Jordan Mailata, Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown earned recognition in PFF’s ranking of the NFL’s best draft values.
The Philadelphia Eagles have built one of the NFL’s premier rosters through a combination of aggressive trades, smart free-agent acquisitions, and strong drafting. According to Pro Football Focus, their ability to identify talent outside the first round has been particularly impressive.
PFF’s Bradley Locker recently released his rankings of the most valuable non-first-round NFL Draft picks since 2016. Philadelphia was one of the most represented organizations on the list, with three current Eagles earning spots among the league’s biggest draft steals of the past decade. Jalen Hurts checked in at No. 15 after being selected with the 53rd overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. While opinions on Hurts can still vary depending on who is doing the evaluating, his accomplishments have long since justified his draft position.
Locker noted that Hurts owns the seventh-highest overall PFF grade among quarterbacks over the past five seasons and has accumulated the ninth-most ‘Wins Above Replacement’ during that span. More importantly, he has helped guide the Eagles to two Super Bowl appearances and one championship, accomplishments few second-round quarterbacks can claim.
This may not be the case much longer, but at the time of this story’s creation, A.J. Brown is still an Eagle. The man who wears Philadelphia’s Number 11 jersey ranks 11th on Locker’s ranking. He earned recognition for a career that has consistently exceeded expectations since the Tennessee Titans selected him in the second round of the 2019 NFL Draft. Locker states Brown’s 93.6 receiving grade since entering the league ranks fourth among NFL receivers. His blend of size, strength, and explosiveness has made him one of football’s most difficult players to defend, helping him establish himself as one of the NFL’s elite wideouts.
The highest-ranked Eagle on the list was left tackle Jordan Mailata. He landed at No. 2 overall. Mailata’s journey remains one of the NFL’s best stories. Few draft selections have delivered more value than Mailata, who entered the league as the 233rd overall pick in 2018 despite having no meaningful football experience. The former rugby player has developed into one of the NFL’s premier offensive tackles and one of the greatest developmental success stories in franchise history. Locker highlighted Mailata’s 94.1 career PFF grade, which ranks among the best for offensive tackles over the past eight seasons.
What began as a late-round gamble has evolved into a cornerstone piece of a championship-caliber roster. For an organization already known for building through the trenches, seeing Mailata, Brown, and Hurts recognized among the NFL’s most valuable non-first-round selections serves as further evidence that the Eagles remain one of football’s best talent-evaluating organizations.
