Nick Wright is willing to say what others won’t about Philadelphia Eagles executive Howie Roseman. And whether you agree with him is sort of beyond the point. But it seems the FS1 star and First Things First personality is tired of the praise that’s showered upon the 48-year-old Roseman, who’s earned a bit of reputation for getting great value — either in the draft or via trade.
This past weekend, the Eagles left the 2024 NFL Draft with arguably the best cornerbacks in the class: Toldedo’s Quinyon Mitchell and Iowa’s Cooper DeJean. Both fell much further than expected draft slots, and the Eagles were universally praised for those selections, including by Wright, who agreed that they were 2 of the 3 best defensive backs in the draft.
Among other things, the Eagles wound up with the No. 64 player on Daniel Jeremiah’s board—Jalyx Hunt—whom they took at the end of the third round. And that also saw Wright take aim at the media, especially after Roseman joked that he almost texted Jeremiah to delete the Houston Christian edge rusher from his best players available graphic.
“(Howie Roseman’s) draft mimics the consensus media big boards more than any other GM. Which is why every year people are like, ‘Howie did it again.’ Because he’s doing what the media big boards would’ve done…” – Nick Wright on the Eagles GM.
(H/T @FreeGjr) pic.twitter.com/VGrLEF926p
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) April 30, 2024
“Their GM, Howie Roseman, and maybe this is smart, his draft mimics the consensus media big boards more than any other GM,” said Wright,” which is why every year people are like, ‘Howie did it again.’ Because he’s doing what the media big boards would’ve done, he even said in his press conference after the third-round pick (Jalyx Hunt), ‘Man, I almost texted Daniel Jeremiah asking him to take him off his best available list because I don’t want someone else to draft him.’ I was like, Howie, I’m not sure other GMs are really scouring Daniel Jeremiah…”
Aside from the fact that the consensus media big boards are usually a compilation of information compiled by media members in their conversations with NFL teams, Jeremiah is among the most plugged-in draft analysts in the league. Having worked in personnel departments himself, his voice carries a lot of weight. So much so that he’ll hold conference calls with media members to field questions about his mock draft and specific prospects based on what he’s heard and gathered from NFL teams.
“Because here’s what we don’t do as much. I think he’s a sharp GM, and I think trading back is smart, and I think getting extra draft picks is smart,” Wright said. “But a lot of the picks that we have talked about, ‘Wow, this guy was the ninth player on everyone’s board, and he went 30th,’ those didn’t work out. Like you go back and look at it, Keele Ringo, Nakobe Dean, Nolan (Smith) last year. ‘He got Nolan Smith at 30; Howie did it again.’ Nolan Smith, has anyone heard from him? Jordan Davis — they got him at 12 — he’s been OK. Andre Dillard was a first-round pick that didn’t work out. We know Jalen Reagor, one pick in front of Justin Jefferson.”
Ringo is a former fourth-round pick who didn’t make his first career start until Dec. 2023. He also recorded his first career interception on a potential game-tying touchdown pass in a 33-25 victory over the New York Giants on Christmas Day. Dean fell because of medical concerns and has already suffered a handful of injuries. He’s yet to really make much of an impact at the next level because of that.
Wright raises a fair point about Smith, but he was a luxury pick who was buried on the depth chart. Also, it seems Wright himself wanted Smith for his beloved Kansas City Chiefs.
WE ARE AT THE 29th PICK AND NOLAN SMITH IS STILL THERE!
I’m irrationally excited about this! https://t.co/l4J05T00FP
— nick wright (@getnickwright) April 28, 2023
Nolan Smith still being available within 10 picks of the Chiefs being on the clock makes me irrationally excited.
A trade up could be in order…
— nick wright (@getnickwright) April 28, 2023
“I don’t know that he’s as great as we all think the day after the draft when it comes to picking the players,” continued Wright. “I do think he’s great at acquiring extra value by trading down and getting surplus picks and that stuff. But there are a lot of guys that slide, and then the Eagles pick them, and then the media’s like, ‘Well, I thought that guy was better than that, so (Howie) gets an A+.’ That does tend to happen a lot with the Eagles.”
[Awful Announcing on X]
