Eagles add weapon for Wentz, draft J.J. Arcega-Whiteside

The Philadelphia Eagles selected wide receiver J.J. Arcega-Whiteside out of Stanford in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft, 57th overall.

Arcega-Whiteside adds a big-play weapon to Doug Pederson's offense. He dominated on contested catches with the Cardinal.

With Alshon Jeffery and DeSean Jackson currently atop the Eagles' wideout depth chart, trade rumors for Nelson Agholor could ramp up. Philadephia had been listening to trade offers for the former first-round pick, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

School: Stanford
Height: 6-2
Weight: 225 lbs

Strengths

• Contested-catch machine, boxing out and high-pointing ball to make play after play
• Fights through contact to maintain positioning and get hands on ball
• Strong hands and massive catch radius
• Great release at line with footwork to beat press
• Can sink hips at top of his route and quickly get into a break
• Savvy route-runner who sets up defenders and creates separation with nuanced fakes
• Physicality and positioning draws plenty of flags from defenders trying to recover
• Effective blocker in running game

Weaknesses

• Lacks quickness coming out of his breaks
• Doesn't offer much in terms of playmaking ability after catch
• Didn't run an extensive route tree in college

Bottom line

Arcega-Whiteside is a fascinating prospect. The dominance in contested-catch situations is, of course, his calling card. When the ball goes up, it's his - he makes it look that easy. But he's also a better athlete than some would have expected, running a 4.49 40-time at his pro day, and he's demonstrated some nuance both with his release and in his routes that help to create separation. Arcega-Whiteside seems destined to be picked at some point on Day 2 and could end up proving to be a steal.

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