Draft Wrap

Posted: May 10th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 176 Comments »

The draft is over and I’m enjoying the dinner of champions – PBJ, PBR and Funyuns. I don’t want to write anything too involved. I’m kinda burnt out, as are you I’m sure. Still, it is good to look at a few things.

Here is the updated depth chart (with draft picks).

WR – Riley Cooper… Jordan Matthews … Brad Smith … Jeff Maehl
WR – Jeremy Maclin … Josh Huff …. Arrelious Benn … Damaris Johnson
TE – Brent Celek … Zack Ertz
H-back – James Casey …. Emil Igwenagu
RB – LeSean McCoy …. Chris Polk … Darren Sproles
QB – Nick Foles ………. Mark Sanchez … Matt Barkley
LT – Jason Peters ……. Allen Barbre … Andrew Gardner
LG – Evan Mathis…… Matt Tobin
OC – Jason Kelce……. Julian Vandervelde … David Molk
RG – Todd Herremans ……
RT – Lane Johnson.…. Dennis Kelly … Michael Bamiro

DE – Fletcher Cox ….. Vinny Curry … Alejandro Villanueva
NT – Bennie Logan …. Damion Square … Beau Allen
DE – Cedric Thornton  … Taylor Hart … Joe Kruger
ROLB – Trent Cole … Marcus Smith … Brandon Graham
WB – Mychal Kendricks ….. Najee Goode … Emmanuel Acho
MB – DeMeco Ryans …. Jason Phillips ….. Jake Knott
LOLB –  Connor Barwin …… Travis Long … Bryan Braman … Casey Matthews
SS – Nate Allen … Earl Wolff … Chris Maragos
FS – Malcolm Jenkins … Ed Reynolds … Keelan Johnson
CB – Cary Williams  ……. Nolan Carroll … Curtis Marsh
CB – Bradley Fletcher ….. Jaylen Watkins … Roc Carmichael …
NB – Brandon Boykin

P – Donnie Jones
K – Alex Henery
LS – Jon Dorenbos

* * * * *

UDFA Signings (unofficial so not added to the depth chart yet)

WR Kadron Boone – LSU

WR Quron Pratt – Rutgers

RB Henry Josey – Missouri

RB David Fluellen – Toledo

TE/WR Trey Burton – Florida

TE Blake Annen – Cincinnati

OG Josh Andrews – Oregon State

OG Karim Barton – Morgan State

OT Kevin Graf – USC

OT Donald Hawkins – Texas

____________________

DE Frank Mays – Florida A&M

NT  Wade Keliikipi – Oregon

FS Daytawion Lowe – Oklahoma State

CB John Fulton – Alabama

____________________

PK Carey Spear – Vanderbilt

Quick UDFA notes

* Burton is really interesting because he was a RB/TE/WR/H-back for the Gators. Where will Kelly use him?

* Annen is a really good athlete. I don’t know if he’s capable of winning a roster spot this year, but could be practice squad material. You can’t go wrong with the Eagles adding a player from Cincy.

* Mays is 6-9, 291. That’s just huge.

* Spear is nicknamed “The Murderleg”. And he’s the hardest hitting PK I’ve seen in a while. Check this out.

* RB Henry Josey has the most compelling story. Watch this video to see his amazing comeback from a horrific injury.

I’ll be rooting for him to make the team.

* * * * *

The Eagles got better this weekend. They added tough, talented weapons on offense. They added a pass rusher, a couple of good DL and a couple of good DBs to a defense that needed some help.

My favorite pick is Marcus Smith.

My least favorite pick is Ed Reynolds. Just didn’t wow me.

I think Josh Huff is a guy that will surprise some people.

The more I hear about Jordan Matthews, the more I like him. That is one dedicated, focused individual. I’ve been following the draft for a long time. I can’t tell you how many guys have failed due to simply “not getting it”. Matthews has size, talent, speed and skill, but his desire to succeed might be his best quality. That wouldn’t mean as much if he was a 5-9, 180 guy from Maine, but we’re talking about the all-time leading receiver in the history of the SEC.

* * * * *

For those who want to hear my golden, soothing voice…here is a segment I did with PE.com.

Jimmy Bama and I will try to record a podcast on Sunday night. We’ve got to figure out the technical issues that ruined the last one we did.

On a personal note…thanks for such a great weekend. I love covering the draft for you guys. It really means a lot to me that there is such a great community of readers and commenters. Baloophi and laeagle got together in LA to watch the draft (IgglesBlitz West). Another couple of guys talked about doing that in NYC. Others of you stayed here in the forums for all 3 days. People from all over the planet came together to discuss the Eagles and the draft.

My draft writing started 11 years ago on the Eagles Message Board. That was me and a handful of guys. Now I’m talking to tens of thousands of Eagles fans. I can’t tell you how awesome that is.

Thank you for your support. Whether you have donated money, are a regular commenter or just told a friend to check out the site, you’ve all played a role in building this thing up and helping me to grow as a writer and football analyst. If only Megan Fox was a fan of my writing…

I look forward to the 2015 draft, when the Eagles will have the 32nd pick of course.

_


176 Comments on “Draft Wrap”

  1. 1 suthrneagle said at 11:29 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    Great draft…Howie,Chip and their whole crew are to commended.

  2. 2 Arby1 said at 11:33 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    Love that Henry Josey story!

  3. 3 Charlie Kelly said at 11:49 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    besides the kicker that might be my fav UDFA.. damn.. i said besides the kicker… smh.. lol..

  4. 4 HazletonEagle said at 11:59 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    Henry Josey was one of the 4 RBs I wanted from this draft. Was sitting in the drive through at taco bell when I saw that we signed him. So pumped!

    I had also been waiting for Blake Annen to come off the board any minute starting in round 4. Hes got the best shot at making the team of any of the UDFAs outside of The Murderleg.

    I was mostly underwhelmed by our UDFA class, but those 2 (Josey, Annen) alone managed to still make me excited about it.

  5. 5 Weapon Y said at 11:49 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    Go murderleg!

  6. 6 SleepingDuck said at 11:50 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    I think Burton is going to be used like how Casey is used.

  7. 7 dislikedisqus said at 8:29 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    You mean as a benchwarmer?

  8. 8 Charlie Kelly said at 11:50 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    Yo the new kicker laid out cordarrel patterson a couple years back.. lol.. thats the best KR in the NFL right now.. i love that

  9. 9 shah8 said at 11:52 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    I think people lied to me when they said this was a deep draft. It wasn’t. I knew the blue chip and red chip pool on defense was on the light side, but it didn’t really *hit* me until I’m staring at a selection of Marcus Smith.

    This was a draft deep in blue chip/red chip tackles and WRs. Lots thinner on starters and difference making DB–Clinton-Dix really was it… As well as depth for OLB after the big four. And when Mosely is the top ILB, you *know* it’s weak. Nowhere near Kuechly or any other ILB of yore…

  10. 10 TommyLawlor said at 12:03 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yes, NFL analysts, writers, GMs, scouts and coaches all lied to you.

    Dude, this was a very deep draft. That doesn’t mean every player is great and every position is loaded.

  11. 11 HazletonEagle said at 12:07 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    there were probably about 30 UDFAs I wanted. It was crazy how many good players didnt get drafted. No team had enough picks this year. Not even the 49ers!

  12. 12 Charlie Kelly said at 12:10 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    seemed like 49ers were on clock the whole 3 days.. and it seems like the pats never drafted anyone.. lol i swear they traded back like every time.. they should have drafted a bunch of WRs for tom

  13. 13 Poppi said at 12:34 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Too many fans expect draftees to be starters on day one – that is not realistic unless you get a superstar or have a huge weakness. if you expect some strong back ups that will develop into starters in 2-3 years thats huge. They can start on special teams while earning their backup roles – special teams are huge. Tommy can you do a feature on them soon and project either “starters” or at least key additions that make us better?

  14. 14 HazletonEagle said at 12:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    thats a nice idea. I feel like giving my prediction even if no one cares.
    Smith- may start but will still give up a lot of playing time to Cole in the early going.
    Matthews- Chip said he will start in the slot. So maybe not often listed as a starter, but tons of playing time.
    Huff- Will see the field a bit and hopefully good enough at KR to win the job.
    Watkins- will see the field only in certain packages and towards the end of the season. Not sure where he will line up more often but I think he will spend time at both safety and slot CB backing up Boykin.
    Hart- Will see the field a decent amount as a rotational player who can give you snaps at any position along the DL. Of course much more DE than NT.
    Ed Reynolds- Does not make the 54 man roster.
    Beau Allen- will see the field sparingly in short yardage situations.

    So I expect 6 of 7 picks to get playing time. 2 of them will get a ton (Matthews and Smith), and 2 will see a decent amount (Huff and Hart).

  15. 15 Poppi said at 12:48 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Good breakdown, but I actually was asking about special teamers and how we may have gotten better there.

  16. 16 Insomniac said at 4:17 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Huff is no better than Smith is at returning.

  17. 17 GEAGLE said at 11:45 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Think Reynolds more likely to make roster than Nate or Keelen…kid will surprise us

  18. 18 laeagle said at 2:26 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    No, when we pick guys who don’t start right away, we’re idiots. When the Steelers do it they’re geniuses.

  19. 19 Poppi said at 10:09 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    agreed

  20. 20 ztom6 said at 9:49 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    In the case of Smith in particular, it’s actually pretty rare for 3-4 OLBs to start right away isn’t it? Seems like Steelers are always stockpiling those guys.

  21. 21 GEAGLE said at 11:44 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    OLBs come into the league as Nickle pass rushers. Usually takes a year of growth before they can set the edge, play the run, and be a 3 down player,.marcus is in the perfect situation since Cole is elite against the run

  22. 22 shah8 said at 1:44 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    A deep draft is 2011, full of obvious selection all the way down to about pick 38. Not in retrospect. *OBVIOUS* picks. Except for us, of course. In retrospect, people hit on productive players way more than usual in the late rounds, too.

    Sure, in comparison to last year when Eifert was the last gimme, this was the better draft. Maybe 2012 as well. Yes, a ton of underclassmen came out this year, but there really isn’t a lot of obvious potential starters going in later round, at least more than there were most any other year. Players are younger, and there might be more surprises after the weight trainer gets their hands on them, but nothing really quite so obvious. Good players who’ve dropped into later rounds are mostly linemen, and mostly offensive linemen. The rest will have to surprise.

  23. 23 Mitchell said at 11:53 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    This has, by far, been my favorite draft! FREE LADLER!!!!!!!

  24. 24 Charlie Kelly said at 11:57 PM on May 10th, 2014:

    Trey Burton had 11 TDs his freshman year… 11 RUSHING TDS.. i like it

  25. 25 Charlie Kelly said at 12:04 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    wait.. 5 of them came in one vs kentucky.. still like it tho

  26. 26 Charlie Kelly said at 12:09 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    wait.. wait!!! he had 6 TDs that game, 5 rushing, one rec… with him added to the team we could score 13 TDs in a game!! lmfao

  27. 27 TommyLawlor said at 12:19 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    It would help to play Kentucky.

  28. 28 Sconces said at 1:29 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    wait

  29. 29 HazletonEagle said at 12:19 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    by the way, the eagles have already posted that they signed 15 UDFAs on their site and they have a short write up about each of them. So its official now.

    That was fast. We usually dont hear from the team until the next day and even then its usually not a complete list. They trickle in over the course of about 3 days typically it seems. Quick work this year.

  30. 30 TommyLawlor said at 12:22 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    http://www.philadelphiaeagles.com/news/article-1/Eagles-Sign-15-Rookie-Free-Agents/5a9de333-00bd-4c49-80ce-95b6c36a442f

  31. 31 Andy said at 12:20 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Well done, Tommy. Miss you on the EMB.

  32. 32 TommyLawlor said at 12:22 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I miss the EMB. I used to go back on occasion, but it’s not the same if you’re not there on a regular basis.

  33. 33 barneygoogle said at 12:21 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Thanks Tommy, for a really professional job that puts most of the local media people to shame.
    PS If I hear one more med-idiot say our first draft pick was a waste, I’ll scream. We got 3 picks out of our original #22 = Smith, Watkins and Hart. Wow.

  34. 34 HazletonEagle said at 12:23 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I have not seen Colt Lyerla sign anywhere. Nor have I seen Hubbard or Ethan Westbrooks. I know Lavelle Westbrooks got drafted. Did Ethan too? I dont recall.
    I would have really liked to add some UDFAs who could legitimately compete for a spot at the LB positions.

  35. 35 TommyLawlor said at 12:23 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Eagles roster is at 90 as of now. Full.

  36. 36 HazletonEagle said at 12:24 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I know. But Im still curious where those guys will end up. I do believe we can still invite some guys on a tryout basis and they would be unpaid and wouldnt be added to the 90 man roster. Is that not correct?
    Im not so interested in having Lyerla here with his issues and especially since we got Annen. But the other 2 OLBs could be nice.

  37. 37 TommyLawlor said at 12:28 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yes. Guys can try out. No idea what’s up with Hubbard. Should have been Eagles target.

  38. 38 HazletonEagle said at 12:31 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Im happy we didnt draft him. No production. But I assumed hed find a UDFA destination quickly. And I wouldnt mind it being here since it wouldnt cost a pick.

    Ethan Westbrooks had a nice showing at the Senior Bowl. Or whichever senior showcase event it was that he participated in. I cant remember which, but I do remember seeing him make some plays.

  39. 39 GEAGLE said at 11:42 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Just look at the intelligent, hard workers we drafted…Hubbard personality wise just doesn’t fit what we are trying to build.l lazy, arrogant…projected to test the patience of position coaches.llafter two drafts of adding character like Logan, Ertz, Wolff, Watkins,Jordan,huff, Reynolds….think it’s safe to say we won’t add lazy, arrogant, underachievers I like Kony and hubbard

  40. 40 Joe Minx said at 12:31 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Tommy, have you heard from any reliable place whether or not they did in fact try to trade Graham? Pretty sad if they did & nobody wanted him.

  41. 41 TommyLawlor said at 12:40 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    No word on that.

    I’ll do some digging.

  42. 42 daveH said at 12:31 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    my new jersey: #20, name LAWLOR

  43. 43 HazletonEagle said at 12:32 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    if he busts or starts doing sit ups in his driveway you can change the name to Josey

  44. 44 Ramsay said at 2:51 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Didn’t they retire weapon x’s Jersey number?

  45. 45 Eagles_Fan_in_San_Fran said at 12:36 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    When it comes to the draft breakdown…in Lawlor we trust.
    Thanks Tommy!

  46. 46 Jim Kopan said at 12:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    We need to sign adrian hubbard yesterday!

  47. 47 Poppi said at 12:44 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Murderleg and War Daddy Braman on kick offs – worth seeing a few kick offs returned on Henery

  48. 48 Jim Kopan said at 12:55 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Adrian hubbard

  49. 49 Cliff said at 1:10 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Thanks for all you do, GE99. You’ve been my primary source for Eagles coverage for a decade now. God bless you.

  50. 50 laeagle said at 2:30 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    It was a joy rocking the EaglePhone with Baloophi and using it to chat with Tommy. It doesn’t get any better than that. Except when the attractive waitress wanted to take pictures of us with the EaglePhone. Which had us two married guys thinking maybe we “still had it”. Until she told us the pictures were for her boyfriend, who was from Philly.

    As others have said, thanks for all you do. And I sincerely apologize; I think at one point in my drunken haze I actually said “I love you man”. I hope you washed your ears.

  51. 51 CaliEaglesFan said at 3:00 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I just want to thank you for all you do informing us on the draft and going the extra mile during the season with your analysis and reports. Igglesblitz is one of the few places where Eagles fans are level headed and smart and I think that comes from reading your stuff. You aren’t overly negative, you question more than you criticize, so the readers follow suit. There seems to always be new content and that can’t be an easy task for 1 person. You’re the best Tommy.

  52. 52 CaliEaglesFan said at 3:04 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I hope that wasn’t too corny, kinda sounds like someone signing a yearbook…. only thing missing is the cliche line “don’t ever change”.

  53. 53 A_T_G said at 7:07 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    No, I think you nailed it with “question more than you criticize”. I have often wondered why this site, and Eagles Blog before it, fostered such good conversation. I think you identified a big part of it.

  54. 54 CaliEaglesFan said at 3:14 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Brooks in the 3rd would have been nice. I’d much rather have him there and then got a guy like Herron, Abbrederis, Reese, Ellington, or whoever was highest ranked on our board in the 5th or later. Reynolds most likely isn’t gonna be our safety of the future, while Brooks could have been. The drop off from Huff to one of the other WRs probably isn’t as great as that drop off at safety.

  55. 55 Dan said at 4:11 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Great post, Tommy. Very nice words as well. I’ve been following you for several years now and I’ve got to tip my hat to you. Your analysis is always sharp, but what strikes me the most is that your prose is always top-shelf. If I had to evaluate your work in the same way that you evaluate these up and coming players, it might sound something like “Possesses innate talent concerning player evaluation, and enthusiastically demonstrates an understanding of schematic complexities. Reacts instinctively to the play as it develops, and exhibits the type of leadership capabilities that you know Chip Kelly covets.”

    On behalf of our fellow Eagles fans, you’re at the top of our draft board. Sincerest thanks for all your hard work over the years.

  56. 56 T_S_O_P said at 4:35 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Beau Allen… Truck driver 2? Of course, truck driver 1 was a veteran of that first EMB coverage you speak of.

  57. 57 TommyLawlor said at 8:47 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yep. That’d be cool if Allen turned out that way.

  58. 58 Arby1 said at 9:43 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Who we talkin’ about here?

  59. 59 Rob Cabacungan said at 7:00 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Sam Rayburn, DT, Eagles, 2003-2006. UDFA, came out of nowhere to become a pretty solid player for us. in our Super Bowl run. Kindof fell of a cliff the next year.

  60. 60 mksp said at 4:47 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I don’t typically like Mike Sielski, but this is a good perspective.

    I’m psyched about this draft.

    http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/eagles/nfl_draft/20140511_Applaud_Eagles_for_going_against_the_grain.html

  61. 61 SteveH said at 6:29 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I’m not sure I’ve ever seen fan outrage put into that context before, but he makes a fairly compelling argument.

  62. 62 dislikedisqus said at 8:26 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    That was interesting although there is something to be said for the wisdom of crowds as well. Lots of personnel guys have ruined franchises and lost their jobs by going against the grain too. The Eagles’ draft history is full of mistakes like that, far more than the contrarian bets that paid off.

  63. 63 midnitemud said at 5:33 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Thank you Tommy.
    I don’t post much, but have posted here and there for a couple years now. I’m an Eagles fan living in Houston. I actually posted here that we should trade with the Texans for DeMeco. That seems like a long time ago, but it gives perspective on the success of IgglesBlitz. The comments section has grown exponentially, and I truly believe that is due to your dedication to this community’s treasured (for better or worse) team. You really work hard to provide the most accurate, thoughtful, and frankly best content an Eagles fan could hope for. That quality is priceless to someone living outside an Eagles’ dominated community (especially in Texas). My Eagles fix is sated by the quality of your dedication. So, again, thanks.
    IgglesBlitz South…??? Anybody… hello………… Its ok, I’m used to it…

  64. 64 Malcolm Jones said at 5:49 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Really appreciate the time and dedication you give to us and to your craft. Thanks Tommy.

  65. 65 mlopy said at 6:44 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Thank you Tommy for entertaining us 🙂

  66. 66 Scott J said at 7:01 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    And just-like-that our receiving corp and secondary looks a lot better.

  67. 67 Scott J said at 7:20 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Tommy deserves a big THANKS for the great job he did with this draft! And for being able to talk some of us back from the ledge after the first pick. Tommy is always the voice of reason.

  68. 68 The Linc – Meet Jaylen Watkins, Taylor Hart, Ed Reynolds, and Beau Allen | Sports Feedr said at 7:20 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    […] Draft Wrap – Tommy Lawlor, Iggles BlitzThe Eagles got better this weekend. They added tough, talented weapons on offense. They added a pass rusher, a couple of good DL and a couple of good DBs to a defense that needed some help. My favorite pick is Marcus Smith. My least favorite pick is Ed Reynolds. Just didn’t wow me. I think Josh Huff is a guy that will surprise some people. The more I hear about Jordan Matthews, the more I like him. That is one dedicated, focused individual. I’ve been following the draft for a long time. I can’t tell you how many guys have failed due to simply “not getting it”. Matthews has size, talent, speed and skill, but his desire to succeed might be his best quality. That wouldn’t mean as much if he was a 5-9, 180 guy from Maine, but we’re talking about the all-time leading receiver in the history of the SEC. […]

  69. 69 Mark F said at 7:35 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    “My draft writing started 11 years ago on the Eagles Message Board. That was me and a handful of guys. Now I’m talking to tens of thousands of Eagles fans. I can’t tell you how awesome that is.”

    Tommy, you’ll always be “GE99” to TATE…we love ya. bra!

  70. 70 A_T_G said at 7:02 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    He is the UDFA turned starter success story of Eagles coverage!

  71. 71 cliff henny said at 7:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    not alot of fluff in that 90-man. days of Damaris, Maehl, roc Charmichael, Marsh Matthews et all of the NFL world making 53 are O-V-E-R! think making the practice squad is going to a heck of battle. really what made Seattle different, they sent waves of guys at teams, college mentality. so much different than Reid who had his 32-35 guys, and we pretty much knew 50 out of 53 today.

  72. 72 Malcolm Jones said at 8:09 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    That’s what I was thinking… no more is our depth an attempt to have camp bodies…we are trying to empower the phrase “next man up” without having a big drop off

  73. 73 Greg Richards said at 7:45 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Tommy, you listed Braman at ILB instead of OLB. He played OLB with Houston and I think that’s the most likely spot he’ll play in preseason. I’m surprised we haven’t added any OLBs or ILBs amongst our UDFA pickups. Maybe they look to sign a vet that comes free there.

  74. 74 TommyLawlor said at 8:48 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I’ll fix that.

  75. 75 robo40 said at 7:55 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    So, did they hold onto Graham in order to complete the Dion Jordan trade after 6/1? It’s a good rumor, glad I started it.

  76. 76 Arby1 said at 9:47 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Oh, we’ve been kickin’ that idea around here for a little while..

  77. 77 GEAGLE said at 10:16 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Im dions most crazed fan, but adding Marcus puts an end to the Dion trade talks….

    However, when Dion hits free agency, barwin will be old….
    .
    Dion Jordan/marcus Smith…the eagles 2017 OLBs?

  78. 78 Mike Perrie said at 8:12 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    No Bryan Braman listed at LB

  79. 79 Raul Estrada said at 8:15 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah. Use the EMB as a stepping stone for your shameless self-promotion lol. Congrats on your continuing ascension on the Eagles’ ladder of success.

    I can see you now sitting with Mayock in the Eagles’ FO.

  80. 80 Raul Estrada said at 8:15 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    BTW, have you seen Megan Fox’s thumbs? #creepy

  81. 81 Cliff said at 8:43 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Googled it…. creepier than the guy with two thumbs on one hand who works at the Subway by my house.

  82. 82 Arby1 said at 9:52 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Is he a world champion texter also?

  83. 83 Cliff said at 9:56 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I don’t think so. He can barely hand me my change with that hand. It really freaks me out, actually. I hate to be such an insensitive a-hole about the whole thing. 🙁

    But hey! He also parks his big shiny Mercedes out front, so I’m pretty sure he actually owns the place and is doing just fine with that extra thumb.

  84. 84 TommyLawlor said at 8:48 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I lover her for her personality, not her awkward digits.

  85. 85 dislikedisqus said at 8:20 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    The Eagles definitely did “get better this weekend”. It would be hard not to, since they added like 20 players! But so did every other team. Let’s not confuse the absolute with the relative. I don’t think their getting better was any better than the average team’s getting better this weekend. But that is mainly because they arrived at the draft without a lot of holes to fill. The only real hole was someone to play the slot. Which they filled but probably with their 4th ranked guy. Everything else was more of a depth and long-term planning move. So I don’t think this draft changed their competitive position very much. If anything it made me realize that all the big contributors last year were Reid legacies. CK did a fantastic job retooling them. But the new personnel team hasn’t yet drafted a league leader. The real key for 14 will be how much last year’s draft progresses in its 2d year.

  86. 86 ztom6 said at 9:42 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I wouldn’t overstate how much rookies will be contributing for anybody this year. Because of the later draft they really will not have had an offseason. You also have to consider that the large number of underclassmen who came out this year makes it even less likely teams will see immediate contributions.

    Fwiw, while we can question the “value” the Eagles got on draft day vs. other teams, I can easily see them “hitting” on a lot of these picks. And at the end of the day that’s what really matters.

  87. 87 dislikedisqus said at 8:36 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I especially admired the TB and SF drafts. They both chose an offensive style they wanted to makethemselves dominant in and invested heavily in it. TB anointed 6’6″ Glennon their QB and got him 2 tall receivers to team with V Jackson plus a slot guy& SF went all in on the power running game to shove it down SEA’s throat.

  88. 88 Anders said at 9:20 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    The eagles also target specific targets, it is clear the eagles have a plan

  89. 89 D3Center said at 10:31 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Josh McCown will be the QB in Tampa. Lovie announced that when he signed him.

  90. 90 ztom6 said at 10:01 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Look when I was looking at this draft beforehand, I wanted them to trade down in the first and trade up in the second, because the top of the second seemed to be where the best value picks were going to be. And that’s pretty much exactly what they did. The only real question is whether they should have traded down again from 26. Smith was top of their board and they didn’t want to lose him, fine. It surprised me that they had him ranked that much higher than Attaochu, whom they could have fell back on if they traded back again, but in retrospect it makes sense given the premiums they place on versatility and length. And at the end of the day, getting Marcus Smith, Jaylen Watkins, and Taylor Hart for pick #22 works better for me than Darqueze Dennard.

    I did feel like the 3rd round was the right time to pick an OL and I was genuinely surprised they would pick Huff that high. But it’s pretty easy to see how Huff can be a contributor here so I’m not too torn up about it.

  91. 91 GEAGLE said at 10:14 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Think chip likes out backup OL more than we think. I got the impression that he is really high on Tobin/vandervelde and is ezcited about Bamiros progress…
    ..
    I though this draft would be used to adress front 7 amd weapons in the early rounds which is exactky what happened, and we would address secondary late in the draft….and use the 2015 draft, to get younger on OL and secondary….so the draft worked out well for me

  92. 92 ztom6 said at 10:25 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    The other thing I’m genuinely surprised about is they didn’t pick an RB. They are thin there and it’s already time to start thinking about a replacement for McCoy. Who knows what would have happened if Mason had fell to them at the pick they got from the Browns?

  93. 93 GEAGLE said at 10:27 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I think they wanted to. Thought they were planning on Tre Mason, but when he got drafted it thru a monkey wrench in our plans and that’s when you saw us trade back in round 3

  94. 94 ztom6 said at 10:31 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    My other mild surprise is that they didn’t trade any future picks. I would think if this draft is benefiting from the number of underclassmen coming out, the next one is likely to suffer (especially for the Eagles since they seem to like upperclassmen.) Trading next year’s 4th or 5th to move up in the 3rd to get a guy they really liked could have made sense.

  95. 95 GEAGLE said at 10:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Think Howie has been going crazy these past two years with the lack of picks. And he is forcing himself to not trade any away so next year we can build back up to having a ton of Pics…so far we got an extra one for Bryce….no idea what we will do with BG? Swap him for another teams trash player? Cut him on June first? Hold him hope a team loses a pass rusher to injury this summer and flip him for a pick next year? But if we hold him and a team doesn’t bite we will have to cut him in August and screw the kid out of a decent chance to find a new job…don’t know if I can see us doing that to the kid……hopefully we find a way to get an extra pick next year, but I don’t see how we can keep him on the roster…we will want to carry Braman,Marcus…guess BG is competing with Travis Long for roster spot, long has an advantage of being cheaper and being under contract longer

  96. 96 Alistair Middlemiss said at 11:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    There will be a team in win now mode that come august due to some injury or poor performance needs a pass rusher and their GM/Coach sit there and think lets improve now, whats the cost of a 4th next year.

  97. 97 anon said at 10:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    They could have if they wanted to since they have buffalos conditional — maybe no one they wanted — also maybe they want to have some extra picks next year like cleveland.

  98. 98 mheil said at 10:28 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I think they would have liked to draft an OL in the 3rd, but every lineman with a 3rd round grade was chosen before 83 according to Roseman.

  99. 99 ztom6 said at 10:29 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah I could see Spencer Long being the one they had their hearts set on.

  100. 100 livingonapear said at 3:08 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Attaochu is kind of a one dimensional player and not as smart as Smith. Attaochu has some good pass rushing moves, but has very tight hips and doesn’t anchor as well against the run.

    I was hoping for Attaochu at first, then I watched Smith’s tape and was glad we chose him.

  101. 101 austinfan said at 10:07 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Here’s my take on the draft and UDFAs:

    Smith – nice size, upside, I don’t see the explosive pass rusher that’ll
    put up double digits every year, rather, the solid assignment smart OLB
    who’ll make some plays, a very good athlete, just not elite.

    Matthews – intelligence, work ethic off the charts, big body that should
    fill out, will be able to run the route tree, will work to perfect his
    route running, long arms, big hands. Isn’t a spectacular athlete, but
    again a very good athlete who’ll probably be a much better player in 5
    years because he’ll master his craft, not just try to out-athlete DBs.

    Huff – I think Victor Cruz is a very good parallel, they test almost
    exactly the same except Cruz is a bit more explosive. Cruz has been
    successful out of the slot and more ordinary when he lines up outside, I
    think Huff will be similar, in the slot as a former RB he’ll be murder
    on screen and quick throws where he can use his RAC skills, outside
    he’ll be adequate but not special. If he can be a solid KR he’s good
    value at the end of the 3rd round.

    Watkins – wildcard, lot’s of questions, but even if he turns out to be a
    tweener, too small for S, not quite nifty enough to start at CB, he’ll
    be a great 5th DB, much like Boykin. If he can fill out without slowing
    down, or if he’s a late bloomer (should have started at CB over two
    mediocre guys) at CB, could be a steal, smart, fast, good size for CB.

    Hart – tough, smart, productive 3-4 DE who has some questions, good
    athlete at 281 lbs with length, but in the NFL, will need to play at 290
    lbs or so, can he bulk up without losing quickness? 14 sacks in 39
    starts is very good for a 3-4 DE, raised his game as a senior, 75
    tackles, 3 forced fumbles. Good comparison was to Pitt DEs Aaron Smith
    (4th rd), and Brad Keisel (7th rd) who were undersized but made it with
    toughness and smarts. At worst a good rotation guy.

    Reynolds – big, smart safety with decent speed but 4.49 SS, 7.18 cone
    drill and his on field performance makes you wonder if he can handle
    coverage assignments. He can make plays, 6 Ints in 2012 coming off an
    ACL. And he’s got the frame to fill out, but with his average speed,
    you don’t want him that much bigger. STs are his ticket, but he has to
    improve instincts and angles to start, because he can’t rely on his
    average athleticism. Could be a Mikell type who pays his dues on STs
    while refining his instincts for a few years.

    Beau Allen – real interesting guy, good size, 6’3 329 lbs with 32″ arms,
    but what stands out was his pro day workout after being snubbed by the
    Combine: [ — 1.73 30 4.55 7.33 31 8’8] – better than Logan
    carrying 20 more lbs. So why did he last so long? I think because of
    the perception that he was just a two down slug. Another smart guy,
    Academic Big-10, played 4-3 DT in 2012 on a bad ankle, still had 37
    tackles, 2.5 sacks, 5 stuffs. Then moved to 3-4 NT in 2013, his numbers
    fell off as he learned to two gap. So people looked at his production
    and wrote him off. Needs work on technique, but another guy with the
    work ethic to take hard coaching and improve.

    This draft shows that Howie and Chip have been totally honest, they went
    for big people who were good but not great athletes, but had
    intangibles coming out of their butts. These are the kind of players
    who may not make an immediate splash, but should steadily improve in
    year 2 and 3 through hard work, and who will be better than the sum of
    their parts on the field due to intelligence and attention to detail.

    UDFAs who I think have a real chance:

    Henry Josey – had a really bad knee injury at the end of the 2011 season
    (torn ACL, MCL, meniscus and patellar tendon), still made it back in
    2013 and ran a 4.42 this spring, but his agility drills showed some
    effect from the injury, should be better in camp than he was this
    spring. Very similar to the scatbacks Chip had at Oregon, 9 1/2″ hands
    won’t hurt.

    Blake Annen – really weird, was behind Kelce as a junior and never
    really got a shot as a senior as they went to a 4 WR attack, primarily
    used as a blocking TE. Then he puts up ridiculous numbers in his
    workout, 4.41 at 6’5 250 lbs, and the rest of his numbers match up with
    Ertz. Most fast, athletic TEs are allergic to blocking, Annen accepted
    the role. Eagles had their TE coach work him out. Obviously needs
    work, but the raw materials are there.

    Kevin Graf – 6’6 303, started 3 years at RT at USC, will move to OG
    because of short (32 1/2″) arms. Very similar workout to Matt Tobin,
    and seems to be what they like at OG (Mathis 6’5, Herremans 6’6, Tobin
    6’6). A project for Stoutland, but the raw athleticism is there.

    Trey Burton – RB/WR/H-back, 6’2 224, has been moved around from QB to
    RB to WR, I think his best chance is as a receiving RB like Sproles,
    he’s not going to be as nifty, but with 4.58 speed and good hands, could
    be a dangerous underneath receiver. He’s certainly a good athlete, but
    the trick will be to figure out how to use him, too small for H-back,
    not a good enough runner for RB, not fast or nifty enough for WR, but
    Chip likes guys he can use in various roles.

    Frances Mays – 6’9 291, no idea if he can play, was a small college guy
    who looked overmatched against Ohio State, but a lot of raw material to
    work with. It’s not just his size, or his 35″ arms, but while his not
    agile, he has great leg explosion (34″, 9’9 LJ) and 10 yard split – so
    he can pack on 20 lbs and still be mobile. A long shot like the Army
    guy they added, but worth a year on the PS if he shows anything in camp.

  102. 102 GEAGLE said at 10:07 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Man, i really think this draft was a SCORE!!!!

    We beefed up our front 7, adding the most talented young edge rusher in our division, a real warthog NT, and a rugged 5tec(actually its a 4tec since we two gap) well versed in our defense and two gapping…finding two gappers from college isnt easy..we got Baeu and Taylor who are real two gappers, thats exciting!

    I really like Reynolds. One of those kids who would be a higher pick had he gone back to school. Smart, hits, and i dont believe his combine was a true representation of his athleticism…..wondering which gets cut, Nate or Keelen?

    Mathews is just a great pick…kid came in for an eagles interview having broken down tape of 4 eagles games, asking questions to our coaches. Really smart football player…driven, polished, big and athletic…dont see too many nickle CBs equipped to stop a 6’3 215lb slot WR…

  103. 103 OregonDucker said at 1:24 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I agree GEagle, this was a great draft. For those who question the Smith pick at 26 just reverse the Matthews and Smith picks and recognize we got another pick in the process. Brilliant draft management IMHO.

  104. 104 Cafone said at 2:00 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    A great draft? I wouldn’t go that far at all. Last year was a great draft. This year’s draft has the potential to be great, but I think there are still too many unknowns. To me, this is one of those “We need to come back to it in a few years to know” drafts.

  105. 105 anon said at 2:20 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    the best kind.

  106. 106 ztom6 said at 3:22 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I’m curious how Reynolds did at his pro day. I’ve kind of already written him off as a depth guy to be honest, but I will try to keep an open mind. Don’t forget Watkins either. If he can get better at tackling, he’s got starter potential on the outside.

  107. 107 GEAGLE said at 10:10 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Chip talked about how Dungy came to Oregon to talk to the team, and he made chip aware of this stat that blew chips mind: from 2006, the best teams im the nfl(patriots and Colts) were the teams who had the most college graduates on their roster….chip talked about yhe correleation, how it shows commitment to follow through and accomplish your goals..

    Talked about how Ed reynolds, Jordan mathews blew us away at the interview with their football intelligencd

  108. 108 anon said at 10:15 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah that stat / quote has been making the rounds the last couple of days, helps to explain who he signs, i think our draft boards will be much more accurate next year.

  109. 109 Matthew Donaldson said at 10:42 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I totally agree with your point about Matthews growing on you the more you hear. I’m personally not a big follower of college ball so I didn’t have too much of an opinion to begin with. I really liked when I heard he had watched tape of 4 eagles games before coming over.

    That attitude and good coaching plus athletic ability can only lead to good things.

  110. 110 GEAGLE said at 10:50 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Figured he would go much earlier than 54, and I didn’t expect us to give up picks moving up for him…what really got me excited was finding out we would use him as a slot WR. Not too many teams have Nickle CB who can shut down a 6’3 215lb WR..

    Deep WR class, everyone had their favorites, and would discredit the other WRs..funny tho that the only thing people who didn’t like him could point to was he drops balls. He dropped 7% of balls but can you really not draft the leading receptions in SEC history because of hands? Lol obviously they weren’t that bad..plenty of great WRs and questionable hands as draft prospects, worked on it and became players you wouldn’t even remember used to have their hands questioned…

    When even your haters struggle to find anything to hold against you as a prospect…sounds like someone we should be drafting…set up jug machines in each room of his house, constantly have footballs gunned at his head..problem solved….this kid is going to be such a good eagle..
    ..
    Honestly, I pretty much look at it as the Eagles just drafting Reggie Wayne lol

  111. 111 Matthew Donaldson said at 10:54 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    To the point about his hands. I think that issue is something that can be worked on. Obviously having naturally soft hands is somewhat of an inherent trait, but I would think drops are more often the result of something that can be mitigated through some hard work and coaching. Matthews also sounds like the type of kid who will realize a weakness and work hard to improve it.

  112. 112 GEAGLE said at 10:59 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Two years before Chip came, Celek looked like his hands turned to feet. He couldn’t catch anything Andy’s last two years…new coaches game in coaches him up and he went on to have a great season, hands as reliable as we could ask for….it’s not a limitation..it’s something you can work on…

    Also, he was the man and Vandy..entire defenses concentrated on stopping him. He won’t see as much attention as an eagle with shady and Ertz…a kid who gets enough balls thrown to set an sec record in receptions probably had an insane amount of balls thrown his way…natural he would drop some…

    I’d bet after an offseason with our coaches, his hands never manifest as a problem during his eagles career.
    .this time next year we will be saying remember when we thought Jordan had bad hands..

  113. 113 anon said at 11:05 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Think Foles throwing a softer ball helps. I was a Matthews hater b/c of (a) drops and (b) 50% of his catches are on screens — so how good of an actual route runner is he? That said the intangibles really sold me.

  114. 114 Alistair Middlemiss said at 11:31 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Well he may have run 50% screens, but since he had 200+ receptions in the last 2 years he completed over 100 passing routes…. probably as much as any WR in the draft!

  115. 115 GEAGLE said at 11:39 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Being good at screens seems like it could help in our offense…he made plenty of contested catches, where he would go get the ball out of a tightly covered window…advanced route runner for college prospect…
    ..
    Think Reggie Wayne is the perfect comparison

  116. 116 OregonDucker said at 1:21 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah, I saw that to GEagle. He’s very Jerry Rice-like in that ability.

  117. 117 ztom6 said at 8:45 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Watch his video on youtube. He needs to work on his route running like every other receiver coming out of college, but the whole screens thing is overblown. He made a lot of tough catches downfield with a man on him from what I saw. Lots of plays where Jordan Rodgers just threw it up for him and he went and got it.

  118. 118 Anders said at 12:21 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Celeks problem was his thumb injury, it is super tough to catch with a bad thumb

  119. 119 OregonDucker said at 1:18 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    A while back I saw a special on Jerry Rice (NFL Network). He was considered slow but Walsh saw his quick moves and YAC ability.

    Rice’s first NFL year he had a lot of drops. Fans booed and the pick was questioned. Rice worked his ass off, early morning drills, etc, to correct his drops. Some teammates thought he grew aloof and stand-offish. But he kept working it. We all know the result.

    Matthews is in the Rice bloodline. He will work until he is one of the very best in the league. He and Smith are my favorite picks in this draft.

  120. 120 livingonapear said at 3:01 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Ertz’s hands were a question last year and he Def improved.

    I’m not worried on that front

  121. 121 A_T_G said at 6:39 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I love the visual of stumbling out of the bedroom, groggy and rubbing his face, catching a rocket launched at his head, dropping it in the sink, and turning on the coffee maker.

  122. 122 Bob Brewer said at 10:46 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    I just watched Didinger talk about Hart and he said he didn’t see him as a 3-4 DE.

    Now I have no clue, but what prompts him to say that?

  123. 123 Anders said at 10:49 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Didinger hasnt had a clue for around a decade

  124. 124 GEAGLE said at 10:53 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah, did you hear him talk about Marcus smith? Didinger wanted Dennard and Dee Ford…is that really someone an educated eagles fans should be listening to? Amazing how bad his draft talk is…Didi is only good at breaking down game tape and recapping a game for you

    Hart is a rare pure 4tec two gapping DE…

  125. 125 ztom6 said at 11:02 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah I heard that too and he was throwing out Kony Ealy as the guy they really should have gotten as well.

  126. 126 GEAGLE said at 11:37 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Lol Kony Ealy wasn’t even on our board..he is known as a lazy douchebag…if you see the type of high character intelligent players we drafted, you should know a douche like Kony wasn’t on our board…he needs to just shut up, and stop making himself look bad

  127. 127 ztom6 said at 11:01 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Didinger may sound like a reasonable guy who knows what he’s talking about, but really he just talks out of his ass.

  128. 128 Mitchell said at 11:11 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Was Jeffcoat ever picked up somewhere? Just seems like a pass rusher would have a hard time not getting picked.

  129. 129 kevinlied said at 12:34 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Seattle signed him after the draft, I believe. Maybe my memory is just short, but it seems like there were more presumed mid-rounders than usual that slid all the way through the draft.

  130. 130 Mitchell said at 11:21 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    Did we get the best draft of our division?

  131. 131 D3FB said at 4:11 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Probably, it’s either us or the G-men.
    Dallas got a great player in Martin but I didn’t like Lawrence, Hitchens was the third best LB on his own team and Street is pretty meh.
    The Giants did pretty well with Beckham, Richburg, and Bromley. Williams should contribute. Not sure what they are gonna play Kennard at.
    I laughed at the skins for taking Murphy, that was a terrible pick. Moses should be a decent RT. I didn’t like Long’s tape at all. Breeland ran a terrible 40, and history suggest that corners who don’t run well don’t pan out. Grant is a 4th/5th type WR which their roster is already filled with. Seastrunk is ok but I don’t think he projects well to a power run game.

  132. 132 Anders said at 4:19 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    If the Skins go to a power run game, Morris also becomes just a meh RB instead of a very productive one

  133. 133 GEAGLE said at 8:06 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I had a 7th round grade on Bromly

  134. 134 D3FB said at 9:26 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I liked him. Thought he could be similar to Bennie in the shorter but longer arms mold. I had a fourth round grade on him.

  135. 135 ztom6 said at 8:28 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Apparently the Skins traded back and took Murphy because the Eagles took the player they wanted at 34 (Smith)

  136. 136 Vick or Nick said at 11:33 AM on May 11th, 2014:

    My Final Draft thoughts (I’ll try to keep them condensed):

    By far the biggest issue most Eagles fans are having is digesting Marcus Smith at 26 when “experts” had him as a late 2nd-3rd round pick.

    To that I say: Cardinals, Patriots, 49ers, and Broncos are all 3-4 teams picking after them who would have jumped on him. That kind of size and athleticism combined with intangibles, those are smart teams that know value of pass rushers.

    The only critique you can give the Eagles FO is to say they should have moved up for Cooks, HaHa, Pryor, or CJ Mosley. As those guys were in “striking distance”. I think that is fair criticism. Although they did try to move up starting from pick 11. Just couldn’t get a deal done. Unfortunately.

    It would have taken our #22 and 3rd to move up to 20. It was a better deal for the Saints who moved up from 27 to 20. Again, draft is unpredictable.

    Loved the Jordan Mathews pick, but I really wanted Marquis Lee. Now I have no idea who will be the better player at the next level. I just thought Lee could be a really special player. Mathews will be a good player for us, I’m not sure if he can be special. Maybe I’m wrong.

    For people criticizing Chip for taking Oregon players. If you look at the last draft and take away Dion Jordon (who had injuries/questionable fit for 4-3 defense), the school produced quality NFL talent. Kyle Long and Kiko Alonso are going to be fixtures for years to come. It’s time we start giving Oregon respect for its player development.

    That said, Josh Huff and Taylor Hart will be immediate role players with chance to compete for playing time. Both guys are underrated but these are the type of players you win football games with.

    Jaylen Watkins and Ed Reynolds add depth to the secondary. Neither guy will start but they are an upgrade over Roc Carmichael and Coleman/Chung, respectively. I feel a lot better with Watkins going in for Cary Williams than Carmichael. Both guys will start on teams.

    Beau Allen. 6’2 333. That’s pretty much all I knew of him. Hopefully can contribute with 10-12 snaps at NT when the season gets along behind Bennie Logan.

    One common theme: All of these players have A++ character. They will work hard, they will spend that extra hr studying game film, working on their craft. None of these guys are content to have been drafted. They are hungry. And theres nothing better than talented players who want to get better.

  137. 137 Buge Halls said at 1:32 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Looking at the depth chart, the main thing that pops out to me is the lack of depth on the O-Line. Although four of the UDFAs are O-line.

  138. 138 Anders said at 2:06 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Regarding the OL problem is that we do not know what they think of Kelly, Bamiro, Tobin, Gardner or Molk.

  139. 139 A Roy said at 8:20 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    You can infer that they like them by the fact they weren’t drafting OL.

  140. 140 Anders said at 5:29 AM on May 12th, 2014:

    or the board just fell that way?

  141. 141 GEAGLE said at 8:05 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    You can’t complain about what we need, if you have NO CLUE. What we have

  142. 142 Buge Halls said at 10:19 AM on May 12th, 2014:

    Uh, gee, I look at the list above and see nobody behind Herremans and one guy behind Matthis. What about that makes you fell comfortable?.

    Oh, I forgot, you’re always a douche bag and just like to talk shit on people who can read and understand articles. You’re a friggin tool!

  143. 143 Cafone said at 1:39 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I enjoyed hearing your call on PE.com. Thanks for pointing it out because I decided to stop watching that show. Kudos to Spadaro for his work on the website, forums and as a general fan liaison, but he just doesn’t know the players and in the past I’ve found it painful to watch that show. I really think they should bring you in for draft day and make you part of their broadcast. It seems like such a no-brainer that I am perplexed as to why they haven’t done it yet.

    I heard Spadaro was getting heat from the callers this year after the Marcus Smith pick. How much easier would it have been for him if you were there talking about why you thought it was a good pick? Maybe next year… what an awesome show that could be.

  144. 144 anon said at 1:40 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Prefer he stay “independent”, fear of biting the hand that feeds you is no good for objectivity in journalism.

  145. 145 Cafone said at 1:46 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    He already writes for PE.com, so that ship has sailed. And let’s be frank, if there is any somewhat valid criticism of Tommy, it’s that he is a very optimistic homer; Some might even say an apologist. I certainly wouldn’t go that far, but I do consider him to be a very welcome alternative to the more negative Eagles coverage that often seems too prevalent. If the Spadaro and the Eagles were to bring in a draft analyst to assist them in the coverage of the players, they couldn’t do better than Tommy.

  146. 146 anon said at 1:50 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I only read Tommy, 24/7, chipwagon and rewind so i can’t speak for the negadelphia stuff. That said I used to watch Spadaro and his inability to criticize a FO decision turned me off.

    That said, I don’t pay Tommy and he doesn’t have ads so I can’t fault him for making a buck writing — he deserves all he can get. Do feel like people that write for Eagles are less inclined to say bad things about them.

  147. 147 SteveH said at 6:56 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    It’s tough to bash your employer, I’d imagine. Just part of the job as a beat writer. That being said I’ve definitely seen Dave get really frustrated and frank about the team underperforming, so I don’t think he sugarcoats everything. I just wouldn’t expect him to lay into Jeffery Lurie or Howie Roseman. That would just be stupid, I think.

  148. 148 Anders said at 2:05 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    They had Gregg Cossell this year, one of the most respected NFL analysts.

    Also the call ins are the job of Spuds, not a guy like Tommy. Not Spuds problem that 99% of those who call in are WIP callers aswell.

  149. 149 Anders said at 1:59 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I really like this draft, also I think Smith will see plenty of playing time in nickle.

    We could have the following nickle pass rush group:

    Curry-Cox-Cole
    Barwin-Kendricks-Smith

  150. 150 Rambler said at 3:54 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yep I was thinking about that exact lineup in 3rd and long. That really should be a solid pass rushing group.

  151. 151 bridgecoach said at 2:20 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Have people seen this article: This Week in Blasphemy: Comparing Sammy Watkins and Jordan Matthews Versus Common Opponents – interesting stuff.

    http://rotoviz.com/index.php/2014/04/this-week-in-blasphemy-comparing-sammy-watkins-and-jordan-matthews-versus-common-opponents/

    Highlights:
    1) The two players have almost identical physical attributes. You can double check my math, but the fact of the matter is that Matthews is every bit the athlete that Sammy is. At the very least, this dispels the notion that Watkins is on a completely different level–athletically–than Matthews.
    2) The two played common opponents in the same season on eight occasions.
    On the field, Matthews and Watkins were nearly identical in those eight games.

  152. 152 Insomniac said at 4:13 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    This isn’t the best written article I’ve seen but to be fair he has maybe one or two points that doesn’t make sense.

    1. You can’t gauge a player’s athleticism through math and paper. Watkins is the most explosive WR that went in the first 2 rounds. You actually see it.

    2. Seriously? How about comparing the guys in 2 years from now. Watkins missed 3 games 2012 and was just shy of Matthew’s production by just 200 yards if you want to compare them over the Watkins college career.

    http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jordan-matthews-1.html

    http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/sammy-watkins-1.html

    I have no doubt that Watkins would have outproduced Matthews if he stayed in college for another year. The level of opponents aren’t that far off either. Some SEC guys are just overrated (see Florida starting CBs).

    Screens and production?

    http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/46006/349/peshek-top-4-wr-metrics

    http://www.rotoworld.com/articles/cfb/46136/349/peshek-wr-metrics-20

  153. 153 OregonDucker said at 2:35 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Another Oregon Winner: Wade Keliikipi – Nose tackle

    “Nose tackles have to have a special mentality because they are constantly getting double teamed. Keliikipi seems to have that mentality. I can see him as an eventual starter in the NFL and getting lots of playing time as a rotational player his rookie year. He looks like he can easily play at 320, which would be perfect for a nose in the NFL. He is probably more of a third round pick, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he went late in the second round.”

    Also, he has dropped into coverage (over the middle of course) to help on a ILB blitz. This is a very special NT.

    http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/college_player_scouting_report.html&player=351

  154. 154 OregonDucker said at 3:15 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    MurderLeg Kicking Workout 60+ yards

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNJ3-B1Ov6o

  155. 155 Crus57 said at 3:44 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Nice find! Two things spring out: he looks to be in better shape than Henery does, and when he hits the ball right it flies straight – no hook or slice. Decent leg too (though it’s always hard to properly judge when there’s no snap+hold and no rush).

  156. 156 Insomniac said at 4:48 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I don’t get the Ed Reynolds hate. He’s probably the 4th most solid safety coming out of this class of safeties (that’s not saying much though). He has the size, smarts, and athleticism to start at either safety positions (wow! see the trend in Chip’s drafts?). Do I need to mention that he already played in a 3-4? Not to mention that he was used in the same role as Clinton-Dix. He’s a fifth round pick that has good upside like our last year’s fifth round pick.

    People want to bring up the 2012 UCLA to grill the guy. Guess what? UCLA ran all over the entire Stanford defense that game. Why single out one guy when everyone failed?

  157. 157 GEAGLE said at 8:01 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Yeah I don’t get it either…he is the defensive Lee???big time year two years ago. Quiet year this past uear..like Kruger he will be a much higher pick next year had he stayed in school…I’m shocked he made it out of rounds 3 and 4…philly will like that kid

  158. 158 OregonDucker said at 8:03 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    He hits like a jailhouse enforcer. The Eagles need a feared DB, in-addition to Sconces. Personally, I think this kid is a heavy hitter.

  159. 159 GEAGLE said at 8:12 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    He is, but better in coverage than people think…I actually liked him but figured he would go in the 3rd round and I needed us to adress pass rusher and weapons in the first 3 rounds, to get him in the 5th is a score, had he went back to school we would be lucky to get him in round 3 next year….think he has starting NFl potential….wouldn’t be surprised if Nate gets cut?? Nate or Keelen have to go

  160. 160 ztom6 said at 9:00 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I think it’s the “athleticism” part where some might disagree. His 40 is okay, his agility measures left a lot to be desired for a safety.

    Last year’s 5th round pick on the other hand is an athletic freak. If we could somehow merge the best traits of both you’d have a hall of famer.

  161. 161 CrackSammich said at 5:28 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Might be worth it to hold onto Graham to see if we can get a compensatory pick out of the deal when he leaves in free agency. I would hope they do the math on what they could get back for moving him vs the value of that compensatory pick.

  162. 162 Jernst said at 6:18 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Chances of getting a comp pick for a backup is slim to none

  163. 163 CrackSammich said at 6:32 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Backup for us. Not necessarily for someone else.

  164. 164 GEAGLE said at 8:00 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Even back up pass rushers get PAID..Everson Griffin wasn’t a started, he just got 20 mil in guarantees..

    Problem is we need his roster spot for Braman,long and marcus

  165. 165 A_T_G said at 7:19 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Okay, confession time.

    After being confused (Mathews was our target?), disappointed (MIA wanted to trade down and we could have gotten the guy I wanted, Haha), and more confused (does Huff have incriminating photos?) the first two days, I drove to my brother’s Saturday morning. When I got a beer from the cooler around 11:30, I was surprised to see PBR sitting in the ice. As I drank a few and watched the picks trickle in, I saw guys we had discussed as targets.

    So, in retrospect, I like our draft more than I did in the moment. More importantly, I realize that Barr not falling to 22 is pretty much on me. Sorry guys, I’ll do better next year. PBRs all weekend.

  166. 166 A Roy said at 7:30 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I thought they traded well. LIked most of the picks. The head scratcher being Huff. Unless he turns into Brian Mitchell, of course.

  167. 167 GEAGLE said at 7:59 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Huff should have been drafted in 4th, Watkins should be traded in 3rd…no harm no foul

  168. 168 GermanEagle said at 7:34 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I hate 2 admit it, but I agree with Jimmy Bama’s tweet:

    @JimmyKempski: At the time, it felt like the Eagles killed it in 2012 & 2013. And they did. Don’t think 2014 draft was bad, but doesn’t have same feeling.

  169. 169 GEAGLE said at 7:58 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Totally disagree..

    Marcus has the upside of Lane
    ..
    Jordan is polished as Ertz

    Huff is close to Logan quality

    Jalen Watkins was drafted in my “Boykin zone”

    Hart and Ed Are Wolffs level…

    Beau Allen is better than square
    .,,
    If you know prospect, this was a damn good draft..maybe even better than last years

  170. 170 GermanEagle said at 8:15 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Fair enough. It just doesn’t feel (to me) like the couple of years before, shortly after the draft.

  171. 171 ztom6 said at 8:56 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I’m not really sure what Kempski is talking about. Last year they had the benefit of picking at the top of each round. So it’s not like they “killed” it… Lane Johnson was obvious and then they had another first round quality pick in Ertz fall to them at the top of the second. But then the Bennie Logan pick seemed like it was out of nowhere and to be honest hardly anyone even knew who Earl Wolff was. I guess Poyer and Kruger seemed like good value at the time.

    As for this draft, there’s no question Smith is a nice prospect, but not in the same tier as Lane Johnson. After that I have no idea.

  172. 172 A Roy said at 8:39 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Could be that we were starting at such a low point depth-wise that everyone drafted in 12 & 13 could be viewed as an improvement over someone on the roster. I think the same may be true here, but not immediately visible for Smith and Watkins. They look more like future starters.

  173. 173 Brian Pillion said at 7:37 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    So apparently we signed Taylor Martinez, who’d probably qualify as the most intriguing of our UDFAs.

  174. 174 bridgecoach said at 9:38 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    Looks like someone is looking to build themselves a safety out of a really athletic QB. 6’1. 210 lbs. 4.4s 40, 3.83 short shuttle, 39 inch vertical,10’9 broad jump, 17 reps. QB skills translate well to safety – just have to reverse engineer everything… and run backwards. Good luck kid – we are pulling for you!

  175. 175 Mitchell said at 7:42 PM on May 11th, 2014:

    I think we can all agree one of the biggest thing wrong with this team was the disturbing lack of depth. I believe we definitely addressed this problem. I was worried that we didn’t really add any explosion to the defense but then I remembered Smith of course. Should be a serious upgrade to pass rush.

  176. 176 Leegle said at 10:34 AM on May 12th, 2014:

    He’s listed as a DE, but don’t Frank May’s dimensions sort of shout “OT project”?