Misc Draft Info
Posted: May 14th, 2014 | Author: Tommy Lawlor | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | 131 Comments »Paul Domowitch is great with his NFL insider pieces. He spoke to a personnel man who really liked the Eagles draft. I’ll post a couple of excerpts, but do yourself a favor and go read the whole piece.
On Marcus Smith —
“I watched him and couldn’t fall in love with him, especially not in the first round. He’s out of the Trent Cole, Jason Babin mold, which isn’t a bad thing. But he’s a wide rusher. You don’t want him lining up over the tackle and have to have him hold the point [of attack]. You don’t want him doing that.
“The best way to use him is to keep him on the move. Put him over a tight end or move him in a gap. Move him upfield. That’s his game. His game is movement. It’s not power. The Eagles obviously see him as a better fit for their scheme than we did for ours. We just couldn’t figure out a position for him.
“He’s got a good motor. He’s a little stiff in the hips, but can bend the edge. He was overmatched in one-on-ones at the Senior Bowl. He has a huge upside as a rusher, though. He’s an above-average athlete. He gives you speed off the corner and is explosive at the point of attack when he’s moving.”
On Josh Huff —
“He’s another guy I really like. They took him exactly where we had him – in the third round. The kid has outstanding hands. Not good, not excellent. Outstanding. He’s a quick-twitch receiver. He explodes off the line of scrimmage.
“He’s versatile. He can play inside or outside. You can line him up in the backfield. Oregon did that a lot with him and got him matched up on linebackers. That was, like, forget it.
“You can motion him and throw it to him in the flat. He shows great ability to adjust to off-target throws. He has good body control. He’s effective on bubble screens. He’s a difficult guy to cover because of his suddenness. He’s elusive in space. Has good balance. He can elude tacklers and run by defenders. He can play in the slot or on the outside.
“He does have some diva in him. He can be a high-maintenance guy, but Chip [Kelly] obviously knows him, and that should help. We loved his tape, but didn’t like his interview process. He was kind of clownish in his interview with us. He’s one of those guys who will make a 20-yard catch, then lay on the turf. He’s not a mouthy diva. He’s not going to do a lot of trash-talking. He’s more of a see-what-I-just-did guy, which, sadly, is not unlike 90 percent of the receivers in the league. But I loved him.”
Speaking of Huff, he has already signed a contract. I sure don’t miss the days of the long holdouts.
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The Eagles had signed Taylor Martinez from Nebraska as a UDFA. Unfortunately, he failed his physical and won’t be joining the team. He needs surgery on his foot.
Martinez is a great athlete, but faced a major challenge in trying to make the team. He was a man without a natural position. Martinez was a QB in college, but was going to move to either DB or WR in the NFL. You can bet he’ll be in someone’s camp next year.
For those who are college football fans, Martinez is one of those guys who seemed to be in school for 10 years. It will be weird to watch Nebraska and not see or hear about him. Good luck to the young man.
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Help the Eagles name their podcast.
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Here’s an interesting comment from Dallas writer and draft guru Rick Gosselin.
Question: What should be our realistic expectations from this draft class? If you listen to the lion tamer, we will win the Super Bowl this year.
Gosselin: Zack Martin needs to step in and get the Cowboys more comfortable with the idea of running the ball. Demarcus Lawrence needs to be a 10-sack pass rusher to justify the two picks it took to get him. I still think the Cowboys are a draft away from competing with the Eagles in the East and probably two good drafts away from any idea of Super Bowl contention.
Which team was 4-12 just a couple of years ago?
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“…two good drafts away from any idea of Super Bowl contention.”
So, that will take, what, 50 years?
I hope Jerry lives longer than that
We all know he’s not going to die until that guy who cleans his glasses during the game gets fed up and throws him down a pit, much like what happened to his cousin, Emperor Palpetine.
That’s funny… I always thought the great Jim Johnson looked like Emperor Palpetine
And I hope his son keeps his thing going:
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000350323/article/kony-ealy-had-cowboys-eye-absent-trade
Last year the board, this year he names names. I don’t get how you can be this stupid.
Howie > Jones’s
See up top what the Eagles got out of their 22nd pick and now compare what the Cowboys gave up to get Lawerence.
Ealy fits their system better than Lawerence and Trai Turner would have been a great guard for them.
I know some people would point to our trade up, but we only gave up a 4th, not a mid a 3rd.
I told my wife when Dallas made that pick, that the value was way off, they just helped out the Skins, and they just hamstrung themselves by giving up so much to jump up those spots.
They were extremely happy in the Dallas war room—- and so was I sitting at home. I actually high five’d my dog, Trotter
For me, the Huff pick was unexpected. I hadn’t read about him going into the draft. The more I read, though, the more excited I am. I think he could develop into a fan favorite.
I was trying to think of who Huff reminded me of while watching tape. There wasn’t a WR that came to mind. But I thought of a less explosive Reggie Bush.
Maybe a slightly better Earl Bennett?
http://www.nfl.com/combine/profiles/earl-bennett?id=733
I had to double check to see that I wasn’t reading Jordan Matthew’s profile..
Randell Cobb from the Packers
Yah Randall Cobb type versatility. Cobb has lined up in the backfield a bit for Green Bay, and that might be something Huff does for us to create those mismatches.
Derrick Mason.
i def knew it was a high possibilty, just from doing research on chip before last season, he was always talking good about huff. and chip doesnt throw out complements or gush about just any player
He’s basically a Hines Ward we can love. A cipher wrapped in toughness and smothered in secret sauce.
Way more explosive than Hines! but yeah
I wonder if TSOP thinks we’re taking a gamble with Huff…
Just relistened to the h2h predraft show. Kudos to you Tommy for naming Marcus Smith as a traceback first round target there.
josh huff is a diva?, didnt know all that. clownish in interviews? guess he knew chip was gonna draft and didnt care lol..
Best news i’ve herad. I’ll personally pay for some salsa classes for the Giants games, I hope he lays on the star in Dallas, do the thing where he runs next to the end zone after he beats people over the top.
as long as you never got mad at desean for doing it.. lol
Nah that’s what I loved most about him. Feel like he really threw it in their faces invigorated the rivalries.
yeah i loved it… smh… all that from one of the smallest players in the nfl, gotta respect it
What I had read about Huff previously was that he was very immature in general – a big kid. But I think Kelly has no problem with big kids, as long as they love to play the game, and that sounds like Huff. Also, I remember reading somewhere that Huff grew up in difficult circumstances. Didn’t get the details, and can’t put my hands on it now, but that may factor in to some of his presentation issues in interviews.
http://www.oregonlive.com/ducks/index.ssf/2013/09/oregon_football_ducks_receiver.html
His own mother tried to kill him.
Thanks for the link. Amazing story, and I can certainly see how that might affect him in high-stress social interactions like interviews.
Yeah, he didn’t exactly have the best upbringing. Bet his Mama is pretty happy today though– wonder if they will ever reconcile their relationship?
Man, think about how messed up she was to swing a 2×4 at her sons’ head! Good thing she missed and he moved
Interesting about Huff lining up in the backfield, that sounds like a very Chip thing to do. Good odds we see a bunch of that in the preseason.
Did it a bunch in the video someone posted yesterday, whether bubble screen or triple option — maybe he’s our 3rd down back 🙂
Huff was the TAZR before DAT was it at Oregon. TAZR is sorta the some position Sproles has played his whole career.
Interesting, and Huff has the better body to withstand the nfl and he’ll have Sproles as a mentor. It’s all making sense now.
We have Sproles for 2 years (anyone know if he can be cut next year, without any penalties)?? Huff is probably in the best place possible for him to transition from the college game, to the professional game.
Who is this personnel guy? First all the “although be it little” film I have watched,and all I have heard is that Smith is very fluid in the hips. Also to say Cole and Bozo I mean Babbin are of the same mold is a joke. I am very confidant in Cole at the point of attack all be it he is getting long in the tooth.
Seems like he was projecting Smith to a 4-3 where he’d serve as a standup rusher. In that kind of defense maybe you’d have to line him up wide to take advantage of his speed and compensate for his lack of size and still-developing repertoire of rush moves. Obviously we didn’t bring him here to play that role, so, yeah, the analysis misses the mark.
“The best way to use him is to keep him on the move. Put him over a tight end or move him in a gap. …”
this is the take that i got from watching his highlight videos as well. i can see why some teams would see this as a negative if they wanted a guy that would ONLY rush from one side of the field on every play. however, i don’t think that is the plan for this defense. i think the plan is to disguise who is rushing and where they are rushing to and from which place on the field. even this unnamed source seems to think thats a perfect fit for him
100%, Davis wants two complete OLBs who he can drop and move around without sacrificing. Cole and Graham is not fit to drop with a TE 20 yards down the seam like Barwin.
This relates back to a pre-draft discussion – given that the Eagles weren’t likely to get a complete LB who was also a high ceiling pass rusher in the draft, which trait were they going to prioritize? Seems like the versatility won out over pure pass rush ceiling.
There wasnt really any good pure pass rushers after Mack and Barr any way.
From the “never too soon to start looking at the next draft” category, I think there is a pretty clear trend developing in the Kelly/Roseman criteria for the top of the draft. Based on my research, look for Williams, Jones, or Brown to be at the top of our board next year.
http://genealogy.about.com/library/weekly/aa_common_surnames.htm
I know that current player comparisons based on messurables for rookies are complete wishful thinking but I wanted to pass along this comparison non the less. The parallels between Marcus Smith and Clay Matthews are very close. Based on H/W/S they are almost Identical.
Marcus Smith…….Clay Matthews
6’3 6’3
251 lbs 245 lbs
4.68 40 4.67 40
23 Bench Reps 23 Bench Reps
10’1 Broad Jump 10’1Broad Jump
35 IN Vert 35.5 IN Vert
Both Players draft at #26 Overall after trades involving major QBs we made by team. Eagles traded 22 (Manziel) for 26 and 83. Packers traded Brett Favre to Jets for 83rd Overall which was then added to 41st, and 73rd for the 26th pick. I realize that in terms of player type and motor we can only dream that Mr. Smith has even half the ability that matthews has shown since he came in the league but I found it a compelling parallel based on numbers.
I started to read it as Casey and my heart sank…….
Casey Matthews, on the other hand, has slightly less athletic abilities than Clay.
http://mockdraftable.com/player/481/
Casey is the anti thesis of athletic.
Anti thesis of athletic? Or the antichrist to Spider graphs?
Holy shit! I never saw his spider graph. That’s the worst thing I’ve ever seen.
Sucks that we don’t get a spider comparing Marcus to OLBs instead of DEs
I think I saw an updated OLB spider graph for him somewhere but I’m not sure
that might just have to be my new avatar
Although…they don’t include quality of family dinner conversations on mockdraftable’s spider graphs, so theres that.
oh my god…. that can’t be real…. no……..
why… ugh… sigh
That is horrifying. The only thing he’s even average in is speed, and even that he’s on the lower end of average!
There were so many awful picks in the late Andy Reid era…
http://www.bleedinggreennation.com/2011/4/30/2146254/full-philadelphia-eagles-2011-nfl-draft-results
Check and see who leads the poll at the bottom. God that was an awful draft class.
that is an itsy bitsy spider graph.
Hahaha that must have been a traumatic experience for u
Marcus was a brilliant pick…. He is the best young edge rusher in the NFC east and it’s probably not even going to be close once they all develop.
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1) Would we rather do what the cowboys did and spent multiple picks trading up for a limited knucklehead Lawrence(7 picks after Marcus)???
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2) would we rather have drafted WR Lee at 26, and traded up from 54 to draft Trent Murphy in the 40s, instead of trading up for Jordan Mathews?
Marquis Lee/Trent Murphy or Marcus Smith/Jordan Mathews???
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3) would we rather have Marcus Smith to groom or Damontre Moore who people don’t even remember is on the Giants roster?
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Think Marcus projects as a better pass rusher than those 3, and he should be better in coverage providing maximum disguise when playing across from Barwin
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No projecting involved. We have film of Marcus doing everything our defense will ask of a ROLB:
1) Rushing standing up as an OLB
2) Dropping into zone coverage and man coverage vs. TEs
3) sticking his hand in the dirt when we go to our 4man lines and rush from the DE position..when we are In those 4 man lines we do a lot of twisting and stunting and he is experienced at both and moves really well so projects to grow to do both at a high level
A) Crash inside. Attack the guard while Cox loops around him onto the outside and attacks the QB from the wing
B) Faking a few steps upfield rushing like he normally would
D, but be agile enough to change direction and loop inside around Cox and attack the QB up the middle
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The main concern is putting on weight, strength to set the edge/play the run. But that’s a pretty darn common concern for edge rushers transitioning from college to the pros..had Barr fallen to 22, everyone would be thrilled but he would bring that same exact problem. Fortunately. Like Lane, this is a smart kid who improves quickly so he should be ready to be a 3down OLB by the beginning of year two which is perfect since we have an elite run defender in Trent Cole that allows us to bring him along slow. Most edge rusher are Nickle pass rushers as rookies.
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So darn excited about McGovern coaching him up, leaning on great vets in Barwin and Trent…..
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I’m also interested in seeing the OLB growth of Travis Long who is also experienced rushing as an OLB and 4-3DE, and Bryan Braman. Just because he was brought here to play ST doesn’t mean he isn’t working on improving as an OLB…think 4th quarter or a preseason game watching Braman and Long playing OLB, with hart,Beau and Kruger upfront will be about as exciting 4th quarter of a preseason game as we could ever hope for
We’re in a 3-4. Marcus Smith isn’t supposed to be over the tackle, our DE is supposed to hook the tackle and occupy the guard. Does it look like Aldon Smith is “over the tackle” on all of those plays where Justin Smith occupies both the tackle and guard?
Jimmy said the following during his chat yesterday:
“Jimmy Kempski:
Look at it this way. With the 22nd overall pick the Eagles got Marcus Smith, Jaylen Watkins, and Taylor Hart.
If they had traded up to a range where they felt they had to get to in order to get Ha Ha, they probably would have had to have dealt their 3rd round pick, which turned out to be Josh Huff.
So what would you rather have:
A) Marcus Smith, Josh Huff, Jaylen Watkins, and Taylor Hart.
B) Ha Ha Clinton-Dix
I’ll take Group A every single time. ”
And I think he is very right in that. Rather have 4 players than 1 in time unless the player has out of this world talent and even then it can be a huge risk (see RG3 trade)
I wonder who we would have taken if we didn’t trade up for Matthews. That extra 4th round pick would have been nice to have too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb-iGaHfuV0
Here’s to hoping Huff and Matthews will be just as tough.
Tommy, is there a chance that we could trade Graham to the Panthers? Hardy will likely be suspended for a significant amount of time. Sure they have Ealy but there’s no depth after him.
The Panthers may have to…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SqC_m3yUDU
Our draft pics will be made available to the media tomorrow
How do you think Lamin Barrow would have fit as an ILB in our scheme? He was 6’1″ with 33.5 arms and over 10″ hands? Ran a 4.65 forty.
A pure run stopping ILB.
Yeah I didn’t see it..like our safeties, the ILB we add will be strong in coverag
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Curious to see the new era of steelers backers Worlids,Shazier,Jarvis Jones….. Boreland would have been an awesome addition for them
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Ravens and Mosley is just a match made in heaven
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Marcus smith and Jarvis are very close. Marcus says he leaned on him a lot with questions transitioning to OLB
The difference is Smith has better pro potential than Jones.
Jones is a super stiff guy and cant really cover
Yup yup…which surprised me to see dick lebeau sign off on him…and not just as an OLB..when we go 4man lime Jarvis isn’t agile enough to change direction,twist and stunt the way Marcus will be able to…
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On paper Jarvis seemed like the perfect Steeler pick! but kind of found it odd.. Minds drawing a blank, who is the other ILB that will play with Shazier?
ZUMWALT!
Oh that’s right…that’s a great pick for them next to shaz
yea the Steelers LBs of the future is pretty much Worilds, Zumwalt, Shazier and Jones.
Um. What about Lawrence Timmons?
Timmons is getting older, not sure he is part of the future
I think he’s still around 26.plus he always had really good speed. As a LB he probably still has at least 4 more good years.
The one word I would use to discuss his tape: bland.
I went back and watched some tape and that’s exactly what I would say.
It’s kinda funny that in the 3rd last year when Logan was picked, we all went “huh?” Then this year when Huff was picked we all kinda went “huh?” Kelly drafting trend: make fanbase go “huh” in the 3rd.
But continue to pluck gems out of the draft!! In the words of the scholarly poet otherwise known as “Master P”…”Make em say UHHHHH” na,na,na,na!!!
I much prefer that approach to the “Chuck a dart at our draft board for the 2nd round pick” style that Andy had.
oh god yea… up until the final few years, the 2nd rd picks under AR were always head scratchers to me
More miscellany: a slideshow of some earlier days of the draft. Blackboards!
http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2014/05/08/sports/football/08draft_show.html?rref=sports&module=Ribbon&version=origin®ion=Header&action=click&contentCollection=Sports&pgtype=article#
There IS one slide from 2011 you’ll want to pass over quickly…
If you watch Marcus and mention Babin, I immediately stop reading because I can’t take you serious.. Out of all the pass rushers of the past, you come up with Babin? Uhhhh no!
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But reading the opinion on Huff has to get you stoked. To add a 6’3 215lb WR to abuse 5’8 slot CBs and the explosive versatile Huff who will line up all over the place an be a threat(kid had ATleast one 20yard catch in each game), along withthe year two leap of the versatile Ertz who lines up everywhere..the jump ball bully Cooper, the precise route running of Mac and the matchup nightmare known as Sproles is just going to be a scary attack!! We have all these high character weapons who will Sacrafice for the good of the team…did we really want to bring all that talent to a locker room with Desean who is constantly worried about personal stats so he can ask for a new contract every other year?
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Chips Army of unsullied soldiers is all falling into place, and he added a baby fire breathing dragon in Marcus!!
We’re drafting eunuchs now?
You could of went with Chip as princess Khaleesi reference, but instead your mind goes right to the cockless? Shame on you 🙂
I don’t really understand the love for HaHa in the first. People want a difference maker in the first (I say this because people still say how they wish Howie would have traded up), but Dix is just kinda there. Not worth a 1st at all imo. I guess we say because safety play is so bad people will reach for Dix, Pryor, Buchannon.
Wouldn’t be surprised if eagles still took Marcus with haha on the board. I really mean that
On Carey Spear, (and Brad Wing last year): Are they looking at kicker/punter prospects who could add something in FG/punt fakes, or is this simply a coincidence? Clearly Donnie Jones’ kicking specialization beat the pants off of an versatility Brad Wing brought to the table. I’m not so sure yet that Henery has the same advantage.
How we will counter not adding an ILB.
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The consensus was we needed to start grooming Meco’s eventual replacement or at the very least a young ILB who can cover to replace Meco in subpackages…however this player was never drafted, nor did we make Christian jones a priority free agent.
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The eagles will compensate by adding a Dime package. Last year we were really basic, but now we will start building on the foundation and adding subpackages. we can count on Dime defense being incorporated.
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Dime takes Meco off the field, and we go with 1 LB(Kendricks) and a 4man line, Cox/curry with Barwin and Marcus as the ends! Today Marcus is already our second best OLB option in coverage. A Dime with Marcus!Barwin and Kendricks gives us 3 big boys who can cover, and who we can send after QBs(different variations)
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But the player who really enables us to develop a nice dime package is Jalen Watkins..having Watkins and Boykin as our two slot CBs is really solid…Malcolm and Wolff on the back end, with Cary and Brad on the outside.
So we are compensating for not adding the cover ILB with scheme.
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Really liking the depth we created in the secondary. We don’t have a bunch of Curtis Marsh’s on the bench who we pray we don’t have to put in a game. We have a plethora of options we will be able to use this year
Cary
Brad
Nolan
Boykin
Watkims
Jenkins
Wolff
Nate
ED
Maragos
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We haven’t been this deep in the secondary in years.
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What I like bout Ed Reynolds is that he is a kid who came out early. In a draft that lacked safety depth, Ed is one of the few safeties drafted in the later rounds this year that have some eventual starting potential. His 2012 tape was really Impressive. 2013 wasn’t as great but he was said to be dealing with nagging injury. Like Kruger, had he gone back to school, I’d bet he would be drafted much earlier next year..really good developmental value for a 5th round picks who will bring it on ST…where as our other 5th round pick, hart is ready to step into the rotation immediately..
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Love this draft
Maybe a dime package will stop all of those insane 3rd and 10 or longer eagles gave up last year. Marcus adds huge versatility in coverage, stunts, crosses etc. but the 3rd and longs were given up because of pass rush. Still think Cole will be better pure rusher, hopefully marcus beats him out bit don’t see it happening.
Tough dilemma on 3rd and long: Marcus allows an unpredictable rush from anywhere, drop into coverage from anywhere, BUT it takes best pass rusher off the field.
Marcus on the field frees,up Barwin to rush more who was handcuffed with Trent on the field….truth is, they will all contribute to a rotation, hopefully Coles level of play doesn’t drop off being a year older, add Marcus to the pass rush arsenal, free up Barwin to rush more,,Marcus can cover a TE so it also frees up Kendricks to blitz more..hopefully cox and curry take another step in their pass rush development…we have a chance to be better..and I think we will be much better in coverage
Other way we can do it is to play 3-3-5 in 3rd down situations.
Curry-Cox-Cole
Barwin-Kendrick-Smith.
All 3 LB’s can rush and cover and the offence does not know who is coming and in what numbers.
I doubt we play that much dime since that depends on the 4 you are sending getting to the QB on their own, which I don’t think we can depend on.
Could also see a look where you stay in base but have Smith being the ILB, which will work because he can actually cover. Smith is a moveable chess piece who will beat you with his versatility not just his skills one on one. (a theme of this entire team to be honest.
Although I do want to continue to play some 4-2-5 because I like when we twist and stunt our DL while blitzing the A gap with Meco and Kendricks..lAnd green dog blitz options
Why send Meco and Kendricks, when you can have Smith and Kendricks as the 2 stand up LB’s?
Rather rotate both options..Meco isn’t exactly chopped liver as a Blitzer.. Just posted a career year in sacks..we don’t have to chose on or the other,,,nice having both packages as options to throw at QBs and give them different looks to think about…but I don’t disagree,,heck,Marcus spent time as a 4-3SAM at the senior bowl to illustrate how agile he is, so he certainly fits what you are suggesting…
My thinking is that they are going to work very hard to get Smith on the field in situations where he can excel. Having said all that Kendricks would have to show the team that he is a capable leader and organiser of the defence, otherwise Meco is going to still need to be on the field all the time
All true…but either way they will definitely find roles for Marcus to excel as a rookie….how much, is to be determined…at the end of the year i have full confidence we can get out of the Cole contract and Marcus will be ready to be a 3 down backer
I rather play a 3-3-5
Having Meco on a passing downs is just bad imo consider his biggest strength would be blizting and then the purpose goes away
Depends..I like him in zone, he comes up with INTs.,don’t want him covering anyone man unless he is GUARENTEED to throw his man to the ground and screw up the timing
think that’s something he should use more often. Our front 7 generally is so young we need a field general out there, especially since we audible, run disguised looks etc.
I don’t think we need to worry that it will be one or the other…most of us will get our wish because I expect us to build on the basic defensive foundation we layed last year and implement multiple subpackages….and why not when you built quality secondary depth to where you have about 7 DBs you would be comfortable playing…and I’m not even counting Roc who coaches may like more than I’d like to admit
In a 3-3-5 with Cole as one of the DE’s we would have more pass rush and coverage ability than in a 4-2 with Meco.
I’d like to see 2-4-5…
Thornton, Cox in the middle. Then you’ve got a mixture of Cole, Barwin, Smith and Kendricks doing all kinds of different stuff… Could be rushing Cole and Smith off the edges, could be rushing Cole from the edge and one of the three from A gap.. etc… etc… and for more flexibility and deception you could switch Cole for Ryans, but then you’re watering down the pass rush a bit too much.
Plus throw Curry in to the mix and we’re talking all kinds of mixtures. Just what Davis is surely planning on doing… There’s so many players there who can do multiple things.
if we don’t need the extra DB on the field, how about something like a 4-3-4…
Curry-Thornton-Cox-Cole
Barwin-Kendricks-Smith
2 x CB 2 x S on the back-end
in 3yrs Romo’s going to be in a body caste! how can a fanbase look 3yrs into future when qb has been knocked out last 2 season with back surgery injuries? Witten (wish he played for anyone else so i could like him) has got to hit wall soon and best defensive player, Sean Lee, has a destroyed neck that’s like vick, it’s not if, it’s when is he going to get hurt. Jones rolled dice with salary cap to win big in ’12 and’13, didnt happen.
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Lawrence has major dissappointment written all over him. that defense will be worse than last year’s, see how his character flaws handle getting 40+ hung 8-10 times. Martin is replacing Waters, who before injury was playing darn near pro bowl level. rookies do not make lines better, unless this guy is all world. he looks good, but he’ll have his struggles.
Can’t wait to chart the number of times eagles defenders crash into his back this year…sucks that they ate their smart pills and took Martin instead of Manziel…even tho drafting a QB may not have been that dumb
Lawrence screams desperation move to me. bet kelly would rather Hoosier’s 10 guys on defense than spend 1 minute in Novacare with that guy.
Lawrence to,cowboys,
Murphy to skins
Damontre Moore to giants last year
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Eagles drafted the best young pass rusher in the NFC east and got a 3rd round pick in the process. Continuing to own the east in every way possible
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Don’t see how anyone could say they rather have Lawrence, Murphy or Damontre over Marcus..
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So happy giants took ODB. Did not want to have to deal with Aaron Donald on the giants
Honestly justifying Dallas picks is impossible. Even Dallas other QBs still romo away the conference in the last game to an 8-8 finish. QB doesn’t matter. Stronger lines might.
I have a couple of feelings on the Marcus Smith pick, and I wonder if Tommy can feed back on them. I felt that 2 things caused Smith to not be as high in the draftnik’s big boards as obviously the eagles (and apparently several other teams).
Firstly he is not a polished pass rusher and while he produced in space he did not consistently beat people one on one on tape. Because of that he fell down on draftnik’s boards because they are looking at pure pass rushers. However the NFL teams look at the broader skill set and believe that his talent in coverage and willingness to set the edge combined with his excellent physical tools they valued him far more highly because they back themselves to be able to coach him up and build his strength so he can
take on LT’s 1on1.
Secondly I often think that draft experts get stuck slotting people at the start of the process, say ok this is a 2nd round guy and they stay stuck in that mind set unless significant buzz develops. This goes both ways both up and down. Take Nix for example. His 2013 tape is meh, he lacked effort and there were plenty of reports saying he is not focused on football. He should have been a 3rd round character risk guy on boards (where the NFL slotted him) but because he started off as 1st round in their eyes he never dropped far enough in their estimations. With Smith I think they looked at him as a DE, pegged him as an undersized speed rusher lacking moves and slotted him late 2nd or early 3rd. When it became obvious he was an OLB they never reassessed his grade and just left him there, even while at pro day and on deeper review his tape showed he was a quality prospect.
Maybe I am missed things when I watch tape, but when I saw Smiths tape 3-4 weeks before the draft he was a favourite player who I felt could be top pass rusher in the league, and to me that makes him a 1st round pick.
I’m over trying to justify what people think about the pick — it’s not worth the time or the mental gymnastics. Chip had a great quote during the season about caring what other people think – and i think that applies here.
I like poking fun at the Oregon players drafted but I never saw this guy as a reach and not sure why there’s so print about it. If this player would NOT be there the next time the Eagles pick — why is it a reach? Wouldn’t it be called getting the player they wanted?
Just wait til next year when everyone will assume we draft Ifo Ikpre Olomu in round 1..which will be an interesting case study because he probably doesn’t have the ideal 6’1 frame we like in our outside CBs, but is a phenomenal talent who will be slated to go in the 20s which is where we will be drafting…interesting to see how Flexible Chip is on his “measurements”..he took Wolff at 5’11 but his athleticism was just STUPID crazy….will chip draft a 5’10 outside CB?
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Next year should also be interesting jn the sense that it doesn’t seem like a great year for inside LBs.. Things can change but right now, when Denzel Perryman is the top prospect, tough to get excited
I think next years ILB group will be far better as a whole than this years. As of right now there isn’t a standout guy but there are a handful of second or third round guys who could have a great year and be great players. This year didn’t have any of those kinds of guys, it was Mosley and Shazier and then the talent fell off a cliff. Perryman won’t be an Eagles target, I’ll call that right now. He lists at 6’0 but he may not even be 5’10”. Just a look at some of the guys for next year, and these are only the guys who flashed at me last year I obviously haven’t gone through a ton of tape on them.
Eric Kendricks (yes, that Kendricks) UCLA
Bryce Hager, Baylor
Aj Tarpley, Stanford
Hayes Pullard
Plus I’m sure a half dozen Juniors will likely emerge and declare.
For me depends on whether benardick McKinney miss st. goes the OLB route in the pros or if he will play ILB, Kendricks flies around, love to stick a big thumper like McKinney next to him, but I suspect someone will want him at OLB
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Rakim Wilson from Georgia can ball and is 6’2…but after these last two drafts it’s probably pointless to talk about these kids not knowing anything about their personality and intelligence
See I don’t think the team wants a thumper and a runner. There were plenty of two down thumpers in this years draft. I think the paradigm is shifting to something more like what SF has (obviously both are top 5 ILB) where both guys can come up and play smash mouth football, but both are able to drop and cover and run with backs and TE’s.
buzz only really changes with QBs. Remember during the senior bowl where everyone was all of a sudden talking about Logan Thomas or David Fales? So I think you’re on to something there. The draft guys stack their picks for each position, then don’t change them much unless someone has a really poor combine like Michael Sam.
Always enjoy thoughtful analysis.
Preach…I was literally a wreck during the first round worried sick that the cowboys would take him at 16
Pretty interesting work here
http://www.fieldgulls.com/seahawks-analysis/2013/5/23/4361420/sparq-rating-nike-seahawks-pete-carroll-john-schneider-nfl
Maybe Howie can turn a 7th into a 4th again next year by trading Allen to the Seahawks to play guard! 🙂
One thing I don’t understand. People say that Huff is the perfect slot guy. I read another article and that one says Mathews is the perfect slot guy. Honestly — if these guys pan out, I’d imagine one them is the replacement for either Mac or Cooper(yes, I get Cooper is signed). The reason why I say that is because I don’t view both as a slot guy. I also don’t view both as #3 and #4 wr’s down the road either. As of today though, where do these guy stand?(Barring full recover from Mac). Mathews slot and Huff 4th wr used in different formations?
Our WRs move around a lot. Or at least that’s the vision as we get more and more versatile receivers in to the fold. So they’re both slot guys, and they’re both outside guys.
You finished the thought before I could.
Also, Huff might lineup in the backfield like he sometimes did at Oregon in their “TAZR” position.
I think the term “slot” isn’t as useful in Chip’s offense. I look at it this way, both of them are candidates to receive snaps from what would be called a traditional slot position this year. Ultimately, Matthews is going to be groomed to be the #1 WR, who’s going to be on the field almost all the time. Huff is being groomed to be the TAZR, who’s going to be on the field in certain personnel packages. I don’t think either of them is likely (barring injuries) going to start the year seeing snaps when they go 2 TEs or 2 RBs. By the end of the year, I can see Matthews getting some snaps in both of those setups, and Huff getting some in the 2 RB setup, if all goes as planned.
Ertz,,Casey, Huff, Mathews, Sproles…these are all the weapons Chip brought in since he arrived. What’s the one thing they have in common? You can line them up all over the place and can’t type cast them into Any one role. Maximum Flexibility to create and exploit mismatches.,,..you aren’t going to have 6 DBs who are 6’2..we will find a pigeon to isolate and pick on. Doubt secondaries can cover all of what we throw at you, especially with shady in the backfield
Matthews is the slot guy this year but projects to be a future #1 wideout or at least the #2. Huff then becomes the primary slot receiver. Different kind of receivers and each one’s role will evolve as their careers develop. This year Huff will probably see roughly 10-15% of offensive snaps.
Really good video up of kruger on PE.com.. So excited to have him and hart, two, long, Mobil 4tec.. If Cox can take that next step and become a star, I think all we have to do is wait til our DL(no one older than 25) to grow up, and our defense will be Nasty. Ced is turning into an elite round defender. If Cox take really step up and be a star, we will be set.
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The mobile, Long, Bennie Logan who can actually get after QBs while holding down the run, combined with the brick shithouse Beau Allen on obvious rushing downs is like the perfect voltron version of a NT for a multiple front defense….2nd wake of two long, 6’7 290lb DEs(Krugs/hart)
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And every defense needs that specialized speed ball, Vinny curry to fly off the ball and provide a change of pace in QB hunting…
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By 2015, our DL should be dirty dirty, and it will be made up exactly of the players on our roster now.
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Short term, the LB can be the strength of the defense, but we need to find the eventual replacement for Meco soon..
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Secondary has really nice depth..all that depth, should breed some good competition leaving us with a few capable starers.. Cary/Brad…Wolff/Jenkins..Boyking on Nickle, Jalen in dime..
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This defense is on it’s way to the top. Screw the people who thinks this will only be an offensive team. First of all it sounds dumb, considering we dedicated an entire free agent period to ST. If you care about special teams, safe to say you will care about the defense and most of the pieces are already in place..they just need to grow up and gel into the top defense that they will be…
We are on our way to a proud philly style defense….Malcolm Jenkins better ball out, because Reynolds isn’t some chump. Two years from now he will be hunting for his spot
Baeu Allen signed via twitter
you can do that!?
was just over at Jimmy’s page…. Those guys are dopes.