Round 1 - DT Fletcher Cox
Round 2 - ILB Mychal Kendricks
- DE Vinny Curry
Round 3 - QB Nick Foles
Round 4 - CB Brandon Boykin
Round 5 - OT Dennis Kelly
Round 6 - WR Marvin McNutt
- OG Brandon Washington
Round 7 - RB Bryce Brown
Known for their excellent drafting over the years, the Eagles once again filled their holes without reaching for any players. After struggling mightily on defense last season, they looked to strengthen that side of the ball in the draft. Unsurprisingly, they drafted four linemen in all - a signature Andy Reid move. Missing the playoffs last year did not sit well with an already restless fan base. The Eagles need to return to the playoffs soon to keep Reid's job safe.
Seemingly already strong on the defensive line, Fletcher Cox seemed like a luxury pick after they traded up for him. However, his elite skills were coveted by defensive line coaching extraordinaire Jim Washburn, and depth wasn't strong behind the starters. Cox will play behind Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson at first, but he will be heavily involved in a rotation. A massive presence inside, he shows flashes as both a run defender and pass rusher. If he can improve his technique to gain more leverage, he'll be able to power his way more consistently into the backfield. For now, Cox mostly relies on a nice arsenal of moves to penetrate.
Over and over the Iggles were criticized for their awful linebacker play last year. Apparently, they saw this problem as well because they decided to seriously address the position this offseason. After acquiring DeMeco Ryans - a talented but oft-injured linebacker - in a trade, linebacker was not expected to be a priority, but they drafted Mychal Kendricks to further improve the defense. Really, the drafting of Cox and Kendricks go hand in hand. Not the biggest linebacker out there, Kendricks needs to be kept clean of blockers, and a big defense line keeps blockers occupied. In addition to being very athletic, he can really deliver a strike when coming in to tackle the ball carrier.
Though lacking in great athletic ability, Vinny Curry can develop into a solid all-around defensive end. His relentless motor leads to his making plays in both the run and pass game. With a nice burst off the line, he then uses his power to get past tackles. As the only real threat on small school team, he also showed the ability to fight through several blockers. Without any really special attributes, Curry will probably pressure the quarterback plenty, but he might not light it up with sacks.
Now this pick really was a luxury pick. By taking Nick Foles in the third round, Andy Reid believes that he can develop him into a better quarterback and then trade him to another team for a high draft pick. With the height and arm strength of a prototypical NFL quarterback, it's easy to see why Reid would think that. However, Foles can be compared to Chad Henne, who has the physical tools but struggled with the mental aspect of the game. Foles doesn't possess any mobility, whatsoever, and relies completely on his arm strength. He reacts poorly to pressure and really lacks that "it" factor. Although Reid is like the "Quarterback Whisperer," this was probably a wasted pick.
Next, Philadelphia had a steal fall into their laps in the form of Brandon Boykin. An explosive, smooth athlete, his play is reminiscent of Javier Arenas in that he can play in the slot, return punts and kicks, and also get on the field with the offense. He plays with both speed and explosiveness but lacks the strength to play effectively on the outside.
To add even more depth on the offensive line, they selected Dennis Kelly from Purdue. While he will not likely crack the starting lineup without an injury to a starter, he could make a decent backup. Kelly plays decently in pass protection and run blocking. At the snap of the ball he is quick to get into his stance, but after that he doesn't use his hands properly and might be penalty-prone at the next level.
Marvin McNutt doesn't gain separation with either speed or precise route running, but his huge catch radius still makes him a threat. He makes real redzone threat with his size and leaping ability. Basically, McNutt can be a solid possession receiver, especially in the redzone.
A surprise draft day slider, Brandon Washington came out early from Miami to escape the sanctions on their football program. Though a natural fit at guard, Miami was forced to play him at tackle which hurt his growth and development. He plays with a nasty demeanor in the run game, but he struggles at times when pass blocking due to inconsistency with his technique. He can easily outplay his draft selection in the sixth round.
What could have been... Bryce Brown came out of high school rated higher than Trent Richardson. After showing flashes during his freshman year, he transferred and basically squandered his opportunity through boneheaded decisions. Even though he doesn't possess top end speed, his overall game could have made him special. His natural vision, cutback ability, and power should translate to the NFL. If he can remain focused, we could be talking about a very good starting running back.
The Eagles drafted really well this year, as usual. Several of their draft picks have the ability to be special. Nearly all of their rookies can make contributions early. While they focused on defense early, they were also able to make some great additions to the offense in the later rounds. This draft could and should return them to the playoffs this year.
Seemingly already strong on the defensive line, Fletcher Cox seemed like a luxury pick after they traded up for him. However, his elite skills were coveted by defensive line coaching extraordinaire Jim Washburn, and depth wasn't strong behind the starters. Cox will play behind Cullen Jenkins and Mike Patterson at first, but he will be heavily involved in a rotation. A massive presence inside, he shows flashes as both a run defender and pass rusher. If he can improve his technique to gain more leverage, he'll be able to power his way more consistently into the backfield. For now, Cox mostly relies on a nice arsenal of moves to penetrate.
Over and over the Iggles were criticized for their awful linebacker play last year. Apparently, they saw this problem as well because they decided to seriously address the position this offseason. After acquiring DeMeco Ryans - a talented but oft-injured linebacker - in a trade, linebacker was not expected to be a priority, but they drafted Mychal Kendricks to further improve the defense. Really, the drafting of Cox and Kendricks go hand in hand. Not the biggest linebacker out there, Kendricks needs to be kept clean of blockers, and a big defense line keeps blockers occupied. In addition to being very athletic, he can really deliver a strike when coming in to tackle the ball carrier.
Though lacking in great athletic ability, Vinny Curry can develop into a solid all-around defensive end. His relentless motor leads to his making plays in both the run and pass game. With a nice burst off the line, he then uses his power to get past tackles. As the only real threat on small school team, he also showed the ability to fight through several blockers. Without any really special attributes, Curry will probably pressure the quarterback plenty, but he might not light it up with sacks.
Now this pick really was a luxury pick. By taking Nick Foles in the third round, Andy Reid believes that he can develop him into a better quarterback and then trade him to another team for a high draft pick. With the height and arm strength of a prototypical NFL quarterback, it's easy to see why Reid would think that. However, Foles can be compared to Chad Henne, who has the physical tools but struggled with the mental aspect of the game. Foles doesn't possess any mobility, whatsoever, and relies completely on his arm strength. He reacts poorly to pressure and really lacks that "it" factor. Although Reid is like the "Quarterback Whisperer," this was probably a wasted pick.
Next, Philadelphia had a steal fall into their laps in the form of Brandon Boykin. An explosive, smooth athlete, his play is reminiscent of Javier Arenas in that he can play in the slot, return punts and kicks, and also get on the field with the offense. He plays with both speed and explosiveness but lacks the strength to play effectively on the outside.
To add even more depth on the offensive line, they selected Dennis Kelly from Purdue. While he will not likely crack the starting lineup without an injury to a starter, he could make a decent backup. Kelly plays decently in pass protection and run blocking. At the snap of the ball he is quick to get into his stance, but after that he doesn't use his hands properly and might be penalty-prone at the next level.
Marvin McNutt doesn't gain separation with either speed or precise route running, but his huge catch radius still makes him a threat. He makes real redzone threat with his size and leaping ability. Basically, McNutt can be a solid possession receiver, especially in the redzone.
A surprise draft day slider, Brandon Washington came out early from Miami to escape the sanctions on their football program. Though a natural fit at guard, Miami was forced to play him at tackle which hurt his growth and development. He plays with a nasty demeanor in the run game, but he struggles at times when pass blocking due to inconsistency with his technique. He can easily outplay his draft selection in the sixth round.
What could have been... Bryce Brown came out of high school rated higher than Trent Richardson. After showing flashes during his freshman year, he transferred and basically squandered his opportunity through boneheaded decisions. Even though he doesn't possess top end speed, his overall game could have made him special. His natural vision, cutback ability, and power should translate to the NFL. If he can remain focused, we could be talking about a very good starting running back.
The Eagles drafted really well this year, as usual. Several of their draft picks have the ability to be special. Nearly all of their rookies can make contributions early. While they focused on defense early, they were also able to make some great additions to the offense in the later rounds. This draft could and should return them to the playoffs this year.
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