I am not sure what the Eagles did in this draft was any good outside the 1st round pick they got in 2009 for trading the #19 selection to Carolina. Most of whom they took will in my mind be cut at somepoint before the season starts and will have served no purpose other then a name being called out at Radio City Music Hall.
Below are the selections along with the scouting reports from ESPN and my short review of how I see their roles with or without the Eagles.
Trevor Laws (DT) - Lacks a prototypical size for an interior run-stuffer and he doesn’t have the burst to consistently get to the quarterback at the professional level. But he reminds us of the Energizer Bunny. He works from the snap until the whistle on every play. Also, he plays with excellent leverage and is strong for his size. He’s much more stout than you would think looking at his measurables.
My take: Nothing more then a backup here maybe seeing some action but not likely before the midpoint of the season. He seems to be another version to an lesser extent of Mike Patterson.
DeSean Jackon (WR) - There’s no doubt that Jackson is explosive. He can stretch the field, turn a catch underneath into a long gain and he can put points on the board as a punt returner. That explosive and his ability to beat defenders off the ball meant that he didn’t have to improve his route running, so he has a lot of work to do in that area. In addition, he’s small and is going to get muscled out of routes at times.
My take: In this offense he probably wont see the field at all his rookie year and maybe into his 2nd season outside special teams with returing punts and kickoffs. Afterall we seem to run the most complicated offense in the league (shhh don’t tell the rest of the NFL they already know what play Andy will call next before he does).
Bryan Smith (DE) - Smith is vastly undersized for a defensive end, so teams will look to run at him and exploit that weakness when he’s on the field. As a result, he’s probably never going to be an every-down player. However, he has the instincts, initial quickness and athletic ability to develop into a solid situational pass-rusher.
My take: We already have enough of these type of players and didnt need another who probably wont even make the team. He will not get anytime over Jaqua Parker, Trent Cole, Darren Howard, Chris Clemons, & Victor Abiamiri.
Michael McGlynn (OG) - McGlynn could be the heir apparent to the Eagles’ aging tackles. He might be a better fit at guard, but he has experience at right tackle and is an excellent drive-blocker.
My take - Probably could be one of the more useful selections. But he will have to come ready to play if he intends on moving Max Jean-Giles, Scott Young, & Nick Cole whom are a head of him and have put their time in here.
Quintin Demps (S) - Demps isn’t great in run support and his footwork is a little inconsistent, but he has great speed and he can play a center fielder-type role.
My take: They reach here and let pleny of other choices on the board who would have been a better selection then Demps. Outside his 4.39 speed I am not sure what else he is good at and would be an insult to think he could be the person to replace my favorite Eagle in Brian Dawkins.
Jack Ikegwuonu (CB) - Ikegwuonu sustained a serious knee injury while preparing for the combine and is not expected to play this season, making his selection by Philadelphia a bit puzzling. Before the injury, he was a physical corner who used his hands well and could slow down wideouts at the line of scrimmage. However, he’s never had great speed, and the injury makes that even more of a concern. He could move to safety in the NFL.
My take: Well he has a serious character flaw in he pleaded guilty to trespassing with his twin brother in which the were accused of stealing an XBOX gaming system. To further add to that he has a knee injury and from what I have heard he won’t even see the field other then to watch this year so his knee can heal. Hey Jack you were only a junior you could have redshirted in college then played your senior year then left and been maybe selected higher and been more useful to the team selecting you.
Michael Gibson (OG) - Gibson has a quick first step and he sustains his blocks once he’s in position. Although he plays with a mean streak he doesn’t appear to have great lower-body strength, so he isn’t going to drive defenders off the ball. He also had problems staying healthy.
My take: He wont be here once camps ends and more or less is just a body they wanted to have in camp.
Joe Mays (LB) - Mays has adequate size, good instincts and plays with a great motor. He’s also a sound tackler and flashes the ability to make the big hit, but he isn’t a sideline-to-sideline run defender and he has limitations in coverage.
My take: They have 5 guys already on the roster who wont be moving at least this year. He might be kept to be on the practice squad just incase they need a special teams players.
Andrew Studebaker (DE/LB) - Studebaker is a ‘tweener; he’s not big enough to holdup against the run as an end and might not have enough athletic ability to develop into an every-down outside linebacker. Also, he doesn’t show great instincts. However, he has good quickness and he closes well, so he can get to the quarterback.
My take: Another tweener see my explination for Byran Smith it still applies here.
King Dunlap (OT) - Big offensive tackle who is going to have to play the right side. To contribute in the NFL he must improve his feet. He’s slow to get set in pass protection, gets caught off balance too frequently and lunges too often. The upside with him is that he’s strong enough to finish once he locks on.
My take: He is a 7th round pick who also is probably just a body to have in camp. Maybe he can impress the birds enough to move somebody else off the roster. I personally doubt he will even make the practice squad let alone the 53 man roster.
Draft Grade: D (I could very well be wrong and might be as time goes by and we really see how this draft class turns out)
E-Mail: Commonillusion@aol.com
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14 Responses to “Draft Review”
Posted: 04/29/08 at 2:39 pm
Did not like this draft at all, thought Malcolm Kelly may have been a nice pick although he dropped badly still a big reciever that plays posession type football if he developed some timing with Mcnabb we would have had a more immediate impact than DeSean Jackson.
Also it seemed to me the Eagles kept trading down with out an apparent strategy on who to take…
Posted: 04/29/08 at 2:42 pm
the last 2 draft’s for the eagles seemed to come and go without any strategy or a severe lack of though on what to do after round 1.
i dont even think jackson will hit the field on offense this year or if he does it will be very little if not mop up duty.
he will be scene on special teams mostly outside him i dont see anybody else they drafted doing anything much if even making the team.
i sit here days still wondering what they did.
Posted: 04/29/08 at 2:54 pm
I am surprised at the Eagles too. But they continue to contend in the NFC East even with subpar drafts. Nice work on the weekend James with the in-draft blog.
Posted: 04/29/08 at 3:03 pm
thank you glenn…………i am not sure how they stay in it in the east. at some point how they do things will catch up to them. but for now they are getting by but in this town were tired of that and want something more. maybe i will be shocked and this draft or last will actually be good.
Posted: 04/29/08 at 4:29 pm
Interesting draft for Philly, and lots of question marks, but who knows some guys might turn out.
By the way, you did a really great job with the draft chat, my complements.
Posted: 04/29/08 at 6:03 pm
The one thing I don’t like about the Eagles is they play a defensive rotation on the line. Why can’t they find every down players on defensive instead of playing undersized players (Trent Cole, Patterson, etc.) on the d-line.
In terms of the draft they also got Lorenzo Booker from Miami,who should be a good complement to Westbrook, maybe? I dunno, I really am a follower of the Eagles and they always seem to surprise me for the worst, on draft day. Except for the first rounder like you said James, I pretty much agree with you.
Posted: 04/29/08 at 9:43 pm
Do you think they can contend this year? As they say, unfortunately for Eagles fans, their window of opportunity to win the SB has closed.
Posted: 04/30/08 at 3:24 am
they like a rotation for some reason, i dont care for it but when you only go for undersized players they get tired faster so i guess this is a way they choose to keep them fresh.
booker is pretty much a mirror image of westbrook……….he is far from a compliment to him they needed say a draft pick like Tashard Choice that would have been a compliment in my eyes.
booker is a poor mans version of B-West, i have scene my fair share of booker also being a Florida St fan and lets just say for a kid who when he left high school was the #1 recruit in the country he never lived up to his hype and just a role player in the NFL.
Posted: 04/30/08 at 3:28 am
Well we have a die hard fan base who will tell you it has also closed like i will, when they had owens we had something going here. Then the diva opened his loud mouth caused a scene in the lockerroom and while doing sit ups on his front lawn (by the way that house is still for sale, despite him reducing the price several times). The eagles as far as I can guess and some will agree here is that they just want to have a winning record and make the playoffs and are happy with that. Just so they can say “we were so close and were not far off from getting there”……….I can assure you no Eagles fan will say they are happy with not winning a Super Bowl.
Posted: 04/30/08 at 3:30 am
thank you lee, i now can’t wait till April 25th & 26th, 2009 to do it all over again….
i at some point will try to do a preview of players who will or could be in the draft in 2009.
Posted: 04/30/08 at 1:32 pm
Apparently Philly likes you tube as a scout, with regards to Andy Studebaker:
“Nobody ever heard of this kid, but then his workout started popping up on You Tube and next thing you know, he got super hot and everybody (in the NFL) is looking at him,” Eagles general manager Tom Heckert said. “If it wasn’t for You Tube, he probably wouldn’t have been drafted.”
http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/99-04302008-1527028.html
Posted: 04/30/08 at 1:33 pm
Good idea, on a 09 preview. I would be very interested in reading that.
Posted: 05/01/08 at 3:53 am
yeah heckert perfers to use tapes to study players while reid and some others with the team pefer going out in the field.
the advantage of just using tape is you can look at more players the going out in the field but he can do that but send more scouts out !!
Posted: 05/01/08 at 3:54 am
i hope to do it soon.