The Rookies

Posted: May 4th, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 1 Comment »

The Eagles rookie camp got underway on Friday. This wasn’t serious competition. As Nick Sirianni explained, these guys have been doing Combine training and aren’t in football shape. Sprinting 40 yards from a track stance is different than actual football drills.

Sirianni’s goal was to ease the new guys into things. Limit the playbook and focus on getting the guys on the field to let them run around and get back into football.

There wasn’t a whole lot to take away from today, other than the rookies all looking great and being future Hall of Famers.

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The Eagles drafted Johnny Wilson as a WR. He’s going to play WR. Yes, he’s 6-6, 231 and that is huge for a wideout. But look at his movement ability.

That is a WR, not a TE. I don’t know if he’ll pan out, but he has legit receiver skills and ability.

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Trevor Keegan started all but one game at LG while in college. The other start came at LT. While he’s got OT size at 6-5, 310, he doesn’t have OT athleticism, footwork or length. Keegan needs to play on the inside. He does have positional flexibility there.

The Eagles have a battle at RG, with Tyler Steen going against Matt Henessy and Keegan. Dylan McMahon played G and C in college, but I’m guessing they see him as more of a center. Whoever doesn’t start will have a chance to win the Sua Opeta role as primary backup on the inside. The more you can do, the better your chances are.

Good piece by Devin on the rookie OL and how they fit in.

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Speaking of the OL, Sirianni said newly-signed Mekhi Becton will start out at OT. That’s the smart move. Becton has OT size and experience. I think Jeff Stoutland should focus on getting the most out of him at OT before you think about moving him to a new position. Becton has real value if he can play well and become a good #3 OT.

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If you’re into numbers, here you go.

I have mixed feelings on Trotter wearing 54. On one hand, it is pretty darn cool. On the other hand, doesn’t that keep him in his dad’s shadow? He’s got the same name and plays the same position so I realize the comparisons will be constant. I just wonder if choosing something else might have helped him carve out his own niche. I guess the real key is how he plays.

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The veteran tryouts are interesting. I would guess they won’t pan out, but those guys have had success in the NFL. They are absolutely work taking a look at.

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The Eagles put together a great video on the draft. This is definitely worth your time. There are a few cheesy moments, but it is always fun to look behind the curtain and see how the draft process actually works. You can also see clips from the Eagles Red Star meeting. Very cool stuff.

The Eagles targeted some of the Day 3 guys they got. This might help you to understand just how specific teams are with players. You and I put together a long list. Teams tend to have 80-125 players on their draft list. They are picky about who they select. That doesn’t mean the players will pan out of course, but you at least know the team isn’t just taking anyone. They really like some of these guys.

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Here is some great player analysis from Fran Duffy. More must watch material.

https://twitter.com/EaglesXOs/status/1785406132829175894

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If you want to read more about the picks, BLG put together some good stuff for you.

Some good nuggets in there.

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Draft Recap

Posted: May 1st, 2024 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | No Comments »

Draft analysts love the Eagles class. The reviews are glowing and the grades are high. We will have to see how the players turn out. We do know that Howie Roseman got good value with how he used his picks. He also added three picks for 2025. Howie set a record with nine trades during the draft, moving up and down the board. If the players pan out, this could look like a masterful job with how he handled things.

Let’s talk about the players.

CB Quinyon Mitchell – Toledo – 6-0, 195

Mitchell became a starter in 2021 and became a star in 2022. He picked off 5 passes and had 25 PDs. He only picked off one pass as a senior, but did have 19 PDs. He went to the Senior Bowl and was the top CB there. Mitchell then had a great workout at the Combine.

Toledo had Mitchell play a lot of off-coverage. This allowed him to be at his best. He has good instincts and did a good job of reading plays. Mitchell has terrific burst and consistently showed the ability to break on the ball and make plays. He’s got quick feet and outstanding agility. Mitchell is a good hitter and tackler. He plays with a bit of a chip on his shoulder and that brought out the best in him. He has the skills to be good in press coverage and showed that at the Senior Bowl. Mitchell ran 4.33 at the Combine and you see that on tape.

I think Mitchell is a great fit from an intangibles standpoint. His college coach was Jason Candle, who was a college teammate of Nick Sirianni. Candle isn’t going to push a questionable guy on his close friend. Mitchell had chances to leave Toledo once he became a star, but chose to be loyal to them since they gave him an opportunity out of high school. Going to the Senior Bowl and working out at the Combine shows his competitive nature, something Sirianni loves.

Mitchell should be a great fit on the field. The Eagles secondary bounced between mediocre and awful last year. The best corner is 33 years old. They needed a premier young talent to add to the mix. Mitchell should challenge for a starting role right away. Beyond talent and athleticism, I think Mitchell’s aggressiveness is needed. The Eagles secondary was way too passive last year. If you can’t cover, you better hit and tackle. That didn’t happen. Mitchell can cover, hit and tackle. Great pick.

Here are some of my notes from the Senior Bowl:

I think we can all agree the Eagles need CB help. Mitchell doesn’t come from a big school, but he has emerged as a top prospect. Mitchell picked off 5 passes in 2022. Teams quit throwing his way so his production fell (1 INT, 19 PDs), but he still played at a high level in 2023.

Mitchell was fantastic on Day 1.

I had him with a couple of PBUs and probably missed some reps. INTs for the Eagles were way down in 2023 so adding a player with good hands and good ball skills would make a lot of sense. The Eagles should absolutely be interested in him. The only question now is if he’s still on the board at 22.

Mitchell is athletic, aggressive and physical. He’s everything Eagles DBs weren’t in 2023. As much as they need a talented DB, the Eagles need someone who plays the right way. Mitchell is a good hitter and tackler. He’s tough.

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Players from medium and small schools come to Mobile hoping to show they are just as good or even better than stars from the SEC, Big Ten or whatever other conference still exists. This doesn’t guarantee NFL success, but it sure helps their draft status. CB Quinyon Mitchell from Toledo did a great job of taking advantage of the Senior Bowl. He showed he can cover anyone. Take the logos off his helmet and uniform and you’d think he was an All American from Alabama.

Mitchell is showing great coverage ability. He can press and run with the receiver. He’s got the body control to mirror and stay right with them. Mitchell has the speed and size to handle NFL receivers. Mitchell made an impressive INT down the field on Wednesday. He doesn’t just cover well, he has terrific ball skills and can make plays. Mitchell will be a first round pick. Does he crack the Top 20?

Is there a concern? Sure, that’s true with all prospects. Mitchell will have to adjust to a significant step up in competition while also learning to press. There will be some double moves that eat him up.

Thankfully he did slid to the Eagles at 22.

DB Cooper DeJean – Iowa – 6-1, 202

You’ll notice that I listed DeJean as a DB. He played CB, S and NB at Iowa, where he started 24 games. DeJean is a lot like Mitchell. Iowa plays a ton of zone and mostly had him playing off. That allowed DeJean to use his instincts and quickness to break on the ball and make plays. He picked off 7 passes over the past two seasons. Read the rest of this entry »

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