Before They Were Birds

It can be interesting to look back and see what people thought of players when they were coming out. Some reports are on the money. Others miss by a mile. No one is ever perfect when it comes to the draft. There are just too many variables to always be right. You look for people that are more right than wrong. Let’s look back at what experts had to say about some Eagles players. I’ve skipped guys that were high picks. Their previews are much easier to nail than these.

Jalen Hurts

Lance Zierlein – Like Tim Tebow, Hurts is a winning dual-threat quarterback known for his strength, toughness and character. Hurts is a more accurate passer and better runner than Tebow but is inconsistent as a decision-maker and tends to break the pocket when throws are there to be made. His deep-ball touch and intermediate accuracy improved this year so teams may see him as a developmental talent who will keep getting better in the right scheme. He’ll struggle to beat NFL defenses from the pocket, but his ability to grind out yards on the ground and make off-schedule plays should make him a solid backup with upward mobility.

Daniel Jeremiah – Hurts is slightly undersized for the position, but his production, poise and playmaking ability are very impressive. He has crisp footwork in his drop and he throws from a very firm platform. He has a quick release and generates excellent velocity on drive throws. Hurts flashed the ability to touch the ball up, but his ball placement still needs to improve. His vision and anticipation are other areas that need work. He’s an outstanding runner, both on designed runs and when pressured. He gains ground quickly and runs through contact consistently. I love his competitiveness and toughness. Overall, Hurts must continue to improve in the passing game, but I’m going to bet on his eventual success due to his playmaking skills and overall competitiveness.+

My Comments – It is interesting that Lance only saw Hurts as a backup. DJ was certainly the better analyst on this pick. Kiper had him going 49th to the Steelers. They instead took WR Chase Claypool and the Eagles got Hurts at 49. Claypool hasn’t played in an NFL game since 2023. Pittsburgh should have taken Hurts. Mel had Zack Baun going 23rd overall in that mock draft. Impressive.

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Cooper DeJean

LZ – Highly competitive defensive back with plus ball skills and noteworthy special teams value. DeJean is big and bundled for a cornerback, with muscular arms and tight hips. He has fantastic interception production, but his movements are more linear than fluid, and he doesn’t have the easy change of direction needed in man coverage on the next level. His best football is played with his eyes forward, using his instincts to challenge quarterbacks and his big downhill burst to smack whatever needs smacking. He would seem to be a no-brainer as a punt returner and gunner in Year 1. DeJean should be a big athletic tester, which will help get the hype train going, but finding the proper schematic fit will be important in unlocking his best football as a zone corner or interchangeable safety.

DJ – DeJean is a playmaking cornerback with size and speed. In off coverage, he plays with his butt to the sideline and displays excellent vision. He does have a brief pause in his plant/drive before exploding and attacking the football. His production — including three pick-sixes in the 2022 season — speaks for itself. He has enough speed to carry vertical routes, but he will panic on occasion and get grabby at the catch point. He’s an outstanding blitzer, displaying timing and burst to close in a hurry. He is very willing in run support, and he’s a dependable tackler. He is also an exceptional punt returner because of his combination of speed, elusiveness and bravery. Overall, I believe DeJean could stick at cornerback, but I wouldn’t rule out a move to safety, where his strengths as a player would be featured. He reminds me of a bigger Eric Weddle coming out of college. 

Tony Pauline – “I’m not big on DeJean, but this pick makes a lot of sense. The Packers need a cornerback and could also use a safety. Many, including myself, believe DeJean will ultimately end up at safety besides being a terrific return specialist.”

My Comments – Kiper had DeJean ranked 14th overall. Impressive. No one talked him as a nickel. It was either corner or safety. They all had him highly rated so the fact the Eagles were able to get him in the second round is still shocking. There were some medical concerns, but a lot of teams regret buying into those instead of focusing on the tape and taking a chance on an athletic, versatile DB who can make plays. Sometimes teams overthink things. Thankfully the Eagles didn’t and went and got their guy.

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Zack Baun 

LZ – Ascending prospect whose explosive production on the field has begun to mirror his explosive athletic traits. Baun’s twitchy get-off and deep bend at the edge is nightmare fuel for Big Ten tackles and he’s still at the early stages of pass rush development. He is aggressive to flow downhill in run support, has sideline-to-sideline range and is fluid dropping into coverage. He’s strong but a little light as an edge-setter so teams will need to figure out how best to align him. Baun is a scheme-diverse linebacker with high-impact potential whose best days are ahead of him.

DJ – Baun is a slightly undersized outside linebacker with excellent athleticism and versatility. He spends a lot of time playing over tight ends and gets the best of them in the run and pass games. As a rusher, he has a good initial burst and can really bend at the top of his rush. He has a nifty inside counter move and he can get skinny before closing on the quarterback. He mixes in a stutter/bull rush, but usually stalls out after generating some push. He is very athletic as a dropper in coverage. He is very good as a back-side run defender because of his burst and effort. Teams will differ on where to play him at the next level. He reminds me of former USC LB Uchenna Nwosu, someone whose versatility the Chargers have tapped into. I’d do the same with Baun.

My Comments – Everyone liked Baun. They just weren’t sure what to do with him. DJ, who had him as the #34 overall prospect, thought Nwosu was a good comp. He’s been more of an edge rusher in his career, as was Baun in New Orleans. Kiper, as mentioned above, had him going in the first round. Tony Pauline had him as an OLB and #49 overall. It really is crazy that Vic Fangio put him at ILB and turned Baun into a star.

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Jalyx Hunt

LZ – Hunt is a small-school edge defender possessing notable athletic traits and the potential to get bigger and stronger. He currently lacks the lower-body anchor and general play strength to go up against NFL opponents, but the team drafting him is likely to view him as a developmental prospect in need of time to build his frame and his game. Hunt’s speed is obvious as a pass rusher and in run pursuit, but proving he can survive against a downhill running attack could be the difference between challenging for a rotational role or hoping to become a designated pass rusher.

My Comments – DJ had him at #64 overall. Howie was nervous while during the draft because Hunt was the DJ’s top rated available player for a good while in the draft and Roseman didn’t want to lose him. The Eagles took him with pick 94. Kiper had him 70th overall. Dane Brugler had him down at 139.

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Jordan Mailata

LZ – Former Australian Rugby player who is starting from scratch in his attempt to transition from rugby to football. Mailata has never played a down of American football so attempting to learn the tackle position and perform it at the highest level makes this an extremely daunting challenge. What Mailata does have is rare size and physical gifts with the movement skills that give him a chance at a very challenging position. His pro day numbers were outstanding (40: 5.12 seconds; VJ: 28 inches; BJ: 8-10; short shuttle: 4.67 seconds; 3-cone: 8.03 seconds; bench: 22 lifts). Mailata has a good chance of being drafted as a long-shot ticket that an NFL team hopes they will be able to cash in a few years down the line.

6’8, 345 pounds and runs a 5.0 40 yard dash? @PSchrags goes Down Under to introduce us to the most fascinating prospect of the 2018 #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/jj3d1mlscb

— Good Morning Football (@gmfb) April 19, 2018

My Comments – The Eagles did cash in that lottery ticket. And Mailata has cashed in as well.

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Moro Ojomo

LZ – Naturally powerful defensive lineman caught somewhere between end and tackle. Ojomo is best-suited as a base end but doesn’t really have the get-off quickness to exploit interior blockers as an inside rusher on passing downs. He’s tight in his lower body, and his movements lack fluidity, but he can fight his way through blocks with upper-body power and a will to make it happen. Ojomo plays hard throughout the rep and will find production with his secondary effort, but he might cap out as a solid backup in either an odd or even front.

Dane Brugler – Brugler’s scouting report: “A four-year starter at Texas, Ojomo was an interchangeable defensive tackle in defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski’s 4-3 base scheme. A 21-year-old, fifth-year senior, he lined up at nose tackle as a freshman before moving outside on the edge as a sophomore and then settling as a B-gap tackle the past two seasons. With the largest wingspan among defensive tackles in this class, Ojomo can neutralize the point of attack when he uses proper pad level and strike leverage to unlock his power potential. He is a functional athlete with agility to scrape, but his lower-body stiffness hinders his ability to stay ahead of blocks. Ojomo has a tough time creating plays because of his inefficiencies disengaging, but he is a stout run defender with pass rush upside because of his length and play strength. His best NFL fit might be as a read-and-react base end in an odd front.”

My Comments – DJ had him rated #111 overall. Mel Kiper had him 96th. Brugler had him as a 4th round pick, the #14 DT. The Eagles were extremely lucky to get Ojomo at pick 249, near the bottom of the draft. He was undersized, but was a good player at Texas and looked good in the Shrine Game. Another player where teams overthought things and the Eagles got to reap the benefits of that.

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Tanner McKee

LZ – Long, tall pocket passer with better arm strength than arm talent as a passer. McKee throws with an unorthodox delivery that becomes even more irregular when he feels rushed. He can make all the NFL throws and delivers a tight spiral with good velocity on intermediate and deep throws to the field side. However, his heavy feet and a lack of agility limit his effectiveness outside of the pocket and make him a magnet for pass rushers when protection becomes spotty. McKee clearly improved his throwing process in 2022, but he might lack the decision-making and functional mobility to make it in today’s NFL.

Dane Brugler – “A two-year starter at Stanford, McKee played in former offensive coordinator Tavita Pritchard’s pro-style scheme and split his snaps from under center and shotgun. Although his starting production is underwhelming (Stanford finished 109th in scoring offense in 2022), his stats actually look better than expected after studying his tape and seeing the inconsistent pieces around him. A pro-style pocket passer, McKee has an NFL arm with the ball placement and field vision to move the football when everything stays on schedule. However, he is unproven as a three-level passing threat who can also handle pressure. Overall, McKee is an accurate rhythm passer and prepped in a multiple-read offense, but there weren’t many second-chance plays on tape and his lack of mobility will be tough to overcome versus next-level speed. His NFL projection is similar to that of Mike Glennon coming out of college.”

Misc – “One mock draft, in January, had McKee coming off the board with the No. 40 overall pick. USA Today has projected him as a fourth-round selection. ESPN draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. rated McKee as the No. 10 overall QB in the 2023 draft class.”

My Comments – McKee doesn’t move very well, but I think decision-making has become one of his strengths. Everyone liked him as a passer, they just had questions about how he would fare in the NFL since he isn’t special physically in any way. McKee has definitely out-played his pre-draft expectations.

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I thought about covering some players who didn’t work out as hoped, but decided to stay positive for this post.

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