Eagles Notebook

Posted: May 5th, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 76 Comments »

Miami QB Jacory Harris went undrafted.  He is down at the Dolphins mini-camp getting a tryout this weekend.  Next weekend he will be in Philadelphia looking for a job.  Harris was a great high school player in Miami and then showed flashes of big time ability in college, but was also wildly inconsistent.  His bad games were really bad.

Harris was coached for 2 years by Mark Whipple.  If that name sounds familiar…it should.  Whipple was an assistant for the Eagles.  Andy Reid hired him at the suggestion of Bill Cowher.  Whipple was more of a consultant than a coach for the Eagles because the offensive staff was already so full.

I’m sure Whipple talked to Reid about Harris and told him the inside scoop.  Harris is a guy that has literally zero chance at making a roster.  He wants to get into a training camp and push for a Practice Squad job.  Harris has NFL potential, but one thing about him always bugged me.  In interviews he seemed like a kid.  He’s got a young face and has a laid-back personality.  QBs don’t have to be fiery (see Joe Montana),k but they must have a certain presence.  I never got that vibe from him.

* * * * *

Texas Tech LB Sam Fehoko may or may not be an Eagle.   He sure thinks he is.  It is possible that he’s been invited to try out and Fehoko is saying that as if he’s on the team.  PE.com doesn’t say a word about him and he’s not listed on the roster as of Saturday at Noon.

Fehoko only played in one game in 2011 before quitting the team.  As far as I can tell, he became frustrated with the third set of defensive coaches in his career and the new scheme change and just quit.  Weird.

Fehoko was coached for a while by former Eagle LB James Willis.  Reid and Willis were in Green Bay together, but I don’t know if they actually knew each other or not.  Andy was a young offensive coach and Willis was a young defensive player.  There wasn’t a whole lot of reason for them to spend time together.

Fehoko’s best year was 2010:  29 solo stops, 3.5 TFLs, 1 FF, 1 PBU.  He lists at 6-0, 230.  Most interesting fact about him – Fehoko’s dad is the mascot for Hawaii.  He’s the big guy that dresses up in the traditional warrior garb and goes crazy on the sidelines.  Lots of fun to watch that guy.  The Fehoko’s are a football family, but I cannot confirm if they ever had dinner with the Matthews.

* * * * *

The Eagles did claim OT Thomas Welch.  He’s bounced around the league for a couple of years.  Welch (6-6, 300) played at Vanderbilt.  He was drafted by the Pats and also spent time with the Vikings, Rams, and…Bills.  You know we’re legally required to sign/claim all former Bills OTs.  I think Welch will play RT here.  He’s good help for the 3rd string OL.

LT:  D Bell … K Dunlap … D Kelly

RT:  Herremans … DJ Jones … Welch

* * * * *

For those who want more draft talk, I did a podcast with Chuck from Eagles Fancast last night.  There is some interesting stuff on there.  Should be a good listen.

* * * * *

A reader posted this Donovan McNabb story in the last comments section.  Donovan wants to play again.  He’s just waiting for the right opportunity.  Yadda yadda yadda.

The one bit of good news in there is that Donnie is working with QB guru George Whitfield.  He needs that.  Donovan needs to hone his passing skills.  For some reason he’s fought this idea.  He needs to embrace it.  Just because you’ve been a great player doesn’t mean you can’t work on things.  Tiger Woods was the best golfer on the planet for a decade, but worked with a swing coach the whole time.  You don’t get good at something and then stop working.  There is always something to tweak.

I’ve told this story a few times over the years, but Boomer Esiason struggled in 1994 and 1995.  His arm strength took a big drop and he could no longer get the ball down the field consistently.  His teams went 7-19 in those 2 years with him starting.  His yards per attempt were 6.3 and 5.8, two of the worst figures of his career.

Jim Fassel met with him in 1996 and got Boomer to focus on his footwork and use his lower body more on downfield passes.  Over the next 2 years Boomer was 7-6 as a starter and his YPA was 6.8 and 7.9.  Fassel made a simple adjustment.  Boomer listened and worked on it.  He was then able to finish his career on an up note.

If Donovan will eat 3 or 4 humble pies (forget about just having a piece), he can play for the next 5 years.  He should personally call 31 coaches and tell them that he wants a chance and will do whatever they ask.  He’ll adapt to whatever they want.  He would need to admit that he’s made mistakes and is willing to change.  As long as he’s got a sense of entitlement, he’s going to stay unemployed.  And that is a waste of talent.  Donovan should be a starting QB even as we speak.  Get me and Dr. Phil in a room with Donovan.  I’ll kill Dr. Phil and get McNabb to see the light.  The world would be a better place.

* * * * *

More on SAM’s.  It sounds like the Eagles main target was Mychal Kendricks, but understand that doesn’t mean they didn’t like the other players.  They simply liked him more.  It would be interesting to know the order after Kendricks.  Was it Wagner, David, and then Zach Brown?  Was Lavonte David the next in line?  I don’t know.  I’ll certainly pass along any info I get, but for now we can only speculate.

I think because of all the attention paid to Bobby Wagner that he was the next choice, but that’s just a guess.

It will be interesting to track the careers of these LBs and see who turns out best and worst.  Brown is now mad at Mike Mayock for his comments about Brown being “allergic to contact”.  Brown challenged Mayock to face him on the field.  Uh, Zach…that’s the whole point.  You should play with a nasty attitude in games and not just get fired up at the 55-year old draft analyst who criticized you.  I’m glad Zach is playing elsewhere.

What do the Eagles want in a SAM?   The SAM lines up to the inside of the DE and a few yards off the ball.  He is similar to an ILB in our defense.  He needs to be able to read plays and then flow to the ball.  He must be able to take on blockers in space.  He must be able to shed blocks.  On pass plays he needs to be able to cover TEs.  He won’t always have that assignment, but will at times.  The SAM must be able to cover a RB in space.  Any blitzing ability is a bonus.

Compare this to the way the Ravens used Jarrett Johnson.  He’s 6-5, 260 (approx).  The Ravens had him line up right on the line of scrimmage.  His job on run plays was to engage the OT or TE and set the edge.  He had to hold that point and force the RB back to the middle.

The Eagles want the SAM off the ball so that he can find the ball and go make the tackle.  He needs the strength to take on plays that come at him, but also the speed to chase plays away from him.  Lateral movement is as important as attacking upfield.

* * * * *

A couple of people have asked about me sending a resume to Howie Roseman.  I have not done this.

I sent out a bunch of resumes/letters/sample scouting reports back in 2007 and 2008.  I got some good responses from a few people.  Thomas Dimitroff sent me a nice hand written note in the middle of the Patriots 17-0 season.  Guys from the Packers and Titans were very friendly.  I had a good phone conversation with Eric DeCosta from the Ravens.

Tom Heckert and Ryan Grigson never responded.  I don’t know if the material was kept from them by a protective personal assistant or if they just didn’t feel like answering.  I was disappointed to not even get a form rejection letter.  I’ve got a nice collection of those going back to the late 90’s.

My big problem is that I’m an outsider.  I didn’t play in college.  I am not working with a team (HS or college) now.  Football guys don’t think of me as a football guy.  I’m a fan.  Or a blogger.  Or a stalker.  It also hurts that I’m 42.  Most scouts start in their 20s.

You’re stuck with me for the next year.  We’ll see what happens in the future.  My goal is to get better at player evaluation so that if I ever do get a chance to work for a team, I can do a great job.  I don’t want to just get hired so I can tell people I’m a scout.  I want to be really good at it.


76 Comments on “Eagles Notebook”

  1. 1 JRO91 said at 1:17 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Hiring Tommy Lawlor as a scout would set this Eagles franchise back at least 4 years!!! Just kiddin buddy love the blog and hope they contact you. Only on the premise you tell them Morton comes with you or no deal.

  2. 2 TommyLawlor said at 1:25 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Morton and I are obviously a package deal.

  3. 3 Baloophi said at 1:40 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    M0rton provides an invaluable resource as a post-scout. He has the ability to tell you which prospects from 10 year ago will flourish in the NFL.

  4. 4 JRO91 said at 1:50 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Or which 3-4 outside LB would flourish as a SAM in a 4-3

  5. 5 ian_no_2 said at 2:15 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Can’t wait for Morton and Dave Spadaro to do the play by play on the channel 6 games..

    Dave: I think this is the year Clay Harbor comes into his own, don’t you?
    MOrton: We’re doomed, can’t you see?

  6. 6 LiamGarrett said at 2:41 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    lol

    Dave: Um… all right. What about the young safeties? Can they handle the pressure?

    M0rton: They’re suffering shall be legendary. -Even in Hell.

    Dave: … Wow… but, I mean, uh, Todd Bowles should help, right?

    M0rton: All is for naught. Lo, the time of reckoning is at hand. Soon all, including the Eagles’ secondary, shall be dust and silence.

    Dave: ……….. Oh… okay… Well……….. well, tonight’s broadcast is brought to you by Taco Bell’s new Doritos Locos Tacos! I had one the other night, and I loved it! How about you, M0rton?…………… Have you tried Doritos Locos Tacos?

    M0rton: David…….. We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita… “Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.”

    Dave: …………………………………………………. We’ll be back after these messages.

  7. 7 D3FB said at 3:43 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    priceless, well done sir

  8. 8 JRO91 said at 1:27 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I would be interested to here your opinion on Cliff Harris. If this kid shows the potential he had in 2010 he could be a major steal like Polk. He and Boykin could really challenge Hanson and really push him off the roster. You could have Nmandi and DRC starting, Marsh/Hughes/Harris/Boykin as depth. Harris could also be a punt return man and take the injury risk off of Desean. While Boykin takes over kickoff. I hope he shows that talent and keeps himself outta trouble.

  9. 9 TommyLawlor said at 6:31 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Harris is a UDFA the scouts are real excited about. They love his talent. Speed is a concern. Only runs in the 4.6 range. Some guys play faster than they time. That’s what we hope is the case with Harris.

    He does have great ball skills and is a gifted PR. The Eagles would love to have him push for a roster spot. All depends on how well he plays this summer. If he’s a playmaker, the Eagles will try to keep him.

  10. 10 Baloophi said at 1:48 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I guess we shouldn’t tell Tommy that we sent letters to all 32 NFL teams begging them not to take him away from us…

  11. 11 LiamGarrett said at 2:01 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    … and how we would miss his proclamations of love for Fidel Castro, and his 9/11 Truther rants.

    (Yes, I play dirty.)

  12. 12 Jason said at 6:18 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    And killing Dr Phil too…

  13. 13 goeagles55 said at 2:58 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    They’d have a lot more to look at now than in 2007. Besides the 5 years of great coverage, where you as well-known back then? Now, I think every good Eagles writer knows who you are and probably reads this site regularly.

    Plus, working out a contract with payments in PBR and pudding should be easy since they can simply base it off of Reid’s contract of cheesesteaks and Chinese food. They may shut down your side-business of selling premium sunglasses though.

  14. 14 TommyLawlor said at 6:35 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I am more well known now by readers and the media. Not sure that would mean much to teams, but I guess it couldn’t hurt.

  15. 15 M0rton said at 2:59 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Tommy, I want to say one thing about Production vs. Potential that you mentioned earlier.

    I think that the NFL is enamored with potential to a fault, and this is one of the *primary* reasons for highly drafted players busting.

    If you look at historical trends, players without a high level of college production, regardless of measurables and any vague notion of “potential”, simply do not produce in the NFL.

    There has never been an elite DT in the NFL who did not produce at least 10 or more sacks at the college level, and all of the leading sackers in NFL history were extremely productive players in college – most of them producing 30 or more sacks during their time in college.

    Here are some interesting statistical studies done regarding baseline measurements of college performance for Pass Rushers (DEs/34OLBs) and DTs which tie college production to NFL production. The author draws the conclusion that players who lack high levels of college production are at an extremely high risk of busting as players in the NFL:

    http://www.predictionmachine.com/Features/NFLDraft/DT%20Report.pdf
    http://www.predictionmachine.com/Features/NFLDraft/Elite%20Pass%20Rushers.pdf

    Historical trends do not favor the prospects with “upside” but little college production. “Upside” is one of the greatest myths in the scouting world.

  16. 16 Razz_A_Matazz said at 3:37 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    You’re right, M0rton. This proves it. We should have stayed put at 15 and taken Billy Winn.

    Funny, I didn’t notice anywhere, the formula they use to correlate their numbers to players that come out early.

    Furthermore, not sure how this supports your argument that Devon Still is a better pro prospect. Cox’s numbers are almost identical and he was a rising player w/ his Senior season, yet to come.

  17. 17 D3FB said at 3:46 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    So basically your saying the Eagles were brilliant for selecting DTN?

  18. 18 Insler said at 3:58 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    So when should Howie give you call for his resignation? Or better yet when should the Eagles call for you to replace him? Because if you said it then it must be true.

  19. 19 Steve H said at 4:05 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I’m not content that Morton made his predictions for the Michael Kendricks and Fletcher Cox picks, I want Morton to redo the entire Eagles draft taking a player that was available at the point our pick came up. I don’t even have to stipulate that he pick someone other than who we chose, its a given that whoever we picked was the wrong guy.

    Also I’m convinced Morton is actually a troll who cackles in glee when he sees what a rise he gets out of us Blitz posters.

  20. 20 Razz_A_Matazz said at 4:13 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    It’s Tommy’s alter ego, playing the devils advocate.

  21. 21 M0rton said at 5:07 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    At pick #12, I think their better options would have been Melvin Ingram or Michael Floyd if they were strictly going with the Best Player Available approach. Ingram was probably the best all-around player on the board at #12, but Floyd wasn’t too far behind. Now, if they were dead-set on drafting a DT, the better option would have been to trade down into the later 1st round or even the upper 2nd round, get extra draft picks, and then pick from the plethora of high-level DT still available after the 1st round was over: Kendall Reyes, Devon Still, Derek Wolfe, or Jerel Worthy. Any one of those four players would have been a great pick and will probably outproduce Fletcher Cox in the NFL.

    In the 2nd round, with the pick they used on Mychal Kendricks I obviously believe they should have instead drafted Lavonte David, the far more productive college player with a higher degree of respect garnered among draft analysts. He will be a Derrick Brooks-like player in the NFL, and may even emerge as the best LB of this draft class, and definitely no worse than #2 behind Kuechly. This is a stone-cold lock: David will be the far superior player in the NFL and will again highlight the Eagles’ ineptitude in drafting LBers despite having the opportunity to do so (a la 2010 with Sean Lee and Navarro Bowman on the board at several spots).

    I don’t necessarily have a problem with the Vinny Curry pick, but I don’t feel that he will ever be a *special* player in the NFL, even if he is relatively productive, so I may have wanted to try gambling on a more elite potential talent at the spot. The pick here probably should have been Josh Robinson (and then free up the Brandon Boykin pick for someone else), a potentially elite CB prospect, or even Lamichael James, who has Darren Sproles-like ability. I also actually would have prefered Russell Wilson at this spot rather than Nick Foles in the 3rd, but I think that the Eagles weren’t expecting the Seahawks to take Wilson that early.

    The Nick Foles pick in the 3rd round was just a flat-out wasted pick. This kid will struggle to even be a backup in the NFL. If they were absolutely dead-set on picking one of the 2nd tier QB prospects in this draft, I would rather have seen them go after Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson (in the 2nd, and then use this pick on another player), who I believe will be far more productive NFL players than Foles. Now, I personally would never, ever draft a QB outside of the top-38 picks, so I would have picked any one of the following players at this spot: TY Hilton, Brandon Thompson, Miles Burris, Jared Crick, Orson Charles, or Bobby Massie. You couldn’t go wrong with any one of these players, who I had rated pretty highly at that point in the draft, and who will probably all contribute more to their NFL teams than Foles ever will.

    In the later rounds, it’s mostly a crapshoot, and after not selecting a CB earlier in the draft, the selection of Boykin was admirable, but I would rather have had Josh Robinson earlier, probably. The one pick that I really hated was Dennis Kelly in the 4th round. I don’t see anything out of this kid that screams “Starter” at any point. George Iloka, a hard-hitting, but kind of stiff, safety from Boise State was on the board and I would much rather have taken a shot on him, or taken a shot on Antonio Allen, another safety prospect. Both of these pplayers have a strong chance to be starting-caliber strong safeties in the NFL, and the Eagles could have benefited from more competition at that spot on the roster.

    I loved the McNutt pick though. That kid will be a productive player in the NFL and the Eagles kind of stole him in the 6th round.

  22. 22 Baloophi said at 4:32 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Here’s a fun post from M0rton from February 27, 2012…

    “Quite a few of the DL prospects this year are intriguing fits at the #15 pick: Poe (raw athletic potential), Cox (same), Still (elite production), Ingram (production and potential)… I would defer to Jim Washburn on this. The Eagles should definitely seek his counsel on the DL to pick at #15. I’m sure he would highly recommend one of the aforementioned players.”

    Guess M0rton kind of gave up on the whole “defer to Jim Washburn” idea. To be fair, it’s possible that M0rton has acquired more football acumen in the last 68 days than Washburn has in 36 years of coaching…

  23. 23 M0rton said at 5:14 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    I read the PredictionMachine report on DTs and pass rushers. That’s what changed my mind about the whole thing.

    The guys who run that website are the smartest guys in the sports world, imho. They have an elite understanding of statistical analysis in sports.

    After reading their report and seeing the correlation of elite production in the NFL to elite production in college, I have taken a different approach to evaluating college players. Potential is irrelevant – all that matters is if they produce in college. History bears that out.

  24. 24 TommyLawlor said at 7:00 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Morton,

    Albert Haynesworth had 5 sacks at UT. He then became a pretty decent DT in the NFL, racking up 30.5 sacks so far. Haloti Ngata had exactly 10 in 3 years of extensive playing time. He’s a pretty good NFL player. You don’t need big numbers.

    Brandon Graham led the nation in TFLs as a Senior and JPP had just 6.5 sacks that year. We took Graham, the safter, more productive player. For some odd reason I seem to recall that you wanted JPP…and his raw potential.

    I do agree that NFL teams can focus on potential too much at times, but college production can be highly misleading as well. There are plenty of guys with amazing college stats now working as high school coaches or at the local car dealership.

  25. 25 Arby1 said at 7:15 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Actually, if I recall correctly, Morton was beating the drum for some DE by the name of ………………wait for it…..:Brandon Graham. For about 3 months. 1 week before the draft, he switched to Earl Thomas. JPP was his choice at the end of his 1st season….

  26. 26 Steve H said at 8:47 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Yeah I remember someone called him out on flipping his choice to JPP after the first season. Again I’m convinced Morton is some troll somewhere who just gets his jollies by playing the contrarian.

  27. 27 iskar36 said at 11:30 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    If I recall correctly, he actually had JPP labeled as absolute guaranteed bust material. Of the DE candidates that year, Derrick Morgan is the guy he preferred once the Eagles picked graham.

  28. 28 M0rton said at 4:44 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    JPP is an outlier. You can’t take ONE case and use it to establish a trend. The trend is the opposite. I actually liked Graham more than JPP, and am befuddled as to how successful JPP has been. But obviously, the pick I wanted more than anything was Thomas over a DE at #13.

    Ngata had 10 sacks. That’s my point: you need at least 10. Anything less and you run a much higher risk of drafting a bust. Based on historical trends, 10 is the watermark that typically represents a strong baseline for college production. And let’s not pretend that Ngata is some great pass rusher in the NFL. He’s a great 3-4 DE but not an elite pass rusher. The elite NFl pass rushers throughout NFL history have almost all put up amazing numbers in college – like 20+ sacks.

    Sure, there are plenty of guys that put up big stats and don’t make it in the NFL, but the point of paying attention to college performance is to avoid drafting the guys who represent a high risk of busting. Very, very few prospects who *do not* put up college stats ever turn into NFL stars or even contributors. As long as you draft productive college players, who will have a greater chance of drafting productive NFL players. Of course, not all of them make it, but those players stand a much better chance of making it in the NFl than they players who did little in college and are being drafted solely on some nebulous, vaguely defined perception of “upside”.

  29. 29 Razz_A_Matazz said at 6:40 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Still haven’t addressed the point about underclassmen.

  30. 30 M0rton said at 8:33 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Most early-entry DTs and DEs who do not amass 10+ sacks fail in the NFL.

    Declaring as anything less than a Senior, for a variety of reasons, is usually a big red flag.

  31. 31 Eagles1991 said at 5:12 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Tommy:

    If you got a scouting job, who would run your sunglasses web site?

  32. 32 TommyLawlor said at 6:21 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I’m training neighborhood squirrels to run the site. They get an acorn for every pair sold. Everyone’s a winner!

  33. 33 A_T_G said at 12:37 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    So, you are going to specialize in OAKleys?

  34. 34 TommyLawlor said at 2:05 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    Well played. I expect nothing less from you.

  35. 35 tommy_the_k said at 5:52 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Tommy, Enjoy your work very much. If you ever venture to southern WVa, would love to treat you to golf and or dinner at The Greenbrier Resort

  36. 36 TommyLawlor said at 6:19 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I haven’t been to West Va in 19 years, but if I do venture that way, I’ll definitely try to get in touch.

  37. 37 Steve H said at 8:48 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    If you’re ever in central jersey I’d love to treat you to some mcdonalds and unclean air. I think this kind of activity is called boosting in other parts of society.

  38. 38 jayanglada said at 6:13 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Tommy —

    Just sent along another $100 donation (via PayPal). Your columns have provided a great deal of enjoyment and a deepening of my understanding of Eagles doings and considerations.

    I’ve benefited from your insights, wit, and breezy writing style, and especially from your obvious balance (with an optimistic tilt) and humility. The readers’ comments have generally been worthwhile, and unlike other sites, there’s an absence of pettiness and backbiting. That civility is a reflection of the tone you set.

    We are very fortunate to have the benefit of your work. I don’t know how you have the time to crank out so much good stuff, but I’m relishing my daily addiction to your observations and thoughts. I hope that all of your regular readers will appreciate the value you add and donate to the extent they’re able.

    We are very fortunate to have the results of your work. I don’t know how you have the time to crank out so much good stuff, but I’m relishing my daily addisction to reading your observations and thoughts. I hope that all of your regyular readers will appreciate the value you add and donate to the extent they’re able.

  39. 39 TommyLawlor said at 7:05 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Thanks Jay.

    Plenty of guys donated in the last couple of weeks and it is greatly appreciated.

    You guys are much better than the CFL fans I write for. All they sent me was a bottle of beer with a mouse in it. What a bunch of hosers!

  40. 40 Razz_A_Matazz said at 7:58 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Awesome! Elsinore…

  41. 41 damccomas said at 3:25 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    I just read this as strange brew plays in the background….

  42. 42 Cliff said at 9:48 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Do I smell a donation challenge coming on?

  43. 43 jayanglada said at 10:52 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I hope my enthusiasm is contagious, but that’s it for a while,

  44. 44 pjxii said at 1:24 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    In a couple of months we will need to start a challenge to get Tommy to Lehigh…

  45. 45 Jason said at 6:19 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Bring back McNabb! Vick/McNabb/Foles…trio of the gods. As long as McNabb is working hard and not too expectant of big dollars/guaranteed starting jobs, I’m wishing him every success. He went through a lot here in Philly.

  46. 46 TommyLawlor said at 7:01 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    I wish Donnie all the best. That’s why I hate the fact he’s being stubborn. The one person keeping Donovan McNabb from being in the NFL right now is Donovan McNabb. Swallow your pride, man. Stay in the league and get back on the field.

  47. 47 D3Keith said at 6:44 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Now, I couldn’t be happier that we didn’t get Zach Brown. Anybody whose response to criticism is that is someone whose ability to deal with adversity I question.

    Good job killing Dr. Phil, bad job killing our dreams of becoming scouts as well. If we saw Randall play, we’re too old, eh?

    I want free stuff from the Greenbrier! I heard it’s incredible.

  48. 48 jayanglada said at 10:57 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Amen re Zach Brown, but Wagner seemed to be a toss-up with Kendricks. David just didn’t appear to be a fit at SAM or as a potential slide-over for Ryans.

  49. 49 dandynator said at 7:27 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_dFEWYqEUk

  50. 50 TommyLawlor said at 8:44 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    In order to truly appreciate that we’d need to see Joselio Hanson try those things so we could understand just how athletic Boykin is.

    Good find.

  51. 51 JulzPE said at 10:13 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Love how he just wipes out some poor kid after his last dunk there, too busy celebrating to notice.

  52. 52 GeorgeFleep said at 8:47 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    How old was he in there he looked young. I mean he is still young but you get what i am saying. Could that be his high school? Like Lawlor said on eagles fancast Boykin is not djax height and weight he is djax height with the muscle that is toned and chiseled., Pure muscle. Now if only he didnt have concussions or broken leg.

  53. 53 A_T_G said at 1:11 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    The clip info says that it is a high school event in 2007 and that Boykin has declared his intent to go to Georgia as a CB.

  54. 54 dandynator said at 7:28 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    5 ft 10?…… !!!

  55. 55 GeorgeFleep said at 7:36 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    isnt one reason why the eagles paid more attention to bobby wagner was because he was sick for the combine or something

  56. 56 TommyLawlor said at 8:41 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    He had pneumonia and missed it. Still, for Eagles to send LB coach to his Pro Day and then bring him to Philly is above and beyond. After all, they saw him in action at the Senior Bowl and may have met with him there.

  57. 57 GeorgeFleep said at 8:43 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    then possibly he was brought in more because the compeition on the game tape was not as good

  58. 58 TommyLawlor said at 11:47 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    He was Senior Bowl MVP. He played well vs Auburn. Plus, guys don’t workout when they come to Philly. It is an interview/meeting.

  59. 59 P_P_K said at 7:50 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Keep on pluggin’ away, Tommy. You have come real skills, not only as a football guy(!) but also as a writer, a communicator. Here’s hoping they give you that one shot. Like Marky Wahlberg in Rock Star.

  60. 60 Razz_A_Matazz said at 12:17 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    I’m pretty sure Marky Mark would tell Tommy, ‘You Gotta Believe’!

  61. 61 Arby1 said at 4:08 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Or Boogie Nights…? ; )

  62. 62 Razz_A_Matazz said at 8:49 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Tommy! You are fantastic at what you do. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never stepped foot on a field. You have talent and the desire to be excellent at your craft. I understand about the limitations of being viewed as an outsider, or fan. However, my friend , anyone could take a few minutes to check out ScoutsNotebook and see that you have a clear understanding of what to look for, in evaluating prospects. You’ve also demonstrated, especially in this years draft, an ability to match player with scheme and team needs. Through film study and one chance to live scout in Mobile, you came to very similar conclusions as the Eagles FO, as to which players best fit. I think your accuracy with the top 100 prospects lends to your credibility, as well.

    I also imagine that one of the main reasons scouting is a younger mans game, is simply the lifestyle. Most 42yo dudes wouldn’t be satisfied sitting in a crappy hotel room in Oxford, Mississippi making notes about wether some Sophomore is a “natural bender”. I see you being completely fulfilled. Provided the snack machine in the hall carries Funyuns, it’s not a dry county and you’ve remembered plenty of quarters for the magic fingers massage bed.

    2008 was a loooong time ago, brother. It’s pretty plain, even to the average reader, that you’ve improved, even over the last year. Someone made the point yesterday, that Howie didn’t play ball. Convince him to give you a shot. Just imagine if Juan Castillo had never slept in his car to meet Andy. He would have never been named our DC… Okay, maybe the lesson there is we’d all be better off if you just gave up, so that’s not a great example. Seriously though, I think I can speak for all of us when I say, that you should feel absolutely satisfied with who you are and what you do, right now. You are gifted and appreciated by many. That said, if it is truly your dream to be a scout for the Birds, please keep trying! I’d love to see you succeed and with our team. I’d feel the same way as when I watched the Vinny Curry PC. Like I’d just made it!

    *For the record, I do like JC and think he will improve greatly in his second season.

  63. 63 James Wann said at 11:35 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Hear! Hear!

    Howie knows what it’s like to be an outsider trying to get a team, any team, to give him a shot at some sort of personnel position. Being someone who loved the game enough to want that shot, he shouldn’t be dismissive of your ambitions, Tommy.

    I don’t know about the world of scouting, but I have noticed that in my field, software development, companies that look solely at so-called “relevant experience” can get themselves in trouble. At lot of the time, one is in software simply because it is a way of getting a paycheck, not due to any real passion for programming. Over time, such a person becomes stale because he (and sometimes she) has learned to get by with creating barely functional software without ever having to hone his programming skills. Sometimes, it’s better to find someone who may be less experienced, but is passionate about developing excellent software simply because such a person tends to be committed to getting better at his craft. Over the long haul, such a person will continue to produce excellent software.

    Perhaps there is an analogy in scouting. Maybe there are plenty of scouts out there who happen to be scouts simply because they are ex-football players and they just couldn’t figure out anything else to do. They just want a paycheck and a scouting position just happens to be readily available to them by virtue of the fact that they played the game. Over time, such scouts would be set in their ways of evaluating players (as long as it is acceptable by their organization) and wouldn’t seek ways of getting better at their craft. This can be worrisome as, for example, the needs of professional teams change and therefore they would be looking for a different kind of player. Against such a scout, I would take someone like Tommy who is passionate about being the best scout he could be.

    If I’m wrong about scouting, I’m sure this applies in the realm of so-called “professional draft evaluators” (or whatever they’re called). Mel Kiper (or whoever looks at players for Kiper) sure seems to be mailing it in.

  64. 64 Flyin said at 11:15 PM on May 5th, 2012:

    Tommy,
    How do you feel the death of MCA (Adam Yauch) will impact the Eagles? I for one, am open to egging the giants as they enter the linc. I think the beasties would approve and respect the outcome.

  65. 65 Alex Karklins said at 10:10 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    Why limit it to the Giants? I’m all for an “Egg Raid on Romo” too.

  66. 66 Kristopher Cebula said at 10:04 AM on May 6th, 2012:

    tommy, just continuously send resume’s to howie roseman. it got howie his job didn’t it?

  67. 67 ACViking said at 1:07 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    RE: M0rton

    I enjoy M0rton’s posts no matter what he says. They’re always well written, well reasoned.

    He takes a beating on this blog. Maybe the beatings are earned because of M0rton’s occasional “flip flopping” on the very topics he’s addressing at the moment.

    But he keeps coming back. I respect him for that.

    I just read each of M0rton’s posts in isolation — there is no past and no future.

    There is only *now*. It works fine and avoids complicating a good point with another dimension of time.

  68. 68 pjxii said at 1:34 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Agreed completely, we NEED to have MÖrton here as the “stirrer of the pudding,” so to speak. If we all held the same viewpoints or just said, “Yes Tommy, you’re right again” (even if he is) and held hands singing Kumbaya then a lot of in-depth analysis from people with the correct opinions wouldn’t be presented, and we’d all be missing out.

  69. 69 the guy said at 2:14 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Without different views, one wouldn’t need a comment system, just a simple form to submit questions and a big “Like” button.

    I’m not a fan of his 20/20 hindsight posts, but the production/potential one was interesting, and deserved a discussion on it’s own merits.

  70. 70 Steve H said at 2:16 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    By occasional flip flopping I assume you mean when he bashes the FO for not picking X player even though at the time of the draft he wanted Y player. Revisionist history is the hobgoblin of something else altogether.

  71. 71 Steve H said at 2:21 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Also, as a little addendum to give you an idea of the kind of “well reasoned” thought that probably drives a lot of posters crazy…

    Morton says:
    There has never been an elite DT in the NFL who did not produce at least 10 or more sacks at the college level, and all of the leading sackers in NFL history were extremely productive players in college – most of them producing 30 or more sacks during their time in college.

    Tommy says:
    Albert Haynesworth had 5 sacks at UT. He then became a pretty decent DT in the NFL, racking up 30.5 sacks so far. Haloti Ngata had exactly 10 in 3 years of extensive playing time. He’s a pretty good NFL player. You don’t need big numbers.

    So I suppose you could say well reasoned, however the research aspect could use some work.

  72. 72 the guy said at 3:02 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    I can’t believe I’m doing this, but while I got Tommy’s point, he didn’t entirely refute M0rton’s.

    Ngata had 10, and M0rton said 10 or more. No problem there.

    As far as Haynesworth goes, of those 30.5 sacks 24 came in his first 7 seasons (average of 3.4), when he was with the Titans in *Washburn’s system*. Since then, he’s been on 3 teams in 4 years and produced 6.5 sacks (average of 1.6). Also, if we didn’t have Washburn, would you ever want the guy near the Eagles? I sure wouldn’t.

    M0rton may have used hyperbolic language but his essential point was an interesting one. And while I think we’re all happy with the choice of Fletcher Cox and expect good things from him, the Eagles’ history of drafting DL under Andy Reid has been more or less abysmal. A point which Morton has also made.

  73. 73 Steve H said at 3:17 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Thats more due to the fact that Haynesworth is nuts, if he had at least a little bit more mental stability, he could probably thrive in any system. Keep in mind this is a guy who molests people in public and stomps on peoples faces, we’re not talking about the most level headed rational human being coupled with his immense physical gifts.

    As for Ngata… thats really pretty close to the line don’t you think? He averaged about 3 sacks a season for 3 full seasons, he was far from an elite sack artist in college despite whether he barely slips in over Mortons imaginary line in the sand anyhow.

    Besides why are we talking about sacks anyways? In terms of defensive tackles their ability to be disruptive is what oftentimes leads to sacks for other players, not for themselves. Ngata has had several seasons with 1 or 1.5 sacks, and only averages about 3 a season for his career, does that mean he’s not one of the top couple of DT’s in the league?

  74. 74 the guy said at 3:31 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Suh has had a few lapses in judgement as well, but he’s much more productive (in sacks) than Haynesworth ever was.

    It’s not close to the line, it’s exactly the line. In fact, I’m pretty sure 10 sacks was chosen because he didn’t want to leave Ngata off the list.

    Sacks are hardly the only measure of effectiveness for a DT, but I was talking about sacks because that was M0rton’s point. Part of the problem may be that we’re comparing NT types like Ngata to UT types like Haynesworth and Cox. A guy like Ngata doesn’t need to put up a lot of sacks, but a guy like Cox does.

    That’s why I was interested in his post, and disappointed that most of the responses were about him and not the point he was trying to make. Those responses are fine for the typical Morton negativity, but that’s not what it was.

  75. 75 Razz_A_Matazz said at 4:07 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Also, compares Seniors to underclassmen. That was my main point to M0rton and mainly, because he was using the study to discredit the selection of Cox and in favor of Still. Not so much the standards they outline that I had a problem with. Just feel they need a variable to account for early exits. I think, like FO’s SackSEER, it does have some relevance, though.

  76. 76 T_S_O_P said at 2:33 PM on May 6th, 2012:

    Tommy, I listened to the podcast and I think you mentioned Kafka, Clayton, and Cooper as players that hadn’t shown enough yet. Allen and Coleman has come in for criticism in some quarters for the same reason, though you have frequently come to their defense. All of these players are from the ’09 draft class. Last year, some NFL analyst somewhere said that it was this draft class (across the NFL) that would suffer because of the player dispute. What gives for these guys: circumstance or talent (lack there of)?