Howie Roseman has been red-hot drafting players the past four years. Can his “heater” continue next week? NFL Media draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah believes it can, though he tempered expectations a bit when he had his pre-draft teleconference on Friday afternoon.
“It's impossible to knock this thing out of the park every year,” said Jeremiah. “They’ve been on a nice run here. I think it’s unrealistic to expect you’re going to continue to get year after year of this type of performance so there’ll probably be some ebbs and flows along the way.”
That said, Jeremiah thinks there are two reasons for the Eagles’ sustained drafting success.
ROSEMAN
Jeremiah said that he has worked with both Roseman and Ozzie Newsome in Baltimore. Newsome was the Ravens’ general manager from 1996-2018 and won two Super Bowl rings. Roseman has been the Eagles GM since 2010, with a year away when Chip Kelly assumed the power, and has been to three Super Bowls, going 2-1.
“I don’t know if people would say, ‘OK, those guys are identical in the way they approach things,’ but the thing they have in common is that they are both outstanding listeners, so they bring in a lot of smart people, they take in the information, they listen to it, and, look, the proof is in the pudding in what Howie’s done there," said Jeremiah.
Look what Roseman’s drafts since 2021 have netted:
2021: DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Milton Williams, and Kenny Gainwell. That’s two starters and two huge contributors.
2022: Jordan Davis, Cam Jurgens, Nakobe Dean, Grant Calcaterra. That’s three starters and a big-time contributor in Calcaterra, who could start this fall.
2023: Jalen Carter, Nolan Smith, Kelee Ringo, Moro Ojomo, Tyler Steen, Sydney Brown. That’s two starters and four contributors, some of whom could become starters.
2024: Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Jalyx Hunt, Will Shipley. That’s two starters and Hunt is in line to start, with Shipley’s role likely on the rise.
“To me, the combination of Howie being really smart, understanding the value of the board, understanding where guys are going to fall and when to be aggressive, I think that’s a key strength of his,” said Jeremiah. “He listens, he surrounds himself with great people, and they know what they’re shopping for, so that’s a recipe for success.”
THE PEOPLE
The people Jeremiah mentioned as integral to Roseman’s success – and are just two of those Roseman listens to - are offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland and defensive end/outside linebacker coach Jeremiah Washburn.
“They have a really good scouting staff and with a guy like Stout, when you have Jeff Stoutland who is an excellent evaluator on the offensive side of the ball in the trenches, Jeremiah Washburn who I’ve worked with and have known forever on the defensive side, that’s looked at pass rushers and been in scouting as well as on the coaching side, like they have coaches who know how to evaluate as well and know what fits what they do and how they play,” said Jeremiah.
A testament to the smart people Roseman surrounds himself who parlayed their jobs under Roseman to something bigger include Browns GM Andrew Berry, Ian Cunningham is an assistant GM with the Bears, and Brandon Brown is an assistant general manager with the Giants.
Joe Douglas also worked under Roseman before leaving to be the Jets’ GM, but he got fired this offseason. Also, the Eagles’ current assistant GM, Alec Halaby, is on his way to becoming a general manager.
Roseman will be the first to tell you he couldn’t do what he does alone, and is always singling out people on his staff who make the operation work.
