Could somebody please explain to me why the Eagles are having UCLA linebacker Akeem Ayers visit the Nova Care Complex? He’s expected to be drafted in the first round. You and I know that the only way the Eagles would draft a linebacker in the first round, they would have to be forced at gunpoint and would still resist it.
Ayers is a big, playmaking linebacker who stands 6’3″ and weighs 254 pounds. You know the Eagles like undersized linebackers.
Still, Aaron Wilson of NationalFootballPost.com reports that Ayers is headed to the Nova Care Complex this week. I think this young man is wasting his time paying the Birds a visit.
Ayers is highly regarded by quite a few teams that have a good track record for drafting good defensive players, but he ran a bad 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine. He had run a 4.84 at the combine, but has improved it to 4.69.
He’s very impressive on tape is a dynamic playmaker when you watch him in action.
He threw 225 pounds up 22 times in the bench press and showed tremendous explosiveness by jumping 34.5″ on the vertical jump.
He supposedly has a total of 10 visits, which includes the San Diego Chargers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Baltimore Ravens, New York Giants, New England Patriots, New York Jets and the Kansas City Chiefs. If you add the Eagles that’s eight of them.
These other teams will draft a linebacker in the first round, so I ask again, why are the Eagles wasting his time and their own by inviting him to the Nova Care Complex.
Well G, you and I both know, that every time the fans/media think they have their draft tendencies pegged, they go do something unexpected. I’m not saying they’ll draft Ayers, but haven’t we learned that their past tendencies/our guesses/rumors/anybody’s ‘common sense’ really mean jack shit when it comes to what the Eagles actually do in the draft?
Because of possible trade deals G..
Let say the Eagles make some backdoor,under the table agreements with a club or 2 about Kolb and other draft picks,etc.etc..Keep all options on the table and keep all the Conpsiracy theorists like me awake at night thinking of potential trade partners.. .
The Eagles could be looking at him as a DE…
Simple. Because the Eagles know they will have more than one 1st rd pick.
The eagles are in need of a LB, but will they spend a 1st round pick on one? Idk. I can’t recall the last time they did. This would be a good year to do it von miller, ayers, are studs. I wouldn’t complain if they took a LB in the first bc they need a playmaking LB not a special teamer. I don’t like reids track record in regards to picking LBs though but starting last year something has felt different about the eagles draft process as if reid isn’t in full control or he’s willing to listen to others imput idk but I wouldn’t be suprised if this was the year they took a LB in the first and I wouldn’t mind
@ Shiller – You nailed it! People get caught up with what the pundits say the Eagles should do and they don’t think about how the Eagles look at players and the draft.
@ Paulman – I think the “lockout will be lifted before the draft and trades and FA will happen before the appeals process is completed. I’m thinking Min at 12 or Sea at 25 straight up for Kolb. I’d take it run for the hills.
6’3″ 250 and PHYSICAL just what the Dr. ordered……while not our biggest need if he’s the best player on board when it’s our turn I wouldnt mind the pick…LB play on this team has been avg at best …
I am in the hills already,Tberry4,
With the bantering and bickering going own between the players/owners, why would the NFL lift the ban on player movement be allowed to occur..They are going to squeeze the players every chance they can, Does the NFl really care about making Eagle,Bengals,Titans fans happy so they can trade their QB’s.. Eagles will most likely be stuck with Kolb..
To EBG, Eagles last drafted a LB with a 1st Round selection in 1976 with the selection of OLB Jerry Robinson from UCLA who played for Dick Vermeil
and who went on to have a very good career with the Eagles..
I agree with Pman. The eagles are just fing with the fans and media. Tomorrow there will be a report of Andy and Haynesworth eating at Tony Lukes together. For all us diehards on this site that think we see Eagles drafts pretty clear, it’s close to a complete surprise on draft days for the last few years.
The Eagles are content with Bradley at SAM, Chaney at MLB and Clayton at WIL….the Eagles will add a LB in the middle rounds.
I think there’s just a whole lot of gamesmanship going on here. The Eagles run their football operation like people play poker. You can’t just bring in all the guys you are really gunning for or other teams may snatch them up. You have to run some misdirection and bring in an assortment of player at different positions.
Jott, how do you know what they’re content with? How can they be content with Bradley at SAM – the NEVER played him there?
I dont like Ayers as a LB for this team. Maybe at DE. He is great at rushing the passer and behind the line of scrimmage, but horrible against the run and cannot make a tackle in the open field. He is a bit slow.
I don’t like Ayers at all to be honest.(maybe as a 3rd Rounder) I saw about 5 UCLA games this years on TV and have watch some game tape of him and I was not overly impressed ..A good athlete who can run, not real strong at the point of attack and did not see him raising havoc behend the line of scrimmage
I also don’t like the Free Safety Raheem Moore from UCLA either..He’s way too timid to be a Safety in the NFL and the Eagles ave enough soft players on Defense as it is..
great motor?!
any1 think the de from nc who didnt play this yr can slip to us
“G”…look at the teams that actually win Superbowls and you see they understand the importance of game changing, tough linebackers. But we all know our Golden Standard system really don’t value one of the most important positions in all of football……O no! … We don’t need Lawrence Taylor or Dick Butkus, Singletary who? Who needs a Ray Lewis or Harrison from the Steelers? Hell with the bloodline like Matthews!
Bring on Stewart Bradley!
and please don’t give me the injuries as an excuse. He would have been average at best.
He’s Stewart Bradley….not a top tier linebacker in this league and it so happen our “Golden Standard” really dont want to pay…let me correct that..
Really don’t value the linebacker position, so Akeem Ayers will probably go to New England and help them win another Superbowl while our Akeem Jordan looks to pad his special teams stats.
hahaha akeem jordan lmao
g u can come out of retirement and play for eagles