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As referenced in another thread, this is what I asked of BD and MIG earlier today- and since the draft's a month away, may as well house some initial draft day talk where the Birds are concerned in this thread:


Either pick one, or if you want to, rate all in order of your preference for the Birds 1st pick on April 28th:

(Intentionally omitting the MLB Willis b/c by the sounds of things he is going to be unattainable - his stock really took off after a good combine and then a great private wkt in which he ran the 40 2x's in the high 4.3's.


1) M. Griffin, S, Tex

2) A. Ross, CB, Tex

3) C. Houston, CB, Arkansas

4) Marcus Macauley, CB, Fresno St.

5) Paul Puz, LB, PSU

6) Lawrence Timmons, OLB, Fla.

7) B. Lenoard, FB/H Back, Rutgers

8) Darkhorse: Greg Olsen, TE, Miami (This would require a move up in the draft)

9) OTHER ___________________

Best Player Available.

Well thought out.
Thanks.

Hope you can make it to the annual D.D. Party.

Yeah, sorry, it was a concise way of saying I don't know too much about any of the players mentioned. But it does generally fit my rule of drafting, take the best player available regardless of need.

I have a bad feeling about Ross and I never saw Houston play. Not a first round guy apparently, but I still like that kid from South Carolina, Fred Bennett, to be the nickel/development CB.

The LBs available in the 20s aren't what the Eagles need. WLBs and reaches at MLB.

Of that list, I'd go with Griffin.

Brian Leonard is an interesting pick. He'd just be completely wasted here.

It would all depend on who is actually available, but guys projected to go around there that I like (in no real order):

- Houston

- Griffin

- Timmons

- Beason

- Dwayne Bowe

- Ted Ginn Jr.

- Jarvis Moss

I think the posiitons they are most likely to take at that spot are D-line or secondary. With the 2 straight 1st rounders at Tackle, that leads me to believe it's secondary all the way. If that's the case and Houston is somehow there...take him.

He has big ability, tough, great speed, and plays with extreme confidence. I haven't seen him play much, but I did see them play USC and he tuned up Jarret. He also shut down Meachem and Bowe, I think, during their meetings this year. The book on him is he'll get some penalties because he's aggressive, he can run with anyone, and he plays his best when challenged. He's a little on the small side (just under 5'10"), which would make him the officer Hightower of the Eagles defense (so that's not a concern).

I don't like Ross, for the record.

I like Beason and Timmons, but I thought it was a long shot before they traded for Spikes and would seem like it's not even possible now.

Moss is an interesting guy who's a DE/LB tweener. He's a good athlete, he's long, but he's light (around 250). However, he's not any lighter than some other tall guys who have been successful like Jason Taylor and Mattias Kiwanuka (in his limited time), so i think his frame gives him an edge.

They were comparing him to Kearse at the combine (because he's athletic and from Florida), but he's not that kind of athlete. He could be an interesting pick if still there at 26, though.

If they go another route, I like Weddle later on the first day. He's an "Eagle" type of player and could be a safety of the future/hybrid defender now.

Josh Wilson from Maryland is a CB who could be a good value later in the draft (Maybe 3rd?).

There are lots of fast linebackers and solid ends mixed through, also.

As for 2nd day picks/sleepers as undrafted players, Michael Bush and Byron Westbrook have to be on the radar.

Bush is a bona-fide first round talent who just had a second surgery on his broken leg. He might not be 100% this year, but he's HUGE and fast...you might be able to draft him in the 5th round and stash him on IR for a year if he isn't ready. BIG value, though, and the injury is just bone...it will heal with time.

Byron is Westbrook's younger brother. He went to a small school, but is a little taller/thinner than Westbrook, plays corner, and performed well at his workout (4.45 great vertical, and looked good in drills). If he's not draft or available in the 7th round, why not? Big brother can show him the ropes and maybe he develops into a nickel corner/returner.

In what mock do you see Ginn Jr. goin around 26?

I should add that a WR is extremely unlikely, but I really like Bowe and I think Ginn brings too much value to the table to pass on him at 26 (if he ends up falling that far), whether you "need" one or not.

The reason Ginn is dropping is because he's not going to be able to run or work out for teams at all before the draft.

Kinda crossed over there...

Who's the shortest WR slated to go in the low 2nd round that the Eagles can "steal" in the third?

I might as well wish for that, since I don't have any space to keep a pony.

I really like Leonard from Rutgers, but there is no chance they take him rnd 1--he will not be there when they pick in rnd 2.

Reggie Nelson might be there when the Birds pick, although I have seen him mid 1st in some mocks.

I expect them to take Griffin.

Dwayne Jarret would still be available when the Birds pick, but I couldn't see them taking him either.

S736:

Are you not worried about taking a guy from a secondary that had plenty of talent? Bear with me: what I'm talking about is the UMiami syndrome wherein you have enough playmakers on your defense and everyone, even mediocre players, looks like a stud.

If I were the Birds, I'd be hesitant to take second-tier talent from the top programs. If you can't get the stud from Miami or USC, you should avoid the guys who played next to him too.

(this may be an issue with Texas.)

Hold the Rice, I'll take some Bush!


I've seen a couple of mock drafts with the Eagles taking Rice WR from South Carolina. Maybe it's just me, but I'm not a fan of South Carolina or Florida WR's. Under the ole ball coach then seem like world beaters, only to later be a bust. So no thanks on Rice.

If Willis McGahee can go in the first after his blown tire, then so can Bush. I don't think the Eagles would take him there, nor do I think it's a pressing 1st round need, but I wouldn't be upset about it Either.

I do think the Eagles take the best player between a MLB, and Safety.

Top Safties
-Brandon Meriweather-the Zoo

-Michael Griffin-Texas

Here is my WTF Eagles pick
-Ryan Kalil, Center, USC.

Espn NFL Draft magazine says the OLB, ILB, and CB positions are rated B or C and cites weaknesses in some of the 1st rd picks, (lack of experience or duability, etc). But they cite the Safety position as being strong, and in a sidebar they also note that Safeties often wind up at other positions because to be a safety you have to encompass the skills of other positions. Charles Tilman to corner and Brian Urlacher to LB. So I guess I am leaning toward Michael Griffin.

Hands off Houston-- NYJ's at 25, I hope.

I just want to know how many teams are gonna be sorry when they pass up Dwayne Jarrett.

Someone said it before, I think they're going with the "Secondary draft" from a few years ago. Brown and Lito are undersized, getting banged up, and are relying on the front 7 getting in to bring pressure. If that 7 is slow, they get no help from the middle and get exploited.

Sure, the younger front 7 are older and wiser now, with a few more tricks to play. I'm not pointing out any superstars there, but I can't really see anything proving less effective.

Lito and Sheldon aren't getting any younger, and they're getting hurt more often. They need to start thinking about getting better than average talent, even if it is to just push and provide nickle support for them.

That said, I'm sure one of them will develop nicely. I think Safety is something they're more than likely to concern themselves with in the second round, unless you're considering Griffin to be someone elite (read: Dawkins), so I figure if they do, and he's available, they'll go with him, otherwise one of the Corners.

1: They have their Franchise QB and RB in place.
2: They have depth at Oline.
3: They have some promising WR's, all of the above under contract through next year.
4: They have a talented TE who's playing for a contract (either with them or for someone else) next year.

Fullback could be a spot on O they may want to address, but not in the first round.

5: Dline has some depth, but could use something more durable than what they have. I'm not seeing this as being amazingly deep at that position, so I think they'll pass.
6: Linebackers are decent with the addition to Spikes. Drafting someone at 1 would mean giving up on some of the younger players they have, or Trotter calling it quits.
7: Special Teams are as solid as I can see them being, not something that's going to be answered in the draft.

That leaves secondary. Lito was hurt in the playoffs, and that cost them. Brown hasn't played a full season recently, and Dawkins isn't getting any younger. Lewis won't be back, and Considine isn't the answer.

If the Eagles can find Brian Dawkins replacement in the draft I'll be satisfied.

Not sure why you're so high on Longhorns secondary. I watched most of most games last year. Ross & Griffin are big hitters, decent against the run, and make plays. But they pretty much suck in coverage. The secondary, as a whole, was absolutely brutal last year.

A quick peek at some stats shows that they gave up almost 3100 yards in 13 games (avg. 236 yds/game). This isn't too hot on its own. Now consider that this included games against North Texas, Rice, Sam Houston St., Baylor, and Texas A&M.

Roachie,

You are looking at it backwards.

When UT is playing Baylor and is up 52-3 at halftime, of course the other team is going to pass. This is a great example of who statistics can be skewed.

"When UT is playing Baylor and is up 52-3 at halftime, of course the other team is going to pass. This is a great example of who statistics can be skewed. "

This is also the case on the stats of how well they play the run.

I've also watched my share of Longhorn games (since I live in Austin and have to digest non-stop Longhorn propaganda), and can tell you their secondary was not their strong point. Any team with a decent QB was regularly able to blow them up (Texas Tech, Kansas State, etc.)

Also, it's been stated by more than one NFL scout that players from Texas take longer to develop in the NFL than from most other schools. Vince, of course, being the exception.

Give me Puz if available at the first pick. I don't think just because we picked up some so-so LBs last year that we shouldn't pick up a potentially really good one this year.

Agree on Puz.

He'll probably go to New England, he is their kind of guy.

Also, it's been stated by more than one NFL scout that players from Texas take longer to develop in the NFL than from most other schools. Vince, of course, being the exception.

I've heard this, too. There are also a LOT of Texas busts in the NFL.

Is there an explanation for this phenomenon?

Mike Williams and Leonard Davis are two Texas guys who were top 5 picks and expected to be franchise tackles. One is a complete bust and the other is pretty much a bust.

Benson was a top 5 or so pick and he's been a disappointment.

Jammer looked like a bust, but came back and is a good player now (just took a couple years).

Roy Williams and Vince Young are two examples of Texas athletes who pretty much "got it" right away.

It just seems (for whatever reason) a lot of Texas players have a tough time, but it could be my imagination.

It's because Slack Brown has no idea what he's doing and his teams are usually soft. An infantile retard could recruit guys to play at Texas.

Mack spends more time on his Jimmy Johnson wannabe rug than he does developing players or gameplans.

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