicked by Kelce to be his successor due to all the similar traits they have as centers. Jurgens should get a year to develop under Kelce, and that should benefit his development.

Round 3 Pick 83: Nakobe Dean – Linebacker (Georgia):

In one of the most shocking draft slides in recent Draft history, Nakobe Dean, who was widely projected to be one of the first linebackers off the board, fell all the way to the third round, where the Eagles capitalized and took him with the 83rd overall pick. That pick might have been the steal of the draft, as Dean was the 2021 Butkus Award winner, an award that recognizes college football’s best linebacker. Dean was at the forefront of one of the best defenses in college football history, showcasing his abilities in both pass coverage and blitzing. He has good instincts and quickness that allow him to shoot gaps well and disrupt plays in the backfield. If Dean can stay healthy consistently, he could be a franchise cornerstone for the Eagles.

Round 6 Pick 181: Kyron Johnson – Linebacker (University of Kansas):

Kyron Johnson is an interesting developmental prospect for the Eagles. He spent the final season of his college career playing as an edge rusher. Johnson notched 6.5 sacks and forced four fumbles. Johnson spent his first three collegiate seasons as a linebacker, and during the draft process, teams saw him as a linebacker prospect rather than an edge rusher. Johnson will likely be a special teams contributor to start out, but his versatility should make for an interesting transition back to linebacker for the Eagles.

Round 6 Pick 198: Grant Calcaterra – Tight End (Southern Methodist University):

With their final selection in this year’s draft, the Eagles picked 6 foot, 6 inch, 247 pound tight end out of SMU, Grant Calcaterra. Calcaterra has great size, and decent speed for his size. Calcaterra has the route-running ability, reliable hands, and ability to go up and get the ball that make for a potentially lethal red-zone target for Jalen Hurts. Calcaterra has a lengthy history of concussions, even retiring in 2019 before returning to football this past season. If Calcaterra can stay healthy, he can be a sneaky good compliment to Dallas Goedert at tight end for the Birds.