Mack Hollins and a former teammate of his are about to become rivals. That's an issue for another day, though. Right now, he only has cause for celebration after being drafted in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
He will look to join a receiving corps in Philadelphia that has been completely rebuilt this offseason to give quarterback Carson Wentz more weapons to throw target practice to on the field.
Drafted by the Eagles
With pick number 118 in the NFL Draft, the Eagles selected Hollins, a wide receiver out of North Carolina.
At 23 years old, he is a bit older than most of the people taken in the draft. Last season, he recorded 16 catches for 309 yards and four touchdowns before a collarbone injury derailed his season. He is tall and fast, beneficial qualities for any receiver. He can also play special teams, much like New England Patriots legend Matthew Slater.
He was far from the most hyped player to come out of North Carolina in this draft, though. That distinction would belong to quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, who was taken second overall by the Chicago Bears. He wasn't even the best receiver from his school in the draft.
Ryan Switzer was taken fifteen picks later by the Dallas Cowboys, though he was the more celebrated receiver during college.
The Eagles and Cowboys play each other twice a year, so Hollins and Switzer will have an opportunity to prove themselves on the field head-to-head.
Assessing the fit
Hollins will be joining a receiving corps the Eagles worked hard to reform over the course of the offseason. Two of the team's biggest signings during free agency were Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith.
The goal was to give more weapons to Carson Wentz to throw to after he hit a rookie wall last season. He'll be able to take another step in his development knowing that he has plenty of safety nets to give the ball to in a pinch.
As for the impact, Hollins could make this season; it may be limited by that free agency spending spree.
He's a developmental wide receiver at best and wouldn't be expected to take many reps at the position outside of practice. He could, however, play a part on the Eagles' special teams unit.
There were no receivers on the team's coverage unit last year, but with speed the, the newest addition could provide, a role could be carved out for a young receiver simply looking to crack an NFL roster next season. Otherwise, Hollins could become a practice squad player.
