Understanding Marquise Goodwin

Posted: April 14th, 2013 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 115 Comments »

We’ve talked about Texas WR Marquise Goodwin a few times in recent days.  He isn’t an easy prospect to understand so a few people wanted more info on him.

Let’s start with the positives.  Goodwin is fast.  He ran 4.27 at the Combine.  That makes DeSean Jackson’s 4.35 look like Max Jean-Gilles running uphill.  Keep in mind that Goodwin did that at 183 pounds, almost 10 pounds heavier than DeSean’s Combine weight.  That deserves a “wow”.  Goodwin is a track star as well as a football player.  He is an Olympic long jumper and was in London last summer.  His jumping shows lower body explosion.  Goodwin had an 11-foot broad jump.  He didn’t do the vertical jump in Indy, but did 42 inches at his Pro Day.  He has the best combination of speed and explosion in the entire draft.  DeSean Jackson had a BJ of 10’2 and a VJ of 34.5 inches.  That should help you to see that Goodwin is much more than just fast.  And he’s different than DeSean.

Goodwin considers himself a football player first and track guy second.  You can see this when you watch him play.  Goodwin has some toughness to his game.  He returned 44 KOs at Texas.  DeSean had 2 KORs in college.  KOs are much more dangerous than punts.  You have 10 guys running at full speed to attack you.  On punts, there are blockers right at the LOS and impeding the cover units.  Not as many guys get going full speed.  Anyone who can handle being a KOR and is good at it, is tough.  On KOs where the ball went away from him, Goodwin would act as the lead blocker.  While he’s not overly physical, he would do his duty.

Watch Goodwin on catches and runs.  He runs to daylight, not the sideline.  If there is a hole in the middle of the field, he attacks it.  If there is space out wide, he goes there.  Goodwin played slot receiver some of the time and looked comfortable in that role.  He’s not afraid to play in traffic.  Neither DeSean nor Jeremy Maclin is comfortable in the slot or playing in traffic.  They want space.  They want to be outside.  Goodwin ran the ball 44 times in college.  He gained 405 yards and scored 3 TDs.  DeSean ran a bit in college, 24-199-1.  This is another sign of Goodwin’s toughness and ability to make something happen on his own.

Okay, so we’ve got this guy with world-class speed, explosive leaping ability, and who actually has some toughness.  There is no doubt that he lit up the college football world, right?  No.  For his career, Goodwin went 120-1364-7 as a receiver.  How does a guy with his potential average less than 12 yards a reception and catch just 7 TD passes?

There are a couple of reasons.  Part is on him, part is on Texas.  Think back to last summer.  Texas football players were practicing in serious heat and getting ready for the upcoming season.  Goodwin was in London, competing in the Olympics.  He didn’t miss all of summer practices, but missing time does put you behind schedule.  And 2012 wasn’t the only missed time.  Goodwin had Olympic trials and training to deal with during his time at Texas.  It drives coaches crazy when their stars spend time in other sports.  The reason Russell Wilson finished his career at Wisconsin is that the NC State coach wanted him to give up baseball and commit to football.  Wilson didn’t so the coach had him leave the program.  Mack Brown didn’t do anything like that with Goodwin, but you can bet that the time spent away from football affected the way the coaches thought of Goodwin.  Are you going to focus on using a guy that is in and out?

The Texas coaches have not exactly set the world on fire when it comes to offense.  The offensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010 was Greg Davis.  He is a guy that believes in the I-formation and running the ball.  Colt McCoy was the QB in 2009 and was able to make the offense successful despite the lack of creativity.  The offense fell sharply in 2010.  Mack Brown brought in a new OC in 2011 and he ran the show through late in 2012.  That didn’t work well and he was replaced with Major Applewhite.  The passing offense after McCoy’s graduation finished 50th, 86th, and 41st in the country.  That should give you an idea that things weren’t going well.

Applewhite was the OC for the Alamo Bowl last December.  In that game, Goodwin scored 2 TDs (64-yd run and a 36-yd catch).  Texas made it a point to get the ball to him.  You saw the kind of potential Goodwin had if he’d been used differently.

I have Goodwin rated as a 3rd round prospect.  Part of that comes from watching him at the Senior Bowl.  Goodwin was terrific.  We knew he was fast, but what he showed in Mobile was the ability to get open with sharp cuts and quick moves on short and underneath routes.  Goodwin had everybody talking.  His raw ability was incredibly impressive.

Goodwin is raw and that’s the reason he’s not rated higher.  He wasn’t an All American in college.  He didn’t set any records.  He’s not a polished player than can challenge for a starting role from Day 1.  Goodwin can be an impact role player, but he needs coaching.  I know some people are turned off by his size and see him as a 4th round player and someone the Eagles should avoid.  I think Goodwin will go in the 3rd round and see him as a player that Chip Kelly could covet.

Goodwin is not DeSean Jackson, pt 2.  He is a different prospect.  Goodwin could challenge for the KOR job right away.  He could challenge for the slot role right away.  He would be used on end arounds and fly sweeps.  This is a player you can get the ball to at the LOS and he can create.  Andy Reid saw DeSean as a player to get the ball to 30 yards downfield.  That was great when it worked, but highly inconsistent.  Goodwin could become a starting receiver in the future.  If it turns out that he’s only a slot receiver and role player, the 3rd round is still good value.

* * * * *

The Geno Smith discussions keep getting strange responses.

Please understand this one point…if the Eagles do take him at #4 it will be because they have him rated that highly and Chip Kelly thinks he can build an offense around Geno.

I don’t have Geno rated that high, but the Eagles might.  This wouldn’t be a case of the Eagles reaching for him or making a desperate move.  They will take him if they want him and have him rated highly.  Really, it is as simple as that.

* * * * *

Great point made by a reader.  The Eagles have 75 guys on the roster.  They have 9 picks.  That would only leave room for 6 UDFAs.  Makes you wonder if we’ll see some cuts.  The pre-draft camp will be this week.  Won’t surprise me at all to see some players cut late in the week after Chip Kelly and the staff have seen them up close and in limited action.

We’re not talking about a big purge, but there are some guys who are odd fits for what Kelly wants.  How do they fit in?  Everette Brown and Phillip Hunt are small DEs.  Will Kelly want to keep them as OLBs?  Will all the OTs like Ed Wang, Matt Kopa, and Matt Reynolds stick around? Something to keep an eye on.


115 Comments on “Understanding Marquise Goodwin”

  1. 1 Greg Richards said at 1:06 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Keep in mind that draft picks don’t count against the 90-man roster limit until they’re actually signed. So you can go over that limit when you sign UDFAs. The draft picks sign waivers to practice in the mini-camps. Then as you sign the draft picks you have to do a one to one release to match the 90 man roster limit.

  2. 2 TommyLawlor said at 3:16 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Sam says that this is no longer the case. You can have open tryouts at camp, but all players on the roster count.

  3. 3 ACViking said at 1:16 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    RE: J-Maclin

    T-Law:

    You’ve mentioned — if I read you right (in a comment yesterday regarding T-Austin) — that you expect the Eagles to let Maclin, a free agent after 2013, walk away in to the free-agency universe.

    First, did I read that right.

    Second, is your projection based on the assumption that T-Austin is drafted by the Birds.

    Third, if (1) and (2) and correct . . . why not trade Maclin now?

  4. 4 Iskar36 said at 2:05 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Tommy can obviously answer this better, but I think Tommy was saying that IF they draft Austin, depending on how Maclin develops and how Austin develops, they could let Maclin walk. Having said that, if Maclin does progress and start to live up to his potential, he absolutely would be in the mix for an extension. Maclin is just one of those guys who we will have to wait and see how he responds to the new coaching.

  5. 5 TommyLawlor said at 2:44 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I think Mac controls his future. The Mac of 2012 isn’t getting re-signed. We need to see what he does in 2013. How will he respond to the new coaching staff? They’ll push him more. If Mac handles that well, he could become a star WR. That’s a guy you would want to keep.

    This is all about Mac, not who we draft. We don’t want the tease that we’ve seen. If he takes a major step forward, he’ll be a guy we definitely want.

    Could the Eagles decide that trading him now makes sense? Sure. If they feel he’s unlikely to respond well to the new staff, then dealing him does make sense.

  6. 6 austinfan said at 1:16 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    While running track slowed Goodwin down, he was a senior, that is, he had four years of football, DeSean was blowing it up as a sophomore. DeSean is a natural football player, Goodwin is a track athlete trying to learn to play football (don’t care what he says he is, I’m a Longhorn fan, he was a tease every year).

    Texas didn’t run a wide open offense, but they average 260 yards passing a game with 30 attempts, so there were opportunities available – no one stepped up – both Shipley’s (brothers) were the two best WRs even though they have average speed. Meanwhile, fast guys like Goodwin, Davis and Monroe, as well as a couple other guys, couldn’t translate it to the field. Coaching may have been part of it, but also a recruiting philosophy that overemphasized speed over football instincts. Davis may finally emerge this year and be a top 100 pick in 2014, but he’s taken a while to develop. Goodwin showed flashes, but never really improved, and he’s explosive more than he is elusive.

  7. 7 TommyLawlor said at 2:52 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    So do you have any interest in Goodwin?

    There is no question that Goodwin is a project. I noted that above. You’re drafting him for his potential, not his college production. The ability is there.

  8. 8 austinfan said at 3:44 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I think in this draft, given the depth, I’d be thinking that early 4th rd pick, the 3rd round pick could land you a starting S, CB, or DL who’d be a top rotation player. You could also get a solid OL or TE at that point.

    Thing to remember with projects, with 4 year contracts, if it takes two years to turn them into major contributors, you only get one “cheap” season” then you have to pay (RFA, extension). So you’d have to have confidence he’d be a top KOR as a rookie to take him with that 3rd rd pick. Last two years, only 24 KRs, 0 TDs.

    Other thing with Goodwin, 8 1/2 hands, not good catching the ball in traffic. On the other hand, 31 1/2 arms, so he’s not a short guy with short arms, the kiss of death.

  9. 9 TommyLawlor said at 4:23 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    But Goodwin the project can help right away as a guy to get the ball to on runs and quick screens. Could also be the KOR and possibly the PR. Not the same as a Curtis Marsh type of project that needs work to just get on the field.

  10. 10 austinfan said at 5:26 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Their judgment of his potential as a kick returner probably will determine where they draft him, he has to be significantly better than D Johnson or anyone else they’d role out there, they have plenty of mediocre returners they can throw out there.

  11. 11 Geagle said at 1:25 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Ask, And Ty Law shall deliver…. Great article, but that’s nothing new for Igglesblitz.

    There are so many skill position players that I like, but outside of TE, I hope we don’t take any skills position prospects in the first 5 rounds….Pump some resources into landing Escobar or Kelce, Ignore the QB position, so that we can solidify ourselves on the offensive line, and Defensive front 7…so that in next years draft, we can be ready to mortgage it to move up and get our franchise QB, if Foles can’t get a stranglehold of the position in year two…and Heck, if you have solidified your team, and yu dont need a QB next year, you can always try to make an offer that is hard for a team to refuse, to go up and make a power play for Clowney…or we can restock our skill players after analyzing them for a year under Chip… I like Marquis, along with a handful of other recievers, but I always heard that you start by building the trenches, and then work your way to skill positions and the secondary..Dominate the line of scrimmage, and you will win some games.

  12. 12 T_S_O_P said at 1:35 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Has Goodwin stepped away from track? He has no interest in Rio?

  13. 13 Iskar36 said at 2:01 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I had a similar question the other day. Do we know what his commitment level to football is? He could be 100% committed, but considering he wasn’t 100% committed in college and the fact that he was an olympic athlete, I don’t think it is out of the question that he may still have interest in track and field.

  14. 14 TommyLawlor said at 2:50 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I don’t know, but I tend to think he’ll step away. You can bet NFL teams have talked to him about that.

  15. 15 Baloophi said at 6:40 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    If he steps away,
    Gather ye stopwatch, my friend.
    T’will be a fast step.

  16. 16 hotcakes33 said at 1:43 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    So you’re saying while he’s not DeSean, Jr. he’s not a poor man’s Tavon Austin either. Do you think he is big enough to absorb hits on end arounds and bubble screens?

  17. 17 TommyLawlor said at 2:49 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I think you can see in the clips that Goodwin can take contact and not go down. That’s a selling point on him.

  18. 18 Iskar36 said at 2:58 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    This is a bit of a dirty hit, but it shows he can deliver a hit (block) as well.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkNSSV1NukM

    At the very least, it shows that he stays involved in the play regardless of whether or not he has the ball.

  19. 19 Lukekelly65 said at 4:10 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Even if you consider the hit dirty which i don’t i think that we need a WR who is willing to play like that… you will never see Jackson or Maclin even come close to that kind of hit

  20. 20 Mac said at 4:20 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I agree, I think this team could use an injection of players who are willing to make clean contact (to me looked like he led with his shoulder) but do so with an edge/toughness that is appropriate for football.

  21. 21 A_T_G said at 6:37 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    It reminds me of Avant’s block during DeSean’s return in the MMII.

  22. 22 Mac said at 10:32 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    That was an epic block. Did I read somewhere that either Avant or one of the two guys he blocked was concussed in that play?

  23. 23 Phils Goodman said at 2:24 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    But would it be smart to take him over Da’Rick Rogers? Good receiver prospects don’t often escape the first two rounds. Rogers was headed for an early round selection based on his on-field performance. I don’t think Goodwin is a top-75 selection based on merit.

  24. 24 theycallmerob said at 2:41 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Big fan of Rogers myself. Wouldn’t mind a trade down in the 2nd (really, really want more picks in this draft). Grab Rogers, and OL (unless they got one in the 1st), and then grab CB Slay in the 3rd. One man’s dream….

  25. 25 TommyLawlor said at 2:48 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I do think Goodwin is worth a top 75 pick. We’ll find out what the NFL thinks in 10 days.

    I like Da’Rick Rogers a lot. Really impressive on-field talent. Top 20 talent. The question is character. You don’t get booted from Tennessee for nothing.

    Rogers and Goodwin are very different players. Rogers is an outside receiver. Goodwin is a slot guy and versatile offensive weapon.

  26. 26 Phils Goodman said at 4:07 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Rogers has lined up everywhere. I think he was way better than Goodwin in the slot. He has great physicality on the inside. But I think it pays to worry more about talent than where you think a guy should line up.

    If Goodwin and Rogers are both there at #67, who would you want more?

  27. 27 TommyLawlor said at 4:19 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    The player I have rated higher.

  28. 28 Phils Goodman said at 4:50 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    So assuming Rogers is draftable, you have him higher rated?

  29. 29 TommyLawlor said at 4:57 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Yes.

  30. 30 TommyLawlor said at 4:24 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I don’t think Rogers will last to the 3rd, if his character checks out. If he does have serious issues, he’s not on the board at all.

  31. 31 Phils Goodman said at 4:35 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    How exactly would his character “check out”? Teams can interview him and people around him all they want, but for a rookie going pro, moving off campus and making money, character is TBD. It’s not an issue that you can settle definitively like arm length or broad jump. I presume Rogers has been saying all the right things lately.

    Regardless, his ultimate draft slot says more about how teams approach his past than it says about Rogers’ future.

    Also, a draft position is not a true referendum on how “the NFL” feels about a prospect. Only one team is making a direct statement about the player. The other 31 are by inference.

  32. 32 TommyLawlor said at 4:44 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Teams hire former law enforcement types and they do extensive research. Sean Locklear was a mid-round OL prospect years ago and was shocked to find out teams were calling his 6th grade football coach.

    Scouts interview a variety of people when visiting campus. They know some coaches will protect players so scouts talk to anyone and everyone.

    There is no definitive answer on players, but you’d be surprised to find out just how much teams know about the prospects. At the Combine a few years back some kid talked about leaving school early to support his family. A coach then asked him why the first thing he did with money from an agent was to buy a fancy sports car. The player had no answer for that.

    Teams want to know who they are paying 6 and 7 figures a year. They want to be comfortable with these guys. Maybe Rogers failed a couple of drug tests and the coach booted him as an example. Maybe he’s a degenerate scumbag. I have no idea, but you can bet the Eagles will know. And his draft grade will reflect what they think.

  33. 33 Phils Goodman said at 4:51 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    That’s a little creepy.

    What if he is a scumbag but still could be a great player? I feel like Roseman would shy away from those types, but what’s your thought?

  34. 34 TommyLawlor said at 5:02 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    This is where teams and coaches have different philosophies. Jimmy Johnson didn’t mind troubled players as long as they were great on Sunday. Anything less than great and you better behave. Bill Belichick has embraced some turds in recent years and had mixed results. The Bengals choose talent over character and have had mixed results. The Texans won’t draft a player with legal troubles and that’s worked well for them. I think the Packers are the same way and it’s worked well for them.

    I don’t need choirboys, but I do need guys that are reliable and highly competitive. If you can play hard and work hard, that’s okay. Don’t let play time affect you on Sundays, though.

  35. 35 austinfan said at 5:25 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Can’t make plays on the suspended list.

  36. 36 Michael Winter Cho said at 10:26 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Colin Cowherd said, and I think he was serious, that he could always tell what college team would have a dominant defense because it would have a bunch of arrests that year. Apparently he believes there is some link with criminal activity and defensive prowess.

  37. 37 Anders said at 3:24 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Tommy how do you feel about Corderelle Patterson if he fell to our 2nd round pick?

  38. 38 TommyLawlor said at 4:21 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Interview would be crucial with him. Love his skills. Have questions about his intelligence and coachability. With a good interview, I’d love to have him. Incredibly gifted.

  39. 39 Anders said at 4:33 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Why do you have those questions? Something you have read or do you know somebody who have told you this? I havnt really followed him because I thought 4th would be to high and no way would he drop to 35th, but I saw on twitter the other day that he might drop to the 2nd round.

  40. 40 Phils Goodman said at 4:37 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    People are saying he was given limited routes because of low football IQ. I think one of the NFL Network guys, but I don’t quite remember.

  41. 41 Anders said at 5:22 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Thats a bummer, because that guy is crazy with the ball in his hands

  42. 42 Phils Goodman said at 7:02 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I would question the football IQ of a coach who can’t get him the ball.

  43. 43 Kevin_aka_RC said at 3:30 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Is there an archived link of your 97.5 Fanatic appearance?

  44. 44 ACViking said at 3:34 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Re: Track Stars in the NFL (sprinters only)

    Picking up on Austinfan’s point . . . the list of guys who’ve tried is longer than the list of guys who succeeded.
    ____________________

    THE BIGGEST SUCCESSES:

    There’s really only two . . . HOFer “Bullet” Bob Hayes and HOFer Ollie Matson.

    HAYES: In April 1964, the Cowboys took a 7th-Rd flyer on the Florida A&M WR, who four months later tied the World and Olympic records for the 100 meters at 10.0 at the Tokyo Olympics [where Joe Frazier won the heavyweight boxing gold, having replaced the injured Buster Mathis on the American team]. A couple years before, Hayes had set the record in the 100-yard dash, running a 9.2.

    Hayes missed the ’64 season. But he when arrived in Dallas in 1965, he became an instant starter at WR — leading the NFL his rookie year with 12 TDs Receiving (and in ’66 he again led the NFL with 13 TD catches).

    Hayes ended his 10 year career with a 20.0 YPC avg. He’d had seasons where he averaged over 26 and 24 yards per catch. And he had five season of at least 10 TDs receiving. He always (and rightly) told people that he was a football player first, not a sprinter. He’d played high school and college football. He just happened to be fast.

    In the nearly 50 years since Bob Hayes’ performance in Tokyo, no track guy has come close to the success Hayes had in the NFL.

    MATSON: Ollie Matson was a HOF RB, with a great and long career, and an Olympic star. He was a 1st-Rd pick in ’52 of the old Chicago Cardinals (3rd overall) from San Fancisco College. He played for the Chicago Cardinals (1952-1958), the Los Angeles Rams (1959-1962), Detroit Lions (1963) and Eagles under new HC Joe Kuharich (1964-1966). [Kuharich, as noted before, suffered from a compulsion to (i) trade players just to make trades . . . starting with future HOF QB Sonny Jurgensen, and (ii) draft skill-position players with names that just, on their face, preclude success . . . like ’67 1st Rd pick RB Harry Jones from U-Ark.]

    As an Eagles, in his final season at the age of 36, he was their KR. When Matson retired, he was second only to the greatest RB of all, Jim Brown, in career yards rushing.

    Matson won two medals at the 1952 Olympics held at Helsinki, taking home a bronze in the 400 meter and was a silver in the 4 x 400 relay.
    ___________

    Here’s three more players who made some impact:

    First up, WR James Jett of the Oakland Raiders whom Al Davis — while still very compos mentos — signed as a free agent in ’93. Jett — about the size of former Eagles great WR Harold Jackson at 5’10” 164 lbs — won a Gold Medal in the ’92 Barcelona Olympics on the 4 x 100 relay. He had a very productive 10-year career with the Raiders, leading the NFL in YPC his rookie year at 23.4 and scoring 12 TDs a few years later. Jett, like Hayes, was a football player in college — and it showed.

    Next, in 1983, the Browns spent a 2nd Rd pick on AZ State WR/KR Ron Brown. He sat out the season preparing for the ’84 Olympics, where he won a Gold medal in the 4 x 100 relay. Before the next draft, the Rams traded their own 1984 2nd-Rd pick to acquire his his rights.

    Brown joined the Rams in ’84 after the Olympics and played some WR.

    But he made his impact in ’85 as a KR — putting up numbers he never came close to approaching again. In ’85, Brown was an All Pro KR, averaging 32+ yards per return and scoring 3 TDs. But in the remaining 7 season of his career he never topped 22 yards-per-return. And he scored only 1 more TD returning kicks. He did, however, have a couple decent years as a WR, catching 26 passes and averaging 20 YPC one season.

    Also . . . in 1992, the Seattle Seahawks spent a 6th Rounder on an U-Arizona KR/WR (more KR) named Michael Bates — who later that year won a Bronze medal in the 200 meter at the ’92 Olympics.

    Bates bounced around for 3 years, but round a home with the Carolina Panthers, where he became the NFL’s premier KR. As for receiving? 1 catch in his 10 year career.
    ____________________

    THE BiGEST DISAPPOINTMENTS *** SPOILER ALERT (Eagles)

    The Bob Hayes-phenomenon was very real and remained so for 30 years. But it was especially hot in the ’60s.

    At the 1968 Mexico City Olympics, the Americans dominated the sprints.

    JIM RAY HINES: In the 100 meter dash, Gold Medal winner American Jim Ray Hines set the World and Olympic record of 9.95. (American Charlie Greene took the Bronze.)

    Hines attended Texas Southern — never playing football, however, unlike Bob Hayes. But the Dolphins spent a 6th Rd pick on him in the ’68 draft and, of course, putting him at WR when he arrived in 1969. But after one year in Miami and one with the Chiefs, Jim Ray Hines finished his NFL career with 2 catches for 23 yards.

    JOHN CARLOS: Then there was the 200 meter dash — remembered for the Black Power Salute by Gold Medalist Tommie Smith and the Bronze winner, 19 year-old John Carlos (both from America).

    Carlos, who’d first enrolled at East Texas State, later transferred to San Jose State in 1968. In 1969, Carlos tied the World Record in the 100 yard dash at 9.1. The man could run.

    He became NFL draft eligible in 1970. And in Rd 15 of the ’70 draft, the EAGLES — yes, the EAGLES — took a flyer on Carlos. He’d be the great equalizer with the Cowboys.

    Carlos was BIG . . . 6’4″ 210 lbs. But he’d just not played football since high school.

    But ironically the diminutive 5’10” 170 lb. Harold Jackson, acquired from the Rams for RB Izzy Lang in ’69, was the Eagles’ equalizer. But the Eagles had only 2 other very good players at the time, S Bill Bradley and DE and later MLB Tim Rossevich, so the Birds were horrible until Dick Vermeil arrived in ’76 as the HC.

    Carlos actually was hanging on in the Eagles ’70 training camp. But he injured his knee, which ended his season on IR.

    He came back to TC in ’71. But now the Eagles had drafted a 6’8″ 225 WR — taken in Rd 7 — by the name of Harold Carmichael, a “Little All American” at Southern University.

    The choice for soon-to-be-fired HC Jerry Williams was between Carlos and Carmichael. It was no choice at all, as Carmichael dominated the scrimmages and preseason games. Carlos struggled. And he was cut before the ’71 season started.

    (Side note: Tommie Smith, the Gold medalist in the ’68 200 meters, played one season with the Bengals in 1969. Not Paul Brown’s kind of guy.)
    ____________________

    A FEW MORE SPRINTERS OF NOTE:

    * Larry Burton – Purdue. 1st Rd Pick by the Saints in ’75 (7th overall); 5 seasons with the Saints and Chargers, with just 44 career receptions; finished 4th in the 200 meters at Munich (where every American sprinter got screwed — which wasn’t the worst thing about those Olympics by a long shot).

    * Johnny “Lam” Jones – UTx. 1st Rd pick by the Jets in ’80 (2nd overall); 5 NFL seasons; Gold Medal in the 4 x 100 relay in the ’76 Olympics in Montreal

    * Henry Carr – AZ State. 4th Rd pick in ’64 by the Giants. 3 seasons, 7 INTs at CB; 2 Gold Medals in the Mexico City Olympics in the 200 meters and as in the 4 x 1600.

  45. 45 TommyLawlor said at 4:19 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Willie Gault and Renaldo Nehemiah were football/track guys. Gault panned out. Nehemiah didn’t.

    And of course the Pats Jeff Demps can’t decide what he wants to do. Now is indicating that track > football.

  46. 46 ACViking said at 7:30 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    T-Law:

    Just to clarify . . . I limited the foregoing list to Olympic participants who were strictly sprinters. And it’s not complete. (Gerald Tinker, 1972 4 x 100 Gold Medal then 2 years with the Falcons, for example.)

    Gault would have made the list but for the 1980 US Boycott of the Moscow summer Olympics . . . so I couldn’t include him.

    Skeets Nehemiah was a hurdler . . . the greatest hurdler. Not a sprinter.

  47. 47 TommyLawlor said at 7:55 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I figured there were good reasons. Those were obvious guys. You don’t miss obvious guys.

  48. 48 Baloophi said at 7:40 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Let us not forget,
    Guys who went the other way.
    Herschel J. Walker.

  49. 49 Cliff said at 4:58 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    He did track and field
    Lighting quick and tough as nails
    Marquis Goodwin; stud

  50. 50 TommyLawlor said at 5:19 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    That writing can be summed up in one word…studly.

  51. 51 Cliff said at 5:45 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Nothing like a boring Sunday shift at work to get the creative juices flowing.

  52. 52 Baloophi said at 6:21 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Sunday? Haiku day!
    Why sit around and do this?
    Hammies sore from hoops.

  53. 53 RC5000 said at 5:34 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Goodwin is a project and developmental player.

  54. 54 Cliff said at 5:44 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    That’s way too many syllables, but you’re off to a good start.

  55. 55 RC5000 said at 5:45 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    lol…you’re asking too much.

  56. 56 laeagle said at 5:46 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Surprised no one else appreciated your poesy.

    Some will never see
    Or appreciate your work
    But some of us do

  57. 57 Mac said at 6:06 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    You can’t spell stud without S.T.D.

  58. 58 Baloophi said at 6:17 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I applaud your work.
    A man named Cliff takes a leap?
    Brave AND ironic.

  59. 59 laeagle said at 10:59 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    This has struck a chord.
    Every year in fantasy,
    My picks are haiku.

  60. 60 Kirk Belmont said at 5:08 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    So Goodwin is a faster, more athletic version of Austin? Just with less polish? What is the big difference between them other than incredible production for Austin and nothing special in terms of production for Goodwin?

  61. 61 Jack Bauer said at 5:22 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Austin breaks ankles and is “special” after the catch. From the tape Goodwin relies on straight line speed and toughness for his YAC. Goodwin sees holes, Tavon makes them.

  62. 62 Tumtum said at 5:43 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Tommy, random question. What were your thoughts on Joe Flacco comment out? How did you feel in comparison to Geno?

    Really only asking because of all the Geno to the Eagles talk… that has to have some sort of trace back to the Eagles whether as a smoke screen or legit interest.

  63. 63 Mac said at 6:09 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Nate Allen better play well, because he represents what we received in return for a franchise QB.

  64. 64 Anders said at 6:30 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    How well did this franchise QB play after he was traded?

  65. 65 Mac said at 10:13 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Yeah, maybe there was a little smidgen of sarcasm in there…

  66. 66 Baloophi said at 6:34 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    He tackles, sometimes.
    Big head that’s often empty.
    Wanted Earl Thomas.

    (Thanks for getting this going, Cliff!)

  67. 67 Anders said at 6:38 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    You know Earl Thomas is a worse tackler than Coleman and Allen?

  68. 68 Baloophi said at 6:44 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Better safety, no?
    Lots of Nate apologists –
    Let’s hope he improves…

  69. 69 Anders said at 6:46 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Where did I state Allen was a better safety?
    You mentioned 1 part about Allen, his tackling and I commented that Allen is actually better at that part then Thomas.

    Also DE > Safety any day of the week and Graham was a beast last season.

  70. 70 Baloophi said at 6:48 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I’m writing Haikus,
    Not arguing safety play.
    Relax, my good friend.

  71. 71 Anders said at 6:53 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    haha

  72. 72 Baloophi said at 6:37 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Watching “Gruden’s Camp.”
    No ground-breaking info, but,
    Good entertainment.

  73. 73 Sifter said at 6:40 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I’m sure at some point there will be an offensive weapon taken and it will be labeled as a “Chip pick” and not a pick to cover a hole/future hole. Could be Geno at #4, or Goodwin in the 3rd round, a TE somewhere early, maybe Kenjon Barner in round 4. I wonder who has caught the eye of our coach the most? Maybe the “Chip pick” will be extending Jeremy Maclin and eschewing the draft pick that trading him would get.

  74. 74 A_T_G said at 6:49 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Trade down in the first.
    Draft Tavon and Goodwin both.
    Chip a happy man.

  75. 75 Iskar36 said at 6:53 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Is it possible to up vote and down vote the same post? Great job at fitting in Tavon and Goodwin into a Haiku. If we drafted both guys though, I would be highly frustrated with the draft.

  76. 76 Baloophi said at 7:03 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Roseman does this deal,
    Iskar chucks lamp at TV,
    Becomes Cowboys’ fan.

  77. 77 Neil said at 7:07 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    How could you wish such a thing on even your worst enemy?

  78. 78 Baloophi said at 7:18 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I went way too far.
    Apologies to Iskar.
    Cowboys suck. AND blow.

  79. 79 Baloophi said at 7:23 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWNJZrdn7i4

  80. 80 Cliff said at 8:15 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Approaching uncharted territory with this comments thread. I believe we have won.

  81. 81 Iskar36 said at 7:09 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    That made me laugh. Well done. No way I am converting to a Cowboys fan though. I’ll deal with the evils of Roseman/Kelly’s obsession with small, fast WRs any day over trying to argue anything in support of Jerry Jones.

  82. 82 Baloophi said at 7:37 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Ah yes, Jerry Jones.
    A fool and his oil money,
    are never parted???

  83. 83 A_T_G said at 6:52 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Fast Lane to success.
    Add a toy in the third round.
    Defense in the second.

  84. 84 Mac said at 10:17 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I approve this
    Message you are sending to
    Philadelphia

  85. 85 Anders said at 6:57 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Maclin to the Rams.
    Patterson is the man
    Goodwin in the third

  86. 86 Iskar36 said at 6:59 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    …. second line was six syllables

  87. 87 Anders said at 7:02 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    It does not have to be 7, also its actually not syllables but moars you have to count…..

  88. 88 Iskar36 said at 7:06 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I stand corrected. That’s what happens when a math/chem major enters a discussion about poems.

  89. 89 Anders said at 7:22 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I had to look it up on wikipedia. Im a civil-engineer my self

  90. 90 Cliff said at 8:16 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    What the heck is a moar? Dammit. I have to go back revise all of my poems!

  91. 91 Anders said at 8:45 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Should have said mora, not moar… dam you typos

  92. 92 RC5000 said at 7:19 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Maclin to the Birds.
    I can’t pronounce Core Darrell.
    Goodwin at your peril

  93. 93 Baloophi said at 7:30 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Bonus points for you.
    Rhyming es muy dificil.
    (Much like Español)

  94. 94 Baloophi said at 7:15 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Hijack Miami,
    Take Mingo at 12, Kyle Long,
    Cyprien round 2.

  95. 95 ACViking said at 7:32 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Re: Goodwin a 3rd

    T-Law:

    How exactly to you establish a valuation. That is, what are the specific factors you look at. And then how to you put a number on them. Then how do you assign a round ?

    Goodwin’s a WR.

    I wondered the same question about Shariff Floyd (and other D-linemen).

  96. 96 Mac said at 10:21 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Question marks are by definition partially, though not wholly round.

  97. 97 Jacob Shubert said at 8:18 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I know that this is not on topic with Goodwin or even the draft really, but I just wanted to tell all of you die-hard Eagle fans a quick story.
    My friends daughter has autism. She goes to the autism benefit every year at Lincoln Financial Field. My friend and he daughter met Nate Allen last year and he was extraordinarily nice to them. This year, not only did Nate remember her, but he remembered her name, and made it a point to go talk to them, stand with her in the huddle, introduce her to other Eagles, spend 20 minutes of his time catching up with her, and never treated her like she was “special”.
    I just thought I would share this because of regardless of what you think of Nate Allen as a safety (and I admit, I have expected more out of him) these are the kinds of athletes that should be idolized and rooted for.

  98. 98 Christopher Miller said at 11:05 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Nice story. Would love to see this guy succeed.

  99. 99 Mac said at 11:35 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Jake makes a good point
    Life should be moar than football
    Pray for his knee joint

  100. 100 Cliff said at 8:18 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Trade back Tommy says
    To add more picks in this draft
    Megan Fox Pudding

  101. 101 Cliff said at 8:22 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Like bastard Jon Snow
    Cullen Jenkins fled north to
    the land of the Giants

  102. 102 A_T_G said at 8:51 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Eagles fans lament
    lack of real information.
    Turn to poetry.

    Get a studly stud.
    Trade back, turn holes to assets.
    Take a QB, cry.

    Check measurables,
    arm length, three-cone, and bench press.
    Inches: hero, bum.

    One day, not long now
    pieces will fall into place.
    Scheme clear, future bright.

  103. 103 Skeptic_Eagle said at 9:27 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I’d have a hard time bypassing a safety for a little guy that can’t track the ball on downfield throws. Maybe in a different year, right now I think the priority is to stop the big plays on defense. If Chung shows why he was benched, and Phillips’ knees are not right, we’re right in the same position we were in. It’s time to address the spot, pure and simple.

  104. 104 Iskar36 said at 9:57 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    While I agree Chung and Phillips are both too much of a question mark to assume they will be successful here (Phillips more so than Chung), it’s not as if the Eagles haven’t tried to address the safety spot. They have spent two 2nd round picks on safeties in recent years. Jarrett was a flat out bust and Nate Allen is still to be determined, but certainly not looking good. So the issue is not that the Eagles haven’t addressed the spot. It is that they need to find the right player while addressing the spot. Spending a 2nd round pick on a safety, as we have proven, does not necessarily guarantee us anything.

  105. 105 Skeptic_Eagle said at 10:13 AM on April 15th, 2013:

    Wholeheartedly agree that they’ve tried to address it…but the point is, they’ve failed. They’ll have to keep addressing it until they get it right, or it’s going to continue costing them on the field. If you always fail on drafting safeties in the second round, I don’t think the answer is to quit trying to get an impact safety high–it’s time to evaluate the process that led you to the decisions.

  106. 106 Mac said at 11:04 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    I think we’d all like to add a starting caliber safety, but the value has to be right. I hope we add at least one safety who fits the scheme and the coaches feel they can work with and develop.

  107. 107 Skeptic_Eagle said at 10:21 AM on April 15th, 2013:

    This draft’s talent and depth at safety is much better than it has been in recent years. Cyprien, Vaccaro, Rambo, Swearinger, Elam, Shamarko Thomas, Josh Evans, Eric Reid, Phillip Thomas, Shawn Wiliams, Duke Williams; there are plenty of guys that can help this team in the 1st-3rd. If you can draft a starter shore up position of weakness that has led to some huge plays, wouldn’t you consider that “valuable”? I’d consider that more valuable than adding another player to a WR corps featuring 11 guys, with 2 of them making buku bucks.

  108. 108 Baloophi said at 10:40 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    You play the GM!
    Joeckel, Smith, Floyd: 1, 2, 3.
    No trades. What’s your pick?

  109. 109 Christopher Miller said at 10:58 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Fisher…Jordan scares the hell out of me and even if they both come back healthy, Peters and Herrdawg won’t last forever.

  110. 110 Mac said at 12:49 AM on April 15th, 2013:

    I am gonna get
    In the fast Lane on this here
    Haiku marathon

  111. 111 xeynon said at 11:57 PM on April 14th, 2013:

    Goodwin may be a fine prospect, but when I look at this roster and think about why it went 4-12 last year, a shortage of undersized speedster receivers is pretty far down the list of reasons. I just don’t think Goodwin fills a big need and the team has many of those, at the positions widely considered the best in this draft (OT, CB, S, NT). If they trade down and pick up an extra 3rd rounder, sure, maybe, but with their current array of picks I wouldn’t take Goodwin before the 4th round unless he is far and away the best player on the board.

  112. 112 Dan said at 12:56 AM on April 15th, 2013:

    Very nice work, thanks tommy. What strikes me, aside from the pure speed which is fantastic, is that this exactly the kind of guy Jimmy Johnson or Tom Landry would draft, leaving us to ask “how do we miss on these kinds of guys?”. And then they would go on to kill us on Sundays. I think Chip understands the “you can’t teach big or fast” principle.Looking forward to seeing more of this guy.

  113. 113 Adam Bershad said at 11:05 PM on April 16th, 2013:

    If they draft Goodwin….I could see the Eagles keeping 7 receivers. 1) DeSean Jackson 2) Jeremy Maclin 3) Jason Avant 4) Riley Cooper 5) Damaris Johnson 6) Arrelious Benn 7) Marquise Goodwin. McNutt and Momah on the practice squad. Maybe Cunningham

  114. 114 Day 2 Philadelphia Eagles Draft Targets: 15 Names To Know - Birds 24/7 said at 1:23 PM on April 23rd, 2013:

    […] guy, but Kelly has to be intrigued by Goodwin’s speed and versatility. Tommy Lawlor over at IgglesBlitz.com has a good write-up on Goodwin and projects him to be a third-round […]

  115. 115 Day 2 Eagles Draft Targets: 15 Names To Know | Local Philadelphia News Aggregator said at 2:00 AM on April 24th, 2013:

    […] t&#959 b&#1077 intrigued b&#1091 Goodwin’s speed &#1072nd versatility. Tommy Lawlor over &#1072t IgglesBlitz.com h&#1072&#1109 a g&#959&#959d write-up &#959n Goodwin &#1072nd projects h&#1110m t&#959 b&#1077 a […]