Eagles Draft Picks of the 2010’s Paved the Way for Super Bowl LII Win

The 2010’s was a transformative decade for the Philadelphia Eagles. The 14-season reign of Andy Reid ended. There was the turbulent Chip Kelly experiment of 2013-2015. Doug Pederson arrived in 2016 to turn the Birds around.

Still, the team achieved some success most seasons between 2010 and 2019, a period in which Philadelphia finished seven seasons at .500 or better and made the postseason five times. 

Naturally, the decade’s crowning achievement was winning Super LII over heavily-favored Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on February 4, 2018. 

The first Super Bowl title in franchise history wouldn’t have been possible without the help of some prime draft picks. In fact, choosing wisely in the NFL Draft was one of the most consistent things Philadelphia did right throughout the 2010s.

Every team wants their picks to breakthrough in the league quickly. First-year standouts who contribute can take a previously struggling team into the playoffs and boost their squad’s NFL odds at online sportsbooks. Need proof? Just look at Derek Barnett, the first round pick of the Birds in 2017, and his recovery of a Brady fumble to save Super Bowl LII.

Here’s a look back at the draft picks that paid off the most for Philadelphia during the 2010s.

Jason Kelce – 6th Round Pick, 2011

Center, team jester, spiritual leader. Kelce wears a lot of hats for the Birds and has been a favorite mainstay in Philadelphia since arriving in 2011. He has three Pro-Bowls, all of which were All-Pro recognitions, the most of any center in the game over the last decade. 

Kelce’s rousing speech at the Eagles’ Super Bowl parade in 2018 will forever live as one of the finest moments in Philadelphia sports. 

Fletcher Cox – 1st Round Pick, 2012

Cox made an immediate splash in his 2012 debut season when he recorded 39 tackles and 5.5 sacks in 15 games. The 2011 First-Team All-American from Mississippi State has been on a tear ever since, racking up five Pro Bowl appearances and a spot on the 2010 All-Decade Team during his storied career. 

Cox has proven that he’s Canton-bound after eight seasons in Midnight green. The only arguably better interior defender over the same period is Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams.

Nick Foles – 3rd Round Pick, 2012

He came, went, came again, and was gone to the before 2019. With the team or not, Foles will always be near and dear to Eagles fans as the QB who won Super Bowl LII. His impeccable 2017 postseason run filling in for the injured Wentz is the stuff of legend.

Foles’s sophomore season in 2013 was one for the books. The former Arizona Wildcat threw for 2,891 yards with 27 TDs and just two interceptions, a stat line that landed him in the Pro Bowl. He has been up and down since, but none of that matters thanks to his Super Bowl MVP performance when it counted most.   

Lane Johnson – 1st Round Pick, 2013

Johnson is consistently rated as the NFL’s best RT. It’s an accolade the Oklahoma standout has earned over his six seasons in Philadelphia by throwing up brick wall after brick wall against elite pass rushers. 

Johnson’s monstrous presence on the o-line earned him Pro Bowl nods on three occasions and an All-Pro nod in 2017. The Birds doubled-down on Johnson prior to the 2019 season with a four-year, $72 million contract extension that made him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the game. 

Zach Ertz – 2nd Round Pick, 2013

The most consistent Philadelphia receiver over the last ten years just happens to be one of the greatest tight ends to play in the NFL. In 2018, The set the all-time team highwater mark for receptions in a season. He’s also second among all Eagles receivers for most career catches in team history. 

The future Hall-of-Famer earned Pro Bowl trips in 2017-2019. 

Oh, we can’t forget to mention Ertz’s heroic TD reception in the Super Bowl. You know the one that put the Eagles ahead of the Patriots for good and brought the City of Brotherly Love its first Lombardi Trophy ever.

Carson Wentz – 1st Round Pick, 2016

After deploying six starters under center in as many seasons, the Birds finally landed their arm-of-the-future in 2016 from North Dakota State of all places. By the end of his rookie campaign, it was obvious Wentz was the best-drafted Philadelphia QB since Donovan McNabb. 

Wentz isn’t without critics. He’s injury-prone down and has yet to win a playoff game. Still, he commanded the Eagles 2017 Super Bowl-winning season up until Week 14. He started every regular season contest last season for the first time since 2016. Many pundits love Wentz as one of the smartest young QBs in the NFL. Eagles fans certainly agree.