Mock roundup: Projecting the Eagles' pick
News blogs, sports blogs, entertainment blogs, and more from Philly.com, The Philadelphia Inquirer and the Philadelphia Daily News.
Mock roundup: Projecting the Eagles' pick
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
It's a slow Friday without much going on pertaining to the Eagles, but here are a few mock drafts to take a look at.
Of course, take these with a grain of salt. Teams' rosters will look a lot different between now and April's draft. But these are some names that could be worth keeping an eye on. Maybe.
The roundup:
ESPN.com's Todd McShay has the Eagles going with Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still at No. 15:
Opinions on Still vary widely. I have an early-second round grade on him, but many feel he is a mid-first-rounder. There is a lot to like about his upside, given his size and ability to penetrate and disrupt. He is inconsistent on tape, but it's hard to find guys with his combination of skills. Alabama S Mark Barron would be a consideration, but the Eagles got S Jaiquan Jarrett in the second round last year, and this would be a bit early for an outside linebacker like North Carolina's Zach Brown. Philadelphia fans, feel free to disagree.
McShay has Boston College linebacker Luke Kuechly going 12th to the Chiefs.
The Eagles currently have Mike Patterson and Cullen Jenkins under contract for 2012. I'd expect both to be back as starters, although Howie Roseman wouldn't say for certain that Jenkins would be back when he spoke to the beat guys in Mobile, Ala. Antonio Dixon is a restricted free agent, coming off of a season-ending injury. Trevor Laws and Derek Landri are both free agents. Landri was a nice addition last season, and the Eagles would be smart to bring him back.
Rob Rang of CBSSports.com has the Eagles taking Kuechly at No. 15.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post also has the Eagles taking Kuechly:
A tackling machine with good size, natural instincts and knowledge to fend off blocks and find the football. Is the kind of talent the Eagles need inside to improve their struggling linebacking corps.
Peter Schrager of FoxSports.com has the Eagles taking North Carolina linebacker Zach Brown:
Though the Eagles defense finished the season strong, their linebackers still had their issues. The LBs were a problem all season. In Brown, a guy I like considerably more as an NFL prospect than Boston College’s Luke Kuechly, the Eagles would get the type of player that’s in on every play with a ton of potential to get better. A 6-foot-2, 240-pound tackling machine, Brown’s a guy who changes games. Watching a UNC game is like watching a Zach Brown highlight reel. The Eagles could use some of that resourcefulness roaming the middle.
You can follow me on Twitter or become a fan of Moving the Chains on Facebook.
I'd like to know where McShay is getting his info; Still had a good PSU career, but questions about his conditioning do make me wonder. This is the first I've heard the Eagles were even interested in him; I don't know how good he'd be against the run. Burfict would fill a key need at LB, but I can't imagine Roseman taking him. The BC kid is more their speed, no pun intended.- Whoever they take I bet he has a high motor— eaglessuck@life
- I think they should take Barron or the best linebacker to fall to #15 -- either of those two positions and then take the best player available.— armchairGM
- @William20, you made my day with that Rodger neigborhood remark lol— Wide-9
- None of these predictions matter one iota, because Andy and Howie go after specific players they like, to the exclusion of everyone else in the league - those high-motor midgets they absolutely love that other franchises have rated much lower (because they ARE much lower prospects). They will take the guy they like in a higher round if they think someone will take him in the next. Roseman admitted this in a recent interview. It's an insane method of drafting, but that's what they do. They both have this "I'm an unsung genius" complex and it is killing this team. Lots of facepalming ahead for us Iggle fans, and cries of "They drafted WHO????" - Again.— NM Eagle fan
- They always win the Outsmart Bowl.— rubicon24
- They have to trade Asante. He is a $9.5 mil hit against the 2012 cap. Yardbarker is on record as saying the Birds can get a 2nd round pick for him. That said, if he's there, I grab Still with 1st round pick. With three 2nd round picks, you can address ILB/OLB/WR, because Jackson won't be back. Via FA, I'd look to sign Vincent Jackson or Dwayne Bowe. In addition, I'd admit to the Jarrett mis-draft and sign Tyvon Branch, SS, from the Raiders. That would significantly upgrade the talent on this roster.— beegal99
- Everyone can debate all day long as to whether any of these players are worthy. Point being is that their needs need to be addressed early on in the draft. Jenkins needs help in the middle. The ILB is a glaring weakness on the defense. They don't have a playmaking OLB. If Desean is gone, they need a burner at WR to keep defenses honest. Those are the simple truths.— beegal99
- Any so-called draft "expert" that projects a LB to be taken in the 1st round by the Eagles needs to be fired. If your job is projecting NFL draft picks, you would have to have been asleep in a cave for the last 12 years to not know that Reid does not, I repeat NOT, take LBs with 1st round draft picks. He doesn't even like using 2nd round picks on them.— JimG
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.
