With the run game being a focal point of their offense last season, the Philadelphia Eagles' dynamic receivers got overlooked at times. As the reigning champs gear up for training camp, one scout had a lot of great things to say about one of their key skill players.
Back in 2022, the Eagles pulled off a trade with the Tennessee Titans to acquire WR A.J. Brown. He put up strong numbers to start his career, but reached a whole new level upon arriving in Philadelphia. Playing alongside a high-level QB in Jalen Hurts, the former second-round pick has gone on to emerge as one of the top talents at his position.
Before the 2025 season gets underway, the people at ESPN polled coaches, scouts, and executives across the league on who the top ten receivers are. Brown made an appearance on this list, slotting in at No. 5. The players just ahead of him include CeeDee Lamb and Tyreek Hill.
While breaking down the Eagles' standout, one scout raved about him still causing problems for opposing defenses heading into year seven.
"He's still awesome," a veteran AFC scout said. "He comes up big when you need him, he's still incredibly strong and fast enough. A nightmare to tackle. Maybe a tad slower than he was, but that's slight."
Another talent evaluator also gave their thoughts on how Brown's physical attributes make him such a key player for Philadelphia.
"Dealing with his physicality and strength is a problem [for cornerbacks]," an NFL personnel evaluator said. "At the end of the day, sometimes, it's really that simple."
Brown landed in the top five despite having a "down" year for the Eagles last season. Saquon Barkley's historic regular season impacted how Philadelphia went to the passing game, but the veteran still made his mark. Across 13 starts, he tallied 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns. This marked his third straight 1,000-plus yard season with the Eagles. He's also racked up at least seven TDs a year since being traded.
Now that teams are prepared for the new-look Eagles offense, it could result in Jalen Hurts airing the ball out more on a week-to-week basis. This will give Brown and DeVonta Smith a chance to remind everyone just how impactful they are for the NFC contender as well.
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