Draft Memories

Posted: July 12th, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 5 Comments »

We’re still a couple of weeks away from Training Camp and I have zero interest in writing TC positional previews. Other people are doing a great job with that, but with no real new info I’m just not excited about it.

I decided to write about two things I love…the Eagles and the draft. Here are some draft memories from over the years.

One Bad Dude

Some time in either December of 2000 or January of 2001 I was watching the Egg Bowl on videotape. The Egg Bowl is the annual game between Ole Miss and Mississippi State. Video tape? That’s harder to explain, but just trust me…it did exist (and still does in my closet). I was checking out an Ole Miss DE named Derrick Burgess. He was a good player and I was high on him. I loved his motor and toughness. And he was a talented pass rusher.

Late in the game the TE for MSU got a cheap shot on Burgess. Derrick looked at the dude as if to say “You just messed up and you don’t know it.” Derrick didn’t do a bunch of woofing, but you could see he was pissed off. On the next snap, Burgess exploded off the ball and threw the TE out of his way to blow up the play. He then walked over to the TE to let him know who was who and what was what.

I loved it.

So many players talk smack and don’t back it up. I loved the fact that Derrick said a little and then did a lot. That TE had to walk to the sideline knowing he had poked the bear and it cost his team. Derrick might have made the same play anyway, but once he was ticked off, forget about it.

Burgess was fierce, in college and the pros. He wasn’t angry the way Seth Joyner could be, but Burgess wasn’t someone to mess with. He had an edge. You could see that in how he played and also how he carried himself. He became my favorite prospect in 2001. I was ecstatic when the Eagles spent the first pick of the third round on my favorite overall player of the draft.

Burgess had 6 sacks as a rookie and helped the Eagles reach the NFC title game. He then suffered a foot fracture in the 2002 season opener and missed the rest of the season. Lightning struck twice. Burgess tore his Achilles the next summer and missed all of 2003. Ugh.

He returned in 2004 and had an up and down season. He only got 2.5 sacks. Burgess came alive in the postseason. He sacked Michael Vick twice in the NFC CG and got Tom Brady once in the Super Bowl. That helped Burgess get a big deal in free agency. He went to Oakland and had 16, 11 and 8 sacks in his first three seasons with the Raiders. I finally got to see my guy play his best. He was just wearing the wrong uniform. I still remember where I was when I heard the announcement on the radio that he’d signed with Oakland. Heartbreak city.

What a Story

I remember watching Oklahoma play UTEP on opening weekend in 2012. The Sooners have always had good prospects and UTEP occasionally has a notable player. I was watching the game live and just trying to get a feel for who was good. The TV crew talked about OU’s offensive tackle being a former TE. That’s always intriguing because it means the guy is athletic. Then they said he had played some QB in junior college. That really got my attention.

I’m sure you’ve figured it out, but that player was Lane Johnson. I’d never heard of him before that night, but the compelling story stuck with me. I watched him throughout the season and got to see him up close at the Senior Bowl. He then had an amazing showing at the Combine. Here is what I wrote after those workouts.

Luke Joeckel is the big name. He could go first overall or in the next few picks after that. Eric Fisher came to prominence at the Senior Bowl and might now be worth a top five pick. Fisher had the better showing in Indy, but I still rate Joeckel as the better player. He is a natural pass blocker and that’s what I want at the left tackle spot. Lane Johnson from Oklahoma would actually be the best fit of the trio. Johnson has started at right and left tackle. He is fast and athletic. He also has the best mean streak. Johnson is the least experienced or polished so that drives down his value. Johnson had the best workout of any lineman at the combine. I’m just not sure it would be realistic to think he could climb all the way up to the fourth pick.

Johnson did in fact climb all the way up to fourth. Here’s how it turned out.

1 – KC – Eric Fisher
2 – JAX – Luke Joeckel
3 – MIA – Dion Jordan
4 – PHI – Lane Johnson

Thank you KC, JAX and MIA. Chip Kelly wanted Dion Jordan, who had played DE/LB for him at Oregon. Kelly had to settle for Johnson, who turned out to be an amazing consolation prize. He’s probably on his way to Canton.

Special Help

The Eagles used a second round pick to take DB Brian Dawkins in 1996. They used a fourth round pick to nab LB Ray Farmer. Both guys were star defenders and were good value where they were picked. Ray Rhodes targeted both players because of their ability on special teams. The Eagles STs were a disaster in 1995 and really hurt the team. Rhodes wanted to address that in the draft.

Here is PFW draft analyst Joel Buchsbaum on Dawkins.

“Should be a great special teams player if the Senior Bowl is any indication of what he can do.”

“Should be an instant contributor on special teams and has the physical tools to be a starting safety. “

Buchsbaum on Farmer.

“Excellent special team player and kick-blocker who may have a better chance at outside linebacker than safety.”

Farmer played SS at Duke and then moved to OLB in the NFL. He and Dawk did help the STs get better in 1996.

You do wonder if STs hadn’t been such a key angle if the Eagles might have taken different players. Thankfully the STs were awful in ’95 and that pushed Rhodes to go get the kid from Clemson who turned out pretty decent.

Baffling

Andy Reid’s left eyebrow has forgotten more football than I’ll ever know. Big Red will go down as one of the greatest coaches in football history. But he still has to live with the shame of taking LJ Smith in the second round in 2003. Ugh.

Jason Witten was clearly the better player. Witten was bigger. He was a terrific blocker. He had better hands. LJ was very athletic with the ball in his hands, but that’s really the only way he was the better player. I remember studying a Tennessee game and Witten blocked a player off the field. I wanted a TE with his combination of blocking and pass catching. Chad Lewis was a good pass catcher, but really struggled as a blocker.

I was furious when the Eagles took Smith. All the reports prior to the draft linked Smith to the Birds so I shouldn’t have been surprised, but I just couldn’t understand how they passed on Witten for that guy. In his defense, LJ did catch 233 passes in the NFL…only 995 fewer than Witten.

Yikes.

Dead Wrong

Sometimes the Eagles and I were wrong together. Misery loves company, I guess.

LB Matt McCoy was a joy to watch in college. Unlike Derrick Burgess, McCoy talked trash to every person on the field. But he did it in a fun way. You could tell that he genuinely loved the game of football. He was a ball of energy, flying all over the field. I watched him play against Michigan and he had 17 solo tackles in that game. It was a great performance.

A lot of Eagles fans hated McCoy as a prospect. He lacked ideal size and they were sure he would be a bust. I tried to change their minds with glowing reports on him. Didn’t work. The Eagles took him at pick 63. He barely played as a rookie, but started 10 games in 2006. The results weren’t good. McCoy’s energy and athleticism weren’t enough in the NFL. He struggled vs the run.

I think one of the things that hurt him was the fact the NFL is professional football. College is a game. It’s fun. The NFL is a grind. Football is a business. McCoy ended up playing 65 games in his career. He only started 13.

Favorite picks

I started studying the draft casually in 1989. I started taping games and doing evaluations in the 1995 season for the 1996 draft. Here are my favorite picks for each round. That doesn’t mean the best players. I liked Dawk coming out of Clemson, but he wasn’t a player I loved. I was more excited for Brian Rolle than Jason Kelce in the 2011 sixth round.

These are my favorite prospects by round.

1 – DT Mike Patterson – 2005
2 – FS Nate Allen – 2010
3 – DE Derrick Burgess – 2001
4 – OL Todd Herremans – 2005
5 – DE Trent Cole – 2005
6 – LB Brian Rolle – 2011
7 – SS Kurt Coleman – 2010

Seems I prefer defensive players. And you can probably tell I loved the 2005 draft. I really loved Mike Patterson in college. One of my all time favorite prospects. Trent Cole would be high on that list as well. Loved watching him at Cincy. I used to call Rolle the “Little Ball of Hate”. Man, he was fun to watch.

My least favorite picks by round.

1 – WR Freddie Mitchell – 2001
2 – WR Todd Pinkston – 2000
3 – RB Tony Hunt – 2008
4 – OG Max Jean-Gilles – 2006
5 – LB Ike Reese – 1998
6 – LB Shaun Bradley – 2020
7 – OC Dominic Furio – 2004

I’m sure many people would put Jon Harris from 1997 as their least favorite first rounder. He was a solid prospect. The Eagles just took him two rounds too early. Mitchell was talented, but I wanted no part of him. Not my cup of tea. Pinkston was so skinny and such a finesse guy. I had zero interest in him. I loved Hunt as a college player, but didn’t think he fit the Eagles at all. Max was a massive OG. Reid love the big fellas. I preferred guys with more athleticism.

I feel guilty for having Ike here. He turned out to be a terrific player and he does a great job with Eagles coverage. But I have to be honest. I didn’t want the Eagles to take him. I didn’t see him as a future starter. I was right about that, but was way wrong about the value of a late pick turning into a core STer and role player. Very happy to be wrong about him.

I didn’t like Bradley’s tackling at Temple. LBs who aren’t clean tacklers scare me. He’s been a solid backup for the Eagles. Furio was a limited prospect that some coach or scout loved. Never did anything in the NFL.

Hopefully this little trip down memory lane will entertain a few of you.

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UDFA Update

Posted: May 7th, 2023 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 5 Comments »

The Eagles made their list of UDFA signings official on Friday. It was the same group we expected. In the past, players would negotiate with multiple teams and even sometimes make multiple commitments. That made for confusion. Things seem better controlled now. Let’s take another look at the UDFAs with some additional thoughts.

LB Ben VanSumeren
WR Joseph Ngata
OL Trevor Reid
CB Mekhi Garner
CB Eli Ricks
WR Jadon Haselwood
TE Brady Russell
OL Chim Okorafor
P Tyler Zentner

LB Ben VanSumeren – Michigan State – 6-2, 231

Went to Michigan as a RB and left Michigan State as a LB. Probably the first guy to pull that off. Only started 10 games in his college LB career, but he is a special athlete with a lot of potential. Has outstanding agility. More than a few DBs would like his ability to change directions so smoothly and quickly. Can fly when he’s in the open field. Ran 4.45 at his Pro Day and you see that on tape. Can be a physical player. Is comfortable playing in traffic and fighting off blockers.

The downside with VanSumeren is that he’s not instinctive at a position where instincts are important. You need to know where the ball is going to be. Some of that is film study, but part of it is feel. The other issue is tackling. VanSumeren attacks his target aggressively, but tackling doesn’t look natural to him. It seems like he’s thinking about it as he does it (wrap up, drive through the runner and put him down with authority).

I watched VanSumeren in the Shrine Game and thought he looked good. He’s got the potential to be a starting LB in the NFL. I think he’s got a good shot to win a roster spot, but I don’t think he’d push for playing time this year. Reed Blankenship had 49 starts coming into the NFL and that experience helped him to be ready to play. VanSumeren has the athleticism, size and raw ability to play in the NFL, but he will need work to clean up a few issues in his game.

WR Jadon Haselwood – Arkansas – 6-2, 215

Interesting prospect who could push for a roster spot. Played at Oklahoma in an Air Raid offense until he transferred to Arkansas and played in their run-based offense. Led OU in receiving in 2021 and Arkanas in 2022. Beyond the numbers, has value because of his versatility. Can play in the slot or outside. Sometimes would line up in the backfield and either take a hand-off or go out on a route. Caught 121 career passes.

Ran 4.55 at his Pro Day, which is solid for his size, but you don’t see that speed on tape. More quick than fast. Had a 3-cone time of 6.98 and you do see that quickness and agility. Those are important traits for someone who lives in the slot. Haselwood has good RAC ability. Can be elusive and get by the initial defender. Just lacks the burst to create big plays. More of a chain-mover than playmaker.

Showed signs of physicality in college, but he’s an inconsistent blocker and doesn’t seek out contact. If you’re looking for Zach Pascal, the ability is there, but will need to play with an edge more consistently. Could push for a roster spot if he’ll embrace blocking and playing on STs.

WR Joseph Ngata – Clemson – 6-3, 217

If you’re going to take a chance on a big receiver, find someone from Clemson. They’ve put more than a few into the NFL. Ngata caught 88 passes in his CU career and has a solid combination of size and speed (4.54). You put on the tape and see him make some tough catches. He is big and physical. He plays to his size. You see NFL potential.

Unfortunately there are issues as well. He does not have good body control, which I feel is the most important trait for a WR. Ngata rounds his cuts, which can work in the ACC, but will not work in the NFL. Receivers need to make hard cuts in order to get separation. Ngata struggled to get separation in college. Some of this can be developed with good coaching in the NFL, but I think Ngata’s lack of ideal agility will limit him. Uphill battle to make the roster.

OL Trevor Reid – Louisville – 6-4, 311

When a 2-year starter at LT for a power 5 team has a great Pro Day showing and still goes undrafted, you know there are some issues. Reid started 24 games for UL, all at LT. Played in the Shrine Game after the season and was LT there. Gifted athlete. You see that on tape and at his Pro Day. Has 34 5/8 inch arms, which is the kind of length you want at OT. There is a lot to like about Reid.

Reid didn’t play football until high school so he is still learning. He’s put on 70 pounds since then so he’s had to adjust to playing as a bigger body. He was able to maintain his athleticism and that’s why the NFL is interested. Reid is agile, but doesn’t have smooth footwork. He plays too fast overall. Jeff Stoutland will need to slow him down and get him more technique-oriented. There are times when Reid looks natural in pass pro. You will also see him look good coming off the ball and blocking a LB up the field on a run. Reminds me a bit of LeRaven Clark, who was a backup for the Eagles.

Reid’s immediate future will be determined by how he takes to Stoutland’s coaching. If he is a great student, I could see room for Reid on the roster. I think the practice squad is a lot more likely. Reid will need time to learn and develop.

CB Mekhi Garner – LSU – 6-2, 212

Transferred from Louisiana to LSU for his senior season and had a solid year. Finished his college career with 26 PDs and 3 INTs. Has the size you want in a corner and is a physical player. The problem is movement ability. Ran 4.55 at the Combine, which is the bare minimum for a corner. Posted solid agility numbers, but you don’t see quick feet on game tape. Sometimes will get caught flat-footed as receivers make moves/cuts. Good hitter. Inconsistent tackler. Not shy, but needs to wrap-up more consistently.

I can see why the Eagles have interest. Garner is a big, long corner who is comfortable playing off. I think that’s where he is at his best. Let him keep his eyes in the backfield and then break on the ball. Some have speculated he could play safety and I agree that makes some sense. The Eagles are keeping him at corner for now. That’s the more premium position so you see what he does there before moving him. I like him as a scheme fit, but raw talent is an issue.

CB Eli Ricks – Alabama – 6-2, 188

Wild career. Elite recruit coming out of high school who went to LSU. Then had 4 INTs as a freshman and looked on his way to greatness. Dealt with some injuries in 2021 and then transferred to Bama for 2022. Played in 10 games but only started 5. It is important to note that he played more as the season went along. That shows trust from the coaches and also that Ricks stayed focused and kept working.

Ricks ran 4.55 at his Pro Day. His 3-cone time was 7.44, which is dreadful for a DB. His game tape shows a player with quick feet and good agility. Maybe he was chugging beers with Landon Dickerson before the drill. In a case like this, focus on the tape. You see a player who can press and stick with receivers. He has good length. Willing tackler.

Josh Jobe came to the Eagles last year as a UDFA corner from Bama. He was able to make the team and contribute on STs. Ricks has legit NFL talent for the coaches to work with. Watch his LSU highlights and he’ll remind you of James Bradberry with his length, ball skills and nose for the ball. You can see why the Eagles had interest in him. Ricks is a project, but the natural talent is there.

TE Brady Russell  – Colorado – 6-3, 247

32-game starter who caught 78 passes for 799 yards in his career. Has good RAC ability, but isn’t special athletically. Good effort as an in-line blocker. Doesn’t always win, but will battle. Does a solid job of blocking on the move.

Older player. Will turn 25 in August. Ran 4.79 and did 21 reps. Longshot, but could be a good practice player. Plays hard and does have some ability.

OL Chim Okorafor – Benedictine (KS) – 6-6, 315

From the Eagles website:

He played two seasons of basketball at Cal Poly Pomona, then transferred to Riverside City Community College in 2019, Missouri Southern in 2020, and Pitt State after that. He landed in Kansas at Benedictine for the 2022 season, playing three games.

That’s an unusual background. Was physically dominant at the levels he played at. Just destroyed the guys he went against. Has 34 7/8 inch arms. His size, length and natural ability make him an interesting project.

I think his basketball background has helped him have good feet for a big guy. Nothing special athletically. Major uphill battle because of the upgrade in competition, but has raw tools worth trying to develop. Has potential at both G and T.

P Tyler Zentner – Kansas State – 6-2, 199

Served as punter, kicker and kickoff specialist for KSU. Averaged 43.4 yards per punt for his career. That number was 44.5 for 2022. Never had a punt blocked in his career. 57 of 127 career punts were downed inside the 20. Had 39 career punts of 50 or more yards. Made all 11 FGs in 2022, with a long of 53 yards.

I don’t know enough about kicking to offer any kind of expertise. Here are some thoughts from the guys at Puntalytics.

In 2022 Zentner finished with an overall pEPA of 0.15, good for 22nd in the FBS and 5th among draft-eligible punters (behind MSU’s Bryce Baringer, Rutgers’ Adam Korsak, Miami’s Lou Hedley, and Oklahoma’s Michael Turk). Zenter posted an open-field score of 0.18 (5th), and a pin-deep score of 0.09 (3rd, ahead of Turk and Baringer).

The bottom line: Zentner’s highs are outrageously high, but his lows are worrisome. He will need to improve his consistency, and add a few yards to his baseline punt without sacrificing hangtime or placement. He will also need to improve his sideline control, as NFL returners will be less forgiving of down the middle punts. He definitely has a shot, and to us he was the best UDFA bet in the 2023 class.

Should be good competition for Arryn Siposs.

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