Eagles draft S Jarrett and CB Marsh
The Philadelphia Inquirer Blog - Eagles
Eagles draft S Jarrett and CB Marsh
Jonathan Tamari and Jeff McLane
The Eagles drafted Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett in the second round, selecting one of the better safeties in a what is considered a weak class, but one who was not expected to be chosen until later in the draft.
They also took a cornerback -- Utah State's Curis Marsh -- in the third round after they moved back five places. The 6-foot-1, 197-pound Marsh ran a 4.46 40-yard dash at the combine. The Eagles swapped third round picks with the Ravens and also recieved a sixth rounder (191st overall) in return for the 85th overall pick.
Jarrett, from Brooklyn, is considered a hard-working, instinctive player, but one who does not have the size or speed of a top-flight NFL player. He started all but six of his college games at Temple and played in every game of his college career.
"A lot of teams like kids that are just natural football players and that’s what coach Reid saw in me," Jarrett said.
He is listed at 6-foot-0, 198 pounds -- around the same size as other Eagles safeties. His best 40-yard dash time was 4.54, not exactly blazing for a defensive back. But he led Temple in combined tackles last season with 74 (41 unassisted, 33 assisted).
"They see something in me that other teams didn't see," Jarrett said.
He described himself as a physical, disciplined player.
"This right here is one of the greatest situations for me," said Jarrett, who has played his college football in Philadelphia and said he was glad to be staying close to home.
Most analysts expected that Jarrett would last into the middle rounds of the draft.
Jarrett will join a young safety group that includes Nate Allen and Kurt Coleman, each drafted last year. His selection may spell bad news for veteran Quintin Mikell, whose contract is up and future in Philadelphia was already cloudy.
"I'm Happy For Jarrett I Love The Temple Players! Do Your Thing!" Mikell wrote on Twitter.
The second round started in unhelpful fashion for the Eagles: two of the top cornerbacks remaining -- Ras-I Dowling and Aaron Williams -- were taken with the first two picks. Then the Bengals drafted quarterback Andy Dalton and the 49ers took quarterback Colin Kaepernick, likely taking two quaraterback-needy teams out of the sweepstakes for Eagles backup Kevin Kolb, whenever trades resume.
While Dalton and Kaepernick might need time to develop, it seems unlikely that the Bengals or 49ers would invest heavily in another quarterback who would serve as a stopgap before they are ready.
Next Jabaal Sheard, one of the top defensive ends remaining, went to Cleveland, taking off another strong prospect at a position where the Eagles need help.
Andy will keep the Eagles competitive but a Super Bowl.......Forget it!— fanup- Eagles draft management sounds like their clock management and play calling. Andy must've been hanging at the Linc on Saturday's watching Temple games.— burholme
Comment removed.- Eagles finally draft someone local. I have been commenting on the boards that they often miss out on NFL talent that comes from the surrounding area. And usually a Temple player makes the NFL every year.— watsonmr
- THey picked Westbrook about 2 or 3 rounds before any other team would have. They have not totally missed out on local talent. — MattPSU
- Haha. "a player who was not expected to be chosen until later in the draft". Andy will show everyone once again that he's just different...and much more clever!!! Why wait and take a guy in the 3rd or 4th round when you can spend your 2nd rounder on him. Also, he's slow and undersized??? Perfect. Take that Steelers and Patriots!! You keep getting rings and we'll just keep outsmarting everyone.— Sewellmatt
- He didn't run a 4.3 40 but the kid can hit and he works his tail off.
Take a look for yourself:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnCQkoIZOFg
— JJR1117 - Is Nate not recovering well? I do like what I have read about Jaiquawn's character and commitment to the profession. I think this will work out better than it looks right now.— MrHoosier2U
- AS LONG AS ANDY HAS CONTROL...we all know the results---its going to be competitive BUT not a Championship...— carmen2
- Sorry this was a bad pick. Safety just wasn't that big of a need. they should have been looking Oline, corner, or line backer.
They better take either Greg Jones or Casey Mathews in the next round. I really am getting tired of this were smarter than everyone else so we'll take players who nobody has ever heard of.
You think they would have learned, when they take big names .... Maclin, Jackson, McCoy they turn out to be superstars.— andyreidisfat - Wtf fat boy & the accountants. This guy was rated as a 3rd or 4th round pick. Another reach— Ted Mosby
- @JJR1117, I can't lie, my first thought after hearing the pick was "WHO?!?". But after watching that YouTube video, I'm definately sold. Not many highlights of him snatching any passes up, but definately a rock solid pick. Kid flat out hits. I definately like the direction Andy Reid is going in. Grabbing up a lot of talented, team first guys with some real life mean-streaks. I'm ready for them to ship off Kolb now for Johnathan Joseph and get this season under way. E-A-G-L-E-S EAGLES!!! 2011 is OUR year!!!— papabear702
- why didnt andy move up to get this guy?
now we gonna win the big one.
I know it. I can feel it.
— depressed - Very odd to me that there have been no picks traded up or down by Andy. Sorta hoping birds would get at least an almost "sure thing" w/ picks #1 or #2. Not sure there's ever a "block-buster" trade in the third round. I hope there's a method to this madness.— wordsword
- Interesting that Eagles didn't have that info about his probable draft round status. Can't believe how stupid this team is.— Charon
