Heckert concedes draft mistakes with Eagles
Browns general manager Tom Heckert enters this year's draft with plenty of ammunition -- 13 overall picks, including three in the top 37 and six in the top 118.
Heckert concedes draft mistakes with Eagles
Daily News Staff
Browns general manager Tom Heckert enters this year's draft with plenty of ammunition -- 13 overall picks, including three in the top 37 and six in the top 118.
He also told reporters that he carries the lessons learned from mistakes he made with the Eagles, when he said he was influenced by pressure from within the organization and from outside with fans and media to make picks he should not have made.
The two he pointed to are trading up in the first round in 2003 to take Jerome McDougle from Miami with the 15th overall pick. Four years later, the Eagles took Victor Abiamiri in the second round after trading away their first-round pick.
"You just can't panic," Heckert said this week. "I've done it. I've made bad mistakes for that exact reason. I've traded up in the first round for both [pass rusher and defensive tackle] and they were bad moves. It was strictly for a need. It was something we never should have done.
"I am trying to avoid that. That was a long time ago when we did those, but we've learned from it. There's a lot of pressure from media, fans, people in your building, scouts, and it's my job to say, 'Wait a minute. It's not the right thing to do.
"I think that is the hardest thing to convey to the fans. It's not like we don't want those guys -- we want them just as bad as they do -- but we don't want to make a mistake doing it."
He also, though, has the benefit of two secod-round picks who have become Pro Bowlers - in DeSean Jackson and LeSean McCoy.
“I’m not tooting my own horn, but, if you can get those two guys in the second round ...”, Heckert said, not finishing the sentence.
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The Eagles' DeSean Jackson and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and former Eagle Donovan McNabb were among the NFLers scheduled to take part in second annual Double Play Celebrity Softball Game on Saturday.
The event, held in Scottsdale, Ariz., is hosted by Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald and benefits the Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund, which supports youth organizations, and the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund, named his mother, who died of breast cancer.
draggoon6: Go away you racist troll.— p-diddy- Anyone here read the magazines that assess college players likely to get drafted? As an average fan with no football coaching experience, I could just read several of these magazines and do a better job drafting than the Eagles have done. This poor drating precedes Reid and Roseman and anyway, don't the Eagles have scouts that are competent to assess talent?— Drumgoole
- Heckert is blaming US for his lousy drafts? As I recall, all his first round picks were head-scratchers and I don't remember anyone clamoring for who they ended up drafting.— ej610
- Hey, Maclin lovers, you do remember that with his dropped balls and fumbles he cost of two wins early in the season. Plus, we would just hate to have Clay Matthews, right?— rubicon24
- Additional draft picks that have really turned out (these are some of our terrible draft picks from the first three rounds: Nate Allen, B. Graham, V. Abiamiri, Winston Justice, Chris Gocong, Tony Hunt, Reggie Brown, Mike McCoy, Ryan Moats, Matt Ware, Billy McMullan, Quintin Caver, Freddie Mitchell, Bobby Williams, Todd Pinkston, and finally, Barry Gardner.
Andy Reid is a C-/D+ drafter. At best.— rubicon24 - You can go thru the past drafts of every team in the league -- and I mean EVERY team -- and find busts. Take the Packers, who usually draft well. They had a HORRIBLE 2011 draft. Granted, as SB champs they pick last, but their first-rounder, Derek Sherrod, isn't even on their depth chart. Their second, Randall Cobb, is a nice return man but not a WR yet. The third, RB Alex Green, gone. Next was a DB named Davon House whose third on the dept chart at RCB.
The Pack had six more picks after that, of which only two are still on the active depth chart. The point is not that Green Bay sucked at drafting last year, but that drafting is an inexact science in which busts are inevitable. It's also possible that in three years Davon House will be in the Pro Bowl. You just never know.
The fact that the Eagles have made the playoffs and won the division as often as they have demonstrates to me that Reid and the FO do a pretty good job of evaluating talent. Could they do better and not draft McDougles and Mitchells? Sure.— JBirks - Tom took D-Sean with the second of two second round picks. Of course, he is still better than HR ("Dr. K") whom I expect to use another high round pick on a player transitioning to a new position a la Curtis Marsh. Grigson will be a big loss. Look for our late round picks (when Grigson's efforts shined through) to be as unsuccessful as our early ones. Pretty arrogant to think you can never play a game, go to law school and pick talent as well as someone who has historically been a football player/ talent evaluator. Stick to contracts HR, that is where you do your best work.— casehop
- This is garbage this is like a coach admitting he made mistakes at his previous stop, the key is he doesn't work there anymore....every gm makes draft mistakes let him talk about his browns picks— positive eagle
- Rubicon you are a moron. You act like were the only team to pass on Clay Matthews. Nobody foresaw him being the force that he is (you included) and you cannot blame the Eagles for not drafting him. Maclin was a solid pickup. He has had 2 fumbles in 3 years. That is pretty freaking good. The freaking negativity of these fans.... sheesh— dmo86
- How about last year when we didn't take Earl Thomas? I mean, even *I* was excited when we moved up thinking finally we were making a great move and we grab Brandon Graham? Really? Come on.— Nova
- Heckert isn't revealing any revelations here. Who didn't know he sucked in evaluating talent?— Dexter
- This owner only cares about revenue. The Geeks in the FO including the FAT MAN will baffle us again. So close, but yet so far away from a SB.— Pete60
- Read the article, he says he was influenced by people in the organization, meaning that great talent evaluator Andy Reid, who should be banned from being anywhere near the war room during draft day. Over and over again we watched Reid draft small and quick defensive lineman and linebackers and try to convince everyone that he just drafted a future all pro. Well we've all seen how that has worked out. Keep Andy Reid away from the war room on draft day.— bigtbone
- Tar Heel 1..I guess u missed when andy said he goofed on picks he made throughout the year or roseman said he didnt draft well and they have to change their approach..smh..are u people even eagles fans? I mean true eagles fans even if they're losing? U all are a pathetic bunch of crybabies they totally dont understand the game. No one has a crystal ball so u cant tell which player is going to be good in the future nor can anyone tell the future so stop with the idiotic comments. yeah the eagles missed out on players and so have all of the other teams. U cant tell me anyone thought tom brady was going to be a top 5 qb in this league and he would have a couple of super bowl rings. how many teams missed out on aaron rodgers? STOP IT already with the woulda coulda's already. All of this immature name calling and u guys are adults. I see its a few TRUE eagles fans on here. Is it that serious that people take what the eagles do so personal that u hang on to anything negative. u negative folks sound like a scorned woman thats been screwed over numerous times. Grow a pair and dont get ya panties in a bunch over a game meant just for entertainment..smh..just pathetic!— bigjay215
