• March 29, 2024

Chip Kelly On Draft: It has depth but lacks last year’s “can’t miss” players

Andrew Luck, Robert Griffin IIIWe heard it yesterday from Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman.   This draft doesn’t have the elite, “can’t miss” quarterbacks that were at the top of the draft a year ago.  This year you can get the same player at 45 that you can get at 25 or 30.

Today Chip Kelly held a news conference and basically told us the same thing.

“I think the draft has depth,” Kelly said. “I don’t think, there’s not an Andrew Luck or an RG3, who you say, ‘That guy is going to be a 10-year All-Pro.’ …[Luck] was as close as there was to a can’t-miss guy. I don’t see that type of guy in this draft, at any position, to be honest with you. ”

That will probably be the most insight we get into how Kelly feels about West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith before the draft.  Clearly he’s not rated as high as Luck or RG3 were a year ago, but that still doesn’t answer whether Kelly is willing to pull the trigger at number four for Smith or not.

Kelly has been labeled as very bright and he lived up to it.   You can see he’s like a computer when it comes to digesting information and throwing it back at you.  He talked briefly about quite a few top players in this year’s draft being late bloomers who haven’t been playing football or their position that long.

“If you look at the top five or six players in the draft, they weren’t the top high school players five years ago,” Kelly said. “Dion Jordan’s one of the top players out there, and we were smart enough at Oregon to recruit him as a WR. He’s going to play outside linebacker or defensive end in the NFL. Lane Johnson was a high school quarterback, and now he’s a top pick. The list goes on and on. Ziggy Ansah was playing basketball. He went to BYU to play basketball, and now he might be a top 10 pick. It varies. I don’t know. I think there are some quality players in this draft, and that’s our job in this draft. But I don’t think, by any stretch of the imagination, there’s slam dunks.”

It sounds like they’re on the same page over at the Nova Care Complex which could be a good thing if they’ve made the correct assessments of this year’s draft prospects.

“I met extensively with Howie and his group and our coaches, collaborated with the scouting department in terms of their opinions, and I think it’s a collaborative effort,” Kelly said. “So it’s not one side or another side. It’s all of us sitting down and putting our heads together and making the right decisions.”

 

GCOBB

Read Previous

Michael Vick And Nick Foles Start Out Splitting The 1st Team Snaps

Read Next

While Some Flyers Play for Pride, Gagne Plays for a Contract

0 0 votes
Article Rating
18 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
CT
CT
April 16, 2013 10:04 pm

Not really 100% sure where Chip is coming from? I know this draft does not contain a QB of a Andrew Caliber or RG3 from a non miss standpoint, but that is only the QB position. At the DL, Oline, DB however, there are many non miss players. This will be one of the best drafts in a while in my opinion.

On a side note, everyone say a prayer the birds take a shot on Arizona Matt Scott. He will end up being the Russel Wilson steal of the draft.

paulman
paulman
April 16, 2013 11:01 pm
Reply to  CT

Matt Scott reminds me a lot more of Colin Kaepernick, he has, size, athleticism and a nice arm, but very raw in his mechanics and needs about 2 Years to develop with the Proper Coaching
Russell Wilson was a 3 Year starter and very polished coming out, the question on him was his size and a lack of a big arm on the deep ball
Seattle Coaches did a masterful job with his development and game planning for him his Rookie Season

RegalEagle
RegalEagle
April 16, 2013 10:52 pm

I think the birds are looking to trade out of the 4 spot.

paulman
paulman
April 16, 2013 11:04 pm

I could see the Eagles Trading down with Buffalo and then grabbing an e far 2nd Round Pick and grabbing Guard Warmack or Cooper and there is your Starting RG for the next 8-10 Seasons or possibly Selecting DT Star Lotuleile if he were to drop that far, but Either Warmack or Cooper will be on the board at the #8th Spot

EaglesSuck
EaglesSuck
April 16, 2013 11:18 pm

Paulman I agree 100% Warmack would be a outstanding pick if you are able to move down and gain an extra pick. I dont see many trade ups this year. I think Buffalo may want to trade up to get Eric Fishure and then hope Ryan Nassib falls to them in the 2nd round.

If the Eagles can trade down to 8 and draft Warmack and add an extra 3rd this year and trade your two 3rd rounders to move up in the 2nd round and use them to draft a Safety and a QB that would be a huge win. You could see them have a draft like.

1st round- Chance Warmack, G
2nd round #1- Zach Ertz, TE
2nd round #2 – Eric Reid, S

paulman
paulman
April 16, 2013 11:43 pm
Reply to  EaglesSuck

Good Stuff ES,
I am thinking the Bills would Draft QB Geno Smith at #4 and the Eagles would get their #8th, #40 Selections from Buffalo
Giving the Eagles the Following 3 Picks in the first 2 Rounds

#8 – Guard Chance Warmack (Alabama)
#35 – DE Tank Carradine (Florida State)
#40 – OLB Jaime Collins (Southern Miss)
#66.- CB. Leon McFadden ( San Diego State)
#101 – OT Dave Quessenberry (Fresno State)

RegalEagle
RegalEagle
April 16, 2013 11:40 pm

We should take Joe Montana’s kid in the 7th round as Karmic insurance.

DCar
DCar
April 17, 2013 5:28 am
Reply to  RegalEagle

Yeah, a lotta good, that Karmic energy did, from Clay Matthews?!? Montana’s kid sucks! He fell, far from the tree, down a hill, into an abyss.

RegalEagle
RegalEagle
April 17, 2013 8:12 am

I was being Sarcastic DCar.

DCar
DCar
April 17, 2013 9:26 am
Reply to  RegalEagle

I know, so was I! LOL!

RegalEagle
RegalEagle
April 17, 2013 8:12 am

Almost said take him at # 4

pdiddy
pdiddy
April 17, 2013 1:00 pm

Guys educate me real quick. You guys would take warmack at 8 but not 4, with the rookie wage scale being what it is now . What dies it matter now

pdiddy
pdiddy
April 17, 2013 1:02 pm

I know people say you don’t take a guard that high. but if you guys think this guy can be a 8-10 year pro bowl starter than he’s worth it period

paulman
paulman
April 17, 2013 1:18 pm

To Pdiddy,

There are 4-5 Premium Postions that are probably the hardest to fill at the NFL Level and therefore have a higher “Draft Value” over other Positions..
1) QB
2) OT (Specifically a LT)
3) DE/Pass Rushing OLB
4) CB.
5) DT

Other Positions like Guards, ILB,RB,WR,Safeties,TE can be more a little more “Scheme Specific” and are not as hard to project,evaluate or to find…
The 4-5 Positions I listed are the most difficult to Play and probably the most difficult to evaluate and project at the NFL Level and if you hit on these Positions, you are in great position to be competitive year in and year out..
If you over-reach and miss on these Critical Positons, you are spinning wheel’s as a Franchise
The way Teams Grade Positions can vary, but it’s pretty common that the “Premium Position” get’s weighted different.. If an OT is harder to Find, then they haev more Value Draft Wise than a Center or MLB..
As an example Let’s say the 3rd Overall Rated Overall OT may have a Better Overall Draft Value than the #1 Guard or the #1 TE or the #1 RB..
The 5th Overall Rated QB may have a higher Draft Value that the 2nd/3rd . Overall Safetey or MLB, etc,etc….

eagles0superbowls
eagles0superbowls
April 17, 2013 2:10 pm
Reply to  paulman

that plan went to Cleveland and/or KC —
we now have the Howie plan – Best player available = Go Rosemannnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!

pdiddy
pdiddy
April 17, 2013 1:48 pm

Great break down pman so this is what I don’t get then. Why are people suggesting to trade down when we can stay at 4 and draft for a premium position then. There are quality people at every position you posted except quarterback this year but people are saying lets pass up star,fisher,joeckel,Milner,etc.

pdiddy
pdiddy
April 17, 2013 1:51 pm

I mean thru the the draft is when you get your beast. So why not draft them when you have them right in front of you. Why move back I don’t think after the top two tackles and maybe Johnson the rest if the tackles are just okay.

pdiddy
pdiddy
April 17, 2013 1:57 pm

Now I think warmack is not your typical guard he is Larry Allen like to me. So I would take a shot on him that early. Call me crazy