Eagles 2012 NFL Draft Day 3 Round-up

The Eagles wrapped up their draft with 5 more selections on Sunday, going for depth at several positions.  Here is a look at each player the Eagles selected:

Round 4, Pick 28 (123): Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia
The Eagles may have found their slot corner.  Boykin is another great athlete, one who should compete right away for a starting spot in the Eagles secondary.  A dynamic kick returner in college, Boykin could also immediately be the best return man on the Eagles roster.  Boykin also played some receiver in college so he certainly is versatile.  While he is small (5 foot 9) and has had a history of concussions, Boykin appears to be another great value pick.


Round 5, Pick 18 (153): Dennis Kelly, OT, Purdue
The Eagles finally grab a lineman and he looks like a project.  Kelly, who was the offensive player of the year at Purdue in 2010, is huge (6 foot 8) and was a three year starter in college.  Expect Howard Mudd to take this kid under his wing and develop him into a usable piece somewhere down the road.


Round 6, Pick 24 (194): Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa
McNutt has good size (6 foot 3) and hands and could be a decent depth receiver for the Eagles.  With 170 career catches for 2861 yards, he put up some solid numbers at Iowa, even setting a school record for number of career receiving touchdowns with 28.  With the Eagles seemingly interminable red zone issues, McNutt could develop into a nice target for Michael Vick near the goalline.  There are some questions about his effort and blocking skills.


Round 6, Pick 30 (200): Brandon Washington, G, Miami
Washington played tackle at Miami but will likely move to Guard in the NFL.  He spent three years at Miami and has the size (6 foot 3, 320 pounds) to be an NFL lineman.  Best case scenario for him is probably a practice squad spot.


Round 7, Pick 22 (229): Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas St.
I expected the Eagles to take a backup running back with an earlier pick; instead, they waited until their final pick and took Brown, who transferred from Tennessee in 2010.  He is a complete question mark, a guy with a ton of talent who never really did anything in college.  He's a 7th round pick so I wouldn't expect much from him.

Go here and here for my analysis on the Eagles Day 1 and Day 2 picks.

Eagles upgrade defense, grab quarterback on Day 2 of NFL Draft

On day 2, the Eagles continued their solid showing at the 2012 NFL Draft, focusing once again on upgrading the defense by taking the best available defenders in the second round.  The Birds also selected their next project quarterback in the third round.  Here is a look at the Eagles day 2 picks:

Round 2, Pick 14 (46): Mychal Kendricks, LB, Cal
The Eagles actually took a linebacker, something they don't often do in the draft, and it appears that they got themselves a good one.  Kendricks, the Pac-12 defensive of the year last season at Cal, has tremendous speed and could slide into a starting outside linebacker role with the Eagles.  While he is small (5 foot 11), he has a good motor and is a physical tackler.  The Eagles took the best available defensive player that fit their system so its hard to find fault with this pick.

Round 2, Pick 27 (59): Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall
The Eagles don't really need more defensive linemen but they couldn't resist taking Curry and his ability to rush the quarterback.  I'm not really sure where he fits into the Eagles stacked d-line rotation but they will make room for a guy who loves getting to the quarterback as much as Curry does.  He is yet another high-motor guy who Eagles fans will love.

Round 3, Pick 25 (88): Nick Foles, QB, Arizona
Foles is a bit of a question mark as the Eagles don't really need yet another project quarterback.  Does this selection mean that they have already soured on Mike Kafka?  Foles has a good arm but very little mobility and shouldn't be counted on to ever be anything more than a backup quarterback.  With the way Andy Reid can develop QB's, though, count on him eventually being traded for a second round pick.

The Eagles still have a few needs that need filling, including some secondary help and possibly a backup running back.  Luckily, they still have the following 5 picks remaining:

Round 4, Pick 28 (123)
Round 5, Pick 18 (153)
Round 6, Pick 24 (194)
Round 6, Pick 30 (200)
Round 7, Pick 22 (229)

I'll have more analysis on the remaining picks on Saturday.

Eagles trade up, draft DT Fletcher Cox

The Eagles have struck at the NFL Draft, trading up from to take Mississippi State DT Fletcher Cox with the 12th pick in the draft.  Cox was considered the best defensive tackle in the draft by some and the Eagles made a great move to grab him, trading their 15th pick in the first round and a 4th and a 6th rounder to move up 3 spots to ensure they could take him.

Cox is an incredible athlete who is big, strong and fast and plays with a high motor.  With his pass-rushing skills, he'll be ready to play right away and should make an instant impact.  Cox could even be ready to step right into the Eagles starting defensive line that suddenly looks unstoppable with Trent Cole, Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin.  Add in Darryl Tapp and Mike Patterson and the Eagles are loaded with pass rushers that should create havoc for the opposing offensive lines.

The Eagles get an A for their first pick.  Most experts didn't expect Cox to be their with the 15th pick in the draft so the Eagles made the necessary and fairly painless move to trade up and grab him.  With plenty of picks left in the draft, the Eagles should have plenty of time to address their needs in the secondary and grab a linebacker and possibly a quarterback.

Experts weigh in on Eagles 2011 draft

Grading an NFL draft before any of the players take a snap in the NFL is pretty pointless; no one can really know how good these players are going to be in May. That said, it's still interesting to at least get a gauge on how the experts think the Eagles did in their draft. While the Birds didn't make any flashy picks like they have in years past, they certainly had a solid draft and addressed some of their needs. Here is just a sampling of what some experts are saying about the Eagles draft:

Mel Kiper, ESPN: C+
This feels like last year. I look at the Philly board and think, "Well, they got a lot of guys." The Eagles targeted what I considered their three biggest needs with their first three picks. The selection of Watkins surprised some people, as he may have been available even into the early second round, but they may believe he has the capability to stay at tackle. I think he's a guard. Elsewhere, Jarrett provides depth at safety, and Marsh will be asked to step in early at corner. David Akers can't feel too confident about his future in Philly, as Henery was the first kicker off the board. The looming question now is what picks or players will come back if and when the Eagles decide to deal Kevin Kolb.

Pete Prisco, CBS Sports: B
I like the pick of Danny Watkins in the first round. He is a nasty player who will fit in on their offensive line, which needs help. Fourth-round pick Casey Matthews, Clay's little brother, will help at a position of need. Should be a good special-teams player, as well. The Eagles always seem to do a good job in the draft. This year was no different. The key might be second-round safety Jaiquawn Jarrett.

Adam Caplan, Fox Sports: B-
The Eagles were able to secure at least three future starters with their first three selections. However, selecting a kicker in the fourth round is a bit questionable.

Clifton Brown, Sporting News: C-
Danny Watkins will help the offensive line, but they could have used a pass rusher, and some of their defensive picks may have been reaches.

For my full run-down of the Eagles draft, click here.
I give the Eagles a B-. They addressed their needs on the offensive line and in the secondary but they didn't even draft a defensive lineman. They must be waiting until free agency to fill that hole.

How do you grade the Eagles draft? Vote in the poll on the left!

Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Draft Round-up

The 2011 NFL Draft is now in the books and the Eagles came away with a bunch of intriguing prospects. It was a somewhat curious draft for the Birds, who didn't target some of their biggest needs in the first two rounds, leading many to speculate that they might be counting on free agency to shore up their defensive line and cornerback situations. Andy Reid is never one to make all of the expected moves in the draft and this year was no exception as he grabbed several players a round or two ahead of when most draft pundits had them projected. Clearly, the Eagles trust their judgement and don't take stock in what everyone else thinks about who they target in the draft. Here's a look at every player the Eagles selected in the 2011 draft:

Round 1, pick 23 (23): Danny Watkins, OL, Baylor
If you watched the Eagles at all last year, you know how much the offensive line struggled to block for Michael Vick. Drafting Watkins should help to shore up at least one spot along the line as he figures to step into the starting right guard spot. While much has been made about his age (26), Watkins doesn't have a lot of miles on his body and should be able to play well into his 30's. Nearly every expert raves about his toughness and his work ethic, so, with the help of Howard Mudd, he should make a smooth transition to the NFL.


Round 2, pick 22 (54): Jaiquawn Jarrett, S, Temple
The Eagles go local with their second pick, snapping up Jarrett from nearby Temple. Jarrett was a four year starter at Temple and is known as a big hitter. That the Eagles used a second round pick on a safety for the second year in a row tells you they either are planning to get rid of Quintin Mikell or they aren't sure if Nate Allen will be healthy at the start of the season. Andy Reid has made it pretty clear that Jarrett will be a safety in the NFL, a smart move given his questionable cover skills.


Round 3, pick 26 (90): Curtis Marsh, CB, Utah St.
The Eagles finally addressed possibly their biggest need in the third round, picking up Marsh after trading down and picking up an extra 6th round pick. There are some questions surrounding Marsh, who played running back at the start of his college career and only recently transitioned to corner. He probably isn't the answer as the starting CB opposite of Asante Samuel but he could slide into a nickel role with an impressive training camp. Given that they waited this long to take a corner, the Eagles must have someone targeted in free agency (Nnamdi Asomugha?).

Round 4, pick 19 (116): Casey Matthews, LB, Oregon
After moving down and picking up a 4th rounder next year, the Eagles addressed another need and picked up a linebacker. Matthews has a great pedigree, as his dad played 19 years at linebacker in the NFL and his brother is a star linebacker for the Super Bowl champion Packers. He has all of the characteristics of everyone in his family as he is hard-working, tough and plays the game the way it should be played. While he won't be as good as his brother Clay, Casey could have a solid NFL career as more of a role player and special teams contributor. If he plays with the same intensity and instincts of the rest of his bloodline, he will be a great pick.


Round 4, pick 23 (120): Alex Henery, K, Nebraska
Thanks for all the great years, David Akers. I'm not even going to pretend like I know how to evaluate kickers, but Henery's selection surely means that Akers, who refused to sign a transition tag, won't be coming back to the Eagles. You don't take the first kicker of the draft if you don't plan on having him be the guy. As much as we all like Akers for everything he has done, he is getting up there in years and he hasn't been very good on kickoffs. Henery was the best kicker in the draft and has a strong leg, so he should be a solid replacement.

Round 5, pick 18 (149): Dion Lewis, RB, Pittsburgh
If you had success with one running back from Pitt, why not take another? Lewis, who succeeded LeSean McCoy at Pitt, is a small (5 foot 7, 193 pounds) back with a lot of shiftiness. He's a little like McCoy in terms of his elusiveness but he doesn't have much in the way of power or hands and he doesn't figure to be someone who can carry a heavy load. With the Eagles set at running back with McCoy and (hopefully) Jerome Harrison, Lewis could slot into the 3rd running back role and finally push Eldra Buckley out of the picture.


Round 5, pick 30 (161): Julian Vandervelde, OL, Iowa
After moving down a few spots and turning a 7th round pick into a 6th round pick, the Eagles picked up their second offensive lineman of the draft in Vandervelde. At 6 foot 2, 301 pounds, he's a big dude and figures to compete for a backup spot along the offensive line. It's not clear exactly what position he will play in the NFL but count on him somewhere in the interior of the line. Physicality is his specialty so he could develop into a starter down the road.

Round 6, pick 26 (191): Jason Kelce, G/C, Cincinnati
The Eagles went with their second offensive lineman in a row, picking up another interior lineman in Kelce. He's listed as a center but could also compete at guard. Best case scenario for Kelce is probably earning a backup spot but he's probably a candidate to spend a year on the practice squad.


Round 6, pick 28 (193): Brian Rolle, LB, Ohio State
After swapping this pick with the Patriots for pick 194 for no reason, the Eagles selected their second linebacker of the draft in Rolle. Rolle was productive at Ohio State and was a first team All-Big Ten selection last year. At 5 foot 10, 229 pounds he's pretty small for a linebacker and there is even some speculation on his NFL.com profile that he could move to safety in the NFL. He is the cousin of Giants defensive back Antrel Rolle.

Round 7, pick 34 (237): Greg Lloyd, LB, Connecticut
Grabbing another linebacker, the Eagles go with Lloyd, who is the son of former Steeler linebacker Greg Lloyd, though they've had a checkered relationship. Lloyd has some issues with injuries but he is physical and projects to be a middle linebacker in the NFL. Some experts thought he was a mid-round pick so the Eagles might have themselves a nice value pick here.

Round 7, pick 38 (240): Stanley Havili, FB, USC
The Eagles wrap things up with a fullback. With Leonard Weaver's future looking dicey, Havili could get a chance to compete for the starting fullback spot. He is a good pass-catching threat out of the backfield, something the Eagles obviously value. Isn't known as much of a blocker or a runner so he's going to have his work cut out for him if he wants to make the team.

That's all 11 players the Eagles took in the 2011 draft. Be sure to add your comments on the Eagles draft below and grade their draft in the poll to the left!

Eagles select OL Danny Watkins in first round

While many hoped the Eagles would target a cornerback with their first pick, Andy Reid just couldn't resist taking an offensive lineman. So, with the Birds 23rd pick in the first round, they took Baylor OL Danny Watkins. Given all of the issues the Eagles had along the offensive line, it's hard to blame Reid for pulling the trigger on someone who can potentially stabilize the line in front of Michael Vick.

What is most interesting about Watkins is the story of how get got to the NFL, given that he didn't start playing football until a few years ago. Growing up in Canada, Watkins was a firefighter after high school and didn't start playing football until he went to community college. He dominated immediately, then moved on to Baylor and excelled for two seasons there. At 26, while he is old for a NFL rookie, Watkins hasn't played a ton of football so he doesn't have much wear and tear on his body.

Talent-wise, Watkins looks like a great fit for the Eagles. At Baylor, Watkins played tackle, but he likely will have to move over to guard given his size (6 foot 3, 210 pounds). He is good in the running game, though the Eagles never run the ball anyway, and is willing to work his tail off to get better. The biggest knock against Watkins is his age; you do have to wonder how much upside he can possibly have if he will be 30 before his rookie contract is up.

While I would have preferred the Eagles draft a corner to help out Asante Samuel in the secondary, it's hard to find much fault in going with help along the offensive line. Given all of the issues the Eagles had last year trying to block for Vick, the team had to address their protection issues. Don't forget the Eagles also added one of the best offensive line coaches around in Howard Mudd, so Watkins should get plenty of help in his transition to the NFL.

A solid start for the Eagles on day one. With plenty of picks left to go, the Eagles will have several more opportunities to address their secondary needs plus pick up a few more linemen along the way.