Eagles Select LB Casey Matthews & A Kicker
Posted: April 30th, 2011 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 7 Comments »Good pick. The Eagles landed a good LB. Matthews has great instincts and is the best cover LB in the draft. He’s not a great athlete. He’s not a dynamic force like his brother Clay.
Some notes on Casey: High motor, intense player. 3-year starter. Has excellent instincts. One of those guys who just has a good feel for the game. Very good cover ‘backer. Gets depth on his drops. Stays active. Reads the QB and gets to the ball. Tackles well in space. Picked off 3 passes in 2010 and broke up 10 in his career. Solid run defender, but is better in pursuit than when plays come at him. Tough, physical player…except when dealing with OL. Struggles to shed blocks. Much better when he’s kept clean and then able to find the ball and go get it. Made an incredibly clutch play in the National Title game. Chased Cam Newton down from behind and punched the ball out. Oregon recovered and then went down and tied the game. Younger brother of Clay Matthews III. Looks similar, but not nearly as talented or athletic. Solid showing at the Senior Bowl.
Could play WLB or MLB in the NFL. Not a special athlete, but be careful about underestimating LBs with really good instincts. Could go as high as the 2nd or as low as the 4th.
I think Casey could play MLB or WLB for the Eagles. He isn’t a physical presence on the inside, but the new system is going to ask LBs to do some different things. Casey might be ideal at WLB. At the very least, could be a terrific role player and STer. I like the fact the Eagles didn’t just go for an athlete. They got a guy who knows how to play the position. Too often we’ve taken LBs with size or speed. Good to see them add a guy with instincts.
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I can’t say a lot about PK Alex Henery. He was a P/PK for Nebraska. He caught my eye over the years by nailing some huge kicks. Has a really strong leg. Great college kicker. Very interested in him. Lots of potential. Clutch kicker, which I like a lot.
I go to school at Creighton in Omaha, NE so I got to watch Henery every Saturday here in Husker country. I love the kid, I wanted him all year not only can he make a 65 yard FG with ease but the kid can coffin corner it too so he could potentially beat out Rocca and be our punter until Akers decides to retire
An acquaintance who is a huge Giants fan is really pissed off we got Henery. He follows the draft very closely and wanted the Giants to get him in a later round. Says he both punted and kicked but is a better place kicker. Says our “special teams are set for 10 years” with Henery.
Tweet from Jeremy Maclin –
“I have seen this man Alex Henry kick make field goals on kickoffs lol” sic
From bgn..
Henery missed just 2 kicks inside the 50 yard line in his entire career at Nebraska, and just 1 from inside the 40. This was at Nebraska, mind you, which isn’t exactly the same at kicking in the Superdome. And he’s not just an accurate kicker – He has an enormous leg, as he drilled 7 kicks of over 50 yards. But is he clutch, you might ask? He sure is. In the National Title Game in 2009, he nailed a 52 yarder that gave Nebraska the lead over the Texas Longhorns with under 2 minutes to go. And oh by the way, he punts too. The Eagles grab by far and away the best kicker in this class, and get themselves a stellar player for the next decade.
I’m devising a play where they set up a placekick and Henery punts, but 2 problems:
1. No real reason to use deception on a pooch punt;
2. They already have Rocca holding.
However, even tho Rocca has improved his pooch punting, specializing the punting position may be in play, w/ Rocca handling the long boomers. There’s the send-a-message potential of a slumping Rocca being replaced for a punt or two, also, but make sure April has bodyguards for that. And best of all, the message sent to Dallas “Rocca is a healthy scratch because we won’t be punting much against your sorry defense:” priceless.
Really like the Casey Matthews and while it’s tough to get excited about a 4th round kickers but it sounds like that guy could be special. Admittedly I’d have much rather seen them take Taiwan Jones. Obviously the Raiders jumped all over him. Maybe we can snag Michael Bush from them, or maybe not, I’ve just always thought Bush could be a great NFL back.
Actually wanted to ask you about a rumor I keep hearing. The rumor is that there is a deal in the works that would send Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and their 1st Rd pick in 2012. Not to get too invested as it’s probably just hearsay but that sounds pretty enticing! What are your thoughts on the possible deal and what are your thoughts on DRC and how he could fit in at RCB on the Eagles?
Wow, that first sentence needs some editing.
2nd attempt:
Really like the Casey Matthews pick and while it’s tough to get excited about a 4th round kicker, it sounds like this guy Henery could be special.
So, if we shove Casey Mathews and Ernie Sims into Westbrook’s old hyperbolic chamber and hook it up to all the wind turbines at the Linc, will a reincarnated Derrick Thomas come out? Maybe Seth Joyner can lay his hands on the chamber and have the clock turned back 20 years?