Morton Was … WRONG!!!

Posted: February 27th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 82 Comments »

My good friend and regular reader/commenter Morton boldly predicted that Luke Kuechly would not be a good athlete.  To quote the great muse himself, “I bet Kuechly runs a slower 40 than Dontari Poe.”  Luke is at 4.58.  Poe is 4.98.  I’m pretty sure the bet was for $1 billion, but I’ll settle for a simple admission of error and a piece of gum.

Luke Kuechly had a terrific showing at the Combine.  He had a vertical of 38 inches and a broad jump of 10’3.  Those are excellent figures.  He solidified himself as a player worthy of a pick in the 11-25 range.  MLBs rarely go in the Top 10.  As good as Luke is, I don’t think I’d spend a pick that high on him.

How does his workout change the Eagles plans?  I’ve got to think about this.  I’ll put up a post later tonight with some thoughts.  I don’t think anyone anticipated Luke looking this athletic.

Cal MLB Mychal Kendricks (5’11, 239) is a player I’ve mentioned recently as someone I really liked.  I think he is a legit MLB option outside of Kuechly.  He had a great showing at the Combine and posted better results than Luke.  And Kendricks was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.  He’s not some workout warrior.  I thought of him as a 3rd round type MLB.  Maybe he could sneak up to the late 2nd.  Not sure of his value yet.

The Eagles do have draft options, whether at DT or MLB.  It really will be interesting to see what they do.

As for Morton…he’s still the best dissenter in the league.  I expect him to have valid arguments for why these numbers don’t matter.  The altitude in Indianapolis gives the players an advantage.  HGH.  The track is slanted downfield.  Bribes.  Smoking Man made them give Luke a good time.  There is bound to be a reason.

* * * * *

Earlier questions/topics:

Shea McClellin.  I liked him as a SAM at 6’3, 245.  He bulked up to 260 for the Combine, but still ran well and had a good workout.  Could be at DE target for Jim Washburn.  Shea is more fast than explosive.  He would fit in as a DE in the Wide-9.  He could also drop weight and play SAM.  Really good player.

MLB D’Qwell Jackson.  Re-signed withe the Browns.  They talked about franchising him anyway.  Good MLB off the market, but wasn’t sure he would ever be available.


82 Comments on “Morton Was … WRONG!!!”

  1. 1 Donald Kalinowski said at 4:42 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Attacking your readers? tsk tsk tsk
    That’s JimmyK-esque

  2. 2 TommyLawlor said at 4:44 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Just having some fun with Morton. He’s a big boy. He can handle it. I’ll gladly admit when I’m wrong…should that ever happen.

  3. 3 austinfan said at 5:10 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Don’t worry. I’ll be sure to tell you.

  4. 4 the guy said at 1:52 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    You once told me I’d never be an astronaut. Well look at me now!

  5. 5 Jimmy Kempski said at 5:19 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Hey!

  6. 6 Jimmy Kempski said at 5:19 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Hey!

  7. 7 Arby1 said at 4:45 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    ” I’m pretty sure the bet was for $1 billion”

    I’m pretty sure he promised not to post for 1 year if he lost.

  8. 8 TommyLawlor said at 4:47 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    We don’t want Morton to go away. We need a voice of dissent. Checks and balances. Who is going to be the Supreme Court to my Congress?

  9. 9 Arby1 said at 5:14 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I suppose it would be acceptable if he promised to change his tune from time to time.

  10. 10 D3Keith said at 7:27 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Hey, he had a good point that one time.

  11. 11 ACViking said at 4:47 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    All I can say about Kuechley’s 4.58, 27 reps, 38″ vertical and 123″ broad jump is — HOLY COW!

    And Kendricks . . . 4.47, 24 reps, 29.5″ vertical and 127″ broad jump — DOUBLE HOLY COW!

    I’m just thrilled by Kuechley’s 40 time.

    But I’m totally blown away by Kendrick’s time.
    _____________

    T-LAW:

    What separates these two players in the eyes of scouts besides Kendricks being about 2 inches shorter but just as stout and a .1 second faster?

    Also: Is Kendricks a better value than LK . . . i.e., an MLB who’ll provide essentially the same production but for “half the price”?

    Finally: How is Kendricks in man coverage?

  12. 12 bridgecoach said at 5:57 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Great points. What separates these two physically/athletically? Not much – both have tremendous explosion. Both can elevate and reach to occupy almost the exact same area – Kendricks has a bit more reach and ups, but Kuechly starts off taller. Both have speed to run with TEs, RBs and most WRs.

    The difference is huge though between these two players. And it comes down to two areas – production and instincts. Kendricks has 236 tackles after 4 years. Kuechly has 532 in three. Thats more than double the production in 3/4 of the time. Kuechly has as many solo tackles this year as Kendricks has total tackles. As far as instncts go – Kendricks is not a defensive signal caller, has very limited cover skills despite his athletic ability, and is exactly the kind of guy who will struggle behind a wide-9 in terms of mentally deciding where the play is going and which gap to fill.

    I love this guy as an OLB prospect lining up next to LK40 helping him diagnose plays. But he isn’t the guy who devours offensive playbooks for fun the way Luke Kuechly does to prepare for each matchup. We really need to wake up to how rare an opportunity this is to build our LB corps around a very rare mental game talent with all the athleticism, production, and consistency we could want behind the wide-9 defense.

  13. 13 Arby1 said at 6:18 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Intelligence is a very underrated quality in an athlete.

  14. 14 D3Keith said at 7:29 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    We need to wake up and want Luke Kuechly more? Is that even possible?

  15. 15 D3FB said at 8:36 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    We need to find crack addicts and ask for advice on that level of craving.

  16. 16 ACViking said at 4:55 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    After checking NFL.COM/COMBINE for Von Burfict’s numbers, I think he’d have been well served to have a note from his mother saying he had to stay home because he was sick.

    This kid is sinking faster than than the Titanic.
    ______________

    As for Danny Trevethon . . . regardless of his Combine numbers (not bad/not great), he’s just a really good football player who performs better with the helmet on than off.

  17. 17 Cafone said at 5:47 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Where is Burfict going to end up at this point? He does appear to be sinking fast.

    After reading about him and seeing the opinions of analysts I respect, I definitely did not want him as a 1st rounder. But if he falls to the third maybe he’s worth a pick as a project.

  18. 18 Liam Garrett said at 6:07 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Read the interviews he gave this week. He sounds like a total headcase. I think he’d be so toxic, I wouldn’t even want him for free at this point.

  19. 19 Cafone said at 6:34 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    It’s hard to disagree with your reasoning, but if the Eagles do address MLB in free agency then they probably won’t be addressing it early in the draft. Burfict obviously needs work and sitting him behind a veteran FA acquisition for a few years at a reasonable later round salary might be worth the risk if Andy thinks his upside is greater than his attitude problems.

  20. 20 James Coe said at 8:03 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Somebody over at BGN described picking Burfict as walking from Philly to Salt Lake City for $1000, but I don’t think that’s entirely accurate.

    I think it’s more like walking from Philly to Portland to buy a ticket to the Oregon State Lottery: There’s a small chance that you win big, but the effort it’ll take to get there is not even close to being worth it considering you’ll probably end up with nothing.

  21. 21 brza said at 5:03 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    In light of D’Qwell’s crazy contract probably setting the bar for FA LBs like Lofton and Hawthorne and Kuechly’s surprisingly awesome workout what are the chances of the Eagles signing Fletcher to a 1-2 year deal, which will be cheap in comparison to the other FAs, and still targeting Kuechly in the draft? That way they don’t break the bank on a MLB and still have a good stopgap in case Kuechly gets drafted ahead of them. If they still can get Kuechly then they play him at SAM for a year, let him learn from one of the best and have him step into the middle year 2?

    I just don’t see the Eagles spending close to $8M on a LB. And although it may be tough to pass up on Cox or Poe if they are available there seems to be other emerging DT options that could be there in the 2nd round.

    I guess Kendricks could also be an option if they decide that Poe or Cox is too good to pass up but still the Eagles would have to hedge their bets with a cheaper temporary upgrade like Fletcher.

  22. 22 iskar36 said at 5:05 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    The one thing that I am curious about is does the news from today actually hurt the Eagles? Prior to today, Kuechly was not a guarantee to get to 15, but there was a decent chance. Now, he improved his draft stock and may make it even harder for us to get him. On top of that, while D’Qwell Jackson was unlikely to hit the FA market, he did sign a big contract. How much will that affect the contract demands for the other major MLB targets? Will it put them out of our price range (in terms of willingness, not available money). I expect the Eagles to make a move at MLB, but depending on how this news changes things, we may be going from plan A to plan D.

  23. 23 D3Keith said at 7:31 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    But it was a good point both times!

  24. 24 austinfan said at 5:13 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Tommy, there is way too much attention paid to 40 times, though in Luke’s case, there was a valid reason, everything else was known.

    I’m begun to think the short shuttle is the key test for front seven defensive players, because playing defense these days requires reacting to a play, planting your foot to change direction and explode to the ball. And the SS kinda tests that ability.

    What stands out is how bad the DEs and LBs were in that test for the most part, worst than the best DTs. Outside of Ingram, Irvin and Bequette, not sure there’s an outside rusher I like in this draft. And there are a lot of LBs who ran fast in a straight line but struggled in agility drills.

  25. 25 ceteris_paribus1776 said at 5:39 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Really? There were several LBs who tested better in the SS than guys like Willis, Beason, Ryans, Bowman, and even Urlacher. What are you expecting them to complete it in?

  26. 26 brza said at 5:43 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I posted this in the other thread but since it applies to what you’re saying I’ll re-post here with some added info:

    Lou Tepper who coached 3 different Butkus award winners in college claimed in his book “Complete Linebacking” that the single most important drill for measuring LBs is the 20 yard shuttle or the “jingle-jangle” as he called it. He said he never had a good LB that did poorly in that drill. And it helped him discover a few walk-ons that went on to be All-Americans.

    He also said that a differential of .4 to .5 seconds between the 40 and shuttle (the shuttle being faster) signifies that the player has the change of direction to play LB. Kuechly ran a 4.12 short shuttle (.46 differential) which makes him 3rd best and even better than Kendricks.

    For some reason quite a few LBs including Zach Brown don’t have their short shuttle posted on nfl.com yet. Did they not run them or are they just slow on posting them?

  27. 27 austinfan said at 6:41 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Great stuff, I think it also applies to pass rushing ends, think about the cut they have to make around the corner to get to the QB, they were showing the angles Freeney and Mathis take (40 degrees) with their body to get the leverage and explosion to cut to the QB.

    I think the cone drill applies more to the change of direction you need in coverage for a LB, because in that case you have to change direction under control instead of explosively.

    For DL, the VT is real important because your legs are the source of your power, though in a one gap, I suspect the agility drills are more important than for two gap players who don’t penetrate and chase as much.

  28. 28 Anders Jensen said at 6:53 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Isnt the 3 cone drill a very important DB drill? basicly it tests how fluid their hips are to be able to turn with WR

  29. 29 austinfan said at 5:13 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Tommy, there is way too much attention paid to 40 times, though in Luke’s case, there was a valid reason, everything else was known.

    I’m begun to think the short shuttle is the key test for front seven defensive players, because playing defense these days requires reacting to a play, planting your foot to change direction and explode to the ball. And the SS kinda tests that ability.

    What stands out is how bad the DEs and LBs were in that test for the most part, worst than the best DTs. Outside of Ingram, Irvin and Bequette, not sure there’s an outside rusher I like in this draft. And there are a lot of LBs who ran fast in a straight line but struggled in agility drills.

  30. 30 ike said at 5:18 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Tommy:

    Luke Kuechley is putting up great numbers.

    He’s from Boston College . . . just like Mamula.

    As Eagles fans — and eternally disappointed — should we be concerned?

  31. 31 nopain23 said at 6:04 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Yes…… we should be concerned that JJ is gonna draft LK40…. stick him next to sean lee and shady’s gonna have NO rooom to run !!!!

  32. 32 Anders Jensen said at 6:27 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Unless LK40 and Sean Lee plays safety, how are they going to stop the TE trap run?

  33. 33 D3Keith said at 7:50 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    God that play is beautiful when we run it against the Cowboys.

  34. 34 nopain23 said at 5:59 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Hey T
    With wright not being the burner everyone thought he would be..does that increase Djax’s trade value as a bonafide speedster/deep threat?…I keep thinking a team like the Rams would gladly give up a second rd pick for probably the best deep threat in the league…..

  35. 35 Donald Kalinowski said at 6:24 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Do you think it’s time to replace Hanson as the slot corner? What’s your opinion of Terrell Thomas, Richard Marshall, or Pat Lee in that role?

  36. 36 Anders Jensen said at 6:28 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I think Brandon Boykin fit that role the best and Tommy have also talked abit about him

  37. 37 Morton said at 7:20 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Hyperbole… ever hear about it?

    The fact of the matter is that it doesn’t matter what kind of 40 Kuechly runs; what matters is the film evidence of him getting blown off the field by any offensive lineman who comes so much as near him, and the film evidence of him being juked out of his shoes by many a running back in the open field.

    Impressive 40 aside (and really, at 220-230lbs a 4.5x 40 is solid but not amazing)… he is simply not strong enough or athletic enough to be a difference maker at MLB. And again, the ONLY MLBs that deserve to be taken with top-20 picks are the Patrick Willis / Brian Urlacher types. Is Kuechly in that league? I think not.

  38. 38 Toby_yboT said at 7:24 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    “film evidence of him getting blown off the field by any offensive lineman who comes so much as near him”
    Is this hyberbole as well?

    Maybe you should label your posts ahead of time, with the prefix “Hyperbole:” ; )

  39. 39 Brian Pillion said at 8:24 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I don’t think Morton was claiming his previous (or current) post to be hyperbolic, so much as he was taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — having his since-debunked grandstanding titularly highlighted — to inform us all of the true nature of his existence: as the very epitomical incarnation of hyperbole (contrarian sub-type).

  40. 40 BC1968 said at 7:27 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Are you going from Kuechly is not a good athlete to he is not in the league of Willis/Urlacher? This is why it’s hard to take you serious.

  41. 41 Caveman_Bob said at 8:03 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    A quick point – I think you’ll find he weighed in at 242 or so. Does that make his 40 time better than solid/closer to amazing? He also seems to be one of the strongest and most athletic players at his position in this draft.

    Can’t comment on the game tape, as I haven’t seen any. I like the fact that he’s described as being intelligent and with good instincts, as I think these are critical for a MLB. Then again, based on combine results, he’s obviously very athletic, so maybe that’s a bigger part of his production than people have realised.

    There is still the genuine question of whether he’s worth pick 15. I think LB is an underrated position generally (biased – I played LB), but if you pick him there you’d want him to be more than a ‘tackle machine’. He obviously fills a major need though.

    Personally, I think he’s well worth taking if he’s (i) smart enough to understand and recognise what’s going on on-field, (ii) a good enough leader to get everyone on the same page and improve the defence beyond performing his own role, and (iii) as safe a pick as people say (even 1st rd picks bust out an alarming rate, and minimising the chance of a bust has significant value). As mentioned, haven’t seen the tape to confirm whether this is the case.

    I’d also hope that, since there are so many good DL prospects this draft, at least one we like will fall to us in the 2nd rd, so we could afford to go LB in rd 1.

  42. 42 Brian Pillion said at 8:06 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I think you

  43. 43 phillychuck said at 8:07 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Amazing how all those teams managed to game plan not to block him. More than 170 times a year those linemen whiffed and those backs forgot to juke.

    Amazing.

  44. 44 iskar36 said at 9:48 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    While I personally would love to draft Kuechly, I do see part of Morton’s argument. As I have said before, my knowledge of these draft picks is based on what I have read from several different scouts/draft gurus, so I can’t honestly say I have watched these guys carefully and would have come to the same conclusions. That being said, it seems that while most people agree Kuechly is the best LBer in the draft (and I should point out, Morton doesn’t seem to be arguing that point), there seems to be a sense that Kuechly isn’t a guy that has an enormous upside. What I mean by that is, based on what I have read, there seems to be a sense that he is a very good LB that is a very solid tackler, but that is what he will remain at the NFL level. While he may produce from day one (possibly even at a high level), he is not a guy that is likely to ever reach an elite level. On the other hand, some of the Dlineman, who may be more of a risk-pick, have the potential to be elite players. For Morton (and please tell me if I am completely wrong about this), he would rather take that riskier player with elite potential with the 15th pick than take the safer pick that doesn’t have elite potential.

    If that’s Morton’s argument, I can understand it. It would be a shame if we passed on a chance to draft a guy like Cox or Poe and they turn out to be All-Pro dlinemen, especially if you think dlinemen are more important than LBers. At the same time though, considering the problems we have had with LBers, having a guy that seems like less of a risky pick and a guy that can solidify our LBer corps for years is exactly what I want.

  45. 45 A_T_G said at 2:05 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Oh, I see. I thought Morton was lobbying to draft those Olinemen he mentioned – any guard that can block a Sean Lee-type LB through mere exertion of will being a good guy to have on your team when you play against Sean Lee twice a year.

  46. 46 Thorin McGee said at 10:03 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Being blown away by OL and juked out of their shorts are both classic knocks on Urlacher, too. If he’s worth it, LK is worth it. Hell, there’s video of Urlacher getting juked out of his jock by Tom Brady.

    It’s range and instincts that set Urlacher apart despite missed plays here and there. He’s not known for being lights out at the point of attack..

  47. 47 Kyle said at 10:27 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I don’t understand why you say he is not strong or athletic enough. Not comparing player skill, just combine measurables:

    Patrick Willis: 6’1″ 242 lbs, 4.51 40 yard dash, 4.46 20yd shuttle, 22 bench reps, 39″ vertical, 119″ broad jump
    Luke Kuechly: 6’3″, 242 lbs (not 220-230 as you state), 4.50 40 yard dash, 4.12 20yd shuttle, 27 bench reps, 38″ vertical, 123″ broad jump

    Whether Luke ends up being a difference maker or not is yet to be seen, but your whole post on him not being athletic enough is pure shit

  48. 48 bridgecoach said at 11:41 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I’ll see that and raise you Von Miller! From NFL.com/combine profiles…
    Von Miller combine:
    Protypical size: 6’3 246 lbs. 33.50 arm 9.25 hands
    4.53 forty. 21 reps. 37” vertical. 10’6” broad jump.
    6.70 three cone. 4.06 20 yd shuttle. 11.15 60 yd shuttle.
    Grade 86.8 – An impact player with the ability/intangibles to become a Pro Bowl player. Expect to start immediately except in a unique situation (i.e. behind a veteran starter).

    Luke Kuechly combine:
    Protypical size: 6’3 ¼ 242 lbs. 31 arm. 9.75 hands
    4.58 forty. 27 reps. 38” vertical. 10’3” broad jump
    6.92 three cone. 4.12 20 yd shuttle. 11.43 60 yd shuttle.
    Grade 91 – An impact player with the ability/intangibles to become a Pro Bowl player. Expect to start immediately except in a unique situation (i.e. behind a veteran starter).

    And this is what they say: Kuechly is one of the most instinctual and technically sound linebackers to enter the draft in years, and he had the tackle production throughout his career to back it up. He is able to avoid trash at his knees and is elite when it comes to shedding blockers and keeping himself free to the ball. He is excellent working over the top of tight ends to maul and delay their release, and is capable of running with them in-phase down the field. He has the sudden burst and long speed to cover a very wide range against the run and is an extremely sure-handed tackler who can bring ball carriers down a number of different ways.

    “Elite when it comes to shedding blockers” “Most instinctual and technically sound LB in years” – just needed to be said twice.

  49. 49 teltschikfakeout88 said at 9:08 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Morton link the You Tube footage that you speak of. This is silly. Guys who get blown up by OL don’t make 600 tackles, they get taken out of the play. Same thing on getting juked in the open field. If these were things that happened consistently (not saying they didn’t happen in limited instances) no way does this kid have the production that he has in 3, yes 3 years of playing college ball. Also do your homework in relation to the other players you mention as being worthy of top 20 picks. You have a lot to offer the board, but your flaming style makes it hard to take what you say seriously.

  50. 50 D3Keith said at 7:27 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Nice X-Files reference.

    And yes, was not pleased to see D’Qwell off the market, but the MLB prospects impressing at the combine does take the sting away.

  51. 51 BC1968 said at 7:36 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Tommy this may be stupid but I’m only bringing it up because apparently it’s been discussed on air. Didinger talked about it, it seems like a long shot but anyways, I’ve been out of the loop for awhile so don’t know if you talked about it.
    Eagles have apparently talked to Robert Griffin III. Ray doesn’t think it’s just the mandatory we’re taking a look for the heck of it. What do you think it could take? They do have a lot to offer and the Rams would probably trade their slot unless they feel that Bradford isn’t their man.
    What do you say? After what happened last year anything’s possible right?
    And I would’ve never brought it up if hall of famer didinger hadn’t talked about it in a possible way.
    Of course I only heard Glen Macnow discuss him talking about it with Ray saturday so I didn’t get the first hand story.

  52. 52 Donald Kalinowski said at 10:02 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    It will take too much. 2-1st, 2-2nds and a 3rd. Washington is reportedly offering 2-1sts, a 2nd and a 3rd. Their picks this year are in the top 6.

    I know this sounds crazy but I want to see Washington have some success. They have been crappy for far too ling.

  53. 53 Liam Garrett said at 10:19 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    In moments of weakness I have the same feeling, but then I remember they’re in our division, and they already have 3 Super Bowl trophies. Screw them. I hope he almost goes to the Dolphins, only to demand that he goes to the Browns. (That’s just to heal Cleveland’s heart after the Lebron debacle.)

  54. 54 BC1968 said at 10:27 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I agree, especially the frightening prospect of Washington getting good fast and another Lombardi comes to this division by yet another team that isn’t the Eagles. I feel comfort in knowing if Washington gets this guy that they will screw him up real good anyways.

  55. 55 BreakinAnklez said at 10:48 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Washington is a mess. OL is terrible, secondary is a mess, Fletcher might leave, which will expose the middle of their LB crew. WR are subpar.

    Lot of holes to fix…

  56. 56 D3Keith said at 11:18 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Yup, that sounds crazy.

    No more other NFC East teams winning until I’m breakdancing on Broad Street, damnit.

  57. 57 Steve H said at 8:38 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I don’t have anything to add to the Kuechley argument except my gut instinct screams take the guy at 15 if he’s there, regardless of who we add in FA.

  58. 58 D3Keith said at 11:19 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I don’t know about regardless of who we add in FA. If we sign a young MLB that can man the spot for the next 4 years or so, let’s go BPA.

    (I’ll takes things Keith never does in fantasy drafts but expects real life teams to show the restraint to do for $200, Alex)

  59. 59 Gregory Post said at 9:36 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Bart Scott is going to seek a trade. He’s old and expensive and I would pretty much bet the farm on him not coming to the Eagles, but what are your thoughts on him? Where do you think he could end up?

  60. 60 Donald Kalinowski said at 10:03 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    I’m not excited about Kuechly. I’d rather invest pick 15 on a stud DT than a good tackling LB

  61. 61 bridgecoach said at 11:43 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    You mean roll the dice. Luke Kuechly is the sound investment.

  62. 62 BreakinAnklez said at 10:42 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Mort,

    Riddle me this.

    Height: 6’1, 6’4, 6’3
    Weight: 247, 258, 242
    40 yd Dash: 4.51, 4.59, 4.58
    Bench: 22, 27, 27
    Vertical: 39, 34, 38
    Broad Jump: 9’11, 10’2, 10’3
    3 Cone: 7.23, 6.94, 6.92

    Care to venture a guess?

    Patrick Willis, Brian Urlacher, Luke Kuechly’s combine scores respectively. They all look pretty similar. Give it up that Kuechly isn’t an athlete or isn’t as athletic as Willis or Urlacher. Numbers don’t lie. Are they all the same player? No. Will Kuechly be as good as Willis or Urlacher- time will tell.

    And before you go there, I know Willis ran a 4.37 at his pro day…but the combine is the only comparable surface; therefore, it bears more weight. Stop trolling.

    To quote Marshall Eriksen…LAWYERED.

  63. 63 ian_no_2 said at 10:52 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    Timed speed can make a player overrated, since everyone can already see the game speed. Bad combines make guys like Shady fall despite what he did for Pitt.

  64. 64 ian_no_2 said at 11:02 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    the good news about Burfict is that he may fall to one of the 2nd round pix. The question is whether you’d want him. I’m not worried about his speed, but the question is whether he is going to mature and not be a jerk. His alleged lack of effort seems overstated.

  65. 65 Liam Garrett said at 11:21 PM on February 27th, 2012:

    We were talking about this before. Did you read his interviews from this week? The guy is a total headcase. After his weak performance last season, the attitude he’s been displaying publicly, and the terrible numbers he put up today (despite being lighter), I think a lot of teams are going to pass on him more than once.

  66. 66 D3FB said at 1:50 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Ive read a couple of spots that scouts have been saying that after this weekend he’s completely off their teams board.

  67. 67 JRO91 said at 2:44 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Watch and actual game tape him. He Sucks….disappears for quarters at a time. Slow as molasses. Everyone is hung up on him because of You Tube edited highlight reals. I wouldn’t waste anything more than a 4th on him. This doesn’t sound like someone you want on your team. Career STer.

  68. 68 brza said at 4:11 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    There is absolutely no way Burfict gets drafted before Day 3 after his miserable season, combine workouts and interviews in which he blamed everyone else but himself. So many teams just completely removed him from their boards over the past few days that I wouldn’t be surprised if he goes completely undrafted.
    Can the Burfict talk please stop now?

  69. 69 Steven Dileo said at 7:38 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Bellichick will draft him in the 2nd round and national pundits will call him a genius for making that move.

  70. 70 ian_no_2 said at 9:46 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Right on. The Eagles aren’t into ‘character’ risks. I think he’s fast enough for Mike.

  71. 71 ian_no_2 said at 10:54 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    he’ll never be good in pass coverage but he can stuff the run. That’s the kind of guy who could compliment Casey M, assuming that guy expends effort and doesn’t divide the locker room.

  72. 72 ceteris_paribus1776 said at 6:52 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Another guy who had a very strong showing at the Senior Bowl and performed well yesterday was is Demario Davis. 6’2″ 235, 4.61 40, 32 reps, 38.5″ vert, 124″ broad jump, 7.19 3-cone, 4.28 SS. If the Eagles aren’t interested in going MIKE early in the draft or FA, I wouldn’t mind using one of the 4ths on this guy.

  73. 73 Steven Dileo said at 7:39 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    The sad thing about Morton is that he was right about the Eagles last year while everyone was highly optimistic about them. Morton gets something wrong and we dedicate an article to him.

  74. 74 Eric Weaver said at 8:41 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    I’d still be more for drafting Cox and then either D. Davis or K. Robinson in the 3/4 range if a quality MLB is signed. If not, you have to go Kuechly (if available) then DT/DE in the 2nd then the two previously mentioned in the 3/4 range.

  75. 75 Eric Weaver said at 8:52 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Tommy,

    What’s your opinion on border line first round talent being taken with the first second regardless of need? Meaning, if Coby Fleener, Andre Branch, etc. are sitting there early in the second, should the Eagles snatch them up regardless of what their needs may be? Ignoring the fact that this team needs DL and TE depth anyway.

  76. 76 Eric Weaver said at 8:52 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Tommy,

    What’s your opinion on border line first round talent being taken with the first second regardless of need? Meaning, if Coby Fleener, Andre Branch, etc. are sitting there early in the second, should the Eagles snatch them up regardless of what their needs may be? Ignoring the fact that this team needs DL and TE depth anyway.

  77. 77 NoDecaf said at 9:50 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    For God’s sake’s men, get Burflict out of your heads. He is friggen caustic. He will never, ever, ever be in midnight green and thank God for that.

  78. 78 ian_no_2 said at 9:50 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    If views of the Eagles organization was charted, the X axis would have “Spadaro” on one side and “Morton” on the other and everyone’s dots would be in between. The team’s performance is generally in between but if they win the championship or choke it calls attention to one side of the chart. Before last year, a lot of national columnists said the Eagles would be 8-8 and I thought they were being unfair, and there was surely a lot of bad luck along the way, but a lot of what went wrong last year could have been predicted.

  79. 79 Pitmanite said at 11:03 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Remember you talking about Kendricks. Would love to grab him in the 3rd round, but at 5’11” 239 lbs, I’m afraid he might be a bit too big for our coaching staff/FO.

  80. 80 Jeppe Elmelund van Ee said at 11:23 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    Do the Eagles having any coaches coaching the drills at the combine? I’m watching the Giants DB coach now on nfl network. Is that an advantage, to see the players up close?

  81. 81 Eric Weaver said at 11:49 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    David Culley was there with the receivers. Juan has been there in the past working with the offensive linemen. I’m curious why they didn’t chose him to work with the defensive players. Hmmm….

    Andy’s one assistant is there doing whatever. I saw him near the start of the 40.

  82. 82 Dave_King said at 11:41 AM on February 28th, 2012:

    David Culley was there, apparently.