What the Howie Roseman-Tom Donahoe awkwardness said about the Eagles’ 2021 draft process | Jeff McLane

NFL draft room disagreements happen all the time, but rarely are they ever caught on live television.

Eagles general manager Howie Roseman had an awkward exchange with senior advisor Tom Donahoe that was captured by ESPN Friday night. Roseman would later explain that his trade back in the third round was the source of Donahoe’s strife, but the incident was more than anecdotal.

There for the viewing world to see was a snippet of the strain that has existed between the embattled GM and his scouting department, and that has been previously reported by The Inquirer.

Donahoe doesn’t have a leadership role with the Eagles, but the 35-year NFL veteran’s voice has carried significant weight in the front office for nearly a decade. But he has become increasingly despondent over personnel decisions and could be eyeing retirement as a result, sources close to the 74-year-old said.

Despite what teams may say, draft selections hardly come with unanimous support. Donahoe’s issue with the Milton Williams pick, whatever it may be, might not be much different than scouts or coaches had with any of the Eagles’ other eight picks. But those differences are kept in-house, at least in the immediate aftermath.

Donahoe, a former GM with the Steelers and Bills, is from the old school, so it’s likely he didn’t realize he was on camera, or that he simply didn’t care. He can run hot and after Roseman fist-pumped his way around the room, Donahoe begrudgingly offered his hand.

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Donahoe’s body language made it clear he wasn’t pleased, and when he offered a verbal response, Roseman looked at him quizzically and shrugged before ESPN cut away.

“When we were at Pick 70, there were a couple guys we liked on the board, and moved back a little bit to see how it would go,” Roseman explained about an hour later during a video interview. “Couple guys we liked went as well. You know, these guys spend all year scouting these guys and you get favorites, you get guys that you feel really strongly about. We all do. You know, that’s the fun part about being in the draft room is the emotions of it.

“At the end of the day, Milton Williams is an exciting player for our football team. We’re excited to have him. You know, I don’t want to take away from his day, but we’re all excited about that pick.”

Well, apparently not. As embarrassing as the episode might have been, it did offer a more realistic account of the process. The cheering and back-slapping that often occur in draft rooms across the league, whether on camera or not, don’t accurately reflect what happens once the rookies hit the field.

Sure, teams are granted their moment to bask in the delight of selecting yet another home run. But the all-too-truth is that less than a quarter of draft picks will ultimately be worth the price paid.

If the professionals can get it right only one out of four times, why isn’t everyone playing the odds and reacting the way Donahoe did? If Roseman’s statement was accurate, Donahoe wanted one of the two prospects the Eagles missed out on when they jumped back from No. 70 to 73.

Cornerback Aaron Robinson went at 71. The Central Florida product has decent size (6 feet, 186 pounds) and great speed (4.38-second 40-yard dash), but did the Eagles want to expend a third rounder on a projected slot? The New York Giants may view him on the outside, as they traded up five spots for Robinson.

The Eagles needed cornerbacks and eventually took one in the fourth round with Texas Tech’s Zech McPhearson, but does anyone really know if either will pan out?

Defensive tackle Alim McNeill went next to the Lions. A big-bodied (6-foot-2, 317 pounds) interior lineman, the N.C. State product wouldn’t appear to be the Eagles’ type. They have liked their tackles longer and leaner, and the 6-foot-3, 284-pound Williams would fit the bill.

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But new defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme remains a bit of a mystery. One thing is for certain: He was downright giddy when the Williams selection was made, at least according to the video the Eagles released a day later.

Roseman can’t please everyone on staff. He has to balance all the information he receives -- from scouts, coaches, analysts, and the owner -- and ultimately make the decision he feels is best.

“Not every decision is clear cut. You’re trying to balance all those factors together to make good decisions,” Roseman said Saturday. “It’s not a process where everybody is necessarily going to be perfect in it, because not everybody has all the same information.”

If there’s been a consistent complaint across the spectrum -- minus Jeffrey Lurie, of course -- it’s that Roseman’s approach has lacked consistency. One year or one pick he’s favoring the scouts, the next it’s the coaches, the following it’s the owner (!). Maybe he’s tried too hard to please too many.

Some scouts have felt that Roseman’s final board hasn’t reflected enough of their board as constructed by the vice president of player personnel, recently Andy Weidl and previously Joe Douglas.

There was a feeling among some staffers entering this year’s draft that Roseman would lean on Wiedl more than he did last year and that the process would be more about acquiring talented players no matter the position than bucking trends or building quarterback factories.

It remains to be seen if that occurred, but on the surface, the Eagles’ first five selections suggest -- wide receiver DeVonata Smith, offensive lineman Landon Dickerson, Williams, McPhearson, and running back Kenny Gainwell -- that Roseman listened to his top scout.

“We all have a voice and Howie does a great job listening to everybody,” Weidl said. “And I think that’s the key in my role, too, just being a good listener.”

Was the injury-prone Dickerson worth the gamble? Maybe. Is the cornerback situation solved? Hardly. Are there solutions at safety and linebacker? Most likely, not. Was Roseman trading back in the third for another sixth rounder, which may have been more of Donahoe’s gripe in the first place, necessary? Not really.

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But he wisely traded away a sixth and seventh for a fifth in 2022 when the draft is expected to be deeper. And with the final four picks, he loaded up on developmental defensive pieces, primarily up front, even if the depth at the position was said to be lacking.

Donahoe, like any scout, had his guys entering the draft. It can be humbling when one or none of the prospects you stood on the table for weren’t chosen. But he was back at the NovaCare Complex and in the draft room for Day 3 on Saturday.

He wasn’t in frame, however, when ESPN flashed to the Eagles high-fiving each other following the McPhearson pick. It’s unclear if that came from a directive or that Donahoe simply wanted to avoid the spotlight.

Or maybe he didn’t like another of Roseman’s selections. It wouldn’t be the first time. It may be the last.