Posted: Saturday, April 25, 2009, 6:34 PM | 52 comments |
 

EAGLES MOVE UP FOR MACLIN
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The Eagles made a trade with the Cleveland Browns for a wide receiver after all, moving up two spots in order to select Missouri's Jeremy Maclin.

In order to get Maclin with the 19th pick, the Eagles dealt their first-round pick and a sixth-round selection, the 195th pick overall. He is just the second receiver the Eagles have taken in the first round during coach Andy Reid's tenure. The other was Freddie Mitchell in  2001.

Reid said the Eagles didn't expect Maclin to be available when it was their turn to make a pick.

"Actually, we thought he was going to go quite a little bit higher than he did," Reid said. "This was not who we had targeted. He just happened to be one of those guys who fell a little bit and he kind of fell into our lap there."

Maclin, 20, set a single-season school record for receptions with 102 and yards with 1,260. He also scored 13 touchdowns. In addition to his ability as a receiver, Maclin will likely take over as the Eagles' kick returner, a role he did extremely well at Missouri. His 1,346 kick return yards as a freshman were two shy of an NCAA record.

"I just love doing it," Maclin said when asked about returning kicks. "I put a lot of work and film study into it in order to be successful."

Maclin, who declared for the draft after just two seasons at Missouri, was just the third player in NCAA history to average more than 200 all-purpose yards per game. 

 
Posted by Bob Brookover @ 6:34 PM  Permalink | 52 comments
52
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:30 PM, 04/25/2009
    Very interesting pick. AR fooled us all again on draft day. At least with AR on drafts, we can predict that he will surprise
    — jbourne53
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:31 PM, 04/25/2009
    I'm confused why we did that
    — tampaPhillyfan
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:39 PM, 04/25/2009
    Not sure if we needed to trade up to get him, and I honestly don't know much about the guy and how he projects at the pro level. Was he a better pickup than a stud TE (i.e. Pettigrew) or a RB (i.e. Brown)... not sure. Time will tell.... it always does.
    — Zaknafein
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:41 PM, 04/25/2009
    What is up with that?? Wells was there and if you're gonna take a WR take Britt 2nd round or give the pick to AZ for Boldin...and fans wonder why the Birds fall short...Macklin and DeSean Jackson are the same receiver!!
    — sportsjournalist
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:43 PM, 04/25/2009
    Why not trade this pick and get a PRO BOWLER- ANQUAIN BOLDIN. PROVEN PLAYER
    — chilly88
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:45 PM, 04/25/2009
    What do those guys smoke on draft day? They didn't need to move up to get this jkid. We drafted this guy last year. Wells/Pettgrew still out there and we gat an undersized receiver who they claim has trouble running routes! Have another cheese steak Andy - can anyone say here's your dunce hat!
    — jakster
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:46 PM, 04/25/2009
    Don't like it. I don't care what some "Experts" think. I think it was a reach!! A player similar to Desean, but who supposedly has "worse hands" than Desean. I'm so excited to get Todd Pinkston's heavier Brother!!!
    — reggiedunlop
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:47 PM, 04/25/2009
    Should have stayed with the 21st pick and taken Chris Wells... who is still there btw.
    — CBL2744
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:49 PM, 04/25/2009
    In effect, we traded Reggie Brown, who is now the odd man out, for Maclin. Doesn't seem like such a bad deal to me.
    — SteveS11
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:49 PM, 04/25/2009
    Whoah, whoah, whoah...careful how you describe him as "considered a third-down specialist". You're making the guy sound like a part-time player. He had 182 receptions in 2 seasons at Missouri. He had 22 catches last season on third-down that went for first downs. So he was very good on 3rd down but the guy is an every down player. Since he only played 2 seasons before coming out of college, he's a LOT younger than Boldin too.
    — JimG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:51 PM, 04/25/2009
    I like the move. Its always a risk but if Maclin pans out he has the potential to be a gamebreaker. AR rolled the dice, rather than go with the safer trade for Anquan Boldin...
    — Cameiros
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:51 PM, 04/25/2009
    Jakson, Curtis, Maclin. With the O Line being strong again, McNabb will have time and that will be an almost impossible trio to cover...especially if we get the rb in the 2nd to allow Westbrook to split out as well. Maclin was a top 10 talent. Why did we have to move up though?
    — christopherkmaddaloni
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:51 PM, 04/25/2009
    Enough of the nonsense about Maclin being the same WR as DeSean just because they are both fast and both good returners. Do some homework. Maclin is 2 inches taller and 25 pounds heavier than Jackson. Maclin is 6'0 and 200 lbs which is decent size for a WR. He's not a little guy.
    — JimG
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:52 PM, 04/25/2009
    um... why did we pass on pettigrew??? i mean i like celek at TE but dude can't block... i know some scouts had maclin rated over crabtree, but i dunno man... pettigrew was a consensus best player at his position, a position thats vital to the west coast offense. im ok with the pick, yet still somewhat puzzled...
    — dinrah
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 6:55 PM, 04/25/2009
    Listen people. The Cardinals are NOT trading Boldin. Get over it.
    — ACBaughman


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About Jeff McLane and Jonathan Tamari






Jeff McLane (left) began covering the Eagles in April 2009 after covering college sports and Penn State football in particular. Before that he wrote about high school sports and before that he worked in the mailroom (not quite). Find Jeff on Facebook and follow him on Twitter for instant updates on the Eagles.

Jonathan Tamari (right) began covering the Eagles in April 2010. He previously covered New Jersey state government and politics, reporting and writing about elections, policy debates and the many personalities that drive the Garden State, from three recent governors to the many musicians bidding to write the state song. He has been at the Inquirer since June 2008. Follow him on Twitter at @JonathanTamari.

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