Jim Mora, Jr Answers my Questions on Eagles and the Draft

The former longtime NFL coach dishes on Jaylen Waddle, DeVonta Smith, the Eagles trade to No. 12, and more

Ed Kracz | Apr 15, 2021

PHILADELPHIA – Jim Mora, Jr spent 25 years in the NFL in various coaching capacities including three years as the head coach for the Atlanta Falcons.

He knows his way around a draft war room.

He sat down with me on Thursday morning to discuss some burning questions I have as the 2021 NFL Draft winds its way under two weeks until it begins on April 29.

First, how did he feel about GM Howie Roseman’s trade down from No. 6 to No. 12.

Second, and for me, the one I really can’t wait to see the answer to when the draft begins, is whether or not the Eagles should take a wide receiver with the No. 12 pick.

They took three WRs in last year’s, including in the first round with the selection of Jalen Reagor. Two years ago, they took J.J. Arcega-Whiteside in the second round.

That’s a lot of draft capital. Plus, they have Greg Ward and Travis Fulgham.

So, is it time to let a new regime with new ideas try to play to the drafted WRs strengths and develop them? It is certainly something the previous regime under Doug Pederson struggled to do.

Is it counterproductive to keep on trying to add to the position at the expense of neglecting other positions?

Mora chimed in with his answer, and it’s worth hearing.

Furthermore, I was interested to hear how he separates the two Alabama receivers, DeVonta Smith and Jaylen Waddle, where his evaluations led him to determine which one the Eagles could lean toward if they go WR again and both are still sitting on the board at No. 12.

Mora said the Eagles will have lots of options at No. 12 and included three defensive players: Penn State LB Micah Parsons, and DBs Patrick Surtain II and Jaycee Horn.

Watch the video and see what Mora had to say about all of this.

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

Published Apr 15, 2021

ED KRACZ

Ed Kracz has been covering the Eagles full-time for over a decade and has written about Philadelphia sports since 1996. He wrote about the Phillies in the 2008 and 2009 World Series, the Flyers in their 2010 Stanely Cup playoff run to the finals, and was in Minnesota when the Eagles secured their first-ever Super Bowl win in 2017. Ed has received multiple writing awards as a sports journalist, including several top-five finishes in the Associated Press Sports Editors awards.