Posted February 23rd, 2015 | 276 Comments »Even if the Eagles address the secondary through free agency, they’ll still need to add a DB or 2 in the draft. They need depth.
Landon Collins from Alabama is the Safety to pay the most attention to. Chip Kelly likes SEC guys and Collins is a terrific prospect.
There are lots of CBs to watch. I like PJ Williams quite a bit, but scouts seem to think he’s slow. I’ll be interested to see how he runs. Ideally, you want all your CBs to be below 4.55. Anything above that and they better be 6-2, 215 or something like that.
I’ll be putting up a post later on that covers the DL and LBs.
I’ll watch the DBs when I get home tonight and then write about them on Tuesday.
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Posted February 21st, 2015 | 409 Comments »The QBs, WRs and RBs worked out on Saturday. The Eagles saw some good performances.
* Marcus Mariota had a good day. He did well in the athletic tests. He threw the ball well. He looked like a big-time QB. Chip Kelly watched his old pupil closely, but the good showing by Mariota makes it all the more likely that the Eagles have little to no chance to get him.
Mariota mentioned on the NFL Network that he didn’t meet with the Eagles. This makes sense. The team has a limited number of interview sessions. Why waste one on a guy Kelly knows very well?
* Jameis Winston threw the ball better than anyone else at the Combine. His combination of touch, accuracy and arm strength is outstanding. With a clean background, he’d be almost universally #1.
* Brett Hundley had a good showing. He tested well. I thought he looked good throwing the ball. There is no question that he’s got good potential. I’d love to spend a mid-round pick on Hundley and develop him for several years. The problem is that his potential means he’s almost certain to go in the 1st or 2nd round.
Chip Kelly loves athletic QBs with big hands. You know he’s got to be fascinated by Hundley. With Mariota quickly fading into the distance, it is important for the Eagles to have other options. I’m not a fan of taking Hundley at 20, but it is a possibility. We’ll have to wait and see how much Kelly likes him.
* I thought Bryce Petty helped himself more than any other QB. He had a terrific season for Baylor, but was up and down at the Senior Bowl. His intermediate passing was less than ideal, which led to this.
Petty looked much more natural throwing the ball in Indy. His intermediate throws were more accurate and had better velocity. Understand that QBs go work with tutors when the season is over to deal with the flaws in their game. Petty had about 2 weeks between the end of his season and the Senior Bowl. He’s had another 4 weeks since then. I’m sure he’s getting all kinds of training on footwork and mechanics.
I’m not excusing the faults Petty has. Watch the game tape and you see some accuracy issues and some erratic decision-making (heavily affected by his offensive scheme and the lack of reading progressions). There are also some medical issues for doctors to check out.
But I feel more comfortable with Petty after the Combine than I did the Senior Bowl. He’s another player I’d prefer in the 3rd or 4th, but I’m not sure he makes it out of the 2nd round.
* More than a few Eagles fans like QB Brandon Bridge. He showed a terrific arm in Indy. He’s big and pretty athletic. I just see him as a major project. I’m only interested in him late in the draft. QB projects don’t pan out very often.
* Bryan Bennett threw the ball well, just like at the Senior Bowl. I see him as a developmental QB of interest, but he also would need some work.
* Would the Eagles consider WR Dorial Green-Beckham? DGB is huge at 6-5, 237 and has the potential to be a special player. But he’s also got major baggage. You want to learn from the Justin Blackmon-Josh Gordon types. They have great talent, but can’t stay out of trouble. Is DGB one of them or is he a kid that can learn from his mistakes?
* If Devante Parker is on the board at 20, do you take him? Big talent with no real questions. Parker had a solid day.
* Sammie Coates will not be pick 20. He has good talent and potential, but you could see how problematic his hands can be. Had several drops today and you can see that he’s not a natural hands-catcher.
* Devin Funchess is a player I struggle with. Kelly loves big guys. Funchess, a former TE, is 6-4, 232. He only ran 4.70 today. That’s not awful since he’s 232 pounds, but it does affect his draft value. Some teams will still see him as a matchup nightmare and want Funchess. I don’t see a guy who always plays up to his size and that bugs me for a guy who is slow and has to use his size/strength to win. Still could be a terrific pro if he’s in the right situation.
* I would love Phillip Dorsett in the 2nd round. He ran 4.33. He is a gifted downfield receiver and that speed shows up on game day. Devin Smith wasn’t quite as fast as expected, but is another talented WR. I doubt Jaelen Strong lasts to pick 20 in the 2nd round.
* RB Ameer Abdullah had a great showing, except for his 40 time. He is strong, explosive, agile and versatile, but he doesn’t time fast. Could he be another Westy/Shady type that comes from the 2nd or 3rd round and turns out to be a stud? Would be an interesting fit in Kelly’s offense.
* I was impressed by RB Davis Johnson as a receiver. Big and athletic, and looks natural in space. Catches the ball well.
* Several small school guys got my attention. I need to watch more of Zach Zenner from South Dakota State. I’m also interested in Thomas Rawls of Central Michigan.
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There wasn’t one player I cam away thinking “We must get him”. I get a lot of questions about what the Eagles will do. Remember that we need to see free agency before we know what the draft plan is going to look like.
I thought this was a good showing by the skill players. The Eagles have a talented offense already, but they shouldn’t pass up talent if the right guys falls to their spot.
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