Day 2 Draft Preview
Posted: April 26th, 2013 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 186 Comments »The 1st round is in the books. The Eagles added OT Lane Johnson and got the draft off to a great start. The 2nd and 3rd rounds are tonight. The Eagles have a chance to add another couple of outstanding talents. Let’s talk about some candidates.
QB Geno Smith – West Virginia- 6-2, 218
DL Tank Carradine – Florida State – 6-4, 273
FS Jonathan Cyprien – FIU – 6-0, 217
TE Zach Ertz – Stanford – 6-5, 249
ILB Arthur Brown – Kansas State – 6-0, 241
DE Margus Hunt – SMU – 6-8, 277
LB Damontre Moore – Texas A&M – 6-4, 250
WR Keenan Allen – 6-1, 200
WR Robert Woods – USC – 6-0, 201
WR Justin Hunter – Tennessee – 6-4, 196
DL Jesse Williams – Alabama – 6-3, 324
CB Darius Slay – Miss State – 6-0, 192
CB Jamar Taylor – Boise State – 5-11, 192
CB Johnthan Banks – Miss State – 6-3, 185
ILB Kevin Minter – LSU – 6-0, 246
ILB Manti Te’o – Notre Dame – 6-1, 241
This is a combination of players I think the Eagles do have interest in and some names I’ve been asked about. There is no order to the list beyond the first few names. I was just making sure to get everyone covered.
I split the names into tiers. First off is the QB and the pass rusher, the most critical positions in football. The Eagles know what they think of these two guys. We can only guess. If they think Smith can be a good starter in Chip Kelly’s system, take him. If they have serious doubts, forget it. Too many people think of QBs as the lottery. Keep taking ’em and eventually you’ll find one. WRONG. You must take guys you believe in and that you feel strongly about. QBs need the right circumstances to succeed. Phil Simms knew how to deal with a bully like Bill Parcells. Joe Montana knew how to deal with a perfectionist like Bill Walsh. Change the QBs and there is no guarantee either one of them is anywhere close to as successful as they were.
Jimmy Bama made a great point about Geno while we were on the phone last night: “Should have gone to the Senior Bowl.” I rarely acknowledge Jimmy being right about anything (I’m Parcells to his Simms), but that is dead on the money. By not going to Mobile Geno was telling NFL teams and the draft world that I’m the #1 QB and don’t think I need to prove that. Clearly NFL teams disagreed. Geno led the nation in passes thrown at or behind the LOS. That won’t fly in the NFL. You must be able to read defenses and throw the ball short, intermediate, and deep. Geno had a golden opportunity to go to Mobile and do just that. Instead, he went to his Combine prep school and worked on QB skills for his workouts. Teams already knew Geno could throw the ball. They wanted to see him run an NFL offense. They never got that chance.
Recently Geno got defensive on Twitter when dealing with some idiot fans. I don’t blame him for wanting to defend himself, but you just can’t do that. I mean, if you let some idiots on Twitter get to you, how the heck are you going to deal with a rowdy crowd at an away game? Heck, how are you going to deal with boos raining down from the stands at a home game after your 3rd INT in a tough loss? QBs must have thick skin. Really thick skin. I have serious questions about whether Geno can handle Philly fans and/or the Philly media.
I think we’ve all heard the rumors that Geno said critical things about the WV coaching staff to teams at the Combine. That is a huge red flag, if true. It makes you look uncoachable and suggests you’re more interested in playing the blame game than acknowledging mistakes and fixing them.
Compare this to EJ Manuel. He went to the Senior Bowl. He showed his warts. I ripped him all week long. I wasn’t alone. He got plenty of criticism. But then he played well in the game. That helped him out. Teams were able to interview him down there and get to know him. Mobile is more relaxed than the Combine. Better setting. I was on the field and listened to Manuel. He carried himself like an NFL QB. He was smart and engaging. He had a good presence. I wanted no part of Manuel to the Eagles, but I’ve said all along there is a case to be made for him and he seems like a good kid. I wish him the best, I just don’t believe in him as an NFL QB.
Manuel didn’t prove himself at the Senior Bowl, but he showed that he is physically gifted, will compete, can be coached, and will do whatever he can to succeed. Geno is a more proven QB and much better passer, but NFL teams probably came away from things seeing him as a bit of a prima donna. Somebody will take a chance on the young man, but I just don’t think it will be the Eagles. If Chip Kelly wants Geno, take him. Maybe this huge dose of humble pie is just what he needed. I don’t question Geno’s physical ability. I am a bit concerned about him adjusting to the NFL game and the business side of pro football. For whatever reason, I get the vibe that the Eagles will wait a round or two before looking at a QB.
Carradine is a complex subject. If he is completely healthy, I’m not sure what to make of him. He feels like a 4-3 DE. Can he shed a few pounds and play 3-4 OLB or would you add a few and have him be your 5-tech DE? Now mix in the fact he’s coming off a torn ACL. I am confused.
I re-watched some tape on him. I would pass if I were the Eagles. Really talented, but I’m not comfortable projecting him to the 3-4. That said, I’ve never scouted for the 3-4 before so this is all new to me. I am learning on the fly. If the Eagles like him and the doctors give him good marks, then he should absolutely be the pick. You need pass rushers.
Now that we’ve discussed the two special cases, let’s move on to the “normal” players.
Jonathan Cyprien is my top target. I don’t know that he’ll be a special Safety in the NFL, but he feels like a guy that could be outstanding. He plays the game with a certain urgency. He wants to make every tackle. And he’s athletic enough to do that. I know a few of you wonder if he’s the next Nate Allen or Jaiquawn Jarrett. Cyprien is a very different player.
Nate, to me, was a classic centerfielder type. I thought he was physical enough, but it wasn’t a strength of him. JaiJar was physical at his level of football, but it was assumed he would get bigger and stronger for the NFL. That never happened. His lone good NFL hit came on teammate Vinny Curry.
Cyprien, as Dawk would say, has some dog to him. He plays with an edge. He got warned at Senior Bowl practices about being too physical in thud drills. Cyprien has a hard time dialing it down. He likes to hit. To quote the great Ronnie Lott, he doesn’t run to his targets, he goes through his targets.
I know Cyprien played at a small school, but he is 217 pounds. There is a play in the Louisville game when the LG pulls to be a lead blocker on a goal line play and Cyprien stops him. The G eventually puts Cyp on the ground, but the play was already blown up. Who is the last Eagles DB you remember taking on a pulling OG?
As for production, Allen and JaiJar combined for 316 solo tackles in 97 games. Cyprien played in 50 and had 213 by himself. Allen and JaiJar combined for 4 FFs. Cyprien had 6 by himself. Allen and JaiJar combined for 30 pass break-ups. Cyp had 22 by himself. Allen and JaiJar combined for 11.5 TFLs. Cyprien had 13.5 by himself. There are moments of explosiveness to Cyprien’s game. He had a 38.5-inch VJ at 217 pounds. Nate Allen did 34.5 at 207. JaiJar did 30 inches at 198.
In the new NFL you need Safeties that can do it all. Cyprien can cover, hit, tackle, and play the run. He occasionally will miss tackles. It isn’t due to a lack of physicality, but rather that he’s playing too fast and hoping for the big hit. Cyprien takes good angles to the ball, whether chasing down a runner or going to break up a pass. He can play deep or in the box.
You cannot win a Super Bowl without a playmaking Safety (Reed, Rolle, Woodson, Sharper, Polamalu, etc.). I don’t know if Cyprien is that guy, but he’s got the potential to be that guy. I’d take him.
I’ve already written a ton about Zach Ertz. Here’s something from PE.com the other day:
“Chip Kelly is going to make the tight ends more a part of the offense than Andy Reid did. That means he needs depth and talent. Brent Celek
is a good starter, but Kelly will want someone good behind him.
Ertz is a very good prospect. He was the featured receiver for Stanford and led the team with 69 catches for 898 yards. I think he’d be an ideal fit in Kelly’s offense. Ertz can line up as a traditional tight end and work the short and underneath routes, but he can also split out wide and catch passes down the field. He has very good hands. He runs well. Ertz looks like a big wide receiver. His ability to move around and create mismatches is something Kelly would love. He will give linebackers fits. He’ll get open against most safeties. In college, Ertz even beat some cornerbacks. He runs very good routes and sells his fakes well. He does this at full speed and it gets him open.
Stanford is a running team. You don’t play if you don’t block. Ertz isn’t going to overwhelm anyone, but he gives good effort and is willing to do the dirty work. Kelly knows all about Stanford and Ertz. Back in November, Stanford ran for 200 yards against Oregon and Ertz caught 11 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown in a big upset. ”
If the Eagles took Ertz, my PE.com mock would be 2 for 2.
I have no idea how much the Eagles like Arthur Brown. I think he’s a darn good ILB and should be good value at this point. I’d rather not take an ILB here, but if he is the highest rated player on the board, I won’t complain.
As for the next cluster of players…this is a group that I’ve either mentioned or been asked about. Hunt could be a great 5-tech because of his size and athleticism, but he’s going to turn 26 this year. That might be too old for a Top 40 pick. Moore has a great motor and was very productive, but lacks the speed I think Kelly would prefer.
There are several good WRs to choose from. We just don’t know if the Eagles want one that early. Hunter has big time talent. Allen might be the best fit. He has some size, but can play the slot.
Jesse Williams had 1st round potential, but there are reports that he may have knee issues. If true, he’s not a likely target. The argument for him is that he can play DE or NT. And he’s a good athlete at 324 pounds.
Banks is the slowest of the CBs listed, but my favorite. There are rumors from Gil Brandt that the Jags may take him with pick 33. I rated Banks as going in the 3rd round due to his poor speed, but he is the kind of instinctive playmaker that teams will sometimes make an exception for. I have no idea how the Eagles feel about him. What do I mean by playmaker? 16 career INTs, 26 PBUs, 5 FFs, and 11. 5 TFLs.
Minter and Te’o are guys I do not want at 35. Bad value. Minter is the kind of phyiscal player that could replace Ryans in a year and thrive, but he’s a bit slow and is more of a 45 to 60 pick. Te’o is similar, except he’s not as good at shedding blocks.
Trading Back
There are rumors that the Jets want to move up from 39 to take a QB, presumably Geno Smith.
I would gladly move back with them for a 4th round pick. You would still have a good chance to get Zach Ertz or Cyprien at that spot. If both are somehow gone, you could see about moving back again or take one of the players listed. The Eagles could have other targets in mind. I wanted to focus on guys that I get asked about the most. There are other good Safeties and one of them could be of interest at 39. It is also possible the Eagles could go for TE Travis Kelce there.
To me, the risk is worth it.
I don’t want a QB, but other than that, I’m okay.
GENERAL DRAFT INFO
2nd round – Pick 35
3rd round – Pick 67
4th round – Pick 101
5th round – Pick 136
7th round – Pick 210
7th round – Pick 212 … from Cleveland (David Sims deal)
7th round – Pick 218… from Tampa ( A Benn deal)
7th round – Pick 239 … Comp pick
VISITS TO PHILLY (most important)
* WR Sky Dawson – TCU … WR coach Bob Bicknell was at his Pro Day
* ILB A.J. Klein – Iowa State … Eagles scout attended Pro Day, focused on ILBs
* CB Dwayne Gratz – UConn … DBs coach at his Pro Day
1st Round
ILB: Arthur Brown
S: Jonathan Cyprien
2nd Round
QB: Geno Smith
RB: Eddie Lacy, Jonathan Franklin, Gio Bernard
TE: Zach Ertz, Gavin Escobar
WR: Justin Hunter, Robert Woods, Keenan Allen, Da’Rick Rogers, Markus Wheaton, Quinton Patton
OT: Terron Armstead
OG/C:
DE: Margus Hunt, Jesse Williams, Jonathan Hankins
NT:
LB: Damontre Moore, Tank Carradine (or DE)
ILB: Kevin Minter, Alec Ogletree, Manti Te’o,
CB: Jamar Taylor, Darius Slay, Robert Alford, Dwayne Gratz, Blidi Wreh-Wilson
3rd Round
QB: Zac Dysert, Matt Scott
RB: Le’Veon Bell
TE: Vance McDonald, Travis Kelce, Jordan Reed
WR: Marquise Goodwin, Aaron Dobson, Ryan Swope, Chris Harper
OT: Dallas Thomas, Reid Fragel
OG/C: Barrett Jones, Brian Schwenke, David Quessenberry
DE: John Jenkins
NT: Brandon Williams
LB: Jamie Collins, Corey Lemonier
ILB: Kiko Alonso, Kevin Reddick
S: DJ Swearinger, Bacarri Rambo, Phillip Thomas, JJ Wilcox
CB: Johnthan Banks, Jordan Poyer, Leon McFadden, David Amerson
_
All things considered . . . I’d still rather have had D-Jordan. The upside of a freakish defensive player who could pass rush and cover WRs was better than adding a OT with more upside than the two other OTs.
Miami ruined the entire evening. (Or maybe it was the Raiders.)
Hell, Miami screwed the entire draft.
That is, unless the Eagles can add Tank, JCyp, GEs, Arturo “The Bull” . . . and a Geno’s franchise.
Instead of a freakish OLB we got a freakish OT. Now we see what Barwin/Graham can do. You can find pass-rushers in -every- draft.
You can find linemen in every draft as well. Guys like Jordan to me are more rare than Johnson but we will see. Miami obviously took the choice out of our hands still like the pick though.
Dion Jordan is rare because there’s no one else like him in the NFL. I would have been fine drafting him because of that, but he needs to be used properly. He’s a chesspiece, not a “go after the QB” OLB.
If he was more productive in college I would agree with you, but the lack of production scared me a ton with Jordan. My personal opinion with Jordan vs. Johnson is that both players were good players. Jordan MAY have the slightly better upside, but I think he had very much the worse bust potential. That’s not to say one will necessarily be better than the other, I just thought Jordan was a much riskier pick.
I do think the Eagles wanted Jordan over Lane, but that is purely a guess.
I agree.
Do not fuss, do not fret, do not like draft pick. Jets Jets Jets.
Or if you prefer this kind of game we’ll see, your buddy could be Morton who has become a G.
Cheer up ACViking, I predict you’ll grow to appreciate Lane Johnson as our draft pick.
Dion may be misused in Miami’s 4-3 (unless they have plans to change) and, who knows, he could find his way here a couple of years down the line.
i would prefer us to wait on the TE and see what our offense is like with Celek. does he thrive or struggle?
are there any good TE prospects for next year?
i’m thinking that we should go BPA and take cyprien. We have a lot of bodies at S at this point, but i don’t think we can/should really count on any of them at this point.
Chip wants a TE.
Maybe Geno’s agent has some part to play. Was he hiding his client or posturing?
Geno’s agent has done a poor job in this process. If I had the time, I’d have covered that angle better.
That advice to skip the Senior Bowl sure looks regrettable right now. As you said, EJ Manuel has played his cards perfectly as the erstwhile underdog throughout this process, while Geno has looked off balance on shaky ground as the favorite. Get me EJ Manuel’s agent. He has been groomed impressively.
As I wrote before, Smith’s agents were:
“Erik Burkhardt and Jeff Nalley of Select Sports Group.”
ANYONE EVER HEAR OF THESE CLOWNS?
Hadn’t heard about Jesse Williams’s knees. I think if he’s fine, S.F. takes either him or Ertz. I think JW makes sense for us cause Sop is 32 and who knows whether they believe in Dixon. Anyway, this year he could play 5 tech and move to NT in a year or two.
I do not think the Eagles will take Geno, because if they truly thought that he could be their guy, I think they had to trade into the end of the 1st for him. Right now, it’s too likely that another team (Jets) might trade in front of them to get him, which you cannot let happen if you think he is the guy. Trading up would likely have cost them a them 5th and i think one of the teams at the end would have taken that to move down 3-5 spots.
And more importantly, the big difference between taking him in the 2nd and in the 1st is that under the new CBA, 1st rounders get 5-year deals, whereas 2nd rounders get 4 years. If you really think he can be your guy (and if you have enough doubts that a 5th round pick is enough to dissuade you, you don’t think he can be your guy), that difference is huge because it could mean a $10-15M savings down the road. And a 5th is not worth that.
If they had taken Dion Jordan in the first, I think there would have been a good chance for Geno in the second. Remember, I think the key reason *for* Geno @ Philly is to insure against a good Vick season. By taking Lane Johnson, I think the *only* potential offensive pick in the second is a large receiving target.
Evan Norris on Rotoworld underscored Cyprien’s versatility to play either Safety position. If Cyprien could also play SS with great range, that would allow full competition at safety and let Phillips see the field if he recovers fully and reaches his potential. Cyprien is a first round talent who slipped — with fewer questions than the other options at the top of the board. He’s the choice for me.
Get me more beef (Hankins, J. Williams, Carradine, etc.) in 2nd. Secondary help after that. Offensive weapons at the end of draft.
Tommy —
It seems quite possible that SF will narrow our choices by selecting Ertz at 34. They Lost Delanie Walker in FA, and although he wasn’t a pure tight end or great pass catcher, he was a player that needs to be replaced.
Very possible. They could also go for a CB (bigger need) or Jesse Williams. They have a pick at the bottom of the 2nd round as well so adding the TE at 34 isn’t a must. If they love Ertz, that changes things of course. And they might.
I agree 100% with Cyprien, Ertz and Brown. I would almost take Ertz over Cyprien, even though I actually like Cyprien more, since the remaining safeties are all good and Ertz is the best combination of pass catcher and blocker. Celek has taken a beating his entire career and with Chip wanting to utilize TEs more, I would love to see some sets with Celek, Ertz and Casey as a FB/H-Back in motion. I highly doubt Ertz will get past the 49ers though.
I would prefer to pass on Brown, but his value now just seems too good not to consider him.
I hope they dont draft Hunt, who I dont like as much, but I would be OK with either of Taylor/Banks even though I would like to see Cary Williams and Bradley Fletcher start this year.
I would love Goodwin in the 3rd, but right now Justin Hunter is sitting there and might fall. I know: drops, injuries and so on, but damn, i just see some star potential in him. If he drops any further than the first 10-15 picks, we should definitely consider trading for him.
I guess the dream scenario for me right now is Cyprien and Hunter, both in the 2nd and then load up on these interesting DL players in the later rounds(Kruger, Kwame Geathers, Brandon Williams, Dial etc. Hell maybe even J.Hankins or J.Williams who i could see fall since NTs play less and less).
Re: Geno Smith’s Agents & the Senior Bowl Decision
Geno Smith’s agents are Erik Burkhardt and Jeff Nalley of Select Sports Group.
Whom ever these guys are, they’ve stayed well under the radar when it comes to Top Shelf talent.
Geno Smith’s decision to skip the Senior Bowl may have been his agents’ decision. (And I’m not even getting into prepping Smith properly for his interviews by telling him — if nothing else — don’t trash your coaches.)
If so . . . to paraphrase the poet: “Won’t see them no more.”
I’d be all over Hankins at #35. Ideal 5-tech and all kinds of awesome!
Mr Klausner, is that you?
Haha it’s not, but I think we’re both riding the same bandwagon. I know he’s written many things in support of Big John, but this one’s my effort http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2013/4/21/4251006/johnathan-hankins-why-star-is-bad-value-at-4
Re: Lane Johnson pick
I’m not against LJ.
I was just very much FOR Jordan because as I tried to say — and Ryguy55 said better — defensive players like Jordan are more rare than O-linemen like LJ.
That said . . . at least LJ was the best of rest (based on most projections).
It’s not like anyone reached for, say, an inexperienced guard from Baylor
Nobody would reach for a G from Baylor.
T-LAW . . . Excellent Analysis!!!!!!!!!!!
To me, trading back (with the Jets) is certainly worth the risk. There a lot of good players here and I think with the possible exception of safety, we don’t need any one position more than another.
PLUS, if we trade to the Jets and they take Geno, that might spark a run on QB’s (Barkley, Nassib?) and push our initial target at 35 down to us anyway.
Roseman, do your thing.
In the past decade or so, teams have been pretty good at sifting out QBs from Rd 1.
There have definitely been misses in the 1st Rd (e.g., Gabbert).
But it’s not like franchise QBs have been turning up in Rds 2-7 . . . with a couple of big exceptions and 1 guy who could turn into an exception: Brady (Rd 6), Brees (first pick in Rd 2) and R-Wilson (3rd Rd).
Note on Russell Wilson: T-Law will correct me here if I’m wrong . . . but Roseman, for reasons we can only guess, tried but couldn’t put together a deal so the Eagles could get Wilson. I hope that missed opportunity on Wilson doesn’t turn into a 10-year disappointment . . . like Jurgenson for Snead in ’64 did.).
So if history’s taught us anything, it’s that QBs selected after Rd 1 shouldn’t be be expected to be “franchise guys.”
There’s the rare exception, of course. But both the undersized Brees and Wilson were huge character guys. Brees if 2 inches taller was a clear 1st rounder. Wilson may be a flash in the pan — too soon to tell.
And Brady . . . a freak of nature, but one who’s college record as a starter was damned good.
Are there any guys like that in this draft?
Bottom line on the draft:
As I said from the day the season ended, I’m looking for the Eagles’ brain trust to draft . . . men, physical, tough, football players. (If LJ’s anything, he’s a “football player” — as compared to say Baylor guards.)
So far, so good.
Yeah, based on Tank not necessarily being a good fit for us and questions about his knee should take him the board. He, J Williams and Cyp were my top 3, and now that you tell me Jesse Williams has knee concerns too, I guess I’d go with Cyp also.
If the call is close (in terms of putting him on the board), you have to go with a guy named “Tank.”
I can think of a handful of NFL guys named “Tank.”
The best — and the distance between them is enormous — were Tank Johnson, a pretty good DT whose indiscretions in another era would have been ignored and he’d have had a longer career. (Played in hte early ’00s, mostly for the Bears but also — surprise — for the Cowboys.)
The other is HOFer Tank Younger — a 6’3″ 225 RB/LB at Grambling in the early ’50s, who played offense in the NFL with the Rams.
He was huge then. And still the right size to play RB in the NFL.
Anyway . . . let’s find a way to make Tank work in green.
We whiffed before with Tank Daniels, but I suppose the real question is how many Super Bowl winning teams have had Tanks.
Great call on OLB Tank Daniels. Though I don’t know if we whiffed. Small school guy. Pretty good special teamer. And, as I see it, the Reid administration put such little value on LBs, and especially LBs with ST talent, that I don’t blame Tank.
Anyway, Tank did win a SB with the G-men.
And Tank Younger won an NFL title in ’51 w/ the Rams.
The other “Tanks” were duds.
Let’s go with the Tank. It just sounds great to have a D-lineman named “Tank.”
Let’s Tank it up, then!
Let me throw out a scenario that might please both you and deg0ey:
We draft Johnathan Hankins under the condition that he changes his name to “Tankins.”
HELL YES!
The other condition should be that he drops the silly extra ‘h’ from his first name, because I’m sick of typing it already.
Excellent . . . your wife’s law degree continues to pay dividends.
At least it’s paying for something…
If we can’t get him, I would at least be in favor of appropriating his nickname for our coach.
I think the major reason EJ Manuel was picked by the Bills is mostly for no-bleep arm-strength reasons. I do not think Manuel is as good a QB as Smith. He’s basically some model of Tarvaris Jackson. Could be a good version, but could be only roughly as good as Jackson now…
Positionally, I’m hoping to find future replacements for Maclin, Sopoaga and Phillips/Chung in the next 3 picks (being 3 starters that are old/have expiring contracts). Maybe Chip wants to keep Maclin and would prefer a TE instead. Someone like Jesse Williams who could compete at DE, learn the nose from Sopoaga and eventually supplant him would be great. Hoping he drops to the 3rd round – or even bottom of the 2nd and trade up. (If 49ers don’t take a NT, it might be until the Pats in the 50s before one goes.) Otherwise it’s just about Chip’s offense. If he thinks Ertz or Robert Woods or Justin Hunter or even Geno Smith will make a great difference, snap them up now and worry about a safety in the 3rd or 4th. Otherwise take Cyprien, and wait for a WR/TE, maybe see how far Da’Rick Rogers falls and try to get him. Really like that kid.
Dance Partners
Keep an eye on Arizona and Oakland (in addition to NYJ) as possible swap-mates…
Overall, what would you say are Cyprien’s weaknesses? In other words, why did obviously a few teams take the other safeties over him? Also, is Cyprien more of a SS or a FS? I love the idea of adding to our safeties, and while I think either spot could use the help even with Phillips and Chung, FS seems to be the more pressing need.
My guess would be that he is from a small school. Vaccaro as number one was obvious. I was a little surprised when the 49ers traded for Eric Reid, but he fits the 49ers who have their S attack the ball after the catch, not break in up in coverage. Both Reid/Elam are from big schools who played top competition. I think Cyprien is still a little raw and inconstant, also in tackling, but he has all the physical skills. There is a large gap from FIU to NFL when it comes to the mental skills though.
Think small school prospect hurt him over Vaccaro and Reid.
Anders –
What time is it where you are? Have you been fueling up with coffee and Red Bulls to make it through?
its 11:23 pm now and I generally dont need coffee or Red Bulls, I just take naps during the day if I know I need to stay up.
Smart. They say Da Vinci exercised “polyphasic” sleep… I think he slept for two hours a day, but through a series of 10 minute power naps.
The optimal is taking around 30 minutes naps, but in the end you cant keep that up because you need the REM part of the sleep and that only enters after 90 minutes of sleep (if you dont get REM sleep your ability to perform and learn tasks decreases)
So when our defense goes to sleep in the second half, that’s actually a good thing.
Haha it’s 10.30 for me. I’m quite fortunate that I left my job last week and my new one doesn’t start until two weeks from now, so I was able to go to bed when the draft finished (about 5.30 am) and then sleep until the afternoon.
I’m essentially living on EST for the moment, which is pretty convenient for not falling asleep during the draft.
I’ll admit – sometimes I worry about Eagles Europe… but I’m confident you guys can make it work.
It takes some effort… Remember that stretch where we hadn’t won a prime time game in like 3 seasons? Add 5 hours.
The 1pm est kick offs will make life easier this year!
Tommy, or anyone for that matter;
Can you compare Lane Johnson to Tyron Smith? Will the transition to the NFL and ultimately from RT to LT be as fluid as Tyrons was?
Actually, as far as I know, Smith didn’t play well at LT at all. He had a lot of penalties, and just seems to be more comfortable playing RT. Just my two cents…
Im kind of expecting Ertz to be the pick. The eagles showed a lot of interest in TEs not only this year, but last year as well. However, I think we take him after a trade down. Hopefully he is still there.
Neither OT or TE are exactly what I wanted as early, but definitely have to get excited about those 2 players. I couldnt complain if this comes to fruition.
ITS GONNA BE CYPRIEN!!! I called it months ago!!! Best player in the draft make it happen Eagles!
Tommy, it would be really cool if you could have a live draft chat thread. I miss the old SNB draft day threads…
T-Law:
Who, among the players you like w/ a 2nd Rd grade, is the meanest, toughest, most physical football player on the board? (Or a 1st Rd grade, obviously.)
Don’t care what position he plays.That’s the guy I want.
Anyone fit those criteria?
(Looks like JCyp from your board and post.)
Eddie Lacy, thats one little ball of hate. Also Cyprien is extremely physical
Sounds like Lacy could have been a hell of a LB.
Gene Hackman as Les Miles in what would be the most boring biopic since War Horse?
Can a movie about a horse be a biopic?
Was “Secretariet” a biopic?
Great questions. To alleviate this concern, I should’ve gone with “Tucker.”
B —
You’re red-hot today . . . .
After reviewing this video, I feel that Arthur Brown best addresses our need at “1960s Psychedelic Rocker”: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOErZuzZpS8 Go get him, Howie!
Re: News on Cyrprien
PFT reporting that Jax may go with safety JCyp over CB J-Banks at No. 33.
If SF takes TE Ertz at No. 34 . . . where do we go?
Is there any player other than “Trade down” who’s worthy of No. 35?
Obviously “trade down” would be the ideal move, but if we couldn’t do it, I think I could talk myself into Margus Hunt.
Turning 26 is a bummer, but as we keep hearing from the Phillies, “age is just a number”… and then they proceed to fall off the face of the Earth.
Wait ’til you turn 30.
The Phillies will be a distant memory
Eh, everyone thought Danny Watkins should have been a second round pick because he was 27. Hunt is 26, so I dont see second round as a bad value.
I want a freak for the defense. I want him. If we cant get him, Ill be focusing on Devin Taylor in the 4th or 5th. One of those big strong and athletic guys is going to make a nice 5 for us.
I also want Tristan Okpalaugo at OLB later in the draft.
Watkin was a better prospect than Hunt coming out
And so Watkins went in the 1st round.
Hunt is a 2nd round pick on talent alone. To me 26 years old isnt a big deal since its not a 1st rounder. That doesnt downgrade him for me.
Aaron Rodgers gets a 5 year, $110 million dollar extension. I guess the Packers were unable to get a discount double check.
Alex Flanagan is in Hawaii to cover Manti Te’o, who refuses to talk to the media.
Pretty sweet assignment.
To be honest, i would be happier with Flanagan in a bikini than talking to Manti Te’o.
Gus Bradley on phone… not a trade…
Wow, both Jaguars fans are in NY.
Ha!!!
Nice.
Bye bye Cyp. We’ll ne’er hear of ye again.
Kind of depressing but I’m not that surprised.
Titans traded in front??
we’re on the clock… please trade.
I agree. That trade that SF just made was good. Something like that would be great.
Im guessing Tennessee is replacing Cook with Ertz grabbing him one pick before us. lets see…
Wonder if the internal buzz was that we wanted Hunter?
Trade or Zach Ertz.
Now we’ll know if the Geno Smith bluff has paid off. Don’t see the trade yet…
Ertz or JWilliams.
Interesting. Traded in front of us for Hunter? A player I liked, but were we going to take a WR there?
trade down a few spots. ertz and Hunt still there
Guessing Ertz lets see.
Too bad we couldn’t get a trade.
I really REALLY wanted more picks in this draft. But we are going to get a good player. Not as though the cupboard is bare. I can deal with it. Just better not be Geno. Im confident it wont be.
Thanks for going to commercial, NFL Network.
Nice!
Ertz it izz!
Neither Johnson nor Ertz were my top choice, but both guys that I am VERY happy to have.
Agreed. My favorites, Cyprien and Jordan, were taken before our picks. These are very intelligent backups. And prove the intelligence Tommy brings to his picks.
Tommy is 2 for 2 with his Eagles mock!
nice job Tommy!
Tommy is mind controlling Howie.
Psychic?
Or did Tommy intercept the card handed to Trotter? Perhaps we’ll never know…
Don’t understand this pick at all. His name has nothing to do with ‘penis’. Shoulda gone with Zach Putz.
Most impressive, Mr. Lawlor.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!! THEY TOOK CYPRIEN! THE BASTARDS!!!!
I would have preferred a defensive player (Cyprien was my first choice, but the Jags scotched that), but Ertz is a good player and a solid value. And for all the talk about how our O line is aging and we needed to get younger there, Celek is quietly sneaking up on 30 as well, so I suppose drafting a TE high isn’t quite the luxury it might seem. Thankful it wasn’t Geno. They’ve GOT to go defense in round 3 however.
Chip Kelly:
– Mismatch nightmare
– smart player
– “Always have been a tight end guy” (take that for what it’s worth)
– Going to play in the league for awhile
– Didn’t relish coaching against him
– Thought SF would take him – wasn’t surprised they traded because of what they got in the trade
– Thought Titans were going to take him when they traded in front
2 for 2 for Mr. Lawlor.
San Diego is the perfect media market for Te’o. PLUS, much easier flight home for future girlfriends.
Geno!
lol the jets.
Rex is running a circus up there. I guess he wanted to guarantee another attention grabbing offseason.
Let it be known… I hoped harder than anyone for Cyprien… my dream of Cyprien in Eagles green RIP.
Wait, is Geno getting booed? Must be Philly fans…
Think Geno is happy he stayed in the green room? For a guy who doesn’t handle adversity or the spotlight… not a good place to go.
Nope. So they’ve got Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow, Greg McElroy, and Geno Smith.
Man… talk about a train wreck of a quarterback depth chart.
They better stock up on clipboards…
You could build a complex mechanism out of gold, diamonds and titanium and still have cheaper clipboard holders than the Jets will have.
I think Jerry Jones tried to build that…
A. Hopefully Chip spends some picks on the D now…
B. Any chance we draft Jesse Williams? Would love having an Aussie back in Eagles green!
lol look how mad the jets fan is!!!
I love the guy with tears in his eyes, shaking his head and saying, “how?”
I’m sure it was always Geno Smith’s dream to stand on the stage with the commissioner and Wayne Chrebet.
Kelly’s comments now plus the earlier “stockpiling” comment make me think we could target another TE in Rd. 7
Yeah. He was talking about having 3 on the field at the same time.
What are the chances Buffalo takes EJ Manuel again here?
George RR Martin is an author whose books I am waiting for. G RR M is a Jets fan. Selecting Geno Smith may have killed G RR M. I hate you Jets.
WInter is coming…
.. but only if the Jets don’t kill GRRM first.
Geno Smith is the Loras Tyrell of this draft class. Lots of hype, looks good when the stakes are low, but gets his butt kicked whenever he goes up against top competition.
Wow, you’d think the commish would be fine reading in public by now.
God, La Canfora is freaking annoying on twitter. Everyone else can keep their mouth shut, but not that guy. Just unfollowed him, i wonder how many did the same. Oh, and thank you lord for taking Teo of he board so we dont ever have to hear about him again.
Except for the 9 pre-packaged pieces they have lined up to air…
Yeah, I forgot that. It might be because I’m from Denmark and did see the whole media insanity, but I dont care about Manti Te’o. Hopefully its over now.
I am happy with this draft so far, it really feels like we are going BPA
so… who are we targeting now? my day is ruined because we didn’t get Cyprien but, surely there’s someone out there who can ease my pain?
Re: Picks 1 & 2
Ertz looks like a great pick. VERY versatile. I think, as happy as Kelly is with LJ, he’d have really liked to have had Jordan . . . giving him players on each side with great talent and tremendous versatility. [Jordan has to develop his skills, no doubt. But so does LJ.]
Anyway, Kelly’s presser was interesting.
Asked about using 3 TEs, he said in effect: “We put 3 TEs out there (Celek, Ertz, Casey . . . no mention of Harbor). If the defense goes heavy w/ LBs we throw the ball. If the defense goes light with DBs, we run the ball. FOOTBALL IS SIMPLE, RIGHT? Ha, ha, ha.”
For Kelly, it’s all about mismatches.
It’s pretty clear he’s planning to use the Belichick approach to the passing game. Of course, we have much better wide receivers than the Pats do. This is going to be an exciting offense to watch.
And our quarterback is just as — wait…
Foles is at least as good as Cassel, and the Pats had a productive offense with him. So it’s not just Brady. But yes, until we get or develop a franchise QB the comparison will have its limits.
Cassel was pre-2 TE offense in NE. And he had Randy Moss, too.
Regardless, if Foles can get mechanics together, then he’s got a shot at owning this team.
True, Cassel did predate the Gronkowski/Hernandez combo. They still used the TE heavily before the arrival of those two, along with quick slot WRs who excel at working the middle of the field like Brown and Branch.
We’ll see what Foles does. He won’t have lack of a good supporting cast as an excuse if he flops this season, so we’ll know whether we need to get a quarterback next year one way or the other.
Re: Tank Carradine
The 49ers . . . maybe have add about 10 lbs and he’s Justin Smith’s replacement.
If the kid full recovers, then the rich get richer. Jeez.
Still some very good players out there. Will enough slide that we consider trading down in the 3rd?
Tommy, are you a wizard?
Btw, what happened to Ryan Nassib?
I guess despite all the puffery, the NFL agrees that this isn’t a very good QB class…
Cosell seemed to love him. Thought he would have been taken by now…
Cowboys are up. Come on, Sandcastle!
Re: Zach Ertz and the 2-TE offense we’re going to see
T-Law:
I love the fact that 30+ years after Sid Gilman brought the 2-TE offense from the west coast to Philadelphia under Dick Vermeil, it’s finally back. And in a big way . . . cause Kelly’s making a 3-TE offense. Or a 2.5-TE offense. Or a 2-TE/1-HB offense.
And Kelly’s Oregon offense is coming East. No question.
As you’ve said in breaking him down . . . If the defensive personnel are geared to stop the run, then the Eagles will pass. And if the D is pass-defense heavy . . . .
The only concern for me is at the QB position. I really don’t want to make Mike Vick the centerpiece of this team — ’cause he’s the guy who has to make the quick decisions about pass v. run. And protect the ball. He’s just never been good at those things.
And the threat of a read option 3-4 times per game’s not enough of a reason for me to have MV out there.
So we’ll see.
One thing we know for sure: Kelly likes Foles more than Geno’s chicken.
With Lane Johnson, it might be a 3.5 TE offense.
Actually . . . with JP and LJ, the Eagles could run a 4.5-TE offense.
At the goal line, when the Eagles’ go heavy, they can put a couple of back-up O-linemen in for the WRs.
Line up Casey at RB with Peters and LJ eligible . . . along with Celek and Ertz at TE.
Talk about a 4.5-TE offense . . . .
That would be fun to see…
VIking: You had several phenomenal post, do you like any of the late round QBs?
I know you often base your post on history and research, but I’m interested because I too would hate to see another year of Mike Vick, even if he fits Kellys scheme, what good will it do when he isnt any good. Id much rather see if Foles’ for real.
What a shock – Merril Hoge made a meal out of reading a name on a card.
Wow Eddie Lacy is dropping like a rock. Another RB picked before him.
Giants take Hankins. Uh oh… deg0ey’s going to expl0dey…
The name is “Tankins” . . . .
And he’s got “Tank Johnson” written all over him . . . out of the NFL in 4 years.
Escobar to the Cowboys.
Even a blind squirrel finds an acorn once in a while.
Furry Jerry.
Steelers having a good draft getting players who fit their system.
Thats what the Steeler do
Agree 100 percent. They don’t make trades (or rarely). The just take big backs and pass-rushing LBs. And win. Most of the time.
Well run organization.
This year, the Eagles are actually doing what the Steelers have been doing for years.
Not trying to be the smartest team in the NFL is good.
yea Steeler just stay pat and take the great value pick.
Bears draft UFl’s Jon Bostic at MLB.
Big shoes to fill. Very big.
Whoa. LaVar Arrington has turned into an inflated Terence Trent D’Arby…
Watching the 2nd round, it’s clear that the value in this draft was from 20-60. Or thereabouts.
Of all the years NOT to have 13 draft picks. The Birds finally get the whole “stick to your board” thing right.
And here we are killing time because we have 1 pick in each of Rds 1-5.
Andy Reid . . . You’re a baaaad man!
Little bit of a LB run here…
Hunt in the 3rd anyone?
Whomever T-Law wrote in his last mock . . . that’s who I want!
That was Zac Dysert
Just went to the Bengals
Ugh
While I am very happy with who we got, Im also very sad that the 3 HUGE freaks on defense are now off the board and none of them are ours.
My favorite player at this point is probably Brian Schwenke
I want the DT out of Georgia
Just put up a short post on Mr. Zach Ertz.
http://igglesblitz.com/philadelphia-eagles-2/oooh-love-ertz/
My targets at 67
John Jenkins
Keenan Allen
Jessie Williams
DJ Swearinger
Jonathan Franklin
Alex Okafor (?)
Travis Kelce (I know…)
Christine Michael
Jumping to “Ertz” thread…