It took three days, lots of trades, and Tim Tebow going in the first round, but the NFL draft is over. The Eagles made a lot of trades, and a lot of picks, and now I'm going to break down the picks they made on the last day of the draft and give out a final draft grade for the entire ordeal.
Now, I'm not going to break down each player as much as I did during the first two days. That would take too much time, and honestly, I'm not spending three hours typing up details about a seventh round pick that hardly anyone cares about. That's just the way it is.
With that, I'll get into the fourth round.
Fourth Round, Pick 1: Trevard Lindley-Cornerback
The Eagles needed a corner in the fourth round, and they managed to find one with the first pick. The only issue I have with Lindley is that he's a step or two slower than some of the other corners that were taken in this area, and that makes the pick a little less comforting for me. The Eagles need corners that can play with the likes of Dez Bryant, Kenny Britt and the rest of the young guns in the NFC East. If the Eagles can't find someone that can do that, then this pick isn't nearly as good as it looks. I like how well Lindley plays the football, but he has issues with tackling, and that speed is a problem.
Grade: B-
Fourth Round, Pick 2: Keenan Clayton-Linebacker
I like the Clayton pick more than I like Lindley coming to Philadelphia. Clayton is a decent sized linebacker that has a good motor and plays with a lot of energy. I know that gets said about almost every Philadelphia pick, but the fact remains that players like Clayton are what Andy Reid wants with the Eagles, so that is what they are going to get. He's got decent size for a linebacker, and while he certainly won't start right away, it's a solid pick. Some people may think he's a bit of a reach, but the Eagles needed to find some extra linebacker help, and Clayton is a good start.
Grade: B
Fourth Round, Pick 3: Mike Kafka-Quarterback
Once again, the Eagles draft in a need position. While Kevin Kolb looks like the starting quarterback for the future, Kafka is a good, developmental quarterback that can grow into a solid backup as time goes on. To be fair, my grandfather went to Northwestern, so I might have a little bit of a bias here, but I think Kafka is a good pick. He's going to take some time to learn the Philadelphia system after playing in the spread offense in college, but he's a smart kid, and can do just that. With a little time in Philadelphia, I see him as an A.J. Feely type player. That's what the Eagles wanted, and it's what they got.
Grade: B
Fourth Round, Pick 4: Clay Harbor-Tight End/Fullback
Aside from having a great name, Harbor is a big guy that can play on the end of the offensive line and provide extra protection for a quarterback. Weighing in at 253 pounds, Harbor is the type of player that the Eagles usually look for in the later rounds of the NFL Draft. He has the potential to be a decent player, but I don't know how long it will take. I don't think most other people do, either. I think this pick could have been better spent on an offensive lineman, but Harbor is decent for the position.
Grade: C
Round 5, Pick 1: Ricky Sapp-Defensive End
While there are people out there wondering why the Eagles would take another defensive end, the truth is that Sapp should have been a second or third round pick had it not been for his knee issues that he's had. I really do like this pick, though. With Sapp sitting there in the fifth round, the Eagles had to take a flyer on him, and I don't care if he's another defensive end. With a talent like this sitting there in the fifth round, the Eagles had to take him, and they did a good job here. I like the choice, and I hope that he can make the team and contribute, which I see him doing.
Grade: A-
Round 5, Pick 2: Riley Cooper-Wide Receiver
Cooper looks like a decent possession receiver, much like Brandon Gibson was in the draft last year. He does have a few questions with him, which is why he fell down into the fifth round, but he's a good pick here. His hands aren't the best, and he's coming from the Florida offense, which is about as far as you can get from a pro style, but at almost six foot four and 225 pounds, he can bang in the middle of the field. The Eagles need another receiver like this to help compliment Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson, and hopefully Cooper can do just that. He certainly has the build to.
Grade: B+
Round 6, Pick 1: Charles Scott-Running Back
After grabbing Mike Bell in free agency, the Eagles decided to take a chance on another power back in the later rounds. Scott had mid-round talent, but fell in the draft because of a poor senior year and a bad showing at the combine. Regardless of those issues, he's a big back, weighing in at almost 240 pounds, and he can certainly help the Eagles in short yardage situations. LeSean McCoy is the starter, but Mike Bell and hopefully Charles Scott can help the Eagles on offense where they need the most help: in short yardage situations.
Grade: B+
Round 7, Pick 1: Jamar Chaney-Linebacker
Going into the seventh round, do I really expect many of these players to make the team? No, but I still have feelings about each pick. Jamar Chaney is another good athletic pick that fits in well with the Philadelphia defense. He has a high motor and can play well, with most people thinking he would be another midround pick. However, he slipped, for whatever reason teams had. He's had some injury issues, and his intelligence has been called into play, but his size and skills are very good for a seventh round pick. Will he do anything this season? I don't think so, but he could become a decent special teams and situational player down the road.
Grade: B
Round 7, Pick 2: Jeff Owens, Defensive Tackle
Aside from Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley, the Eagles don't have much depth at defensive tackle. Owens was projected to go a round or two higher than this, but he's not the biggest defensive tackle around, and he's had some issues with injuries. He's still a decent pick here, no doubt about it. I like this pick if he can stick around with the Eagles for a few years, because he could certianly develop into something pretty good. I doubt he could be a full time starter, but as a rotational player, he has potential.
Grade: B+
Round 7, Pick 3: Kurt Coleman, Defensive Back
Coleman is a little undersized for his position, but he's a very good pick for where the Eagles took him. Just like their other two seventh round picks, several sites had him going in the middle of the draft, rather than right at the end. I do like this pick for its value at the end of the seventh round, but I don't know how much we should expect from Coleman in the next few years, if he makes the team. The Eagles could use him on special teams, but with Nate Allen penciled in at safety for a few years, the chance of Coleman breaking through is slim. Regardless, he should be a decent special teams player, and they're very important.
Grade: B
Final Thoughts
Overall, I think the Eagles had a solid 2010 Draft. I still don't like what they had to give up to get Brandon Graham, nor do I think trading down three times through the second and third round was that smart, but in the end, the Eagles came out with 13 players. I'm hopeful that most of them will end up helping the team. Graham ended up being considered one of the best picks of the first round by most people, and I think Nate Allen was the best pick that the Eagles made in the entire draft.
The rest of the picks were spent on need, save for Ricky Sapp, but I'm not complaining about that one. Mike Kafka is a good quarterback prospect, and Charles Scott could get some short yardage situations as long as he makes the team. The only issue I have with the entire draft is the lack of concern about the offensive line. I think the Eagles may have thought that Donovan McNabb was responsible for some of the sacks he took, but in the end, they had to do something on the line, and they didn't. Unless everyone comes back healthy next season (and Jamaal Jackson won't be back until mid-season...at least), this line is still questionable. I have faith that the Eagles will be able to find some rookie free agents, but I don't want them starting next season. They really needed to grab someone in the middle of the draft, and they didn't. Just for that, I have to knock their grade down a bit, and I thought that the Eagles had a good draft. I know a lot of people don't feel the same way I do, but if you look at the long run, this draft, save for the offensive line, was solid.
Overall 2010 Draft Grade: B
Showing posts with label NFL Draft. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NFL Draft. Show all posts
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
So, now what?
I'm sure most of you, as the numbers indicate, were watching Super Bowl XLIV last night as the New Orleans Saints took down the Indianapolis Colts for their first Super Bowl title, leaving the Eagles in the ranks of the Detroit Lions, Cleveland Browns, Arizona Cardinals and Buffalo Bills as teams that have never won a Super Bowl. In fact, it's been 50 years now since the Eagles last won an NFL title. At this point, I'm not expecting a team that can challenge the Saints next season, but I would like to see one that can at least come closer to competing on their level. Let me tell you, watching the Eagles win their first Super Bowl title in Jerryworld next season would be the best memory I think I would ever have. Before the Eagles can get there, though, they have a lot of questions to answer.
Depending on what website you look at, the Eagles either have seven or eight picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and they have positions of need all over the field. I'm going to start on the offense, and this isn't just going to be about draft picks. This is what I think the team needs to do to improve on where they were this year.
Offense:
I might as well start at the top, right? According to some people, the Eagles have three quarterbacks that could start for this team: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. Now, I think only two of them are going to be back next year, but it's just a matter of figuring out which two.
Let me get one thing clear right now: I don't think Donovan McNabb is going anywhere. Despite what people want to say about him, he is still a top level quarterback in the NFL. Do I trust him with the game on the line all the time? I can't say that I do, but I also didn't expect Peyton Manning to throw a game clinching interception with three minutes to play in the Super Bowl last night, so I'm going to call that one a wash. For what it's worth, McNabb is easily one of the best quarterbacks that the Eagles have ever had, and he played well this past season, throwing for 22 touchdowns and only ten interceptions. The legs aren't there like they used to be early in his career, but he can still run when he has to. He and Andy Reid are linked together forever in Philadelphia, and that's why I don't think he's going to go anywhere. However, there is a chance that he does get moved, but I can only see him going to two teams. Those two possible spots are either Minnesota, if Brett Favre retires, or Arizona. Both teams would have quarterback vacancies, and both areas are familiar to McNabb. Brad Childress, the former offensive coordinator for the Eagles, is the head coach for the Vikings, and McNabb works out in Arizona during the offseason. I'm not saying that the Eagles should trade McNabb at all, but I could see either of those places being likely if they did.
Then we get to the other two quarterbacks. Kevin Kolb looked good in his two starts this season, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to record back to back 300 yard games in his first two starts. With that being said, he put those numbers up against the Chiefs and Saints, and at the time, the Saints weren't exactly known for their passing defense. Even so, Kolb looked worlds better than he did against the Baltimore Ravens the year before, and showed how he can play with actual preparation time. On the other hand, Michael Vick never really got his legs back with the Eagles last season. Yes, he was a good story, and the game against Atlanta even made me smile, but the entire gimmick that he brought just didn't work out in the end. Even though Kolb's contract is up after this coming season, I think the Eagles should try and keep him, and move Vick somewhere. There is no way that Vick is going to make $5 million with the team next season. He's going to end up somewhere like Buffalo or maybe even Oakland, where a team might be willing to take a chance on him for say a fourth round pick.
The Verdict: Keep McNabb and Kolb, send Vick on his way
Now, we move on to the running back position. Unfortunately, I think we've seen the last of Brian Westbrook in an Eagles uniform. Injuries kept him from reaching his previous levels, and with his knee and ankle still in question, I think it's time for the Eagles to move on. LeSean McCoy played well in his rookie season, but there are two things that I think the Eagles need to do to make sure the potental loss of Brian Westbrook doesn't hurt too much.
The first is resign Leonard Weaver to a long term deal. I know that it's going to cost a lot of money to bring Weaver back into the fold, but the Eagles need him. I can't remember the last time I actually saw this team with a fullback that knew what the hell he was doing. Not only could Weaver block, but he became a part of the offense as well, filling in for Westbrook and basically becoming the starting halfback for a few games at the end of the season. He needs to come back for the Eagles for more than one year this time. It just has to happen, because if it doesn't, then the Eagles are right back where they were in 2008, where they have to keep shuffling different players in and out at fullback. I don't want to see that again.
The other thing they need to do is get a big back to bring balance to the running game. Leonard Weaver is a nice option, but you can't always expect him to carry the ball 15-20 times if he needs to. At the same time, LeSean McCoy is a quick player, but he's not a guy you expect to bang inside with the defensive tackles. Look at what the Saints had this year. Reggie Bush was a good speed back, and Pierre Thomas worked the inside of the field. I know Pierre Thomas isn't really the definition of a big back, but he's an inch taller and 17 pounds heavier than McCoy. Trust me, that makes a difference in the end. I think the Eagles need to use one of their mid round draft picks on a big back that can help them hold onto the ball and pick up key third down and short plays. There's a guy like that in this year's draft...he's six foot one, weighs 235 pounds, finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, and would look damn good in Eagles green.
The Verdict: Get Leonard Weaver back at any cost, draft Toby Gerhart in the third round
I'm not going to touch the wide receiver or tight end positions, because those are pretty much set. I do think the Eagles need to address the depth at wideout, but their core, with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and hopefully still Jason Avant, is set. Jackson is going to want some big money, but I don't see why the Eagles wouldn't pay him. They pay their young players when they show they can produce, and Jackson has become one of the best young playmakers in the NFL.
Then comes the offensive line. This group never found consistency all season, and when it looked like they finally might get it all together, Jamaal Jackson tore his ACL. There's no timetable on when he's going to be back, but odds are he's not going to be at 100% until the 2011 season. Once he went down, the interior of the line fell apart, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Donovan McNabb was sacked 35 times during the regular season, which was tied for seventh in the NFL. I know he started the Pro Bowl, but Jason Peters was a huge disappointment in his first year with the Eagles. He got killed all season by speed rushers, and never really got a handle on the offensive game plan. He had better get things together next season, because that contract he signed doesn't look so good right now. On the flip side, Winston Justice got a chance to start in light of the Andrews Brothers disaster, and he actually looked decent on the end. He was really the one bright spot on the line last year, and the Eagles rewarded him with an extension that I believe was deserved. As for the rest of the line, I don't think Max Jean-Gilles is the answer at guard, and Nick Cole didn't look great at all in place of Jamaal Jackson. Both of those needs have to be looked at in the coming draft.
The Verdict: Hope Jason Peters gets his act together, look for depth at guard and center in the draft
Defense:
There's only one real spot on the defensive line where the Eagles need to address things, and that's opposite Trent Cole. Cole is a great pass rusher, but he needs a compliment on the other side of the line, and Juqua Parker and Victor Abiamiri just don't cut it at this point. The Eagles really have a few options here. They can think big, which is what I want them to do, and go after Julius Peppers in free agency, or they can look at an end with their first pick in the draft. Like I just said, I want the Eagles to go after Julius Peppers. The man has only had two seasons in his career with less than ten sacks, and he's still just 30 years old right now. He's a perfect fit in the 4-3 defense, and I don't think there's any way that the Panthers can afford to even make him a franchise offer this offseason. It might not stop them, but I think that he's going to end up a free agent. If that is the case, the Eagles need to do everything in their power to sign him. He would not only compliment Trent Cole, but he would give the Eagles one of the best defensive lines in the NFC.
If the Eagles can't get Julius Peppers, I see them taking a lineman with their first pick in the draft. There should be a couple of decent players still there at pick number 24. I would be happy, but not Julius Peppers happy, with Everson Griffen or Carlos Dunlap. They would contribute right away, and would continue with the youth movement that the Eagles have going right now.
The Verdict: Go hard after Julius Peppers, look into lineman prospects in the draft if that falls through.
I really don't want to spend that much time going over the linebacking corps from last season. Simply put, when Stewart Bradley was knocked out for the year in the preseason, it spelled trouble for the entire year. The Eagles finished 19th in the league in points allowed last season, and most of that can come back to their poor play at the linebacking positon. They aquired Will Witherspoon in a trade with the Rams, but even when Bradley comes back, that still leaves them weak at one linebacker position. This is one spot where I think the draft can come in handy in a big way. While the need at defensive end is greater than the problems at linebacker, the Eagles would certainly be wise to pick up a linebacker in the second or third round of the draft. One player that's already caught my eye is Sean Weatherspoon from Missouri. He plays with a high motor and never takes plays off, which is exactly what the Eagles need to bolster up their run defense from last season. Plus, drafting him would really confuse a lot of people, since the Eagles would have Will Witherspoon and Sean Weatherspoon. I would enjoy that.
The Verdict: Ease Stewart Bradley back in, draft Sean Weatherspoon in the 2nd/3rd round
Then, we close things out in the secondary. Not only did the Eagles have issues with their depth at cornerback, but they were horrible at free safety, where the loss of Brian Dawkins hurt so much as Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps looked lost out there for most of the year. Andy, why did you let Dawkins go? I'll never understand that one. Regardless, a free safety is a huge need for this team, and, if they can pick up Julius Peppers in free agency, I know where I want them to start looking.
I have two words for you: Taylor Mays. If the Eagles can address their defensive line needs through free agency, they need to draft Taylor Mays in the first round of the NFL Draft. Mays can hit, cover and is one of the best safety prospects this season. I have him as the second or third best, depending on how my mock draft looks at the time. Either way, he's positioned to come off the board right around pick number 24, which is where the Eagles select. There's no question in my mind that he would fit in just fine with this team, and the fact that he just spend four years playing for USC means that he's ready for the pros. If, and this is a big if, the Eagles can get Julius Peppers, then they would be crazy not to take Mays in the first round. He's not going to be the next Brian Dawkins, but he will be the first Taylor Mays.
The Verdict: Address the depth at corner, draft Taylor Mays in the 1st round if defensive line needs are addressed
Keep in mind, all of these situations are in a perfect world, and even then, I can't tell you that the Eagles are going to be the ones holding the Lombardi Trophy next season. What I can tell you is that if they do move in the direction that I've got outlined here, they'll move in the right direction, and it might not be next year, but maybe the year after that, or the year after that, that they're the ones having the parade. Man, that would be some kind of party, wouldn't it?
Depending on what website you look at, the Eagles either have seven or eight picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, and they have positions of need all over the field. I'm going to start on the offense, and this isn't just going to be about draft picks. This is what I think the team needs to do to improve on where they were this year.
Offense:
I might as well start at the top, right? According to some people, the Eagles have three quarterbacks that could start for this team: Donovan McNabb, Kevin Kolb and Michael Vick. Now, I think only two of them are going to be back next year, but it's just a matter of figuring out which two.
Let me get one thing clear right now: I don't think Donovan McNabb is going anywhere. Despite what people want to say about him, he is still a top level quarterback in the NFL. Do I trust him with the game on the line all the time? I can't say that I do, but I also didn't expect Peyton Manning to throw a game clinching interception with three minutes to play in the Super Bowl last night, so I'm going to call that one a wash. For what it's worth, McNabb is easily one of the best quarterbacks that the Eagles have ever had, and he played well this past season, throwing for 22 touchdowns and only ten interceptions. The legs aren't there like they used to be early in his career, but he can still run when he has to. He and Andy Reid are linked together forever in Philadelphia, and that's why I don't think he's going to go anywhere. However, there is a chance that he does get moved, but I can only see him going to two teams. Those two possible spots are either Minnesota, if Brett Favre retires, or Arizona. Both teams would have quarterback vacancies, and both areas are familiar to McNabb. Brad Childress, the former offensive coordinator for the Eagles, is the head coach for the Vikings, and McNabb works out in Arizona during the offseason. I'm not saying that the Eagles should trade McNabb at all, but I could see either of those places being likely if they did.
Then we get to the other two quarterbacks. Kevin Kolb looked good in his two starts this season, becoming the first quarterback in NFL history to record back to back 300 yard games in his first two starts. With that being said, he put those numbers up against the Chiefs and Saints, and at the time, the Saints weren't exactly known for their passing defense. Even so, Kolb looked worlds better than he did against the Baltimore Ravens the year before, and showed how he can play with actual preparation time. On the other hand, Michael Vick never really got his legs back with the Eagles last season. Yes, he was a good story, and the game against Atlanta even made me smile, but the entire gimmick that he brought just didn't work out in the end. Even though Kolb's contract is up after this coming season, I think the Eagles should try and keep him, and move Vick somewhere. There is no way that Vick is going to make $5 million with the team next season. He's going to end up somewhere like Buffalo or maybe even Oakland, where a team might be willing to take a chance on him for say a fourth round pick.
The Verdict: Keep McNabb and Kolb, send Vick on his way
Now, we move on to the running back position. Unfortunately, I think we've seen the last of Brian Westbrook in an Eagles uniform. Injuries kept him from reaching his previous levels, and with his knee and ankle still in question, I think it's time for the Eagles to move on. LeSean McCoy played well in his rookie season, but there are two things that I think the Eagles need to do to make sure the potental loss of Brian Westbrook doesn't hurt too much.
The first is resign Leonard Weaver to a long term deal. I know that it's going to cost a lot of money to bring Weaver back into the fold, but the Eagles need him. I can't remember the last time I actually saw this team with a fullback that knew what the hell he was doing. Not only could Weaver block, but he became a part of the offense as well, filling in for Westbrook and basically becoming the starting halfback for a few games at the end of the season. He needs to come back for the Eagles for more than one year this time. It just has to happen, because if it doesn't, then the Eagles are right back where they were in 2008, where they have to keep shuffling different players in and out at fullback. I don't want to see that again.
The other thing they need to do is get a big back to bring balance to the running game. Leonard Weaver is a nice option, but you can't always expect him to carry the ball 15-20 times if he needs to. At the same time, LeSean McCoy is a quick player, but he's not a guy you expect to bang inside with the defensive tackles. Look at what the Saints had this year. Reggie Bush was a good speed back, and Pierre Thomas worked the inside of the field. I know Pierre Thomas isn't really the definition of a big back, but he's an inch taller and 17 pounds heavier than McCoy. Trust me, that makes a difference in the end. I think the Eagles need to use one of their mid round draft picks on a big back that can help them hold onto the ball and pick up key third down and short plays. There's a guy like that in this year's draft...he's six foot one, weighs 235 pounds, finished second in the voting for the Heisman Trophy, and would look damn good in Eagles green.
The Verdict: Get Leonard Weaver back at any cost, draft Toby Gerhart in the third round
I'm not going to touch the wide receiver or tight end positions, because those are pretty much set. I do think the Eagles need to address the depth at wideout, but their core, with DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and hopefully still Jason Avant, is set. Jackson is going to want some big money, but I don't see why the Eagles wouldn't pay him. They pay their young players when they show they can produce, and Jackson has become one of the best young playmakers in the NFL.
Then comes the offensive line. This group never found consistency all season, and when it looked like they finally might get it all together, Jamaal Jackson tore his ACL. There's no timetable on when he's going to be back, but odds are he's not going to be at 100% until the 2011 season. Once he went down, the interior of the line fell apart, and it wasn't a pretty sight. Donovan McNabb was sacked 35 times during the regular season, which was tied for seventh in the NFL. I know he started the Pro Bowl, but Jason Peters was a huge disappointment in his first year with the Eagles. He got killed all season by speed rushers, and never really got a handle on the offensive game plan. He had better get things together next season, because that contract he signed doesn't look so good right now. On the flip side, Winston Justice got a chance to start in light of the Andrews Brothers disaster, and he actually looked decent on the end. He was really the one bright spot on the line last year, and the Eagles rewarded him with an extension that I believe was deserved. As for the rest of the line, I don't think Max Jean-Gilles is the answer at guard, and Nick Cole didn't look great at all in place of Jamaal Jackson. Both of those needs have to be looked at in the coming draft.
The Verdict: Hope Jason Peters gets his act together, look for depth at guard and center in the draft
Defense:
There's only one real spot on the defensive line where the Eagles need to address things, and that's opposite Trent Cole. Cole is a great pass rusher, but he needs a compliment on the other side of the line, and Juqua Parker and Victor Abiamiri just don't cut it at this point. The Eagles really have a few options here. They can think big, which is what I want them to do, and go after Julius Peppers in free agency, or they can look at an end with their first pick in the draft. Like I just said, I want the Eagles to go after Julius Peppers. The man has only had two seasons in his career with less than ten sacks, and he's still just 30 years old right now. He's a perfect fit in the 4-3 defense, and I don't think there's any way that the Panthers can afford to even make him a franchise offer this offseason. It might not stop them, but I think that he's going to end up a free agent. If that is the case, the Eagles need to do everything in their power to sign him. He would not only compliment Trent Cole, but he would give the Eagles one of the best defensive lines in the NFC.
If the Eagles can't get Julius Peppers, I see them taking a lineman with their first pick in the draft. There should be a couple of decent players still there at pick number 24. I would be happy, but not Julius Peppers happy, with Everson Griffen or Carlos Dunlap. They would contribute right away, and would continue with the youth movement that the Eagles have going right now.
The Verdict: Go hard after Julius Peppers, look into lineman prospects in the draft if that falls through.
I really don't want to spend that much time going over the linebacking corps from last season. Simply put, when Stewart Bradley was knocked out for the year in the preseason, it spelled trouble for the entire year. The Eagles finished 19th in the league in points allowed last season, and most of that can come back to their poor play at the linebacking positon. They aquired Will Witherspoon in a trade with the Rams, but even when Bradley comes back, that still leaves them weak at one linebacker position. This is one spot where I think the draft can come in handy in a big way. While the need at defensive end is greater than the problems at linebacker, the Eagles would certainly be wise to pick up a linebacker in the second or third round of the draft. One player that's already caught my eye is Sean Weatherspoon from Missouri. He plays with a high motor and never takes plays off, which is exactly what the Eagles need to bolster up their run defense from last season. Plus, drafting him would really confuse a lot of people, since the Eagles would have Will Witherspoon and Sean Weatherspoon. I would enjoy that.
The Verdict: Ease Stewart Bradley back in, draft Sean Weatherspoon in the 2nd/3rd round
Then, we close things out in the secondary. Not only did the Eagles have issues with their depth at cornerback, but they were horrible at free safety, where the loss of Brian Dawkins hurt so much as Macho Harris, Sean Jones and Quintin Demps looked lost out there for most of the year. Andy, why did you let Dawkins go? I'll never understand that one. Regardless, a free safety is a huge need for this team, and, if they can pick up Julius Peppers in free agency, I know where I want them to start looking.
I have two words for you: Taylor Mays. If the Eagles can address their defensive line needs through free agency, they need to draft Taylor Mays in the first round of the NFL Draft. Mays can hit, cover and is one of the best safety prospects this season. I have him as the second or third best, depending on how my mock draft looks at the time. Either way, he's positioned to come off the board right around pick number 24, which is where the Eagles select. There's no question in my mind that he would fit in just fine with this team, and the fact that he just spend four years playing for USC means that he's ready for the pros. If, and this is a big if, the Eagles can get Julius Peppers, then they would be crazy not to take Mays in the first round. He's not going to be the next Brian Dawkins, but he will be the first Taylor Mays.
The Verdict: Address the depth at corner, draft Taylor Mays in the 1st round if defensive line needs are addressed
Keep in mind, all of these situations are in a perfect world, and even then, I can't tell you that the Eagles are going to be the ones holding the Lombardi Trophy next season. What I can tell you is that if they do move in the direction that I've got outlined here, they'll move in the right direction, and it might not be next year, but maybe the year after that, or the year after that, that they're the ones having the parade. Man, that would be some kind of party, wouldn't it?
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Eagles NFL Draft Breakdown
Wow, what a weekend for the Philadelphia Eagles. I came into the NFL Draft unsure of what the Eagles were going to do, but I knew that they had a few areas of need. I had concerns at running back, corner back and tight end mostly, but I also wanted to see if they would add a big name receiver like Anquan Boldin or Braylon Edwards. Coming out of this weekend, I think I'm happier than I've ever been about an Eagles draft, because they picked up someone for every need that they had. I'll get to my overall grade in a bit, but let's look at each pick first.
First Round: Traded up to Pick 19 to select Jeremy Maclin, WR-Missouri
This pick shocked me, but in a good way. After the Raiders decided to draft Darrius Heyward-Bey (which I called in my mock draft), it started a chain reaction with Maclin falling all the way to the 19th spot. The Eagles traded up to pick him, which means that they must have had him ranked so far above the other players on their board that they felt they needed to grab him before someone else did. It's a good thing they did. Maclin is an excellent talent, and probably the 2nd best receiver in the draft. He can stretch the field, and with him, DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis and Brian Westbrook on the field, it's going to be tough for a defense to decide who to cover.
Oh, and for all of you doubting Maclin's size (6-0, 198 pounds), here's a list of some other wide outs around that size:
Torry Holt: 6-0, 190
Marvin Harrison: 6-0, 185
Santonio Holmes: 5-11, 192
Reggie Wayne: 6-0, 198
Derrick Mason: 5-10, 192
Hines Ward: 6-0, 205
Steve Smith: 5-9, 185
Wes Welker: 5-9, 185
Roddy White: 6-0, 208
Santana Moss: 5-10, 200
Donald Driver: 6-0, 194
That good enough for you? Grade: A
Second Round:LeSean McCoy, RB-Pitt
I knew the Eagles would be looking for a running back, and they certainly found one here. While he's not the super big back that some fans have been begging for, he's certainly a good back to have to learn under, and eventually replace, Brian Westbrook. In a lot of ways, he's a Westbrook like back with his elusiveness and burst, and that's a good thing. He scored 21 touchdowns at Pitt last year, and I had projected as a late first, early second round pick, so to have him fall to the 53rd overall pick is a very good thing. Another great pick here.
Grade: A-
TRADE: Two 5th Round picks to the New England Patriots for CB Ellis Hobbs
The Eagles would then take their sweet time making their first pick on the second day of the draft. They traded out of their third round pick...twice. The first time, they traded with the Giants, and the second time, they traded with Seattle for a third round pick next year. They ended up with six fifth round picks, which they then were able to package into a deal for Ellis Hobbs out of New England. This sends a clear message to Sheldon Brown that while he may not be traded yet, the Eagles may certainly be willing to go the Lito Sheppard route with him and cut his playing time. While Hobbs is a good corner, he's not great, as his play in Super Bowl XLII shows. Where his best strength lies is in the return game. He has the NFL record for longest kick return for a touchdown, and his arrival completely revamps what once was a glaring weakness for the Eagles in their returners. I'm not sure how much I like him as a corner, but for what the Eagles gave up, it's a solid deal.
Grade: B
Fifth Round, Pick 1: Cornelius Ingram, TE-Florida
If not for a knee injury before his rookie year, Ingram would have gone a lot higher than this. I love this pick. Ingram's a big, athletic tight end, and while his blocking isn't great, it was something he was working on before his knee injury. He had recovered enough to work at the NFL Scouting Combine and looked good there. There have been some concerns that his knee isn't completely healed, but if that's the case, the Eagles can just put him on IR and wait until next year for him to fully recover, much like they did with Jack Ikegwuonu last year. If he's healthy, it's another athletic play maker to stretch the field.
Grade: A
Fifth Round, Pick 2: Victor "Macho" Harris, CB-Virginia Tech
I put his position as corner back, only because that's what he played in college. His 40 time (4.68) and hitting ability make me think that his future with the Eagles will be at safety. This was another solid pick for Philadelphia, as they added yet another play maker, only this time on defense. They're stacked in the defensive secondary now, as most people had Harris going in the third round, so to pick him up here is a very good thing. He's known as a solid hitter, and while he can have a bit of a short fuse, a year or so down the road he should start to look like a solid pick. He's not a shut down corner, but very few people are.
Grade: B+
Fifth Round, Pick 3: Fenuki Tupou, OL-Oregon
Andy Reid loves his big guys on the offensive line, and they don't get much bigger than Tupou. He's 6-5 and weighs in at 314 pounds, so he's got the NFL offensive line size. He played tackle at Oregon, but has experience at guard as well, which is good because that's probably where the Eagles are going to want him to play. From what I read, he was another guy that was projected by some to be a third or fourth round pick, so it was another nice job by the Eagles to take this guy where they did. I don't know what to expect from him, but it's certainly a nice value pick.
Grade: B+
Sixth Round: Brandon Gibson, WR-Washington St.
Gibson had a rough senior year at Washington State, as he struggled to learn the new offensive system. At 6-1, 206 pounds, he's a decent sized wide out, but has had a troubled past when it comes to injuries. I'm not sure what the Eagles are going to expect out of him, but I figure he'll more than likely be a practice squad guy or one of the last cuts made in training camp. If he pans out to be anything more than that, I'll be happy.
Grade: B
Seventh Round, Pick 1: Paul Fanaika, OG-Arizona State
Another big offensive lineman from the Pac 10, Fanaika is a guy who could become a solid backup offensive lineman. He started for three years at Arizona State after walking on to the team, but there are some questions about where he can play at the pro level. If the Eagles can find a place for him, I think he could be a decent late round pick.
Grade: B
Seventh Round, Pick 2: Moise Fokou, LB-Maryland
Aside from giving announcers all kinds of trouble with that last name, I doubt Fokou is going to be anything terrific. The last pick the Eagles made, and it's more for an extra body in training camp to spur on some competition. Nothing wrong with that, though.
Grade: B-
Overall:
As I said at the start, this is the best draft I feel like the Eagles have had under Andy Reid. They got the depth at running back, corner back and tight end that they needed, and picked up an excellent play maker at wide out that isn't about to turn 30 years old and is asking for $10 million per season. While most of these players will more than likely be coming into their primes with Kevin Kolb under center, the fact that the Eagles drafted the way that they did means that they are planning on one last run with Donovan McNabb. The trade for Jason Peters of Buffalo also made that clear, as the Eagles now have one of the biggest, best and youngest offensive lines in the NFL. This offense is going to be quick and scary next season, and opposing teams are going to have to pick their poison when all these play makers come onto the field. I'm not giving the draft an A grade, just because I want to see these players in action first, but it's getting the best grade I feel comfortable giving right now: A-
First Round: Traded up to Pick 19 to select Jeremy Maclin, WR-Missouri
This pick shocked me, but in a good way. After the Raiders decided to draft Darrius Heyward-Bey (which I called in my mock draft), it started a chain reaction with Maclin falling all the way to the 19th spot. The Eagles traded up to pick him, which means that they must have had him ranked so far above the other players on their board that they felt they needed to grab him before someone else did. It's a good thing they did. Maclin is an excellent talent, and probably the 2nd best receiver in the draft. He can stretch the field, and with him, DeSean Jackson, Kevin Curtis and Brian Westbrook on the field, it's going to be tough for a defense to decide who to cover.
Oh, and for all of you doubting Maclin's size (6-0, 198 pounds), here's a list of some other wide outs around that size:
Torry Holt: 6-0, 190
Marvin Harrison: 6-0, 185
Santonio Holmes: 5-11, 192
Reggie Wayne: 6-0, 198
Derrick Mason: 5-10, 192
Hines Ward: 6-0, 205
Steve Smith: 5-9, 185
Wes Welker: 5-9, 185
Roddy White: 6-0, 208
Santana Moss: 5-10, 200
Donald Driver: 6-0, 194
That good enough for you? Grade: A
Second Round:LeSean McCoy, RB-Pitt
I knew the Eagles would be looking for a running back, and they certainly found one here. While he's not the super big back that some fans have been begging for, he's certainly a good back to have to learn under, and eventually replace, Brian Westbrook. In a lot of ways, he's a Westbrook like back with his elusiveness and burst, and that's a good thing. He scored 21 touchdowns at Pitt last year, and I had projected as a late first, early second round pick, so to have him fall to the 53rd overall pick is a very good thing. Another great pick here.
Grade: A-
TRADE: Two 5th Round picks to the New England Patriots for CB Ellis Hobbs
The Eagles would then take their sweet time making their first pick on the second day of the draft. They traded out of their third round pick...twice. The first time, they traded with the Giants, and the second time, they traded with Seattle for a third round pick next year. They ended up with six fifth round picks, which they then were able to package into a deal for Ellis Hobbs out of New England. This sends a clear message to Sheldon Brown that while he may not be traded yet, the Eagles may certainly be willing to go the Lito Sheppard route with him and cut his playing time. While Hobbs is a good corner, he's not great, as his play in Super Bowl XLII shows. Where his best strength lies is in the return game. He has the NFL record for longest kick return for a touchdown, and his arrival completely revamps what once was a glaring weakness for the Eagles in their returners. I'm not sure how much I like him as a corner, but for what the Eagles gave up, it's a solid deal.
Grade: B
Fifth Round, Pick 1: Cornelius Ingram, TE-Florida
If not for a knee injury before his rookie year, Ingram would have gone a lot higher than this. I love this pick. Ingram's a big, athletic tight end, and while his blocking isn't great, it was something he was working on before his knee injury. He had recovered enough to work at the NFL Scouting Combine and looked good there. There have been some concerns that his knee isn't completely healed, but if that's the case, the Eagles can just put him on IR and wait until next year for him to fully recover, much like they did with Jack Ikegwuonu last year. If he's healthy, it's another athletic play maker to stretch the field.
Grade: A
Fifth Round, Pick 2: Victor "Macho" Harris, CB-Virginia Tech
I put his position as corner back, only because that's what he played in college. His 40 time (4.68) and hitting ability make me think that his future with the Eagles will be at safety. This was another solid pick for Philadelphia, as they added yet another play maker, only this time on defense. They're stacked in the defensive secondary now, as most people had Harris going in the third round, so to pick him up here is a very good thing. He's known as a solid hitter, and while he can have a bit of a short fuse, a year or so down the road he should start to look like a solid pick. He's not a shut down corner, but very few people are.
Grade: B+
Fifth Round, Pick 3: Fenuki Tupou, OL-Oregon
Andy Reid loves his big guys on the offensive line, and they don't get much bigger than Tupou. He's 6-5 and weighs in at 314 pounds, so he's got the NFL offensive line size. He played tackle at Oregon, but has experience at guard as well, which is good because that's probably where the Eagles are going to want him to play. From what I read, he was another guy that was projected by some to be a third or fourth round pick, so it was another nice job by the Eagles to take this guy where they did. I don't know what to expect from him, but it's certainly a nice value pick.
Grade: B+
Sixth Round: Brandon Gibson, WR-Washington St.
Gibson had a rough senior year at Washington State, as he struggled to learn the new offensive system. At 6-1, 206 pounds, he's a decent sized wide out, but has had a troubled past when it comes to injuries. I'm not sure what the Eagles are going to expect out of him, but I figure he'll more than likely be a practice squad guy or one of the last cuts made in training camp. If he pans out to be anything more than that, I'll be happy.
Grade: B
Seventh Round, Pick 1: Paul Fanaika, OG-Arizona State
Another big offensive lineman from the Pac 10, Fanaika is a guy who could become a solid backup offensive lineman. He started for three years at Arizona State after walking on to the team, but there are some questions about where he can play at the pro level. If the Eagles can find a place for him, I think he could be a decent late round pick.
Grade: B
Seventh Round, Pick 2: Moise Fokou, LB-Maryland
Aside from giving announcers all kinds of trouble with that last name, I doubt Fokou is going to be anything terrific. The last pick the Eagles made, and it's more for an extra body in training camp to spur on some competition. Nothing wrong with that, though.
Grade: B-
Overall:
As I said at the start, this is the best draft I feel like the Eagles have had under Andy Reid. They got the depth at running back, corner back and tight end that they needed, and picked up an excellent play maker at wide out that isn't about to turn 30 years old and is asking for $10 million per season. While most of these players will more than likely be coming into their primes with Kevin Kolb under center, the fact that the Eagles drafted the way that they did means that they are planning on one last run with Donovan McNabb. The trade for Jason Peters of Buffalo also made that clear, as the Eagles now have one of the biggest, best and youngest offensive lines in the NFL. This offense is going to be quick and scary next season, and opposing teams are going to have to pick their poison when all these play makers come onto the field. I'm not giving the draft an A grade, just because I want to see these players in action first, but it's getting the best grade I feel comfortable giving right now: A-
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