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- Mar 20, 2019
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It’s not that the Eagles necessarily think quarterback Jalen Hurts is going to turn into Russell Wilson.
But memories of missing out on Wilson in the 2012 NFL Draft played a part in the Eagles using a second-round pick on Hurts this year, a decision which has drawn a mixed response considering the contract they gave starting quarterback Carson Wentz.
Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman told John Clark of NBCSportsPhiladelphia.com that he didn’t want to risk losing a player he had targeted. In 2012, his hope was to draft Russell Wilson in the third round and then Nick Foles in the fourth. The Seahawks took Wilson 75th overall, leaving the Eagles to take Foles 88th overall so they didn’t miss out completely.
“In 2012, we had a vision,” Roseman said. “We had a vision that we would draft a quarterback who’s been extremely successful, and I don’t want tampering charges on me but I think we can understand who that was, and then come back in the fourth round and draft a quarterback who won a world championship for us and go back-to-back. And I feel like we got a little cute. And I don’t know that there’s a big difference between taking the 53rd pick in the draft and taking a pick in the third round if you feel strongly about a guy.”
The Eagles had a pair of second-round picks in 2012, and used the 46th overall choice on Mychal Kendricks and the 59th on Vinny Curry. While both those players have their merits, it’s hard to argue they’ve been more valuable than Wilson would have been.
The Eagles have insisted that the selection of Hurts doesn’t change the way they view Wentz. But the way they view the quarterback position has changed over the years, and Roseman doesn’t want to get caught short there again.