Quick Look Back
Posted: April 28th, 2012 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 70 Comments »Here is the Eagles Draft Review so far.
1 – DT Fletcher Cox – 6-4, 298 – Mississippi State
2 – LB Mychal Kendricks – 5-11, 240 – Cal
2 – DE Vinny Curry – 6-3, 266 – Marshall
3 – QB Nick Foles – 6-5, 243 – Arizona
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Overall I’m a happy camper. I loved the Eagles being able to move up and get Cox in the 1st round. I think he can be an impact player in time. Heck, I think he’ll make his presence known right away. To read more on FC, here is my lengthy post.
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Kendricks is an interesting subject. I’ve had questions about him for the last 4 to 6 weeks. My answer every time is that I like him a lot, but he’s only 5-11 and I don’t see him as a likely target. OOPS! I don’t recall a SAM linebacker being that short. I might be missing someone, but I can’t think of one from the last 10-15 years.
This doesn’t mean that Kendricks can’t do it. This simply means that it is unusual. If Kendricks was 6-2, he would have been a 1st round pick, possibly Top 20. He doesn’t lack talent at all. Dude can flat out play.
I didn’t write a ton about him because I had tunnel vision and didn’t see him as a target. He’s 5-11, Bobby Wagner is 6-0. That’s just an inch. What’s the big deal? Well, there has to be a cut-off somewhere. You need to be 16 to drive, 18 to vote, 21 to drink. Why not 15, 17, and 20? Someone set minimum standards and that’s just what they are. Being 5-11 doesn’t mean that Kendricks can’t play. He’s a trend-breaker.
As we’ve talked about, playing SAM for the Eagles is different than in most 4-3 defenses. The SAM lines up several yards off the ball and inside of the DE. This essentially makes the SAM like another ILB. Well, Kendricks was a stud ILB for Cal. In some ways, he’ll be perfect for the role.
I’m told that Juan Castillo and the defensive coaches were pushing for Kendricks. What does that tell us? It means that Juan is trying to do with SAM what he wanted to do last year. He put Jamar Chaney at SAM since he was our best LB athlete (among the starters) and hoped that Jamar would be good vs the run and excel in coverage. 0 for 2 on that.
The principle is the same with Kendricks. He’s got a similar build to Chaney, but Jamar is 1 5/8 inches taller. Chaney was 242 at the Combine, Kendricks 240. Let’s compare their workouts:
size – 5111 , 240 ………. 6006 , 242
40 – 4.47 ……………….. 4.54
VJ – 39.5 ……………….. 39
BJ – 10’7″ ………………. 10’4″
3C – n/a …………………. 6.90
SS – 4.19 ………………… 4.29
BP – 24 reps ……………. 26
Jamar really had a great workout, but his athleticism doesn’t consistently show up on tape, NFL or college. Kendricks athleticism does show up. I think Juan hopes that he can fill the role that Jamar was unable to handle last year. To be fair to Jamar, he didn’t have a lot of time to learn and had poor LB play around him. Still, Jamar made too many basic mistakes to label his play anything other than disappointing.
Kendricks will challenge for the SAM job right away. Reid and Chaney have been asked about Jamar’s role in 2012, but nothing is definite. I wonder if Chaney would be given a chance to beat out Rolle for the WLB spot. You would then have either Moise Fokou or Akeem Jordan battle with Kendricks at SAM.
Here is my draft profile of Kendricks.
One long term note…Kendricks can move to MLB in a few years if/when Ryans moves on.
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Vinny Curry is a player that I think very highly of. I actually have him ranked as #4 DE, ahead of guys like Nick Perry, Andre Branch, and Chandler Jones. Curry impressed me during the year.
He really stood out to me at the Senior Bowl. Here are some notes:
Game – V Curry – RDE. Got under Glenn and moved him back a step on run play. Unblocked on WR screen. Flew off the edge and deflected the pass. Gift sack when Ta’Amu flushed QB to him. Good pressure on Weeden’s INT. Came off quickly and got under the LT. Move him back, then went inside and hit the QB as he threw. McCants did a solid job of blocking him 1-on-1 a few times. Used an inside move to get to RB in the backfield. Good up and under move. Gift sack in the 3rd Qtr. Was blocked by RT. RG shoved him from the side, which knocked him off the block and QB just happened to drift to that area. Easy sack. Got into Sanders on run play and moved him backward, showing good strength. Uses hands/arms well. Physical player. Times his get-off really well. Hustled and tried to get in on tackle of Joe Adams, but got juked.
Day 3 – Vinny Curry — Very good day. Had success as an edge rusher. Explosive when he times his get-off just right. Moved inside to DT for some reps and absolutely killed the G’s he went up against. They had no answer for his quickness. Uses his hands well to shed blocks in some drills. Disruptive player who has looked good so far.
Curry isn’t a Senior Bowl wonder. He was the C-USA Defensive Player of the Year. Curry racked up 11 sacks, 7 FFs, and 3 blocked kicks. He had more than 40 solo tackles each of the last 2 years, which shows good hustle. Curry finished his career with 26.5 sacks, 49 TFLs (amazing) and 10 FFs.
Curry played both RDE and LDE. Quick off the ball. Not explosive, but good. Uses his hands very well. Keeps blockers from getting into his body. Curry has a great motor. Will work relentlessly to get to the ball. Makes hustle plays when chasing the QB or on run plays. Has a good swim move. Will go inside at times to blockers can’t just sell out to stop his wide rushes. Other times Curry will mix in a spin move or even a bull rush. Not just a guy that flies off the edge over and over.
Plays smart. Understands how to set up pass rush moves. Shows good awareness when reading plays and/or chasing the ball.
Biggest weakness is anchoring vs the run. Lacks ideal lower body strength. Can get moved off the ball by some OTs and will really struggle when he’s taking on double teams. Does have good upper body strength. You see that in his ability to shed blocks and his 28 bench reps.
Curry is an excellent fit in the Wide-9 due to his speed off the edge and his motor. He plays all out. Might remind you of former Eagle DE Derrick Burgess. Curry’s arrival is great, except for one DE. With Cole, Babin, and Graham in place there is room to keep 2 more guys. Curry is one. Will the other be Phillip Hunt or Darryl Tapp? I would rather keep Hunt. Tapp does have some trade value. Not much, but could be used with a pick to move up in a round. Wonder if CAR needs a backup DE?
* * * * *
QB Nick Foles…didn’t like the pick.
Nick has potential. He is a talented football player. He just isn’t my cup of tea. I don’t feel strongly that he’ll be a future starter so spending a 3rd round pick on him wasn’t an option in my mind. Clearly Andy Reid and the Eagles feel differently. I do trust Reid when it comes to QBs. Big Red has shown a good feel for QBs over the years.
Nick at his best can be impressive. He is huge at 6-5, 243. He was a gifted athlete in high school, although you don’t see a lot of that in his Arizona tape. There are times when he will make some really impressive throws. Can put good touch on the ball. Can be very accurate. Rating his decision-making is tough due to the spread offense. That limits reads so QBs aren’t as easy to judge. There are some plays where Nick will throw a beautiful deep ball and look really impressive.
So what is the down side? Foles doesn’t always have good footwork. This can lead to some sloppy throws. Go watch some Juron Criner (WR) highlights. You’ll see him make some spectacular catches. There are some throws where Foles is just giving his guy a chance to make a play. Other times the ball is off target and Criner has to adjust. I have seen too many deep passes where the receiver had to slow down and wait for the ball.
Here are my notes on him from the Senior Bowl game:
Foles — Hit Adams for a long gain down the left side. Pretty good throw. Hit Ballard with swing pass for short gain. Good throw. Touch. Led him so it was easy catch. Downfield throws seem to have a downward trajectory. Balls die early. Dropbacks aren’t ideal. Footwork needs work. Bounced throw to Criner over the deep middle. Pretty good pass to Joe Adams on the left side. Short throw turned into a long gain. Wasn’t a bullet, but the ball was to the outside where the CB could not get to it. Hung tough in the pocket with some pressure and hit Fuller for gain of 6. Solid throw. Looked more comfortable in the shotgun. Poor throw to slot receiver running quick out. Ball was broken up. Pass was behind the WR. Sacked by Curry. Didn’t look good on that. Basically ran into the sack. Next play was PA pass. Good fake and then a good throw to Criner over the middle for 19. Made awkward pitch to RB on outside play. Tried to hit Fuller over the deep middle, but the ball died on him. Hit Joe Adams with a couple of quick screens to move the chains. Tried a quick throw to the left side for Joe. Ball was behind him and fell incomplete. Might be a good thing. Safety had buzzed to that area and might have picked off a good throw. I don’t think Nick understood how fast Adams is and that’s why the throw was behind him. Hit Criner for TD on the next play. Did a good job of looking off the FS and keeping the ball to the inside so the CB couldn’t knock it away.
I do value the fact that Foles started for almost 3 full years. He was durable and productive. Finished his career with 10,011 passing yards, 67 TDs, and 33 INTs. That’s the kind of background and experience that you want in a QB prospect.
Normally I like my QBs to be 6-3, 225 or so. Foles is bigger than that. Huge QBs tend to make me nervous because they are such big targets i the pocket. That said, I’m curious to see what life is like with a big QB. Jaws, Randall, Bubby, Rodney, Bobby, Ty, Koy, Donovan, AJ, McMahon, Kolb, and Vick are all small or average sized. Nick is the biggest QB for the Eagles in a long time. He’ll have no issues with seeing over the OL. He’s got the bulk to sit in the pocket and take a beating.
I need to watch a lot of tape on Nick before I get too in depth with him. Not my favorite pick, but I do realize that the guy is talented and has the potential to be a good NFL QB. We’ll see what happens.
* * * * *
I was very happy with the fact Howie moved back and was able to pick up a 4th round pick. Eagles now head into Saturday with:
4th
5th
6th
6th
7th
I’ll post a preview for Day 3 on Saturday morning.
As the team with Dixon, Cox, and Peters, I think it’s obvious we’ll be drafting McNutt.
Would drafting a player from Ball State fit in?
I was digging this draft so much, but the Foles pick left a bad taste in my mouth. Spending a 3rd round pick on a guy whose absolute ceiling is that of a broke-ass poor man’s Kerry Collins? Ugh. No thanks.
Mad credit for the first 3 picks, though. They might be good enough to help me overlook the god forsaken Foles pick.
I think once the fans get to know Foles more, the more they will like him. I’ll be honest, I really didn’t know much about him before we drafted him. I expected us to target someone like Cousins, Wilson, or Lindley. Once we got him I quickly went to go read about him, and everything they said I liked. Hes got great size, accuracy, and deep ball skills; you can’t teach that stuff. What he does lack in the eagles can teach very well.
One thing That stood out to me was his Gruden interview on espn. He seemed a little awkward when he talked; a little nerdy. I’ll tell you though, I like that. You could see how bright the kid was based how how well his memory was of something. He could tell you everything about anything he was asked in detail and that has to make you think he can replicate that on the field in a positive way. You could also he that he probably wont be rattled by fans/media. Lets be honest, he was just drafted and were already scrutinizing him. But I’m sure he doesn’t care and just wants to get as good as he can get.
Right now it looks like a weird pick based on past eagles Qb picks, but anyone who gets comparisons to Big Ben (saw a couple based on size and competitiveness) is cool in my book
I think we’ll warm up to the pick too, but only because the rest of the draft so far has been good. If we land a guy in the fourth that everybody likes, a guy like Boykin who could have been the target in the third, this will probably go over better.
I think people would have liked this pick more if it wasn’t a “valuable third rounder” or “the dreaded Eagles’ third round.”
For a late third that’s practically a fourth, I’m okay with it, though I preferred Boykin. The idea that they worked out Lindley and Cousins and still took Foles is encouraging.
Also my expectations are tempered; I think it’s always good to be drafting QBs but silly to be projecting what they’ll end up being. Foles and Vick are on the roster. Kafka and Edwards are battling for the two spot. If there’s an injury early, or if they’re all great, maybe we’ll keep all four, although with so many young defenders, I think we’re going to need the roster spot. Forget about the idea of stashing a QB on the practice squad. Why even bother, he’s gonna get yoked up by another team ASAP.
I think we just drafted a backup qb. We already have Kafka, so why bother?
randall was 6’4″ wasnt he? he was skinny though, like 217 or something…
Donovan was average sized? He looked like a tank out there, a tank filled with delicious Campbell’s soup.
average height, but definitely above average girth late in his career.
Donovan McFlab.
6-3, 225 when picked. Bulked up over time.
Nick is 6-5, 243 as a boy. He’ll grow as a man.
Is it just me, or does Kendricks look exactly like Drake…
DVR ALERT – GRUDEN’S QB CAMP WITH NICK FOLES
Saturday (today), 11:30am EST on ESPN-U
youtube of it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XZctkGOXflg
I’ve figured it out: whatever the trend is, the Eagles buck it.
* Go to 5 conference championships in 10 years? No Super Bowl ring.
* Trade out of or miss on a pick in the 1st round of the draft consistently? Win consistently.
* Dominate free agency with an existing playoff-caliber team? 8-8.
* Surprise everyone with 1st round pick? Pick the consensus favorite.
I could go farther, but you get the gist.
I say this, not for me, but in the hopes of shutting up the highly annoying fans of other teams: this will be a bad year.
PS – I think I’ve had Morton all wrong. Pure genius. We need more.
Hey Tommy I was looking at the top combine results for OTs for the draft and noticed one player putting up TE numbers at 6’4 327 lbs. His name Michael Harris from UCLA. Do you have a scouting report on him? or any idea of what kind of OT he can be putting up those numbers?
Also, funny thing, he lives 15 feet from my house, literally. I see him everyday and did not know he was entering the draft -_-
http://insider.espn.go.com/nfl/draft/player?id=28890&_slug_=mike-harris&action=login&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fnfl%2fdraft%2fplayer%3fid%3d28890%26_slug_%3dmike-harris
http://espn.go.com/nfl/draft/combine/_/id/46
I think they are confusing his numbers with the CB Mike Harris form FSU.
Not much of a scout, dude!
Well, a positive for Foles – you can’t coach size.
It’ll just be neat having a big QB on the team for a change.
Tommy, with the pick of Kendrick’s, is it possible that we moving back to the more traditional way of playing SAM
Andy Reid on Foles below…he noted all freshman o-line which was interesting. Notes of mine: Foles also avg’d 46 pass attempts a game (so you have to consider fatigue when looking for perfect footwork and passes), and had only 3 games under 350 yards passing out of 12 this year…had a brutal schedule to end 2010 and begin 2011 and lost 10 games out of them…2 each vs USC, Oregon, Stanford, Oklahoma State…4 straight games against top 10 teams this year with Mike Stoops running the offense into the ground. Foles ran a hurry up offense a lot of the time.
Reid on Foles –
He was also a heck of a basketball player. He was recruited by Georgetown, Texas and Baylor, so you’re getting a big man, but also a good athlete. Not necessarily a runner. That’s not his deal, but he’s got good feet, pocket presence and he’s smart. We had an opportunity to work him out and then we also brought him up here on one of our top 30 visits and grilled him pretty hard there
Now the rest is just seeing how he fits in and develops in our offense. Again, that’s a risk there. I feel like you’re getting a big arm and a smart kid who loves to play the game and has had a lot of success.”
He played behind an all-freshmen offensive line, so he’s not going to stand up here and tell you that. I’m going to tell you that that’s not an easy thing to do. He never complained about it, he rallied those kids around him; he took some pretty big hits knowing that those kids are going to be good players down the road, but they were learning at that time.
“His percentage under pressure was as good or better than anybody in the country. The receivers, obviously (Arizona WR Juron) Criner was a heck of a player for him and he was his go-to guy. After that, there weren’t a lot of people around him. There were young guys that he helped develop for the future of Arizona there. That’s reality. Those are things that as a coach and as a scout, there are things (general manager) Howie (Roseman) and I had to look at and evaluate. Coming out of it we still felt like he did a heck of a job.”
great points. McShay made the under pressure point too
Before the draft and the Ryans trade, I wanted Keuchly, Wolfe and Boykin (1a) or Cox, Kendricks and Boykin (1b). Moreover, I was convinced that the Giants were going to take Kendricks which really peed me off. I also took my eye off Kendricks somewhat when Ryans was bought in, but over in the EMB blog, there was a discussion on whether Keuch could play SAM as there was here, I am sure if that had been expanded to Kendricks we may all have been less shocked with the pick.
I also thought we’d add a DE and a QB, but I wasn’t sure we’d be able to add Curry because Boykin was going in the 2nd; right? To get a Curry with freebies is amazing as an Englishman will attest. Similar to Matt’s last mock I though Baquette was a likely target because of where we would address DE, but hey, had we have waited for that, we’d still be waiting and wanting.
I woke this morning (I went to bed after my Curry), to the news of Foles before this article was posted. I has asked a lot about Russell Wilson, I also thought that had the 29 year old been around at #46 we would been very interested. I had Foles, Moore and Keenum as possible candidates in that order in the later rounds. My reaction echoed what was said here – too early! However, Brandon Boykin, Ron Brooks and DeQuan Menzie are all still available, clealry taking any off these guys where they been mocked would have been reach – crazy! Foles in 4 or 5 may never of happened. Will can still complete this ‘Dream Draft’, we can still get Boykin! There are also some great ‘biggie’ and ‘quickie’ WRs left too.
Yeah, I think I raised the question of whether Luke could play SAM (together with London Fletcher as MIKE) back in January but never considered Kendricks as SAM. His speed and vertical though make me think he can.
Excuse me, I’m just here to boo the puns.
BOOOOOO
There is a noted correlation between the Eagles and players from Cincinatti, well the last time we drafted a Cal Golden Bear with an undersized pick in the 40’s, it didn’t turn out too bad.
I certainly hope they see the slot corner as the final hole. Package a 6th, and Tapp and move up to the beginning of the 4th. Grab Boykin. Seriously, if they can get Boykin that will erase the WTF did I just stay up for the Foles pick for feeling in my mouth. Reid was really itchy in the war room with all those defensive picks. “MUST TAKE QB” and ruin the perfect draft. Joselio got best like a drum by welker. Please don’t go into the season thinking he can still handle the job. 4-Boykin 5-oline depth or WR 6- BPA 7- BPA
Ok. Day three. Major work still ahead. Offensive toys on the horizon for sure right??? I really hope they double up/down on polar opposite receiver picks. Like Streeter and then Jarius Wright. Must come out with big body, wingspan and red zone for sure… a couple rs types would be pretty satisfying too!
Thanks Tommy – you are the best – without these write ups the draft would not be half as enjoyable!
Keep up the amazing work – how do you have enough time to do all this – you ROCK!!!
Today’s Wish list
Two of these please: Boykin, Marvin Jones, Joe Adams, De’quan Menzie, Chris Rainey, Streeter, Cyrus Gray, Nate Potter. There are a ton of decent receivers left. Please get one with Kick Return ability
2 questions for you Tommy…
I know Hicks is gone ((that big bear out of Canada), but what guys are left, regardless of position, that astound with their measurables?
In your opinion, are there any possible Pro Personnel targets for today, i.e. the Ellis Hobbs trade?
Round 7 – Charles Deas DT Shaw. Huge. Athletic. Signed with LSU but academics didn’t measure up. Tremendous motor – plays 7 downs at a time. Ours would be the perfect situation for him. Great coaches. Great mentors. No pressure – and time.
Of course, I thought Akiem Hicks was a Round 6 prospect…
Great analysis as always. 7FFs in one year by Curry – THAT is an AMAZING stat!
I hate the way Reid’s hobby of drafting second tier qbs and trying to coach them up gets in the way of drafting for immediate needs. Eagles need a big red zone target, a slot receiver and corner, and a backup interior OL and instead we get a guy guaranteed to be no more than a 3d string QB. We could have gotten through the year with Edwards as the third string QB and there will be another draft next year Andy.
Maybe Foley can become the red zone target. I see no choice but to sign Plax now and I never thought I’d have to say that.
Joe Adams and Boykin would shed the discomfort I feel in passing up both David and Wagner.
Tommy please make me feel better about Sgt. Kendricks and the third round pick Foles.
David is too small and has trouble shedding blocks…Wagner played in a crappy conference…he and Kendryks are the same size, but Kendryks played against competition at a much higher level and was the player of the year…..ill take him.
Exhale, thanks.
Wagner plays with f’in turtle dolls!!
Turtle doves?
No, turtle dolls. He’s a big Ninja Turtle guy with a huge collection of that stuff. I posted a video a while ago on these pages. google it. Am I old-fashioned or is that weird?
Ah, he might have some “BigKid” in him.
The reason many entrepeneurs, CEOS, professional athletes etc, have a stubborn arrogant streak in them that often makes them successful. Part of the reason for Andy’s Reid’s success is those same attributes. The refusal to run the football in the 4th quarter when up by 2 touchdowns(or any other time for that matter) is one of many examples. The drafting of Nick Foles in the 3rd round is clearly one of those stubborn arrogant decisions.
Look Andy Reid and his staff know more than all of us put together about football. He can clearly coach-up QBs(Koy Detmer, Donovan McNabb, AJ Feeley, K Kolb) In a draft where all people could talk about for 3 months was the top two QBs, Andy Reid decided he was gonna draft a QB that no one was talking about and turn him into a star. I have no problem with that except that the guy wasn’t even close to BPA where he was drafted. Nick Foles is tall, has a good build, and can throw a football. He has an above average arm, slow release, awkward footwork, and avg to below avg accuracy.
I just don’t get it. Its almost like he said ‘we are having a great draft, so let’s roll the dice’. I really hope I am a typical know-it-all Philly fan and Foles turns out to be a superstar. But in my opinion, Kafka will be beter than Foles ever will and thats not saying a whole lot.
Two questions:
First, does Foles have a good arm? I feel like I have read yes and no to that question.
Second, have you heard anything on why Boykins has dropped so much in the draft? Most had him pegged as a late second round pick. It seems a lot of CBs rated below him have been drafted.
I would persoanlly like to thank the Cardinals organization…..Cardinals got Kevin Kolb……Eagles got DRC, a 2nd, a 4th, and Vinny Curry. Nuff said…..
It is pretty obvious that Big Red and Howie are reading Tommy’s blog and the pick of Foles was simply done to divert everyone away from that fact. 2 of the first 3 picks from Tommy’s personal “covet” list.
Would Boykin be worth a trade-up Tommy?
I would certanly offer up Tapp and/or a 6th to move up to the beginning of the 4th for Boykin….He was on a lot of mocks as a 2nd or 3rd round talent. I am suprised he lasted this long. That would fill the final hole on the Eagles….after that it could truly be BPA.
Would be very happy if they did that, Slot CB and Slot WR/RS on the last day please!
Vinny Curry Highlights….can you say “Trent Cole Reincarnated?”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rFM1Hpa2THw
Granted, it IS a highlight piece meant to showcase Curry’s best plays, but one obvious thing I take from it is that he definitely has NFL strength and more importantly NFL speed.
Glad we got him!
Every single year, there is a guy or two that every pundit had in the first 3 rounds that gets pushed down to rounds 5 or 6 which Eagle fans go nuts over because they recognize their name. GRAB BOYKIN, I’VE HEARD OF HIM!!!!
I kind of remember the same thing happening with Ikewongo or whatever that dude’s name was a few years back. People were crying for the Eagles to take him and we did. The end.
Need a slot corner and RS he is the best avail. Played against SEC competitions and held his own. The end.
Tommy,
With his speed why cant kendricks play WIL? Im not as familiar with the roles of the WIL in the wide nine but in the past it was supposed to be our playmaking LB
Heres what cosell says on twitter @gregcosell: Love Eagles pick of Kendricks. Clearly philosophy change w/Ryans + drafting of Kendricks. Fast + physical, + can blitz. Great sideline-to-sideline range.
There is no doubt about Kendricks blitzing ability and is certain he will play SAM. So really the biggest question is with his height is he able to cover and tackle a TE who is 6’5 260. Kendricks attacks, forceful, and quick reaction. From what i can tell Chaney has no chance simply because of the different skill set.
Everybody knows Vinny Curry has a good motor and strength. Tapp has neither. I see Curry as predominantly RDE. And I am just glad eagles have a backup QB who can throw down field even if it is just heaving the ball.
Agreed. graham backs up Babin. Curry backs up Cole. Hunt cleans up the mess.
I’ll re-iterate what I said in the previous thread:
– I am certain that Lavonte David will have a better NFL career than Mychael Kendricks. David was clearly the best 4-3 LB prospect left after Kuechly, and the Eagles would have been better served to pick him with their first 2nd round pick. Hell, I think Sean Spence will be the better LB in the NFL and would have fit the Eagles’ 4-3 better than Kendricks will. I don’t care about “scheme fit” or what Juan Castillo wanted in his “system” – David (and even Spence) was just the better football player, period, and that talent and skill will show up in the NFL regardless of any particular defensive scheme. Talent transcends (and supercedes, in the draft) scheme.
– I am underwhelmed by the Vinny Curry selection. He has absolutely horrific lack of athleticism and thus his ceilng in the NFL is lower than that of an apartment crawlspace. Sure, he tries hard on every snap and gets things done in college, but I’m not seeing a remotely impactful player in the NFL. Picking Curry in the late 2nd round was probably a mistake given: a.) the amount of DE talent already on the roster and b.) the level of talent available at that pick at other positions: Russell Wilson (if you wanted him instead of Foles you had to pick him here), Josh Robinson (one of the best CB prospects), Casey Hayward (good CB prospect), Ruben Randle (elite WR prospect), LaMichael James (Darren Sproles clone), Mike Martin (4-3 NT prospect; Mike Patterson replacement), Mohammed Sanu (elite possession WR prospect), T.Y. Hilton (DeSean Jackson clone). Any one of these prospects would have been a better pick at #59.
– The Nick Foles pick is basically just a wasted pick. Foles will do nothing in the NFL and may not even be capable of being a solid backup. This pick clearly just reeks of Andy Reid’s arrogance – “I can develop this kid into another Kevin Kolb”. I would rather have had Kellen Moore or Kirk Cousins at this pick if the Eagles were dead-set on picking a QB prospect at this point in the draft. But I would rather have had Russell Wilson more than anyone, but he would have to have been picked by the Eagles with the #59 pick if they truly wanted him.
– That having been said, the Eagles can still make this a decent draft if they pick one or more of the following players in the 4th-7th rounds: [b]Markelle Martin (solid FS prospect, great value in 4th-7th), George Iloka (physically gifted FS/SS prospect worth risk this late), Ronnell Lewis (quality LB prospect), Brandon Boykin (quality CB prospect with medical red flags but worth the risk in 4th-7th), Bobby Massie (quality developmental OT prospect), Nate Potter (another quality late-round developmental OT prospect), Marvin McNutt (very solid big-bodied possession WR prospect), Chris Polk (quality RB prospect that does it all – pass catch, block, run), Cyrus Gray (great RB prospect with excellent pass-catching abilities), and Robert Turbin (productive college RB worth taking risk on in 4th-7th)[/b].
You would be underwhelmed by them picking Patrick Willis.
Every time you post it means someone else somewhere is being extremely positive about something. I bet that burns you up inside.
The best was when Morton talked ad nauseum about how Luke Skywalker wasn’t athletic which the combine would surely prove. Then his posted meaureables were off the chart. Tommy called him on it and Morton still wouldn’t relent and said he doesn’t play as fast as his combine numbers……guy had 190 tackles last year. Anyway, if you ever think you want to argue or dispute a post that Morton makes, just keep this bit of knowledge in your head. It’s all a game to him.
Something that is bringing a smile to my face and helping me worry less about Reuben Randal becoming a Giant. Our D-line vs NFC East projected OL..
Eagles DL (assuming Tapp gets traded)
LDE – Jason Babin – Brandon Graham
UT – Cullen Jenkins – Fletcher Cox – Cedric Thornton
NT – Mike Patterson – Antonio Dixon – Derek landri
RDE – Trent Cole – Phillip Hunt – Vinny Curry
VS
Dallas
LT – Tyron Smith
OG – Nate Livigns
C – Phil Costa
OG – Mackenzy Bernadeau
RT – Doug Free
Redskins
LT – Trent Williams
OG – Kory Lichtensteiger
C – Will Montgomery
OG – Chris Chester
RT – Jamaal Brown
Giants
LT – William Beatty
OG – Kevin Boothe
C – David Baas
OG – Chris Snee
RT – David Diehl
I’d fancy our DL to destroy all of those lines. The middle of the Dallas OL is in for a shock.
Re: Foles, here’s what you have to ask yourself: Do I hate the player, do I hate the value or do I hate that we could’ve had someone else I coveted with that pick?
Kafka was a well-received fourth-rounder who was much more raw and project-y, and didn’t meet this much scrutiny. He was coming into a different QB situation though.
I wasn’t coveting Foles either, but the collective ‘ugh’ for him is a little much IMO. Maybe a collective ‘meh’ would be more appropriate.
While trying hard not to be a Negadelphian, many people are sick of saying, “I told you so.”
True, a number of people live to say that phrase, but I believe many more don’t want to be right in that way any longer.
Well said. Agreed
I think it’s an “ugh” because the guy we wanted in the second, Brandon Boykin, was sitting right there in the third, and we didn’t grab him, (and I don’t think it’s likely we’ll be lucky enough to grab him in the 4th, although one never knows). Also, it’s an “ugh” because we’ve been talking about bolstering our offensive Red Zone presence, and we passed over so many good options. I would have loved trading up a few spots to grab Sanu. I think we needed help in the slot (on O and D) in the Red Zone on O than we needed a QB-project (or another DE, for that matter, even though Curry might have been too good to pass up).
If we trade Tapp and a low pick to get a pick in the 4th, and can get both Boykin AND a guy like, say, Ladarius Green, I think we’ll feel a lot less “ugh” about Foles in the third.
P.S. I hate Negaldelphians with a passion, so please don’t think that’s what I’m doing here.
I understand that people question taking Foles but to say that our draft is now not as good because of it is a joke. Foles is a nice project for Andy and Marty to work with while Vick wins us a whole lot of games, nothing wrong with taking a guy you see as the future at the most key position on the feild. The birds still have a good amount of picks left today and alot of good players are on the board my wish list would be..Boykins or other slot CB.. OL depth..WR possiblely Juron Criner who was nick foles go to guy at AZ or late in the draft my steal is cody peracy a D3 wide out
As far as a developmental Qb goes – I have no problem with Foles. My complaint about the pick is the wasted opportunity. Tremendous talent was available that won’t last long. Brandon Thompson, Brandon Boykin, Marvin Jones, Massie, Ta’amu, Miller. Foles was not the BPA and it is the squandered opportunity that leaves a bad taste. Had those players been off the board, then Foles as a pick would sit better with us.
I’ve been rewatching his tape since last night – and what I like best about him (outside of his measurables – which I do like) is his quick decision making. He kid is smart and clearly can read a defense which gives him a leg up. But he makes his reads and decisions quickly – I mean really quickly/ sometimes too quickly. I don’t mean to say he locks on a player and delivers the ball quick, I mean he runs through his progressions REALLY fast. Option 1. Option 2. Option 3. Option 4. Hit option 2! His problem is the opposite of most rookies where they don’t make all reads before they deliver – locking on one player to see if it develops.. Foles, sometimes writes off a play before it had time to develop. I think Reid will be able to work with that and help him slow his game down.
I had very low expectations for rounds 3 and 4. Its been over a decade now since we found a impact player round 3 who had a long term positive impact for the Eagles. With all that talent, I thought we had a good chance to buck that trend. I do think Foles is a better pick than a lot of our 3rd round picks lately, but what was there for the taking is so hard to let slip by…
P.S. I hate Negaldelphians with a passion, so please don’t think that’s what I’m doing here.
I am curious if the Eagles look at the 3rd round in a different way. We have had very limited success in the 3rd round. Since BWest, we haven’t had a true hit in the 3rd round. Also, it seems we target projects very regularly in the third round. Just to name a few:
Nick Foles
Curtis Marsh
Daniel Te’o-Nesheim
Bryan Smith
Chris Gocong
Ryan Moats (I’m not 100% sure if he was a project pick but I seem to recall he was)
Even Westbrook was a project pick in the 3rd round coming out of Villanova.
Is this a coincidence or do the Eagles specifically seek out projects in the 3rd making the round a true boom or bust round?
RE: Nick Foles
The NFL has never had a quarterback from the U of AZ.
(If that’s been noted before, my apologies)
I love the guy’s size. But his delivery isn’t as tight and explosive as Lindley.
I really hated that the Eagles spent a 3rd rounder on a QB — this guy or anyone else . . . especially because he’s from a pure spread.
Would have preferred Lindley.
New post is up for Day 3.
http://bit.ly/IfL4r6