Hard to Believe - Birds Take Short LB
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Hard to Believe - Birds Take Short LB
Les Bowen
By all accounts, Mychal Kendricks was a productive inside linebacker at Cal. But playing inside -- presumably the strongside, which is where Eagles spokesman Dave Spadaro tweeted Kendricks will compete for a job here -- is going to be a challenge for a linebacker listed at 5-11, 240.
The Birds made Kendricks the 46th overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft Friday night, their first of two selections in the second round.
"I just play big," Kendricks said, when asked how he answers people who question his height. "Shut 'em up that way. That's never been an issue for me, so I don't see why it would be an issue for anyone else."
This is the highest the Eagles have taken a linebacker since they selected Barry Gardner 35th overall, also in the second round, in 1999.
Kendricks, who has excellent speed, was Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. The Eagles left some perhaps more celebrated prospects on the board when they took him, then they traded out of the 51st spot in the secord, down to 59, allowing Green Bay to draft Michigan State defensive tackle Jerrel Worthy, in exchange for giving the Birds a fourth-rounder, 123rd overall.
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Why not draft Jerel Worthy and have a D line like the Cikings had will the Williams duo. This is usually the area where the Eagles start to outthink the draft and outsmart themselves— ocfire- Zip it Bowen— friedmozzarela
- Agreed. Give the FO some credit already, Kendrick's is a tacckling machine with some cover skills. Then we get Curry after trading down....Good job Andy!
- Shut up, Your crazy. Kendricks is a phenomenal player who might have the most impact this year. Zach thomas was 5'11 .. and hes a future hall of famer. This kids instincts are off the charts, comparable to Kuechly. DeMeco will teach him well and this kid will dominate. Im stoked for how this defense is developing.— favuono
Aw come on! Luke Kuechely is the SAME SIZE!— Bardock- Who do you think the starting Linebackers will be this year?— Yes_General
- Andy hates looking up at players when he coaches them up.— fmMD
Comment removed.- i know it's just a highlight reel not game tape but this guy is a player...fast, fast, fast, fast and perfect form tackling. that alone is a big improvement. good pick. who cares how tall he is. he's 2" taller than brian rolle and rolle was actually our best LB last year.— juaniflaco
- They traded away the 51st pick and who do you think the Packers picked there......Jerel Worthy, who looks like an animal. This sounds like the kind of thing that Reid and the rest of the geniuses do every year. Over looking a great one for a project that never works out. I will be watching Worthy in years to come.— djlen
- Needed to get his 4th rounder back. Horrible move and pick — Ssteve115
- Rolle was our best LB last year. Explains why this pick is so good.— Grazman
- i like Kendricks, alot. but let's be real here he's not gonna play at the SAM in the NFL. not realistic. we run a wide 9. babin lines up on the side line and gets pushed out wide on screens and run plays. we need an oversized tackling machine at the SAM.— brownrice
- Did you watch his tape? He goes against TE's bigger than him in College...Didn't seem to be a problem.
— Rick SP 4 LIFE
