Saturday Recap

Posted: April 27th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 102 Comments »

I’m too burned out to do any long writing tonight.  Here are some quick thoughts.

4 – QB Matt Barkley – USC

5 – FS Earl Wolff -NC State

7 – DE Joe Kruger – Utah

7 – CB Jordan Poyer – Oregon State

7 – DE David King – Oklahoma

UDFAs

P Brad Wing – LSU
ILB Jake Knott – Iowa State
RB Miguel Maysonet – Stonybrook
DL Isaac Remington – Oregon
OG Matt Tobin – Iowa
OC Kyle Quinn – Arizona
WR Russell Sheppard – LSU
DE Damion Square – Alabama
RB Matthew Tucker – TCU

This was a good day for the Eagles.  They didn’t have to do much wheeling and dealing, but were able to get the players they wanted. Let me focus on the 7th round picks before getting into other players.

Kruger is a player I’ve talked about quite a bit. I think he will grow and develop into a good 5-tech DE. He has a great frame. He’s 6-6, 269 and I think he can carry 285 easily. He might even go up to 290 or 295. He is a solid athlete with some natural pass rush ability. The Eagles had a 4th round grade on him. I don’t know why he fell. I wonder if there were some maturity questions. Kruger left school early after having a solid, but un-spectacular year. And it isn’t like his family needed the money. Odd decision. If he stayed in school, he could have been a Top 100 pick next year.

Poyer is a player I have been high on since watching him at the Senior Bowl. He has great instincts and ball skills. His value took a tumble because of a terrible Combine. He has solid size at 6-0, 191, but only ran a 4.54. He did 8 reps, which is poor, even for a CB. The real red flag is a VJ of just 30.5 inches. That is one of the lowest figures for a CB in a decade. The lack of upper and lower body strength shows a lack of commitment to the weight room. Some CBs can get away with that. Poyer did in college, but won’t in the NFL. You can bet Chip and the sports science guys will be feeding him mega-smoothies and working him out left and right.

The game tape is good. Poyer was 2nd in the nation with 7 INTs this year. He had 13 in his career, to go along with 23 PDs. He lacks elite speed, but reads plays well and gets a good jump on the ball.  He has the skills to start in the NFL. Now we need to see if he can develop the athleticism to go along with them.

DE David King is an odd player. He finished his career with 4.5 sacks. The guy lists at 6-5, 286, but NFLDraftScout has him at 6-4, 275. He started 18 games at OU, is a solid athlete, and made the Big 12 All Academic team. Size, athleticism, brains, and some experience. How the heck wasn’t he more productive? I put on the game tape and liked what I saw. What I need to do is study several games and try to find out why the guy wasn’t more of a force. Could be a good backup 5-tech DE.

They added several defensive linemen in the draft. That’s important when moving to the 3-4/hybrid stuff. You wonder now if Vinny Curry gets moved back over to OLB.

My favorite UDFAs so far are Maysonet, Knott, Quinn, and Wing.

Wing is a crazy Punter who had some very memorable moments for LSU. Solid athlete as well.

Knott must show he he can deal with blockers. Playmaker at ISU. Had 8 career picks, 10 FFs, and 0ver 300 tackles.

Quinn has a chance to win a roster spot.

Maysonet was ultra-productive. Ran for 4,725 yards and 48 TDs in his career. Averaged 6.8 yards per carry. That’s tremendous for such a workhorse.

I’ll post detailed reports on the players later.

* * * * *

What does Barkley mean for the Eagles?

Howie Roseman loved him. Chip Kelly loved him. Too good to pass up. Kelly is saying to the world that I would rather have a gifted pocket passer than an okay QB with good athleticism.

I truly believe Kelly when he says that he will adapt his schemes to his players.

I’ll cover this subject at much greater length in other posts. One key here…Kelly really values competition. Vick, Folex, Barkley, and Dixon all have a chance to be the starting QB. It is up to them to win the job. I doubt Dixon will come close, but that is up to him. Kelly wants a good QB. He wants to score points. He doesn’t care who and how.

* * * * *

Thanks for a great weekend. Lots of great questions, comments, and jokes.

I had a blast and hope you did too.

_


102 Comments on “Saturday Recap”

  1. 1 A_T_G said at 10:59 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Thank you for all your hard work Tommy. I watch very little college football, but because of reading your stuff I felt like I understood what was going on and how to feel about the picks. Well, most of them.

  2. 2 xeynon said at 11:03 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Seconded. You’ve done a tremendous job as always Tommy – wouldn’t enjoy the offseason half so much without your insightful and entertaining coverage of the Birds.

  3. 3 TommyLawlor said at 11:12 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Thanks guys. I’m glad to be able to share my knowledge and opinions with other Eagles fans. Makes the draft a lot of fun. It’s even better when I’m actually right.

  4. 4 Ben Hert said at 11:30 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    You sir, are a football god to me. Our office had a giant draft party, and I came off as a sage thanks to you and your football IQ. Thanks for everything you do Tommy. Very very much appreciated.

  5. 5 DJ Paleface said at 1:35 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Thanks Tommy, I am listening to the new podcasts, they are awesome!

    Keep doing your thing,

  6. 6 Mark Siegrist said at 9:40 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Love the podcasts too. But one request: can you put them on iTunes or at least an RSS/subscription service so we can subscribe and more easily listen on our phones?

  7. 7 Wes Crill said at 10:17 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    They’re on iTunes. I listen exclusively via my phone because it’s easier when I’m at work.

  8. 8 CampDracula said at 9:13 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I agree with these sentiments. I scour the Internet looking for every tidbit I can. You consistently have the best stuff out there.

    I even appreciate all the comments here, which can also be linked to your great work. great minds attract great minds.

  9. 9 slackerjoe said at 11:17 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    No other place I’d rather be to follow Eagles draft coverage!

  10. 10 Dan Koller said at 11:31 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Fourthed (at least, I think that’s where we’re at). Reading draft coverage, especially Eagles draft coverage, anywhere else is an agonizing and painful process filled with the worst kinds of fans. You’ve made a great community here because your analysis attracts smart, sensible fans who have an affinity with Megan Fox.

  11. 11 xeynon said at 11:02 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Must say I have been very impressed with what I’ve heard from Matt Barkley so far. Contra, e.g., Matt Leinart or Geno Smith, there’s been no whinging, self-pity, or taking potshots at his critics, just gratitude for the opportunity, a positive attitude, and a clear eagerness to get started learning the offense. He’s obviously emotionally mature and handles adversity well, which is critical for playing quarterback well in the NFL (and especially in Philadelphia).

  12. 12 Mark Siegrist said at 9:43 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I agree. I was stunned by the pick like everyone else. But he sure is growing on me. And Geno: I was slightly interested pre-draft as a 2nd or 3rd pick, but with each post-draft interview I see of him the guy comes off worse. He’s obviously not very bright and has a chip on his shoulder in a very petulant, bad way.

  13. 13 miked718 said at 10:42 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Geno is like the girl at the bar who looks great that night and then your friend takes her home and tells you that she was actually a psycho-hose beast. And you just feel lucky that you didn’t take her home. Good job Howie. Lol-Jets.

  14. 14 CampDracula said at 11:13 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Wow. Totally chauvinistic, but also totally true.

  15. 15 miked718 said at 11:42 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    *Could also be the dude at the bar, I’m just assuming Tommy’s readership is 95% or more male.

  16. 16 Wes Crill said at 10:19 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Totally agree. And aren’t most of the negatives ascribed to Barkley the same ones that accompanied Tom Brady when he came out?

  17. 17 deg0ey said at 11:11 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Reposted from the last thread for those that want to read something about some UDFAs between now and when Tommy gets around to writing something better:

    Y’know whose pro day Matthew Tucker – RB, TCU 6’1″, 221 (4.44, 35.5″ vert, 9’10”, 17 reps, 7.13 3cone) reminds me of?

    Bryce Brown – RB Kansas State 6’0″, 223 (4.48, 34″ vert, 9’9″, 22 reps, 7.04 3cone).

    [can’t find much video of him, but] I am finding a few draft profiles, though. Seems like TCU mostly used him as a goalline back, which is backed up by his relatively low number of yards but high number of TDs (2602 yards, 33TDs over 4 years). An ankle sprain meant he had a pretty disappointing 2012 season, but in 2011, his first year as ‘starter’ (was more of a by-committee approach as far as I can tell) he put up 702 yards and 12 TDs.

    A number of sources also mention that he’s a guy who relishes contact and would rather try to run over a linebacker than step out of bounds.

    Per draftinsider.net:

    Positive: Smooth, fluid ballcarrier with excellent size. Patient, waits for blocks to develop and quick on the inside with the ability to make defenders miss. Possesses terrific vision, shows a burst through the hole and slips defenders to keep runs alive. Keeps his feet moving on contact, shows outstanding field vision, and helps the quarterback sell ball fakes.

    Negative: Not a true cut-back runner. Does not break a lot of tackles or pick up much yardage off initial contact for a bigger back. Minimally productive as a receiver out of the backfield.

    Sounds like pretty much exactly what we’re looking for in an RB4, no?

    On the other hand, it looks like Maysonet was ridiculously productive for a small school. In his senior year, he rushed for 2328 yards and 33TDs. When you’re talking small school guys you usually want them to dominate the competition and there’s no doubt Miguel did just that.

    He has also been a KOR in college, which might help him make the roster.

    What they’re saying about him:

    ESPN.com: “Workhorse. Runs with a chip on his shoulder. Would grade out extremely high in this area if not for recent fumbling issues. Above average run instincts. Usually senses crease before it opens. Shows the instincts to locate hole while going full speed, which is critical in transition to faster NFL game. Very good lateral agility. Will make one cut and go. Can stick foot in ground and accelerate up the field.”

    NFL.com: “Sees snaps from single back, I formation, and pistol. Decisive upfield cuts to continue forward momentum. Sees front side lanes even if run calls for different gap. Determined runner, little wasted movement, makes a choice and sticks to it. Refuses to go down on first contact, takes some big hits because of it. Patient on zone read and sticks with mesh point.”

    Some say his biggest weakness is his lack of desire to improvise; apparently he’ll stick to the play call and try to force himself through the designed gap, even if there’s a defender in it, rather than looking to the backside for an alternative – kinda the anti-Shady in that respect. I don’t necessarily think that’s a weakness if the line are doing their job and it’s certainly preferable to a guy that dances around in the backfield and loses yards.

    nfl.com makes a (somewhat generous) comparison to Alfred Morris, who I’m sure we’d all be glad for him to turn out like.

  18. 18 Iskar36 said at 11:28 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    Brad Wing is an interesting pick up in my mind. We brought in a solid punter in Donnie Jones, so at the surface at least, it doesn’t seem like Punter is a need. Brad Wing was supposedly the best punter in the draft and had it not been for off field issues/character concerns, he would have been drafted. Seems like punter is always a position that some team could use, so I am surprised 1, we went after him despite having a solid punter in place and despite his character concerns, and 2, he decided to come here rather than some place where there was weaker competition.

  19. 19 deg0ey said at 11:47 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    The guy is a _punter_ that declared for the draft early; he quite clearly thinks he’s the greatest punter that ever lived.

    1. They went after him to find out if he’s right
    2. He’s assuming he’ll win regardless of who he’s competing against.

  20. 20 Tumtum said at 1:13 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I’m not totally sold on Jones tbh. I was disappointed they cut McBriar thinking they might hand it to Jones.

  21. 21 Baloophi said at 1:15 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    He’s Australian and therefore hails from criminal stock… if anything he’s a character risk.

  22. 22 DJ Paleface said at 1:39 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Probably can kick a koala 70 yards though.

  23. 23 D3FB said at 6:10 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Plus he survived all those damn drop bears.

  24. 24 Alex Karklins said at 10:18 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    What exactly did he do? Australians are genetically predisposed to party hard every single night, yet in my experience, it doesn’t affect their work one bit.

  25. 25 K_Dilkington said at 3:55 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Learn yourself some penal-colony history, my friend.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convicts_in_Australia

    If he was a Georgian, I’d say don’t lend him money. Baloophi is dead on.

  26. 26 Alex Karklins said at 4:32 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    I am well aware of Australia’s penal colony history. Robert Hughes’ “The Fatal Shore” is one of my favorite books. I was asking what “exactly” he did to get the boot from LSU. Or was he just “too Australian” for their liking?

  27. 27 K_Dilkington said at 4:43 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    You’re not at all aware of Australia’s penal colony history and Robert Hughes’ “The Fatal Shore” is one of your least favorite books you’ve never read! Nah, just kidding, I think the main issue was this incident, and LSU didn’t want the PETA complaints.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dPqvqPIGFts

  28. 28 Alex Karklins said at 5:03 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Ah, well it all makes sense now! Sorry for the defensive tone in my previous comment; I can see how my question was a little unclear to begin with.

  29. 29 DJ Paleface said at 5:16 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    I was reading a little about him. Apparently he does drugs, gets in fights and everyone seems to think he is an asshole and a terrible human being. Seriously, people hate his guts.

  30. 30 Thomas Fox said at 2:48 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    ROTFMAO!! WELL done sir!

  31. 31 Tyler Phillips said at 8:15 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Apparently lsu told him he wasn’t welcome back lol that’s why he declared early. Punter with character issues, I love it

  32. 32 Arby1 said at 4:23 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    We always want competition for positions, and, he’ll probably win it.

  33. 33 Brandon Judy said at 11:35 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    HELL YES BRAD WING TO EAGLES

  34. 34 SuPaFrO said at 11:36 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    I must im feeling better now than yest. We got some players with potential. But I would have still loved a 6th so we could have gotten Mr. Bacari Rambo. Imagine having Rambo on the team. Too baddass!!!

  35. 35 A_T_G said at 12:20 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Yeah. As of today I would like to swap for both of Washington’s picks at safety. Hopefully I learn I am wrong in that feeling.

  36. 36 Mitchell said at 11:49 PM on April 27th, 2013:

    What ever happened to Joe Fauria? He wasn’t drafted I don’t think. Did someone else get him as an udfa? Why wasn’t he our last pick?

  37. 37 TommyLawlor said at 12:17 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    UDFA. He’s a bit stiff. Bad blocker. Value pushed down due to talented TE class.

  38. 38 micksick said at 12:06 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    The Folex!!!

  39. 39 micksick said at 12:07 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Russell shepard looks like he could be fun to watch on end arounds and such

  40. 40 TommyLawlor said at 12:17 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Reminder: Gruden QB Camp w/ Matt Barkley is on ESPN-U at 6am on Sunday. I’ll write about it for those unable to watch it.

  41. 41 T_S_O_P said at 3:44 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Someone will link that when it occurs. Loved watching his camp with Foles last year.

  42. 42 theycallmerob said at 8:41 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Here’s part of it.

    http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=9151548

  43. 43 goeagles55 said at 9:15 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    It is also On Demand on Comcast, at least in the Philly area.

  44. 44 CampDracula said at 11:15 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I found it on YouTube with a simple Google search. Might get taken down, though…

  45. 45 SteveH said at 12:33 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    So Tommy, what you’re saying is that this Saturday’s draft haul is going to guarantee us the next 8 super bowl championships? Good, I’m glad I interpreted that correctly.

  46. 46 DJ Paleface said at 1:37 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    In the podcast Tommy said “Lane Johnson – Hall of Famer and winner of 5 straight Super Bowls”.

    So it’s 5. Straight.

  47. 47 A_T_G said at 12:17 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Well sure, we can’t gaurenteed any more until he signs his second contract.

  48. 48 TommyLawlor said at 6:26 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Your wisdom knows no bounds.

  49. 49 phillychuck said at 12:48 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    That’s because he was on the bench for the 6th consecutive win with a nagging hamstring. Back-up tackle Dennis Kelly has the game of his career in that one, though. Johnson comes back for numbers 7 and 8.

  50. 50 JJ_Cake said at 12:59 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    As always, I appreciate your outstanding coverage Tommy. Thanks for showcasing your passion to us. Your work is more informative than anything I’ve seen on tv this weekend. Props for getting the first two eagle selections correct.

  51. 51 TommyLawlor said at 6:27 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Thank you, sir.

  52. 52 T_S_O_P said at 1:56 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Bugger me, they were quick with all those udfa signings.

  53. 53 T_S_O_P said at 2:12 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Twitter! Now I understand.

  54. 54 ian_no_2 said at 2:01 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Thanks Tommy. I’m not really clear on who has final personnel say now from an official-sounding report. I think we all agree Andy was hit or miss with his picks. What I gather is that Kelly comes into town with an immediate command of scouting operations in his first draft. He had a scheme but he was flexible enough to grab Barkley.

    This draft began the plan of prioritizing offensive players that will be on the field during an entire hurry up drive and then grabbing rotational defensive players for the defense, who will be substituted in every few plays. Without getting more into my views on Lane Johnson, I can see the plan is to have an athletic tackle who has the endurance and speed to run the hurryup, then grabbing Ertz who will stay the field for multiple downs.

    The offensive picks will remain controversial until they play it all out, but the defensive picks were excellent values, combining players that weren’t highly rated by draftniks (Wolff) and players that fell like Poyer, who was the only CB on Day 3 that for me seemed preferable to Trevard Lindley. Kruger is a super value rotational guy for DE and King was picked so they aren’t shorthanded for athletes who can hold their own against top competition. My nitpick is that the King pick could have been used to tie up TE Phil Lutzenkirchen (for what its worth I would have said so before he signed elsewhere but I nodded off). If you’re Lutzenkirchen, the appeal of possibly being the 4th TE and eventually the longterm H Back to Ertz’ slot spot, maybe starting Ertz and Lutzenkirchen Potato Chips which non football fans would think to be an old company, doesn’t override that it’s daunting to be behind a starter with a second contract, an H Back that signed a big contract with the new coach, a 2nd Rounder, and Harbor who was picked by the current GM.

  55. 55 Michael Winter Cho said at 2:30 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    You aren’t sorta making a Sterzing potato chips reference are you? http://www.sterzingchips.com/

    They’re made in SE Iowa, my Mom’s from Iowa and she’s an Ertz. Don’t know if there’s any relationship with our new TE, though.

  56. 56 ian_no_2 said at 3:25 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Never heard of Sterzing except maybe telepathically. I will have to add it to my potato chip road trip of the 41st degree latitude.

  57. 57 Michael Winter Cho said at 11:00 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    They’re quite addictive!

  58. 58 BlindChow said at 9:36 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Yeah, I’m surprised they didn’t sign another TE with a 7th rounder. I was hoping for UConn’s Ryan Griffin, but the Texans signed him in the 6th round. He was like Lutzenkirchen was for Auburn: basically their only good player on offense (in fact, Griffin may have been the only offensive player taken from UConn).

  59. 59 deg0ey said at 11:07 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I think you’re overcomplicating the draft process a bit here. Maybe I’m being naive for believing what Chip says, but he said after the Johnson pick that drafting an OT in the first round had absolutely no impact on what they intended to do with the rest of their picks.

    They supposedly had a mid-first round grade on Ertz, such that he was clearly the best player on the board when the pick came around (Chip said he panicked when the Titans traded up because he couldn’t see anyone worth moving up for except Ertz). He has also said they had second round grades on Logan and Barkley (although presumably the former was above the latter) and he said they see Kruger as a top-100 pick.

    I think it’s much more a case of which players fell, rather than going in with a plan to get offensive players first and then rotational defensive guys (Chip actually caught himself out in one interview and pretty much admitted he’d have preferred Dion).

  60. 60 A_T_G said at 12:15 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    What I read from Ian’s comment is that they were so married to BPA that they didn’t feel obligated to sign an OLB at any point after missing out on Jordan. It would have been easy to feel like they needed to try again later to force someone into that hole, and I think Ian has a good point that it took a disciplined approach to treat each pick as an isolated chance to sign the best player available, rather than playing catch up.

  61. 61 deg0ey said at 12:18 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Yeah, maybe I just misunderstood his point. I took “This draft began the plan of prioritizing offensive players that will be on the field during an entire hurry up drive and then grabbing rotational defensive players for the defense, who will be substituted in every few plays.” to mean that they went into it with the intention of getting players that fit that description.

  62. 62 ian_no_2 said at 11:28 AM on April 29th, 2013:

    u interpreted my point correctly degOey

  63. 63 GermanEagle said at 3:14 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Thanks Tommy for another great Eagles Draft coverage. Igglesblitz was my first choice when checking up on draft updates and write-ups on the Eagles players which is actually the biggest compliment a die-hard Eagles fan from Munich living in London can make.

    I wonder if Chip Kelly has asked Vick to clean Foles’ Ugg boots though…

  64. 64 T_S_O_P said at 3:43 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    My thoughts on this draft – I wasn’t as connected as I have been in the past. I liked the picks, but I had no feel for what we might do. In comparison, the 2012 draft felt like I was in the war room and you guys were there too. Other than 2011, I felt that way for at least 4 or 5 years, though last year was special. Shit, Bo Wulf was performing tricks for Tommy while steaming live on the Internet!

    So what have I learnt? The Eagles really do go BPA, especially if we are to believe that Dion Jordan would have been our pick had the ‘Fins taken Johnson. We never touched OLB after this point. When it comes to next year, my draft board will need to be a LOT wider and looking at areas of perceived weakness (‘read option’ QB anyone?) won’t really help in the compilation of it.

    I love Kelly’s press conferences, in particular the answer to ‘How will you use 3 TEs.’ I also think that as OL were to Reid and Chocolate pudding is to our patron, that TEs are to CK.

  65. 65 bubqr said at 5:08 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Good read on Maysonet from Matt Waldman whose opinion I value:
    http://www.footballoutsiders.com/futures/2013/futures-unknown-underdog-and-underappreciated

  66. 66 NoDecaf said at 7:52 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Good times Tommy! Thank you for all your hard work!!

  67. 67 TommyLawlor said at 6:31 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    You’re welcome, my friend.

  68. 68 austinfan said at 8:01 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Very disappointed in the UDFA haul so far, they’re just not being aggressive enough and are blowing an opportunity to improve the team. The Ravens seem to find one starter a year from this talent pool, who’s the last UDFA to make a significant contribution since Mikell and Jackson?

    Didn’t like King, he tests well but his production was pitiful for a guy with his athleticism. If you don’t do it in college, it’s very unlikely you’ll do it in the NFL. There were better prospects available. Otherwise the third day went very well, Wolff, Poyer and Kruger are legitimate prospects.

  69. 69 deg0ey said at 11:18 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Your comments about King could also be applied to Dion Jordan and he went third overall. At least our guy was only a 7th round pick.

  70. 70 Tom Watkinson said at 12:26 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Wasn’t d Johnson a udfa

  71. 71 Anders said at 4:50 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Point me to a prominent starter there was an UDFA for the Ravens

  72. 72 RC5000 said at 5:40 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    I think they put the resources into getting some players in here before the draft which gives them a head start on learning the systems. Hardly a big deal.

  73. 73 Juanito said at 8:07 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Muchas Gracias from Madrid.

  74. 74 TommyLawlor said at 6:29 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Good to know we’re covered in Spain. We like having Eagles fans and Iggles Blitz readers all over the world. Even in Texas.

  75. 75 ceteris_paribus1776 said at 8:43 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Overall, I’m happy with BPA philosophy because 1) the team is rebuilding and re-scheming, which means you want as talented a roster as possible and you fit players in as they best fit; 2) it shows that this regime isn’t scheme über alles. I think only once you have established exactly what it is you want to do and see how teams adjust can you start taking players for a scheme. Exceptions obviously apply, but I believe talent is the first step in re-building a team.

    Also, what’s the word on UNC ILB Kevin Reddick? He had a mid-round grade on him as I understood. Ranked #4 on just about everyone’s ILB list, top 100 player and goes un-drafted? Sign me up for kicking the tires on that unless there is some huge red-flag, because Meco won’t be around forever and I’m not convinced Kendrick is more than a decent starter.

  76. 76 GermanEagle said at 11:19 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Eagles über Alles!

  77. 77 CampDracula said at 9:16 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Could it be that Chip Kelly doesn’t have a set system like Reid does? Is that possible? I keep hearing him say “mismatches.”. Could it be that he doesn’t care how, but if you can create mismatches. So at QB, maybe it’s not about a type, but someone with a lot of strengths that the team can use to gain an advantage at the NFL level. Am I oversimplifying things?

  78. 78 BlindChow said at 9:43 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I wonder how aggressive we were with the UDFA’s. It seems like last year we got a lot of the “big name” guys, like Damaris Johnson, Chris Polk, Cliff Harris, Philip Thomas (the other one)… This year we only got a couple of the guys I was hoping for.

    It might be because we have a lot of starters already in place, and players want to go where they’d have a better shot to make the team. Or they want to play for a more legitimate contender (unlikely, since the Jags and Chiefs scored some UDFA’s). Or maybe they’re wary of Chip Kelly’s uptempo practices, or his inexperience at the NFL level. (Though I would have thought players would be as excited about Kelly’s potential as us fans.)

    Or maybe the Eagles just didn’t target them…

  79. 79 Lukekelly65 said at 10:57 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I was wondering the same thing..Im happy with the class of UDFA players we got i think Shepard and Maysonte both were great pick ups i know Tommy thinks Quinn has a shot to win a roster spot also i like bringing in Brad Wing for more ST position battles…I was hoping we would make a run at DaRick Rodgers,Ryan Spadola, and Rotez Miles (2 of which the Jets sign….who would ever want to sign with the Jets?) but still i really like the signings overall

  80. 80 Lukekelly65 said at 10:57 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    I was wondering the same thing..Im happy with the class of UDFA players we got i think Shepard and Maysonte both were great pick ups i know Tommy thinks Quinn has a shot to win a roster spot also i like bringing in Brad Wing for more ST position battles…I was hoping we would make a run at DaRick Rodgers,Ryan Spadola, and Rotez Miles (2 of which the Jets sign….who would ever want to sign with the Jets?) but still i really like the signings overall

  81. 81 ACViking said at 11:26 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Re: Brad Wing – P

    Two points. Living in Atlanta, I see nothing but SEC games 24-7-52 (including games as far back as the late ’40s).

    Brad Wing’s punting — and athleticism — have always reminded me of Ray Guy.

    More interesting . . . is Baloophi’s analysis of BW:

    “He’s Australian and therefore hails from criminal stock… if anything he’s a character risk.”

    I don’t believe a better, more insightful character evaluation’s ever been stated on this blog. Certainly none more sardonic.

  82. 82 ACViking said at 11:56 AM on April 28th, 2013:

    Re: T-Law’s “What If” Game

    Hey, T-Law:

    Let’s say Jax or Miami chose Lane Johnson and DJ at Nos. 2 and 3, leaving Joekel for the Eagles.

    While he seemed to be the most polished OT in the draft (I defer to you), he wasn’t nearly as athletic as LJ.

    So . . . would the Eagles have taken Joekel, or looked — begged? — to trade out?

    And if the Birds chose Joekel, what would the meme be right now?

    With LJ, we’re getting lots of “Chip wants fast, athletic guys.”

    That’s a nice thought. But it works only because LJ fell to the Eagles. In other words, there’s not sound factual basis for the characterization except the decisions of the 3 teams picking before the Eagles.

    What would we be hearing if the choice had been Joekel: BPA?

  83. 83 A_T_G said at 12:02 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    My guess is we would be hearing how Chip likes freakishly athletic, yet raw, defensive linemen and Detroit fans would be hearing about getting the most polished protector.

  84. 84 ACViking said at 12:48 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    I think that’s a great theory. Damn good.

  85. 85 GvilleEagleFan said at 1:34 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    There’s another great throw around the 5:10 mark. love the way he’s able to drop the ball right where it needs to be for Lee to grab it in stride

  86. 86 TommyLawlor said at 6:31 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    I am really curious as to what might have happened if Fisher, LJ, and Jordan were all gone. It certainly sounds like we’d have taken Luke Joeckel, but that’s just a guess.

  87. 87 HazletonEagle said at 12:56 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    We got no penis names this year. Make up for it next year with Ha Ha Clinton-Dix?

  88. 88 GvilleEagleFan said at 1:24 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    First rounder man. His Johnson is so big it needs its own Lane.

  89. 89 RC5000 said at 1:43 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Fail lol.

  90. 90 HazletonEagle said at 3:08 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    That happens sometimes.

  91. 91 A_T_G said at 2:33 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    We signed Johnson, as GVille mentioned, and picked up Wang in free agency. We should be well situated for phallic references.

  92. 92 HazletonEagle said at 3:07 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Thats right. How could I forget our first round pick? haha So we have Johnson, Johnson, Cox, Dixon, and Wang. Clinton-Dix does seem like a perfect fit next year, and hes a safety. Ill have an eye on him for next year.

  93. 93 Bob Brewer said at 3:29 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    The more I think about the Barkley pick, the less I like it. QBs with second round grades (for the most part) are not Super Bowl winning QBs. Sure there are exceptions, but for the most part, the QBs that are succeeding in the playoffs are drafted round 1. If the Barkley/Schaub/Dalton comparisons are correct, the Eagles are wasting their time.

  94. 94 Lukekelly65 said at 3:40 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    I really dont think that was how the team looked at the pick if you went in thinking like that your probably going to pass up talent…i understand your point that for the most part superbowl winning QBs are highly drafted players but its not completely true, Barkley’s value in the 4th round was to good to pass up..last year he was very highly regarded and there are a ton of things to like about the guy he came from a major program were he started for 4 years ( also started 4 years in high school at a powerhouse school) he has a winning record coming out of school and he showed alot of guts to stick around through the recruiting sanctions i saw somewhere that after Pete Carrol left and they were picking a coach he called the current recruits like Marquise Lee and got them to stay i think that says alot about him…. i wasnt happy when we first made the pick but the idea has really grown on me i like him as a player.. i think at worst he could turn in to a good back up that could be trade bait in a few years

  95. 95 xeynon said at 3:56 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Schaub or Dalton may not be Super Bowl caliber quarterbacks, but it’s still more than worth a fourth round pick to draft a guy like that. At the very least he’ll have trade value that more than makes up for the pick you use on him.

  96. 96 EaglesJRL said at 3:54 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Tommy, I’ve been reading all kinds of Eagles writing/blogs for years, but somehow I did not stumble upon Igglez Blitz until earlier this year. I just recently made a name to comment because I realized this is one of the few sites where just about every single reader has intelligent input to contribute. I suppose, as they say, Like attracts Like. As the draft comes to a close, I just wanted to recognize what a sensational job you did covering it. I have read every single one of your write-ups leading up to the draft and my goodness were you spot on with this entire draft. Your knowledge, research, and writing is second to none. Some people are great students of the game. Some people are just great at writing about the game. Others are true film junkies who have have a difficult time articulating what they see on the field. You, however, are the perfect culmination of all these necessary attributes, and this is what makes your work truly special. I cannot thank you enough for your work, it allows for an obsessive Eagles fan like myself to get through the work day. I look forward everyday to seeing your new piece on Igglez Blitz as well as your new postings on the Eagles Blog. Your analysis is honest, accurate, poignant and frankly, absolutely tremendous. I think I speak for most when I say that I am just grateful for your Eagles coverage in general. Even on the radio, your wealth of knowledge makes most of radio hosts look silly at how little they know about most players and prospects. Continue the great work! Ps. I am @Jordan_Lovett on Twitter.

  97. 97 TommyLawlor said at 6:27 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Thank you very much for the nice words. Always good to know that people enjoy what I do.

  98. 98 Anders said at 4:52 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Tommy do you think Joe Kruger might be here as an OLB? 6’6″ 270 with over 34″ inch arms seems like the perfect long sleek OLB for Kelly

  99. 99 Neil said at 4:56 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    Chip said in his postdraft press conference DE, but you never know.

  100. 100 Anders said at 5:40 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    okay thanks. I just asked because Kruger did both at Utah

  101. 101 RC5000 said at 5:29 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    He can play as a down lineman and stand up (some) which he did at Utah. Guess would be more down than up but that’s really up to Davis and the specific scheme.

  102. 102 Anders said at 5:40 PM on April 28th, 2013:

    yea he did both at Utah, thats why I thought about and the fact we didnt add a single OLB in this draft or via UDFA