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Grading Each Player In 2021 Eagles NFL Draft Class: Where They Stack Up Heading Into Year 6

By Jeff Kerr Sports Illustrated

Updated July 4, 2026 7:17 AM

The 2021 NFL Draft was the one that changed everything for the Philadelphia Eagles.

After a few poor draft classes in 2019 and 2020 (Jalen Hurts is the exception), the first draft class under Nick Sirianni produced massive results and changed the course of the franchise.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman went after players on the top college football programs in the country, and it paid off. The Eagles traded up for DeVonta Smith, then drafted Landon Dickerson. They hit on Milton Williams in the third round.

Those three players alone gives the Eagles draft class a high mark.

How did the 2021 draft fare for the Eagles? We'll take a look at each individual player and grade them.

1st round: DeVonta Smith

Grade: A

The Eagles were looking for a wide receiver of Smith's caliber since DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin left. They may have gotten a better player than either of them.

Smith set the rookie receiving yards record in his first year with the Eagles (916), carrying an pass game that was close to nonexistent throughout the year. He has three 1,000-yard seasons in four years since, being the complimentary 1A to A.J. Brown.

Smith is the WR1 now in Philadelphia and appears primed for a big year. He's a franchise cornerstone on the Eagles.

2nd round: Landon Dickerson

Grade: A

Dickerson was a gamble by the Eagles, as he had a history of season-ending injuries heading into the draft. The latest was a torn ACL in December of his final year at Alabama.

The injuries remained, but the gamble paid off. Dickerson has started 77 of a possible 78 games played in an Eagles uniform -- and has missed only seven games. He's made the Pro Bowl three times and signed the largest contract for a guard when he landed his extension in 2024.

Dickerson is one of the best guards in the game, and will continue to be dominant if injuries don't get in his way.

3rd round: Milton Williams

Grade: A-

Williams never was a full-time starter for the Eagles, but he developed into a menace in the pass rush. He was the start of the Eagles replenishing at defensive tackle, with Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter coming after him.

Having 11.5 sacks and 132 tackles in four years with the Eagles, Williams was a key contributor on the Eagles defensive line on the Super Bowl LIX title team. He landed a four-year, $104 million deal with the New England Patriots last offseason and was one of the impact players in New England's AFC Championship.

4th round: Zech McPhearson

Grade: D-

McPhearson didn't have an impact as a slot cornerback in Philadelphia like the Eagles envisioned, never falling in favor with Jonathan Gannon's system. He played 33 games in two seasons, and hasn't played a regular seaosn game since 2022.

The Eagles waived McPhearson in 2024 after a torn Achilles took him out of the 2023 season. McPhearson was starting to carve a niche as a special teams standout with the Eagles.

5th round: Kenneth Gainwell

Grade: B

Drafted to be a complimentary back to Miles Sanders, Gainwell ended up being more than that in his four years with the Eagles. He rushed for 1,185 yards and 12 TD in his four seasons with the Eagles, providing a spark as the No. 2 back behind Sanders, De'Andre Swift, and Saquon Barkley.

Gainwell had 112 rushing yards and a touchdown in a playoff win over the Giants in 2022 and was part of the Super Bowl LIX championship team in 2024.

He left in free agency and signed with the Steelers last season, racking up 1,023 yards from scrimmage and eight touchdowns. Gainwell signed with the Buccaneers this offseason.

6th round: Marlon Tuipulotu

Grade: B-

The other defensive tackle taken in this draft, Tuipulotu was a good player that was a victim of a numbers crunch. He played 28 games with the Eagles, tallying 3.0 sacks as a reserve defensive tackle.

The Eagles released Tuipulotu in 2024 and he spent the last two seasons with the Chiefs. Philadelphia got some depth at defensive tackle with 189th overall pick.

6th round: Tarron Jackson

Grade: C

Jackson stuck around on the Eagles roster for three seasons, the first two on the active roster and final one on the practice squad. He played 21 games before the Panthers picked him up.

He returned to the Eagles in 2024, but was released in December. Jackson spent 2025 on the 49ers roster, but he was placed on injured reserve in July.

6th round: Jacoby Stevens

Grade: F

Stevens struggled from the start and played just two games with the Eagles. He was released in August of 2022 and never latched on with another team.

Out of football after one year, Stevens was never on the Eagles active roster (just as a practice squad elevation).

7th round: Patrick Johnson

Grade: B-

Johnson found a way to stick around, remaining on-and-off the Eagles roster for five seasons. He was with the Giants for a brief stint in 2024 as he was claimed off waivers, but the Eagles brought him back after the season.

Playing 58 games in the NFL and being a special teams regular is an impressive feat for Johnson, especially since he's a defensive lineman.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/eagles/onsi as Grading Each Player In 2021 Eagles NFL Draft Class: Where They Stack Up Heading Into Year 6.

This story was originally published July 4, 2026 at 7:00 AM.