What they're saying: Eagles draft grades
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What they're saying: Eagles draft grades
Sheil Kapadia, Philly.com
Here's a roundup of what the national media are saying about the Eagles' draft.
Over on Eagletarian, Paul Domowitch gives the Eagles a B-:
While they attacked their pass-protection problems head-on by selecting Watkins, who is expected to be a Day 1 starter at one of the guard spots, in the first round, they didn’t do anything to improve a pass rush that managed just 15 sacks in the last 8 games last season, and they didn’t find a starting right corner. At least not for this season.
Adam Caplan of FoxSports.com gives the Eagles a B-:
The Eagles were able to secure at least three future starters with their first three selections. However, selecting a kicker in the fourth round is a bit questionable.
ESPN's Mel Kiper gave the Eagles a C+. In terms of needs, he gave the Birds a B, but in terms of value, he gave them a C:
This feels like last year. I look at the Philly board and think, "Well, they got a lot of guys." The Eagles targeted what I considered their three biggest needs with their first three picks.
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com gives the Eagles a B:
Best pick: I like the pick of Danny Watkins in the first round. He is a nasty player who will fit in on their offensive line, which needs help.
Questionable move: Using a fourth-round pick on kicker Alex Henery. Anytime you pick a kicker that high, it's a questionable move.
Third-day gem: Fourth-round pick Casey Matthews, Clay's little brother, will help at a position of need. Should be a good special-teams player, as well.
Analysis: The Eagles always seem to do a good job in the draft. This year was no different. The key might be second-round safety Jaiquawn Jarrett.
CBSSports.com's Rob Rang gives the Eagles a B-:
The Eagles' selection of a 26-year-old guard with the No. 23 overall pick will be criticized by some, though certainly not by me. Danny Watkins stepped in immediately for former No. 2 overall pick Jason Smith (Rams) at left tackle in 2009 for Baylor, demonstrating great toughness and competitive fire despite it being only his third season of playing the game. What was most impressive, however, was how quickly he acclimated inside at guard at the Senior Bowl despite having never played the position. He'll provide toughness inside for Philadelphia.
ESPN's Todd McShay says the Eagles' selection of Temple safety Jaiquawn Jarrett in the second round was their best move, and their selection of Nebraska kicker in the fourth round was their worst move:
The 120th pick is simply too high for Alex Henery. Yes, he was the No. 1 kicker on our board, but Henery has had some inconsistent stretches in his career, and while he has a monster leg the Eagles would have been better off addressing right offensive tackle, defensive line, tight end, wide receiver or return specialist, then taking someone like Kai Forbath further down the line.
SI.com's Don Banks says he wouldn't be surprised to see kicker David Akers stay in the NFC East:
Akers is a free agent and he's not done kicking in the NFL. Given the challenges the Cowboys and Redskins have had with kickers in recent years, I wouldn't be surprised if Akers wound up somewhere else in the NFC East, facing his old team twice a year. Not exactly the Donovan McNabb to Washington storyline of 2010, but it might be fun.
SI.com's Peter King gives his take on the first-round selection of Danny Watkins:
The good -- Danny Watkins is a day-one starter, mature and experienced, and can play either guard and, in a pinch, tackle, where he played last year at Baylor. The bad -- He'll be a 27-year-old rookie this fall.
NFL.com's Vic Carucci names Akers one of five veterans immediately affected by his team's draft:
The Eagles were fairly public in their disappointment over David Akers missing two field-goal attempts in their playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers. It was later revealed that he was distracted by his daughter's illness, which seemingly left some hard feeling between Akers and the team. Sure enough, when the Eagles gave Akers a transition tag after the season -- his fifth as a Pro Bowl selection -- he refused to sign it. And now they appear to have found his replacement in Nebraska's Alex Henery, a fourth-round pick.
CBSSports.com's Clark Judge likes the Eagles' decision to go with Watkins:
So Philadelphia's Danny Watkins is 26. Big deal. He also was the safest pick on the offensive line, ready to step in tomorrow and start at guard.
Two Eagles make Judge's list of top-10 draft losers, including Akers:
He felt bad after missing three field goals in a playoff loss to Green Bay, including a 29-yarder. He should feel worse now that the Eagles used a fourth-round pick to take Nebraska kicker Alex Henery. Akers doesn't have a contract, and he hasn't signed his tender as the team's transition player. Looks as if the Eagles don't expect him to sign on the dotted line.
And Kevin Kolb:
He'd love to get started -- and I mean started -- with his next team, but there is no next team. Philadelphia can't budge until the NFL is open for trading again.
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Overall, i would give the Eagles a B. Look for Nnamdi Asomugha to be an Eagles and Jason Babin when free Agency Starts. Get those 2 players and We are Superbowl Bowl Bound Baby. Go Eagles.— briandawkins20- With so many holes to fill on defense, I don't think they need to have Asomugha. I'd much rather see a lesser CB, like Cromartie, with an addition at another position, like LB or even DE. Eric Weddle at SS for example. Get Weddle and Cromartie, IMO is a much better tactic for retooling the defense.
— beegal99 - The selection of a kicker in the fourth round is a prime example of why the entire front office needs to go. The only kicker to be drafted this year! That means if the Eagles had any idea at all this would be the case, then they wouldn't have to take him in the FOURTH ROUND! Simply says there is a clear lack of league intelligence being gathered, a lack of experience at the GM position, or both. Unacceptable, especially when there were bigger needs to be met.— beegal99
- Or maybe no other kickers were worthy of being taken after Henery.....
I've been an Akers guy for a lot of years, ,but maybe after the GB game, it's time to move on.
— jerwall - Employing a law school sliding curve, I would slot the Eagles picks in the overall middle third of the draft.— pedge
- Overall I would say that to grade the draft a day after it has ended is such foolishness it doesn't even comprehend but... it's done anyway for good measure. As I'm typing this the number of high picks being flops running through my minds are endless. Think of the number of can't misses that did worse than that.— Murrayman
- Overall I would give the Eagles an incomplete. The same grade all teams received under my grading system. There's still free agent signings. And you have to wait until we see how these young men transfer their skills to the NFL game. Having followed this sport for 58 years I wait until any of these young men perform, first in camp, then in games. Final grades after two years. I'm humored by all the media scrutiny on the draft, but no more so than watching 6 ex players dissect games during the season. Love to watch the games, but all this analysis is a bit much for...football. It's a riot that the Philly sports press is quick to grade something they know nothing about. Nothing. When it comes to the draft. There are no experts. Just agendas and pretense.— retzlaff
- "Analysis: The Eagles always seem to do a good job in the draft. This year was no different"
Is there another Eagles team i'm not aware of? because the one from Philly can't draft for sh*t.
— hititwheretheyaint - If you go with a rookie kicker, you're almost guaranteed to lose one game next season on a miss, possibly even two. How did that Matt Dodge thing work out for the Giants? Not sure that makes sense for a team that believes it can make the Super Bowl.— jimmyj
- yeah, stupid rookie kickers. Who's that guy from New Orleans again that kicked the game winner of the NFC Championship? — phillyphaninchi
- Seems like a draft cannot be truly graded until after at least a year or two into the system...— M60tanker
Amen, Pete Retzlaff. You cannot judge a single player before they play, and at least two seasons actually on the field. Injuries can strike down the most talented of thoroughbreds, not to mention off the field issues. How'd that Ricky Williams pick work out? I remember when the Bengals took Kijana Carter #1 overall, and he blew out his knee the first carry of pre-season, and never really got back on the field very much as a below average short yardage back. Teams that win the Lombardi Trophy have blue collar guys, the draft and quarter horses. Let's see these kids play first and then maybe pass judgment, the pro game and temptations are very different than the college one and character and mental toughness make or break players as much as sheer talent. Running fast in shorts and benching 225lbs for 40 reps does not mean a thing if you cannot make a touchdown saving tackle, kick a field goal in bad weather, punch the ball out and take it to the house, and just stay on the field and make plays. Real football players are tough as nails, play through injuries, compete the entire game, and listen, learn and mature into better players.- I believe Akers comes back for another year to mentor Henery, much in the same way he was mentored by Norm Johnson. It gives Henery a great tutor, and allows Akers to leave with some dignity. Akers will still kick extra points and field goals from 35 and closer, while Henery will handle longer field goals and kickoffs.— jhnesunshine
- sunshine: 2 kickers huh? Casey "Clay's lil Brother" Mathews has the biggest chip to knock off, but Temple S Jarret has the most to prove. The thing I keep reading and dont believe is why would we trade KK for draft picks next year??? That team gets a year of production for no cost. Doesn't make sense.— phillyinATL
- I think some of these knucklehead analysts under-estimate the value of a kicker that you can count on. They don't see them as "real" football players. And some - Todd McShay - appear to ignore the facts "but Henery has had some inconsistent stretches in his career". Really? If four years he was 40-41 under 40 yards, 21-22 from 40-49 and 5-11 over 50. Todd, learn to use Google and don't be so lazy.— borntosuffer
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