The Philadelphia Eagles made a much needed move to acquire a top wide receiver in the NFL Draft. For all of the moves the team made in free agency, replacing Jeremy Maclin was not one of them. The Eagles lost their leading receiver to Kansas City and will now hope that rookie Nelson Agholor can replace him. The former USC standout said he is ready to work for the role.
With their first pick in the NFL Draft, the Eagles did not trade up for Marcus Mariota or trade down to acquire defensive help. They stayed put and snagged Agholor who now has been shoes to fill. Maclin was the center piece of the passing offense last season after the departure of DeSean Jackson. With him gone, Agholor better start putting in the work early.
"I think I understand the way life works," Agholor said, via the Philadelphia Inquirer. "I don't feel like I'm entitled to anything. . . . Work like a peasant. That's the mind-set. My parents have raised us to be very humble and to understand everything in life you have to earn."
Agholor certainly has the resume and skill set to be a star in the NFL which is exactly what the Eagles need. Prior to the draft, Philadelphia was preparing to move ahead with Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews as their leading receivers. Matthews put together a decent rookie campaign, but spent a portion of the season injured which hurt his growth. Cooper saw a drop off last season after having a standout 2013 with Nick Foles. In addition to the two, the Eagles signed Miles Austin to a deal. He is an injury risk who can be hot and cold during the year.
If Agholor excels early, the Eagles might make roster changes as they set their 32-man list. While Cooper and Matthews are not going anywhere, their playing time could take a hit if the USC star proves he can be a true threat on the field. NFL.com already has Agholor as a potential fantasy star in 2015, something the Eagles hope becomes true.
Someone else hoping to remain a fantasy star is Darren Sproles. The Eagles made the move to acquire DeMarco Murray in the draft alongside signing Ryan Mathews to a contract. That could leave Sproles without certain playing time on the field. The Eagles attempted to acquire as many playmaking stars as possible to help out Sam Bradford at the quarterback spot. Sproles will be a part of that and get his touches.
