National Football League

Noteworthy: Eagles' 2016 draft class gets a passing grade

Updated Mar. 5, 2020 1:02 a.m. ET

Fansided, Geoffrey Knox/FanSided via Inside the Iggles

Recently NFL.com’s Bucky Brooks offered his analysis of the Eagles’ 2016 draft class, and you’ll want to know what he had to say.

Last week in the news:

It’s always an interesting topic for NFL fans, and it’s especially true if you follow the Philadelphia Eagles. We’re always interested in who the team’s adding. If it isn’t an off-season acquisition, it’s all about what direction the team has to go in the draft.

After watching the Eagles’ core get ripped apart by the Chip Kelly regime, the reconstruction of the team became even more interesting than it normally is. The 2016 NFL Draft was must watch television, and some would even say the Eagles had no margin for error. 16 games later, we continue to debate how good this class will be. This past week, Bucky Brooks, media analyst for NFL.com joined the discussion. He ranked the draft classes in each division, and when it was all said and done, the Eagles finished with an overall grade of a B-, good for third in the NFC East.

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What we’ve learned:

As you’d expect, the Dallas Cowboys were ranked first. Yes, they’ve had a tendency to stink it up in their decision making process from time to time. Still, finding your next franchise quarterback in the fourth round won’t make anybody complain. Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott had great years, and some saw them as legitimate MVP candidates. Maliek Collins and Anthony Brown made their presence felt on defense. Truthfully, they might have received even more attention for their efforts if it hadn’t been for what we saw from their offensive teammates.

The fallout:

So here we are. The Eagles are now looking up at the Cowboys in this division. They’ll continue to build their team. The free agency period and the draft will go a long way in determining how fast they bounce back. Attention will need to be placed on neutralizing the Cowboys strengths. Good first years by Wendell Smallwood and Carson Wentz aren’t enough. Philadelphia will need even more from Isaac Seumalo, Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and Jalen Mills. They’ll need to generate consistent pressure on Prescott. They can’t let Elliott run all over them. Changes have to be made at the skill positions and in the secondary.

The jury hasn’t rendered a decision on the Eagles most recent draft class yet, and the next selection meeting will be must-see television again. This division’s four teams are closer than you think. One or two players could separate anyone from the pack. Regardless of what happens, things are shaping up for some great football in 2017.