Graham's size, Day 2 notes
How concerning is Brandon Graham's size - just over 6-1? How is Day 2 going to shake out? Some notes recapping the first round and looking ahead to rounds two and three.
Graham's size, Day 2 notes
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
More notes now that I've had a few hours to sleep on the first round. I also posted late Thursday night about Brandon Graham, the first round and the NFC East.
* I'm going to take a more detailed look at this in the coming weeks, but a lot is being made about Graham's size: 6-1 1/3, 268. I took a look at last year's top sack guys to see how their height compared to Graham's. Keep in mind that these might not be prototypical left defensive ends (some fall in the hybrid OLB/DE mold), but we don't really know how the Eagles plan on using Graham.
Elvis Dumervil, who led the league in sacks with 17, is listed at 5-11, 248 pounds. Dwight Freeney's listed height and weight is identical to Graham's: 6-1, 268. He's had double-digit sacks in six of eight NFL seasons. Pass-rushing linebacker LaMarr Woodley (also from Michigan) is 6-2, 265. He had 13.5 sacks last season with the Steelers.
The point? Look at each prospect individually. Making generalizations based on height, school or conference is easy, but doesn't really work. Remember 1997 first-round pick Jon Harris? He was 6-7. He finished his career with two sacks in two seasons.
* Derrick Morgan, the Coatesville native, had this to say about the Eagles passing on him: "I felt like I was the best pass rusher in this draft so I'm just gonna use it as motivation and I got a chip on my shoulder."
* Tonight should be interesting. I've been saying for months that cornerback remains this team's biggest concern. I refuse to believe Ellis Hobbs will be the starter in Week 1. They're already thin, and the situation would turn into a full-on disaster if Asante Samuel were to get injured. We'll find out if there is a corner the team likes at 37 or 55, a guy that can come in and play right away. Last year, they traded a pair of fifth-rounders for Hobbs. I wonder if trading picks for a corner is a possibility again this year.
* Day 2 mocks? Hey, why not? ESPN.com's Todd McShay has the Eagles taking guard Jon Asamoah out of Illinois at No. 37 and South Florida cornerback Jerome Murphy at No. 55. Meanwhile, Mel Kiper Jr. has the Birds taking Florida safety Major Wright at No. 37 and Asamoah at No. 55.
* And draft grades already? Once again - why not? Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com gives the Eagles an A:
Love this pick. Love the aggression to go get him. He is a big-time pass rusher. He will be an immediate impact player in their defense. I like this pick as much as any.
* John Czarnecki of FoxSports.com analyzes the Eagles' pick:
Graham's play was a big reason why Iowa's Bulaga is still available in this draft because he beat him like a drum when he played him. Now, Graham is a speed rusher and Andy Reid is hoping that he can mature into another Dwight Freeney. Graham was a solid producer and his selection proves that there were a lot of defensive linemen in this draft.
* A reminder that I'll be back at 6 p.m. to chat rounds two and three. As of now, that means two picks for the Eagles, but that of course could change.
Become a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook, and follow us on Twitter.
Birds priority on defense is improve the pass rush before fixing the secondary. I'll be stunned if this kid doesn't deliver, excellent pick. Those who say he would have been there at 24 have no idea what they are talking about. He's a atud pass rusher.— Z-Force- He's a situational role player; if that's your definition of STUD so be it!— JBinPA
- ok he is not what 90%of eagles fans wanted. we all wanted earl thomas to come in and be the next bdawk. and with the history of fatty reid with his picks with dlinemen concerns everyone. i think reid is going to trade 2 second round picks and get mcnabb— phillyfan0307
- People are talking about Graham not being an every down guy because of his lack of size. He's an inch and a half shorter than what you'd like to see, but weight-wise he's fine. Being an inch short isn't going to cause him to wear down any quicker.— djsaitta
- The guy is a 3 down end. Plus, they rotate lineman anyway. It's quite obvious Graham was the best DE out there. Tennessee and NYG took DE's who were rated lower than Graham right after our pick.— BammBamm
- people are only saying "not an everydown DE" because Gruden said it. Gruden is stupid.— vladamir
- He's a fastball Reid can throw at offenses. Time's yours.— Rick Wise Guy
- This kid is going to be nasty...He is a workman like player that never stops...I watched the Iowa game and he dominated Bulaga— relly142
How is he "situational"? He was stout against the run in school. Led college football in tackles behind the line last year. 268 is not undersized. Get over it people.— phillychaos- So, summary-- what we know about Graham is that he was a hugely productive player in college, excellent stats for two seasons, dominated Bulaga vs. Iowa, dominated the senior bowl, great against both the run and the pass. Strong character, incredibly aggressive on the field. You wouldn't call him a workout warrior, but he doesn't work out too badly either...he's very strong and pretty fast: 31 reps on the bench press at the combine (one less than Ndamukong Suh), and a 4.71 40 (disappointing for him but still better than any first round DE other than Everson Griffen). Weight in the typical range for a defensive end, but a bit short (with short arms), a bit stiff in the hips-- and those are pretty much the only knocks on him. It was a startling pick-- I was hoping for Earl Thomas-- but I think Graham is going to be fantastic across from Trent Cole.— eruditeermine
- Well said eruditeermine!!— tkotanch
- if 268 is undersized then hugh douglas was undersized and so is freeney and so are the other 2 DE taken in the 1st round. ppl stop just repeating what you hear, it becomes a whirlwind of stupidity.— sasquatches
Apparently JB can only parrot what his hero says— Mabus- Wasn't there a draft pick everyone booed? We wanted one guy who ended up quitting to smoke pot, but the guy they picked ended up being ok, right? /cue comments about worm funerals— pmoehrle5
- So is he a LB or DE??? Should have taken Morgan. Always look at the 3 players after the Eagles pick. Bet they work out better.
Follow
Sheil on Twitter. And become
a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.
Download our NEW iPhone/Android app for even more Birds
coverage, including app-exclusive videos and analysis. Download it here.
