If you logged on to Twitter dot com today, you have probably seen Jalen Reagor is trending in the football category. The wide receiver who once was considered a draft bust after one season is now garnering… praise? Not even from biased Eagles fans, but props from fans around the league. How did this happen? Where did Reagor come from, and where will he go from here? Is this new hype real? Keep reading to find out.
The Philadelphia Eagles Select…
Jalen Reagor was drafted by the Eagles with the 21st pick of the 2020 NFL draft. This was a confusing move at the time, as LSU wide receiver Justin Jefferson was considered the next best receiver on the board by NFL analysts. Some Eagle fans immediately were disgusted. Reagor had not a ton of production in college, and his biggest critiques were drop issues and size. “Oh great, we drafted the next Nelson Agholor after literally just getting rid of him” were the thoughts of half of the fanbase.
But the other half saw the potential. Reagor’s TCU tape was insane. The man could take a screen to the house but also make DBs look silly in the open field. Not to mention, he was a blazer, and goodness knows how much we needed speed on our receiving core. Plus, Howie Roseman has been one of the league’s better GMs, and Doug Pederson knows how to get creative on offense. With newly extended QB Carson Wentz, who plays best with a consistent deep threat, Reagor was sure to be a perfect fit over the slightly slower Jefferson. Maybe his college numbers were subpar, but his quarterback was not very good. Surely that won’t happen in the NFL now that Carson Wentz is his quarterback. He has all the tools to be the next Desean Jackson, right?
So How Did He Do?
When the 2020 season rolled around, it seemed that the optimists would be right at first. Reagor’s first NFL reception was a 55-yard bomb against the Washington Football Team. It would’ve been a touchdown, too, if the ball was placed a little further, but Carson Wentz is just warming up. This Eagles offense will be impossible to stop in 2020!
However, as the season wore on, the move to draft Jalen Reagor seemed sillier and sillier. Not only did he suffer a significant thumb injury that sidelined him for 5 games, but that Justin Jefferson fellow (who was picked one spot after Reagor) was tearing it up. Reagor’s first NFL touchdown came in Week 8, but by that point, Jefferson already had won a rookie of the week distinction. In fact, Jefferson was the runner-up for Offensive Rookie of the Year after finishing the year with a ridiculous 1,400 yards and 7 TDs. Reagor, on the other hand, was inconsistent at best, never finishing with more than 55 yards in a game (yes, that means his one 55 yard catch in week one set his career-high in receiving yards in a game).
Shame and Regret?
That led us into this offseason’s narrative. Reagor is a bust. Doug Pederson could not scheme him open as we had hoped. Howie Roseman sucks at drafting (remember last year when he took JJ Arcega-Whiteside over D.K. Metcalf? LOL). The Eagles surely will regret this for years to come. Jalen Reagor was drafted to the Eagles right before they fell off a cliff, and the pessimists were taking victory laps. They were right; Justin Jefferson would have done so much better in Philly.
But it seemed we had forgotten that Jalen Reagor is only a man. Jalen was frustrated. He knew he was better, and some cocky fans on Twitter reminding him of his bust status took a toll. The 22-year-old damn near deleted his social media platforms. Reagor made his Instagram profile picture black, deleted all his posts, and changed his bio: “I’M TAKING EVERYTHING PERSONAL.”
This was a rude awakening for NFL fans everywhere. Perhaps we were too hard on him? He showed flashes, after all. That punt return TD to keep us in the game in Green Bay was promising. His chemistry with new QB Jalen Hurts seemed much better than the disgraced Carson Wentz. Shoot, it seems like they’re working out together every day! Is it really fair to call him a bust after one year?
A New Hope
Coming into camp, it seemed like the answer was yes. He failed his conditioning test and started off the camp on the injury list. He was making a lot of mental mistakes and drawing the ire of the new coaching staff. Is it time to give up on Reagor?
New coach Nick Sirianni did not think so. As a former receiver’s coach, Sirianni knows how to help the position reach its full potential. After the coach yelled at him in practice one day, we saw a whole new Reagor. Two dazzling catches have put Reagor-optimists back in power.
And that brings us to the present. Reagor has really picked it up this offseason, and the question on all Eagles fans’ minds: can he turn this into production? I believe that he can. As mentioned earlier, Doug Pederson didn’t really know how to use JR. Running seams, drags, and end-arounds is not ideal for someone as shifty as Jalen. Nick Sirianni has worked with receivers of all skillsets, and one of his philosophies is scheming to his players’ strengths. The Doug/Press Taylor reign did not necessarily follow that philosophy. Not to mention, with hyped 1st round pick Devonta Smith and camp superstar Quez Watkins likely to gain top priority on the defensive side of the ball, Reagor could slip through the cracks and quietly have a productive season.
Overall, I am bullish on Reagor. There is so much more to this kid. He has faced adversity and is ready to prove the doubters wrong. Maybe I am overreacting to the spectacular catch he made today, but I think it is indicative of who he can be.
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Jish Sokolsky is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Jish, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
