Rumors Galore

Posted: April 18th, 2021 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 2 Comments »

The draft is just over 10 days away. Teams have finished their scouting. They are tweaking draft boards and running through draft scenarios to come up with the best idea of what they think will happen.

This is also the height of draft rumor season. Some of this is legit and some of it is nonsense. One of the keys is to understand that the people delivering us these rumors are getting them from sources, many of whom have an agenda. The Eagles might leak to a national reporter that a certain player is climbing draft boards when in reality they have no interest in that player. They want the rumor out there to possibly affect teams around them. k

Teams are smart enough to know most of these rumors mean nothing, but teams are run by human beings. Sometimes they start to overthink things. And we know owners can get involved and totally change things.

Let’s take a look at some of the rumors we’re hearing now.

This would be a surprise, but not a shocker. Waddle is the most explosive player in the draft. He runs away from people in a way that reminds me of Tyreek Hill. If a team is looking for that kind of a player, Waddle over Ja’Marr Chase and DeVonta Smith makes sense.

Of course, Chase could be gone to Cincy at pick five.

https://twitter.com/BigBlueUnited/status/1383129245753413636

This feels like some team or agent is using Pete. He’s a good host on the NFL Network, but I don’t think of him as an NFL insider who is dialed in to what is really going on around the league. He’s got some sources and gets a nugget here and there. This just doesn’t pass the sniff test. Toney is a slot receiver/gadget player in a draft class loaded with good slot receivers. Why would you take him Top 15? Why would you take him over Smith? I think Toney should go late first or early second. I’d be shocked for him to go Top 15.

The top five QB prospects are all good players who deserve to go in the first round.

The consensus group after them is Davis Mills, Kellen Mond and Kyle Trask. Most people are going to have them rated as mid-round prospects who have potential, but also flaws. Things get very weak after that. Ian Book and Jamie Newman each have some talent, but also issues.

With so few QBs, Mills, Mond and Trask could all go earlier than expected. This rumor does make sense to me. I wouldn’t spend a second round pick on those guys, but a team wanting a young QB to develop might have to over-draft them.

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Speaking of QB prospects, what about the Eagles? Who might they be interested in?

I’m having a hard time finding a mid-to-late round prospect to really want. I like Ian Book from Notre Dame as a late target. Newman has his supporters and is talented, but he’s hard for me to buy into. Sam Ehlinger from Texas has grown on me, but we’re talking about a late pick. We’ll see if Nick Sirianni has some QB he wants to work with.

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There has been speculation about the Eagles moving back into the Top 10. If there is a player the Eagles really want and the price is right, go for it. I’d prefer for them to stay at 12, but that’s based on the fact I expect a good player to still be on the board. If the Eagles think the top guys will be gone, then trading up would be the smart move.

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Injuries are a huge X-factor every April.

Caley Farley should be the top corner, but he’s got back issues. What if he falls far enough for the Eagles to get him in the second or to make a small move up?

Jaelen Phillips is an elite edge rusher, but he retired from football while at UCLA due to concussions/injuries. I have no idea how his history will affect his value.

Walker Little is a terrific OT prospect, but he played 22 games at Stanford in three years before sitting out 2020.

Dayo Odeyingbo could play DE or DT. He tore his Achilles while prepping for the Senior Bowl. He could be a steal if he falls far enough.

You can’t just eliminate these guys. All of them could be good NFL starters. You have to figure out who is likely to stay healthy enough to have a good NFL career. Some risk in the draft is smart. You just don’t want too much of it and you don’t want it too early.

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Eagles players will skip voluntary workouts. I’m not a huge fan of this because we have a new coaching staff and I’d like the coaches to get as much time as possible with their new players. Still, voluntary means voluntary.

Hopefully we’ll have a full set of mandatory workouts and a full training Training Camp so missing these workouts won’t be a big deal.

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2 Comments on “Rumors Galore”

  1. 1 Rumors Galore | SportSpyder said at 4:16 AM on April 19th, 2021:

    […] Rumors Galore […]

  2. 2 Rumors Galore said at 5:16 AM on April 19th, 2021:

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