Eagles' Draft Review

By Mike Duncan:

This was a very crucial draft for the Philadelphia Eagles.  This was mainly due to the fact that the team was coming off an extremely disappointing 8-8 season, have not won a playoff game since 2008, and have had minimal impact contributions from draft picks, especially on the defensive side of the ball.  Although its near impossible to accurately judge a team’s draft before any of the players have stepped onto a NFL football field, we can at least amuse ourselves for the time being with semi-educated assessments. 

              I feel that the Eagles had one of the better drafts in the NFL this year and one of the better drafts of Andy Reid’s tenure.  What I was most impressed with was their ability to maximize the value of the players they selected while still trying to fill positions of need.  That is not an easy thing to do and teams tend to get in trouble on draft day when they put too much focus into filling needs.   Many of their draft picks were prospects that I thought easily could have been selected earlier.  Below is a list of the Eagles selections and some quick thoughts. 

1(12) – Fletcher Cox DT Mississippi St.

            The Eagles traded a 4^th and 6^th rd pick to move up 3 spots in the first round to select Cox, a great fit for the Eagles and a player that could have gone as high as 6^th overall.  He is a disruptive and penetrating DT with excellent athleticism.  Will fit right in with the DL coach Jim Washburn’s aggressive, pass rushing scheme.  I see similarities to Cullen Jenkins, who is currently on the Eagles.  Cox is only 21, has room to get bigger, and can certainly improve technique.  He should be able to come in immediately and make an impact but still has room to develop. 

2(46) – Mychal Kendricks LB Cal

             Very versatile LB.  Can blitz(whens the last time the Eagles had a LB with legitimate blitzing ability?), play the run and play the pass.  In his last two years at Cal, accumulated 30 TFL, 11.5 sacks, and 3 ints.  One of the most athletic LBs in the draft.  While he is on the short side, 5-11, he does weigh 240.  Will most likely be opening week starter on the strong side for the Eagles but has versatility to play all 3 LB positions. 3 down LB who could become fan favorite with aggressive and ferocious play. Interested to see how he will fair playing behind the wide 9.  Will need to use athleticism and quickness to get around blockers as he could have issues taking on and shedding NFL OL.  Along with Demeco Ryans, should significantly improve dreadful Eagles LB corps.

2(59) – Vinny Curry DE Marshall

            Love this pick.  The Eagles traded down from 51 to 59 and recouped a 4^th rd pick to make up for trading up for Cox in rd 1.  They were still able to get incredible value with Curry, who could have been a late first rd pick.  Extremely productive, relentless motor, and wide array of moves.  Dropped due to not having ideal height, short arms and did not have a great combine.  Will be perfect in wide 9 scheme where he can just pin his ears back and get after the QB.   Not a good run defender and does not have great recognition skills.  Could be another fan favorite. 

3(88) – Nick Foles QB Arizona

            Developmental Qb.  Top intangibles.  Great size.  Good while facing pressure.  Threw for 4,300 yards in front of an all freshman OL.   3 years worth of starts.  Doesn’t have a great arm or accuracy and doesn’t have great mechanics.  Can throw some pretty balls.   Has ability to be a starting QB.  Feel confident with his mental makeup. 

4(123) Brandon Boykin CB Georgia

            Love this pick.  Personally would have grabbed him a rd earlier.  Does not have great size but is very fast.   Much better in man to man coverage than zone which fits Eagles scheme.  Ticketed for slot CB.  Willing to help in run support but not necessarily great at it.  Excellent with the ball in his hands.  Eagles had him as the top combo returner in the draft.  Would love to see him come in and take PR and KR duties.  Got dinged up a lot during college and suffered a broken foot during the senior bowl. 

5(153) Dennis Kelly OT Purdue

            Very tall @ 6-8.  Good athleticism.  Probably not enough ability for LT.  Have to trust Howard Mudd when it comes to late round OL as evidenced by Kelce last year and some of his picks during his Colts days. 

6(194) Marvin McNutt WR Iowa

            Good size.  Very productive senior year 82 1300 12.  Could provide red zone scoring ability.  I feel he is infinity better than resident big wr Riley Cooper.  Shows ability to go up for the ball and play to his size.  Inconsistent hands.  Will make highlight catches and drop easy ones.  Not overly athletic but does show some quickness and decent speed.  37 inch vertical.  Did not play great vs top competition. 

6(200) Brandon Washington OG Miami(FL)

            Played LT last year and left guard in 2010.  Will most likely play G for the Eagles.  Andy Reid was very impressed with his 2010 game tape when he played Guard.  Strong, good feet. 

7(229) Bryce Brown RB Kansas St

            Low risk.  High reward.  Was elite recruit out of HS.  Limited production in college.  Went to Tennessee and left after one year.  Sat out for one year and transferred to Kansas St where he had only 3 carries last year.  Has some pretty ridiculous HS footage out there.  Measured in at 223 lbs and was clocked between 4.37 and 4.45 in the 40 yard dash.  

Day 1 is just the beginning

By: Steve Johnson

Many think the NFL Draft is all about those big name prospects, the guys that shake Roger Goddells hand, or hugged him as it seemed last night. The NFL executives know otherwise, they know that championship teams are built in the later rounds. This is the chance they get to show how hard they worked scouting players all year round, in colleges in the middle of no where and players at big name universities that fell under the radar. Here are some Day 2 prospects that you should keep an eye out for.

Janoris Jenkins, CB North Alabama
Jenkins was an All-American at Florida and a potential top 10 pick, but he cared more about producing children and smoking weed than playing football. He's a high risk, even higher reward if some NFL veterans and coaches can get the most out of this kid.

Coby Fleener, TE Stanford and Jonathan Martin, OT, Stanford
Many thought Fleener would go in the first round. He has great size (6'6) and is a great receiver. Martin is a great pass protector, keeping Andrew Luck upright for years. Both are still very lean and can use an off season in an NFL conditioning program to add bulk. Look for Luck to be whispering in his new bosses ear telling him to draft his buddies.

Courtney Upshaw, OLB, Alabama
Another player that many expected to go in round 1, whoever gets him in the early second round will get a steal. This kid lives for football, he doesn't have the great athleticism as some of the other OLBs taken, but he can really play ball.

Devon Still,  DT, Penn State
A player that fell the past month or two on most peoples boards. Still has great size (6'5) and can really stop the run. Has NFL bloodlines, cousin of Art Still and Levon Kirkland. Came on late as a senior to be the Big Ten defensive player of the year. Could play as a 4-3 DT or a 3-4 End.

Cordy Glenn, OG, Georgia
Big, massive (6'6, 345), mauling offensive guard that has also played tackle in his career. Many thought he could make it into the first round, but obviously has slipped and could start day 1 for someone who comes up and grabs him.

Amini Silatolu, G, Midwestern State
I've raved about him in my last article and I hold my ground. This guy will be a steal. Dominated at lower level and can dominate in the NFL. Natural athlete, who could have started on any team in the country last year.

Other names to watch
Lavonte David, LB Nebraska
Peter Konz, C, Wisconsin
Stephen Hill, WR Georgia Tech
Kendall Reyes, DT UConn
Jerel Worthy, DT Michigan St
Bobbie Massie, OT, Ole Miss
Mike Adams, OT Ohio State

Quick Thoughts 17-32

17. Cincinnati. Dre Kirkpatrick

• Huge need for Cincy. Quick not fast. Could be an issue going against speed in AFC North

18. San Diego. Melvin Ingram

• Great Plaer. Surprised he fell this far. Can play multiple positions, fits SD system

19. Chicago. Shea McClellin

• Surprised by this pick. Thought he fit better into a 3-4 as an OLB. Very versatile player though.

20.  Tennessee. Kendall Wright

• Gives a young QB another weapon. Helps Kenny Britt and Chris Johnson. Wright is VERY fast

21. New England. Chandler Jones

• Great prospect, great bloodline, will be a beast in that defense, about time they have one

22. Cleveland. Brandon Weeden

• Is he going to push Colt or beat him? He's smart. Good Arm, I dunno about at 22.

23. Detroit. Riley Reiff

• Good pick to protect Stafford, probably play RT right away, and eventually LT

24. Pittsburgh. David DeCastro

• Complete BEAST, will dominate right away. Smart and mauler. Typical Steeler player

25. New England. Dont'a Hightower

• Another player that can play multiple positions in their system. Good pick. Smart player

26. Houston. Whitney Mercilus 

• Great pass rusher. Huge upside. Needs work in run game. Will replace Mario

27. Cincinnati. Kevin Zeitler

• Think this is kind of a reach. Huge need for Cincy though.

28. Green Bay. Nick Perry

• Another USC OLB for the Pack. Huge need opposite of Matthews

29. Minnesota. Harrison Smith

• Great pick. Love the value there. Think this is a steal pick. 

30. San Francisco. A.J. Jenkins

• Reach? Fast, and jumped high. But wasn't expected in the first round.

31. Tampa Bay. Doug Martin

• They got their running back to run with Blount. Quick, fast runner to compliment. 

32. New York Giants. David Wilson

• Went for a need, a little reach. Could have seen them go OL or TE

Quick Thoughts on 1-16

1. Indianapolis. Andrew Luck

• Obvious Pick, best QB prospect in recent years

2.  Washington. Robert Griffin III

• The 2nd best prospect in this draft, better thrower than most think, huge potential

3. Cleveland. Trent Richardson

• Best RB prospect since Adrian Peterson, moved up to surpass Tampa Bay from trading up

4. Minnesota. Matt Kalil

• Great LT prospect, huge need for Minnesota, another obvious pick here

5. Jacksonville. Justin Blackmon

• Jags probably had the worst WRs in the league, fills huge need for them

6. Dallas. Morris Claiborne

• Cowboys secondary was aging, needed to counter the great passing teams in NFC East

7.  Tampa Bay. Mark Barron

• Improves secondary from day 1, not the best in coverage, will need to address secondary again.

8. Miami. Ryan Tannehill

• Haven't had a legit QB since Marino, OC Sherman coached Tannehill last year at A&M

9. Luke Kuelchy. Carolina

• Going defense was a must need. Have a very legit LB corp now

10. Buffalo. Stephon Gilmore

• Another team that needs to go defense. 2nd best DB in my opinion

11. Kansas City. Dontari Poe

• Overrated, workout warrior, didn't dominate week competition. Another underachieving DL?

12. Philadelphia. Fletcher Cox

• Best player available, best DL available. Huge need. Great Pick

13. Arizona. Michael Flyod

• Love Flyod, great value here. Will compliment Fitzgerald very nicely

14. St. Louis. Michael Brockers

• Boom or bust player. Run stuffer only, no pass rush in him. Will free up LBs

15. Seattle. Bruce Irvin

• Huge reach. Pass rusher only. Possible bust. Don't understand this pick

16. New York Jets. Quinton Coples

• Don't get this pick either. Coples doesn't fit in 3-4 DE. Expected more of a OLB here

2012 NFL Draft Bold Predictions

By: Steve Johnson

You Will Know Who Amini Silatolu Is By The End Of The First Round
Who? The Guard out of Midwestern State (Texas) will be a 1st round surprise. He is a nasty mauler in the run game that will fall into the late 1st round for a team that likes to run the football (Baltimore, San Francisco, Pittsburgh). He is 6'4 315 with huge hands that really pack a punch. He played Left Tackle in college but is projected to start at Guard in the NFL.

Mark Barron Will Go In The Top 10
The Safety out of Alabama has been rising on every ones board as of late. It's not that Barron is a top 10 player, but the need for safety is overwhelming and he is the top one on the board. Barron is more of a in the box type safety and has struggled in the past in coverage. With the emergence of Tight Ends in the NFL as of late, Safeties have become more and more important.

Five Defensive Tackles Will Go In Round 1
With the impact Defensive Tackles have made over the past 5 years, we are seeing more and more teams stress the Defensive Tackle Position. Ndamukong Suh went 2nd overall two years ago and don't be surprised to see a Defensive Tackle go in the top 5 again this year. Fletcher Cox, Dontari Poe, Michael Brockers, Jerel Worthy, Kendall Reyes, and Devon Still are all names you could hear called on Day 1. Watch out!

Should I stay or should I go?

By: Steve Johnson

It's a question Eagles Head Coach and VP of Football Operations Andy Reid asks himself every year around this time. No it's not what the Eagles war room buffet should consist of for the annual NFL Draft...well OK he has two questions every year. But anyways the main question Reid asks himself and puppets is, should the Eagles trade up, trade down, or stay put in the first round. In 2003 and 2004 Reid traded up in the first round to grab Jerome McDougle, who could never stay healthy, and Shawn Andrews, who could never stay sane. In 2007 and 2008 Reid and his team traded out of the first round completely. In 2009 and 2010 they once again traded up in the first round to snag Jeremy Maclin and then Brandan Graham. Say what you want about some of Reids questionable early round picks, but one thing you cannot question is his ability to stockpile late round draft picks and turn them into starters and sometimes even pro bowlers. So the question this season is, do the Eagles trade up from 15 into the top 10 and try to get one of the few high reward picks, or do they trade down to get a number of picks in later rounds. Here are a few scenarios the Eagles are looking at days before the 2012 NFL Draft.

Eagles Current Picks
Rd 1. Pick 15
Rd 2. Pick 46
Rd 2. Pick 51 (from Arizona in Kevin Kolb trade)
Rd 3. Pick 88 (from Houston, swapped in Demeco Ryans trade)
Rd 4. Pick 114
Rd 5. Pick 153
Rd 6. Pick 172 (from Indianapolis, swapped in Winston Justice trade)
Rd 6. Pick 194 (from Denver, Broderick Bunkley trade)
Rd 6. Pick 200 (from New England, Tracy White trade)


Trade Up Into The Top 10

The Eagles are currently sitting at 15, a spot where there are some good value players, but none of which really fit in terms of need. So why not trade up? St. Louis (6th), Jacksonville (7th) and Carolina (9th) are all possible scenarios for a trade up. These teams are all young and are looking to stockpile as many picks as possible, moving back a couple spots would not hurt them. According to the Draft Value Chart , a chart used by most NFL front offices, the Eagles could move up to say 7th, by giving up their 15th overall pick, their 3rd round pick and an additional late round pick. Doing this could allow them to target a player likely to be taken before 15 such as DT Fletcher Cox, LB Luke Kuelchy, or maybe even a player such as WR Michael Floyd.

Trade Down Into The 20s

If the Eagles can't trade into the Top 10, I believe they'll ending up doing what they've done in the past and trade back to get more picks to fill out their roster. The benefit of doing such a thing this year, is the difference between getting a player at 15 and getting a player in the mid to late 20s is not significant. When looking at teams like Denver (25th) and San Francisco (30th) they could likely want to move up and grab a position of need. Or there's always the craft Bill Belichick and the Patriots, who own 2 first round picks (27 and 31) that are always looking to move around in the draft, and have shown the history to make moves with Andy and crew. A couple players to take a look at in the later part of the first round could be some of the DTs (Jerel Worthy and Michael Brockers) or maybe another secondary player in (Stephon Gilmore, Janoris Jenkins, or Dre Kirkpatrick).

No matter what the Eagles do, General Manager Howie Roseman swears the Eagles are approaching this draft differently, focusing more on game film rather than the pro day and combine stars. Whether you believe them or not, finally admitting they were wrong and addressing a huge need in trading for LB Demeco Ryans was a step in the right direction, the direction Eagles fans have been waiting years for.

2012 NFL Mock Draft 17-32

Continued...
By: Steve Johnson and Mike Duncan

17. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7) (from Raiders)
Dre Kirkpatrick, CB, Alabama

18. San Diego Chargers (8-8)
Chandler Jones, DE/OLB Syracuse

19. Chicago Bears (8-8)
Quinton Coples, DE UNC

20. Tennessee Titans (9-7)
David DeCastro, G, Stanford

21. Cincinnati Bengals (9-7)
Lamar Miller, RB Miami

22. Cleveland Browns (4-12) (from Falcons)
Reuben Randle, WR, LSU

23. Detroit Lions (10-6)
Cordy Glenn, G, Georgia

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4)
Dont'a Hightower, LB, Alabama

25. Denver Broncos (8-8)
Michael Brockers, DT LSU

26. Houston Texans (10-6)
Kendall Wright, WR Baylor

27. New England Patriots (13-3) (from Saints)
Nick Perry, DE/OLB USC

28. Green Bay Packers (15-1)
Shea McClellin, OLB, Boise St

29. Baltimore Ravens (12-4)
Amini Silatolu, G Midwestern St

30. San Francisco 49ers (13-3)
Coby Fleener, TE Stanford

31. New England Patriots (13-3)
Devon Still, DT PSU

32. New York Giants (9-7)
Jonathan Martin, OT Stanford

2012 NFL Mock Draft 1-16

By: Steve Johnson and Mike Duncan

1. Indianapolis Colts (2-14)
Andrew Luck, QB, Stanford

2. Washington Redskins (5-11) (from Rams)
Robert Griffin III, QB, Baylor

3. Minnesota Vikings (3-13)
Matt Kalil, OT, USC

4. Cleveland Browns (4-12)
Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11)
Morris Claiborne, CB, LSU

6. St. Louis Rams (2-14) (from Redskins)
Justin Blackmon, WR, Oklahoma St

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-11)
Michael Floyd, WR, Notre Dame

8. Miami Dolphins (6-10)
Ryan Tannehill, QB, Texas A&M

9. Carolina Panthers (6-10)
Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

10. Buffalo Bills (6-10)
Stephon Gilmore, CB South Carolina

11. Kansas City Chiefs
Dontari Poe, DT Memphis

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-9)
Luke Kuechly, LB, Boston College

13. Arizona Cardinals (8-8)
Riley Reiff, OT, Iowa

14. Dallas Cowboys (8-8)
Mark Barron, S, Alabama

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8-8)
Fletcher Cox, DT, Miss St

16. New York Jets (8-8)
Courtney Upshaw, OLB Alabama

View 16-32 here

Possible Scenarios at 15 for Birds

By: Steve Johnson

Assuming the Eagles stay at 15 (which I don't believe they will) here are some possible scenarios that could happen.

DT Michael Brockers, LSU
Positives: Brockers is a massive man (6'5 322) with a huge wingspan (83 7/8) that can rarely be moved off the ball. Strong and big enough to push the line back, and wraps and throws down ball carriers.
Negatives: Not nearly as strong as he is big and would benefit from an NFL workout. He is still young, a 21 year old red shirt sophomore, that is still learning the game and would benefit from being in a rotation of veterans. Not the quick, pass rushing type of DT the Eagles tend to look for. He was among the worst in the 20 yard short shuttles posting times of 4.81 and 4.87 at the combine.
Overall: 15 would be a reach for Brockers, especially in a 4-3

DT Fletcher Cox, Miss St
Positives: The most productive DT in the draft this year. The perfect size (6'4 298), speed (4.81 40yd) and quickness (4.55 20yd) you look for in a 4-3 DT. Has and 80 1/2 wingspan and 10 3/8 hands. Quickly spins off blockers and wraps up tackles in space. Dominated in the strongest conference in college football.
Negatives: Only 1 full season of dominance. Explosiveness is in question (26 inch vert). Doesn't always use his hands to get off blocks.
Overall: The Eagles would love for him to fall to 15, but he is likely a top 10 pick, could see them moving up to grab him


S Mark Barron, Alabama
Positives: Great size (6'1 214) that he uses well to put a lick on ball carriers. Can tackle in space, spent most of his time down in the box in an NFL style defense. Has long arms and big hands, which helped him lead the SEC in interceptions as a sophomore. Two year captain, defensive play caller, and very high football IQ you look for in a team leader.
Negatives: Doesn't have the most fluid hips and sometimes gets caught in double moves. Sometimes plays too aggressive and can miss tackles going for the knockout blow. Durability issues prevented him from playing 100% the past two seasons.
Overall: Will probably be available at 15 and would instantly start. Eagles have used 2 straight 2nd rounders on safeties and might be too stubborn to give up on them.

LB Luke Kuechly, Boston College
Positives: A tackling machine, ended his career at BC with 532 tackles, broke his own records year after year. Sees the play development like you want your middle linebacker to. Moves before the play starts and makes all the defensive calls, making your defense better from day 1. A better athlete than i originally thought, ran a 4.60 40, 4.18 20 yard shuttle, and a 38 inch vertical jump. Is 6'3, could put on a little more weight at 242, but is stronger than you think (27 reps of 225). The perfect football guy, brings his lunch pale to work every day type of guy. Excelled in interviews and was described as "the type of guy executives would want their daughters to marry"
Negatives: What you see is what you get, will not get much bigger, almost as if he is maxed out. Short arms hurt him getting around blockers, gets wrapped up easily. Not great quickness and can get beat the second he misreads a play. Watched a lot of film on him, and not once did I see a huge highlight film hit.
Overall: Eagles traded for Ryan, but could use another guy at LB and Reid addressed that he "goofed" in undervaluing the LB position in the wide nine. Most likely will be gone by 15, meaning they would have to trade up

2012 NL East Preview

By: Steve Johnson

How they'll finish

National League

East:
1. Phillies
2. Marlins
3. Nationals
4. Braves
5. Mets

The Phillies are still the team to beat  in baseballs best division regardless of their injuries up front. Chase Utley will never be the same player but will play through his injuries, just as he did last year. He will be rested, but when he's on the field he'll give 110% every play. Manager Charlie Manuel has shown signs of the Phils playing small ball. Without the power they have had the past 5 years, they will have to use their speed and defense to win games. The Phillies won't win 102 games again, but as long as the Phillies still have Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels pitching from 60 feet, 6 inches, they will win enough games to win the division. The Marlins are the hyped team after making huge acquisitions in the off season to get Heath Bell and Jose Reyes to go along with future MVP Giancarlo (don't call him Mike) Stanton. It comes down to can they live up to the hype and can stud pitcher Josh Johnson return from his injury, oh and not to mention can Carlos Zambrano and Ozzie not kill each other. The Nationals are the young team that every scout is talking about, it's not a matter of IF but WHEN. Their top three starters of Stephen Strasburg, Jordan Zimmerman, and Gio Gonzalez are going to be great. They return their two top hitters Ryan Zimmerman and Michael Morse, along with a more comfortable Jayson Werth. It's only a matter of time before the sports LeBron James gets called up in Bryce Harper. Watch for the Nats to make a splash and push for a 3rd place with the Braves. The Braves were one of the best teams in baseball going into September last year, so why do we have them so low? The Braves haven't done anything to make their roster better...and everyone else has. Jason Heyward has not looked like the hitter he was projected to be, having a terrible spring to follow up his horrendous 2011 season. There are questions about the Braves bullpen being worked too much last year, and still paying for it this spring. Now that the Braves starting pitching has gotten worse, could the bullpen be worked even more? The biggest question for the Braves, is if Ugly Dan can turn his good spring numbers into a successful season. Mets are a very bad team.