Philadelphia Eagles center Jamaal Jackson doesn’t currently have the formula for remaining the Eagles starting center for a long-time and it’s one of the reasons why Florida center Maurkice Pouncey could be the Eagles number one draft pick, if they aren’t able to trade up.
We know that defense is a priority but there’s no guarantee that the Eagles will have a trading partner to move up into the top 15 picks to grab one of the safeties they covet.
That could force them to stay at number 24 and take the best player available and address a need they have 
at the center position, which has been created by the injury to Jackson.
For one thing he suffered an ACL tear in the next to last regular season game in the 2009 regular season.¬† That means he’ll be forced to recover from the knee injury and surgery in nine months, if he expects to be ready to play at the start of the 2010 regular season.
It’s not realistic to expect him to be able to deal with the quick and powerful nose tackles and defensive tackles in the NFL after only nine months of rehab. These guys are tremendously powerful and Jackson must have enough confidence in leg to put his full weight on it.
Remember how shaky Stacy Andrews was a year ago, when the Birds tried to play him after less than a year of rehabilitation.¬† He didn’t have enough confidence in his leg to put his full weight on it.
Defensive tackles were able to get underneath him and push him back into the face of the quarterback.  Jackson has his work cut out of him in trying to return to action and be effective in the 2010 season.
The other negative concerning Jackson is his birthday which is next month, May 8th.  On that day, he will turn 30 which is not considered a good thing around the Nova Care complex.
The fact that Jackson won’t be ready to play at the beginning of the season and he turns 30 next month means he’s a veteran Eagles players who is having health issues.
Those are all reasons why the Eagles may select Florida’s Pouncey in the first round of this year’s draft.¬† If they don’t get Pouncey, there’s still a good chance that they will select a center at some point in the draft.
Pouncey has great strength and tremendous athleticism.  He should be able to handle the nose tackles by himself as he gets his gets himself established.
We’ll have to wait and see it he turns out to be the guy for the Birds.
perfect draft would be Maurkice Pouncey at 24, Nate Allen and that CB from Rutgers with the 2, 2nd rd picks.
I think Pouncey is a great selection for 2 reasons,
#1) I think he can start from Day 1 and be the Center for the Eagles for the next 8-10 seasons
#2) A big benefit is that N Cole can concentrate on playing Guard (I am not sold that Staecy Andrews is
the long-term answer, if he is then great, and CVOle is a quality back-up for RG/LG which also allows flexibility and depth if one of the OT (Peters/Justice) get hurt in which Eagles can slide T Herremans out to the Tackle position and put N Cole at his spot at LG
To me, by selecting Pouncey, you solidify 2 spots on the O/Line (Center and Guard) and also have more felxibility at the Tackle Position, thus the saving the need of drafting another player at Tackle or Guard and be able to use the remaining picks for the Defense,back-up QB,etc,etc..
Would be a great first pick – can not have O Line questions on opening day
navy I agree. we were exposed those last (2) games and need to be strong on the O-line, especially with a new QB. We have some real needs on the defense, but if we are unable to move up, Pouncey would be a good pick at 24.
This pick makes allot of sense to me. There is no reason to move up to select a under size safety that can’t tackle.
Pouncey in the first.
Best available FS or CB top of second – Nate Allen or K. Jackson would be great
Take best available players at the bottom of second or trade up if DT Brian Price slipps past 40.
There will be value in the third and fourth at defense.
Expect them to take at least 1 guy in the third or fourth that will be put on IR this year with big upside for 2011.
I really think the Eagles got Tapp because they’re not wild about the DE’s (except Morgan) in this years draft.
I really like the idea of moving up in the second round to get 3 highly rated players from rounds 1 and 2.
This pick makes no sense. For one, you NEVER take a center in round 1. Good Centers are found in the 2nd, 3rd rounds. Two, we need a safety, trade up and get Berry or Thomas first. Use the 24th and 55th pick to move up in round 1, maybe use a late 3rd too. Then with the 37th pick package it with the other 3rd and move up to earlier 2nd, late 1 and then get pouncey. That is what the birds need to do. Defense was more of a problem last year. Also, why not just sign Kevin Mawae for a year?
1st #24 Center Pouncey
2nd #37 CB’s K Jackson or McCourty or Robinson
2nd #55 S N Allen or M Burnett or R Jones
3rd #70 DT L Joseph or L Houston
3rd #87 DE D Teo-Neisham or A Lane
4th #105 CB A Owusu-Ansah or J Murphy or M Lewis
4th #121 QB J SKelton or J Brown or S Canfield
Anything else is gravy for they would have added 4-5 players who will compete for playing time in 2010 and compete for being starters by 2011 ( I think Pouncey can start from Day 1)
Do not trade up and lose 1-2 draft picks in this years draft.. I would rather have 4-5 very good players
and contributors than 1 stud and lose out on these other quality picks/players
Center is our biggest need period. Pouncey makes the most sense! If we have a guy that can stand up to the interior rush from Dallas, Washington, and NY we will be in a much better position than we were at the end of the year last year. Cole then can push Andrews.
Because of where the top corners and safeties will be going we must target the 2nd tier yet still good players like Allen, cook, and ghee in the 2nd round.
I am afraid that Pouncey won’t drop to #24, but we’ll see. I agree with Paulman that we need to keep all our picks in the first 3-4 rounds. We have too many needs and aren’t winning the superbowl this year so need to recharge the depth on the team.
NO NO NO… no Olinemen
DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE.
Sign Kevin Mawae for the short term
DEFENSE DEFENSE DEFENSE.
A QB with a pick on the second day.
You don’t take a Center in the 1st round…Reid is good at taking lineman later in the draft…We need a Safety in round 1…Earl Thomas or Taylor Mays
My Mock Draft- Comment and let me know what you think.
1. St. Louis Rams – Sam Bradford (QB)
2. Detroit Lions – Ndamukong Suh (DT)
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Gerald McCoy (DT)
4. Washington Redskins – Russell Okung (OT)
5. Kansas City Chiefs – Bryan Bulaga (OT)
6. Seattle Seahawks – Trent Williams (OT)
7. Cleveland Browns – Eric Berry (S)
8. Oakland Raiders – Bruce Campbell (OT)
9. Buffalo Bills – Jimmy Clausen (QB)
10. Jacksonville Jaguars – Derrick Morgan (DE)
11. Denver Broncos – Dez Bryant (WR)
12. Miami Dolphins – Earl Thomas (S)
13. San Francisco 49ers – Joe Haden (CB)
14. Seattle Seahawks – C.J Spiller (RB)
15. New York Giants – Rolando McClain (MLB)
16. Tennessee Titans– Jason Pierre-Paul (DE)
17. San Francisco 49ers – Anthony Davis (OT)
18. Pittsburgh Steelers – Mike Iupati (G/OT)
19. Atlanta Falcons – Brandon Graham (DE)
20. Houston Texans – Ryan Matthews (RB)
21. Cincinnati Bengals – Jermaine Gresham (TE)
22. New England Patriots – Sergio Kindle (OLB)
23. Green Bay Packers – Kyle Wilson (CB)
24. Philadelphia Eagles – Taylor Mays (S)
25. Baltimore Ravens – Jerry Hughes (OLB)
26. Arizona Cardinals – Sean Weatherspoon (OLB)
27. Dallas Cowboys – Charles Brown (OT)
28. San Diego Chargers – Dan Williams (NT)
29. New York Jets – Jared Odrick (DE/DT)
30. Minnesota Vikings – Patrick Robinson (CB)
31. Indianapolis Colts – Maurkice Pouncey (C/G)
32. New Orleans Saints – Everson Griffen (DE)
To Weapon X20,
Very Good Mock though I don’t like the Eagles selecting S T Mays at #24,
Also think J Odrick is going in the top #20, and D Williams wil go higher than #28 as well
Bruce Campbell for the Raiders has slipped a bit with issues of attitude and work ethic and may drop out of 1st Round all together per some Draft-geeks.., I also HAve Texans grabbing CB Wilson instead of RB Matthews who will go in the 2nd Round
Teams looking to trade down for additional picks may be Redskins,Jaguars,Dolphins, and possibly Steelers and who really knows what Al Davis of the Raiders will do…(seems to surprise everyone every year now)
A Great job overall though – thnx
To Paulman,
Thanks for commenting. I know a lot of people don’t like Taylor Mays but I think he can bring toughness to the defense. I agree that Dan Williams could go higher, as high as 12 even to the Dolphins. He will be a player to watch. Same with Ryan Matthews, he could fall to the Chargers at 28. The draft is always interesting to watch.