4/24: Eagles draft buzz
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4/24: Eagles draft buzz
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Every day, from now until the draft, I'll round up the latest Eagles buzz on MTC. Here is today's installment.
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Today, we start with four Eagles draft predictions:
The Eagles will take a running back or wide receiver in the first three rounds.
Neither is a position of need, but there are some intriguing playmakers who could help this offense. LeSean McCoy played more snaps than any other running back in the league last season, according to Pro Football Focus. Did it take a toll on him towards the end of the season? The numbers would suggest yes. McCoy carried 85 times for 290 yards in his final five games, averaging 3.4 yards per carry. In the first 10 games, he averaged 5.4 yards per carry.
The Eagles didn't sign a veteran running back in free agency, although they still could do so. They could also give the job to Dion Lewis, a fourth-round pick last year. But I think there's a good chance they identify a back to complement McCoy in the draft. Matt Waldman gave us some good names last week. Two players worth mentioning: Oregon's LaMichael James and Cincinnati's Isaiah Pead. James has been compared to Darren Sproles, and NFL Network's Mike Mayock has him ranked as his fourth-best running back. James had 19 runs of 20+ yards last year, second-most in the nation. He could likely contribute as a return man right away. Pead, meanwhile, is Mayock's fifth-ranked running back. He had 39 catches last season for the Bearcats. Both James and Pead are expected to be Day 2 picks.
Remember, the Eagles are not only looking for a complement for McCoy, but they could also try to grab a talented prospect to fill the Chad Hall role.
As for receiver, the Eagles could bring a bigger target in to compete with Riley Cooper. But they could also think about bringing in someone to compete with, and eventually replace, Jason Avant in the slot. Regular readers of MTC know I like and respect Avant. But perhaps the Eagles would consider a more athletic slot receiver. One name to keep in mind: Florida International's T.Y. Hilton (5-10, 183). He averaged over 30 yards per kickoff return last year to go along with 72 catches for 1,038 yards. Hilton, who reportedly had a pre-draft visit with the Eagles, is expected to be a second- or third-round pick.
The Eagles will not draft a quarterback.
I like a lot about what the Eagles have done this offseason, but I'm not sure what the plan is to back up Michael Vick. At this point, it looks like Mike Kafka and Trent Edwards will compete for the No. 2 position. That doesn't seem good enough to me if this team wants to make a run. It's possible they'll still try to add a veteran quarterback in the coming months.
But as I've explained in the past, I don't think drafting a second-tier quarterback makes sense this year. For example, having Kafka and someone like Kirk Cousins backing up Vick doesn't do anything for me. If a guy drops and they perceive value, that's one thing. But there are too many other areas to address, especially on the first two days of the draft.
The Eagles would rather have Chandler Jones than Quinton Coples, Michael Brockers or Dontari Poe.
Two of the top draft minds in the business - Mayock and Greg Cosell of NFL Films - have Syracuse's Chandler Jones now rated as the top defensive end. I wrote here and here about why I really like Jones, and he could bring size and length that the Eagles don't currently have on their defensive line.
There is a scenario in which Jones, Coples, Brockers and Poe will all be on the board at No. 15. If that happens, I think Jones is the pick. Really, it would likely come down to Jones or Brockers. But when you look at the Eagles' defensive tackle situation right now, they have guys whose strengths are against the run - Mike Patterson, Antonio Dixon and Derek Landri. Cullen Jenkins is their best pass-rushing tackle (although it's worth noting that Patterson improved in that area last year).
While I'm hesitant to label Brockers as a run defender only, considering he's only 21, that's what we know about him at this point. Jones, meanwhile, has the size to rush from different spots on the line, and I think he's a player the Eagles could target, assuming Mississippi State's Fletcher Cox gets taken earlier.
The Eagles will draft Joselio Hanson's replacement.
OK, I should say "potential" replacement. Hanson turns 31 in August and did not have a great year in 2011. As Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie proved last year, it's tough to play slot cornerback at a high level, covering someone like Wes Welker one week and Victor Cruz the next. Depending on how high the Eagles draft cornerback (and I fully expect them to take one at some point), Hanson's exit could come sooner rather than later.
I mentioned Georgia's Brandon Boykin yesterday as a possibility to be the Eagles' next nickel cornerback. He's expected to be a Day 2 pick. Alabama's DeQuan Menzie (some see him as a safety, but he played in the slot in college) and LSU's Ron Brooks (came in for a visit) could be late-round options.
MORE DRAFT LINKS
I mentioned Cosell earlier. He put together a mock draft based on film study and team needs, not taking character and off-the-field issues into account. At No. 15, he's got the Eagles taking Jones:
I look at the Eagles defense, and see the need for an inside pass rusher in their sub-package personnel groups. Remember, in the final 4 games of 2011, the coaching staff expanded the alignment and personnel concepts, often utilizing Jason Babin and Trent Cole in 2 point stances as moveable linebackers. With that said, the pick is Chandler Jones from Syracuse. Jones has an intriguing combination of size, length and athletic movement. I think of Eagles defensive line coach Jim Washburn, and I could easily envision Washburn looking at Jones, and seeing a better version of Jason Jones, whom Washburn coached in Tennessee for 3 years.
I referenced Mayock's rankings above. Here's the link to his top 100, and click here for his top-five at each position.
Mike Tanier of Yahoo Sports did a mock draft based on team needs. He has Alabama safety Mark Barron going to the Eagles at No. 15:
The Eagles safeties lacked instincts last year, but they made up for it by not being physical or having exceptional speed. There's nothing like breaking down game tape and watching a safety break straight for the line of scrimmage when the ball carrier is already through the hole. After three years of trying to replace Brian Dawkins with fond memories and wishful thinking, it is time for the Eagles to abandon econometric reasoning ("but players with the safety skill set become abundant commodities in middle rounds!") and draft an impact player in the secondary.
Click here for Philly.com's special NFL draft section.
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What a waste of space.— Short Circuit 3- What's the Chad Hall role? Picking up 2 yards before getting creamed?— ej610
- Here's a bit of reality: The Eagles released Hanson thinking they could put anybody in the slot. Their thinking was so off, they had to bring Hanson back. So who's going to evaluate the players to find a replacement for Hanson? Roseman? Reid? Castillio? I have no faith in the talent evaluators on the Eagles. Our best players on defense are from other teams.— ej610
- This is so true. And the fact that Jeff Lurie is oblivious to the amount of money he is losing by having to sign big name free agents, especially on Defense, because of the poor talent evaluators and coaches under AR, reflects negatively. Andy Reid may be a good offensive coach but he finds his defensive talent by attracting FAs and not by drafting them.
- Sheil, I like your thoughts over what some of the other writers are saying.
Me, I am thinking Barron, Keuchly, Cox. with no trading up or down.
If none of those are there, I am now thinking Jones over Coples. with Kendricks in the 2nd if we can't get Keuchly.
Sheil would you take a flyer on Vontaze Burfict with a 3 or 4?— dmanphilly - Ugh people still have a man-crush on Burfict? He didn't do jack last season, and his attitude and combine performance make him a 5th round prospect at best and he might not even get drafted.
SO Sheil...are the Eagles admitting last year's 3rd rounder Marsh is yet another fail high draft pick if they draft another CB day 1 or 2?— Only in Philly... - If the Eagles draft another Defensive End with their 1st round pick I may put a boot through the TV and never watch this team again. The odds of said Defensive End being any good based on past Eagles picks is about 1 in 5,000.— guyguy4
- Friday morning a stunned Eagles Nation will wake up and realize it wasn't a nightmare: the Birds traded the pick.— 2ndNlong
- damnphilly, I have exact same thoughts, and burfict is one nasty player and the eagles could use some of that esp if it is a low risk late pick. Nobody is saying take the guy early. Marsh is still in the mix and has a chance to play this season per what I read recently, although he didnt see much pt last season so its not looking great. Sounds like Jones is better bet than Coples according to "experts" ha— peteike
- Jones is too tall to be an Eagles DE. If they get a WR he better be able to return kicks too.— banned
- Sheil, could you address Jones' lack of burst? I can't think of a successful DE in the last 10 years who has looked less explosive than Jones. He looks like a future substitution player to me and not worthy of anything more than a 2nd rounder. I would take Worthy, Coples and Mercilus over him if they are determined to go d-line and don't like Brockers.
I think it would be make much more sense to trade up for Ingram or Cox than to reach for Jones way higher than he should go, draft a corner instead, or trade back from 15.— conceptual_bro - If they want a DE, and take C.Jones over Coples, Andy should pack up his office and leave town now. Heck if they take any other DE not name Coples over any DT (or Kuechly of course), then they are lunatics.— Phront_Runner
- I would take Cox over Coples, and I think most GMs would too.
— conceptual_bro - Teams blow a lot of smoke and Mock Drafts are based more on what scouts say as the mock draft guy doing film work. Point? There are 5 or 6 guys outside of the 1st rd projections that teams like alot and will draft earlier than being projected. There are a bunch of guys being talked up in the 1st rd and especially the high 1st rd that nobody really likes that much. For starters, there is no way that 5 or 6 DT get drafted in the first 40-45 picks no matter how deep they are. Positional value will have other positions going higher when the card walking day comes. Cornerback: Too important a position for a draft to have the current tepid predictions. Claiborne, Gilmore, Jenkins, Kirkpatrick will all be 1st rd picks. Same goes for DE: Coples, Mercilus, Ingram, Jones and Perry/Branch will also most likely see the 1st rd. Point is that the Mock Lists are not that accurate either in the players— UncleStosh
- Coples is a bust ! !— BuddyBall92
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