Let’s take a look at the Mock Drafts which are popping up all over the place. You and I know that the Eagles aren’t going to pick a cornerback in the first round. We know it’s going to be an offensive lineman, but question is which one. I think it’s got to be a guard, center or tackle, who is versatile and capable of playing at least two of those positions.
FoxSports.com has the Eagles taking a local product who shined yesterday at the NFL Combine, Muhammad Wilkerson of Temple. That is never going to happen because the Eagles have severe needs on the offensive line and at cornerback. They could upgrade at the defensive tackle position but this isn’t the time to do it, so they won’t.
ESPN.com
ESPN.com’s Mel Kiper has the Birds addressing their need on the offensive line by grabbing big, physical Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi in the first round. ESPN.com’s Todd McShay also has the Birds taking Carimi in the first round. It isn’t a stretch because he played some guard previously as well. You could slide him or Winston Justice into the guard position.
CBSSports.com
Pete Prisco of CBSSports.com Andy Reid and Howie Roseman grabbing Carimi. Chad Reuter of CBSSports.com has them taking Mississippi State offensive tackle Derek Sherrod. Rob Rang of CBSSports.com has the Birds meeting a need by grabbing Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith. I don’t see the Birds taking a cornerback in the first because it doesn’t fit their habits in the past. From their history it’s likely offensive tackle in the first round and cornerback in the second round.
Yahoo Sports has the Eagles picking offensive tackle Derek Sherrod of Mississippi State.
WalterFootball.com has the Eagles selecting big Wisconsin offensive tackle Gabe Carimi.
Scott Wright of DraftCountdown.com has the Birds taking Miami cornerback Brandon Harris:
Chris Burke of NFL Fanhouse has the Birds picking cornerback Jimmy Smith of Colorado at No. 23. Again we know the Birds aren’t going to take a cornerback in the first round.
Wes Bunting of the National Football Post has the Birds the versatile center/guard Mike Pouncey of Florida. He would be the perfect fit because he addresses their most dire need and he has All-Pro level potential. If Pouncey is there they will take him but he probably won’t be there because his twin-brother was drafted at number 18 and was an All-Pro in the first year. NFL player personnel people believe in bloodlines.
I have the Eagles drafting a projected 5th QB and converting him into an offensive tackle, noting his intelligence and quickness.
I think the birds will go O line or D line in the 1st Rd wouldn’t be surprised if it’s D line. I think it’s a deep O Line class and see them taking a Guy like Ben Iljilana or Will Rackley, Rodney Hudson, in later rounds. SS in 2nd (DeAndre McDaniel). I believe they will address corner in F/A Jonathan Joseph or Richard Marshall and/or possibly draft one in 3-5 rds. I think people are underestimating their commitment to giving Lindley a shot.
Drummer………. whaa ha haha ha!!! Too funny brother, no really tooo funny.
I think the birds trade down in this draft.
Lots of possibilities… but for the heck of it , I am going to say the OL that
Eagles like will be off the board already (Pouncey/T Smith,Solder,Camrini and Constanzo)
The remaining OL (Sherrod,Wisnewski,D Love, B Illijalana, and others just do not get 1st Round Grades so the Eagles will grab OL in the 2nd/3rd Rounds)
At CB, the top 3 (Peterson,Amukarama and J Smith will be taken already)
leaving Brandon Harris and Aaron WIlliams who again just don’t grade well at the #23 Pick
The Eagles 1st Round Selection (#23 Overall) is Safery Raheem Moore
from UCLA — At 6-1 200lbs Moore will bring back the physicality along the
back line of the Defense.. Him and Nate Allen will make a dynamic pair for the Eagles D for years to come..
I base this on the Eagles not planning on re-signing Q Mikell and having a bigger need at the Safety position then what is being reported by the local media and fans..
Sorry . . . I meant noting “their intelligence.”
Paulman…if the certain guys they want are gone before their selection in the 1st round i dont see them taking anybody. Their going to trade down. They might trade down anyway…I believe the only thing teams can trade is draft picks within the draft or future draft picks from next year and beyond because of the CBA most likely not being done in time. Trading future draft picks is not the Eagles style because we know they value the future more than the present.
Trading down sounds easy enough Pheags, but you have to find some teams willing to trade up with to make it work..I am not so sure there will be much of this happening this Draft
I dunno guys. Do you realize we have not drafted a olineman in the first since shawn andrews. I don’t forsee that changing either. I could see them moving up and taking a CB or a DT.
I am thinking the Eagles pick like this with their 1st Rd Pick (#23 Ovreall)
1st Choice – M Pouncey Guard/Center from Florida (Probably will be gone)
2nd Choice – T Smith Guard/Tackle from USC (Probably will be gone)
3rd Choice – N Solder OT from Colorado (Probably will be gone)
4th Choice – A Constanzo OT from Boston College (will be close)
5th Choice – G Carimi from OT from Wisconsin (will be close)
I look at teams from the #17 Selection to the #22 Selection just ahead of the Eagles like New England,San Diego,NY Giants, Tampa Bay,KC Chiefs & Colts and they all have needs across their Offensive LInes..
If the top 5-6 D/Lineman are gone the mid 1st Round, then these teams may start selecting the Top OL… The Eagles could really use some teams
to Draft QB’s early (Gabbert,NEwton,Locker and Mallet) which will free up
some D/Lineman and O/Lineman for later in the 1st Round which helps the Eagles.. The Early teams to watch to see if QB’s get chosen earlier than expected are teams like Buffalo,Cincinnati,49ers,Titans,Redskins,Vikings,
if 3 or 4 QB’s go with these teams, it should push down a lot of good Defensive/Offensive Lineman available to the Eagles..
If these teams grab the best players availalbe and look for QB’s in the 2nd/3rd Round, then the top Defensive/Offensive LIneman will most likely be off the board by the time the Eagles Select…
Buffalo at #3 & Cincinnati at #4 will tell us if there is a early Trend for QB’s
I agree but i just dont see teams spending top 10-15 picks on Qbs in this draft…noone this year has a sure thing to them to deserve that top pick quality/money. The defensive players (CB, DT, DE) seem more like sure bets and I see them going early while prolly one QB goes in the top 10. (Cam or Gabbert)
That’s what conventional wisdom would say Pheags..
But if Gabbert/Newton go unexpectantly early to a Panthers,Bills,Bengals,Cardinals in the first few picks, then teams like the 49ers,Titans,Redskins,Vikings,Dolphins may panic a bit and get the best of the 2nd Tier QB’s in fear they wont be around in the 2nd Round…
and especially with no CBA and who knows what about Free-Agency, teams that need a QB (as i just listed) may want to grab/draft one while they can as opposed to having no QB due to pending lockout/strike..
Just saying…if your a team that knows you have no chance next year no matter who you draft(like Cleveland, Buffalo)…I would go all Defense for the most part and receiver..I would basically tank a year to get Luck next year. 1 rly bad year could equal NFL playoff chances for the next 10 yrs after that if he rly is as good as people say he is and is the next P Manning like most think
***Patriots just signed recentely released DT Marcus Stroud from the BIlls
to a contract… which will mean they will focus on DE/OL with their 1st Round Selections (#17 & #28 Overall in the 1st Round)
It would be the prudent thing to do pheags and make the most sense..
Something to keep in mind though, Teams that are Struggling on the field are also struggling with their fan bases as far as excitment,sell outs, advertising $$$, Coporate boxes,etc,etc,..
Considering that there will be a lockout/strike some of these teams are already
hurting for a new face of the franchise and may have to take that chance to sitr up some excitment and ticket sales… Teams like the Cardinals,Dolphins,Jacksonville,Oakland have all had attendance issues and are not selling out home seats..
paulman, We definetly will not draft moore that would be a mistake i do agree SS is a need but we should fill that in FA with dwan landry he would be perfect an he will not be back in baltimore. Definetly o-line in the 1st round either carimi or pouncey but if we can trade kolb for another 1 it would be great to package our 2 1’s an get in the top 10 for either peterson, prince, dareus, or quinn. Also if we’re gonna go after a corner in the 2 or 3 round shareece wright from usc is going to be 1 of the steals of the draft had a great senior bowl an looks really smooth. I was watching the combine on nfl net an charles davis agreed wright will be the steal of the cb position. I’ve been saying it for a while we should sign landry an joseph in FA that will shore up our secondary an address o-line an d-line in the draft. An we’ll get a lb somewhere because we know they dont value the position.
To Jdubb844
If no CBA is in place within the next 48 hours, then I am going to assume
that the Eagles (just like most teams) will concentrate on filling roster needs with the upcoming Draft.. If there ends up being a lengthy holdout/liockout, which most observors agree, then it will be very difficult for teams to go out and plug holes with Free-agents come July/Aug and who knows under what conditions,etc,etc.. I believe most Teams are planning their 2011 Rosters with what they currently have under contract, the Draft and re-signing key players to 1 year deals once a CBA is in place… I believe that there will be very little player movement if and when Free-agency actually occurs and the smart Teams have already planned for this… I think it continues to be sky in the pie thinking the Eagles will pursue or end up with any Top Level Free-Agents
This draft is about the 2012 Season and beyond for the 2011 Seaon probably
will end up an abbreviated one if there even is one…
The Bengals have publicly stated that they are going to Franchise James Joseph and Joseph is ok with that and they both want to work out a long-term
deal in so he won’t be on the market for all intents and purposes (he’s a very good player too and I would love to see him in Eagle Green as I would Dwan LAndry who flys under the radar and is underrated he’s paired with Ed Reed)
**Some NFL News**
**Buffalo Bills just sent Contract Tenders to would be free-agents
S Donte Whitner and LB Paul Puzlusky and TE Chandler..
**Seattle Seahawks just signed Rd/KR Leon Washington to a 4 year Deal taking him off the Free-Agent list
** NE Patriots sign DT Marcu Stroud to a 2 Year Deal (Stroud was released from his current contract by the BIlls about a week ago making Stroud free to sign with whomever, Patriots get another Veteran player who wants to win)
paulman the time has come an gone to franchise players an joseph was not franchised.
First, the Eagles won’t take anybody who the experts project because they have to be unorthodox. Secondly, if they trade down again they deserve to lose every game. Their draft record is too shotty to act as though they KNOW certain guys projected high aren’t good enough to warrant being selected that high. They are just CHEAP. they need to just stay where they are and pick someone. They may be shocked and find someone who might actually be great!!
this draft has some very good lineman on the defensive side who will be available at #23…. Gabbert and Newton are going top 5…I would wait to go OL till round #2..
#1- Carolina – QB Gabbert (new coach Rivera has no knowledge of Clausen and wants to build the franchise around his QB, not one picked by the previous regime)
#3 – Buffalo – coach Chan Gailey loves athletic QBs….he had some at Georgia Tech….Newton can learn behind Fitzpatrick for a year then step in and give the franchise some hope.
**more NFL News**
Jets place Qualifying Tenders to CB A Cromartie and WR S Holmes
meaning if they were to sign with another team, they would receive a
1st Rd & 3rd Rd Selection in Return from the teams that sign them..
Bassically they will be staying with the Jets and watch most teams do this same thing with their star players to make it very difficult for them to sign any deal with another team.. I think most fans can forget about a real “Free-Agency” period this year (of there even is one) and there just won’t be much player movement unless of course a CBA is announced in the next 48 hours
Also, the Vikings LB C Greenaway signed his Franchise Tender making him a Viking for the 2011 Season at a $10 Million Salary..
“I don’t see the Birds taking a cornerback in the first because it doesn’t fit their habits in the past. From their history it’s likely offensive tackle in the first round and cornerback in the second round.”
Thats weird Gary because they selected 1 OL (Shawn Andrews) and 1 CB (Lito) in the 1st round during Andy’s tenure. So you comment about taking Jimmy Smith holds no merit. If we go off history look for them to take a DT (3 during Andy’s time) or a DE (2 during Andy’s time). I think Justin Houston would be an impact DE. He gets off the line like a rocket.
OLB/DE Justin Houston from U of Georgia) is a very good player and most NFL Observors/Scouts project him as an OLB/DE in a 3-4 scheme though..
The Steelers,Jets,Patriots & Ravens are all very high on him and will probably be selected in that #24-#30 Range
He’s more of a pass rusher standing up and moving around and but can also play with his hands down in passing situations ..He reminds me of a young
Terrell Suggs but I don’t really think he fits the Eagles traditional 4-3 Scheme well for he’s one of those Tweener DE who doesn’t play real well against the run and one of the those LB’s that is not real adept in pass-coverage at this stage of his developement . But line him up to get after the QB in passing situatuions is his specialty..
@paulman – Houston is not a classic tweener because he can play both positions so well. He has the speed an athleticism to play a 3-4 OLB, but played his best football with his hand in the dirt as a 4-3 DE. He is 6’3 270lbs. I think he could play either OLB or DE, but if you watch him on tape he played his best football lining up at DE. Regardless he will be a force in the NFL, it has been a while since I have seen a player come off a snap that fast.
You are correct Weaponx, Houston can play a very good OLB and does explode off the ball when down in 4-3 position. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Eagles Select him at all.. He could be used in a lot of ways… (Similar to what the Redksins have done with Orapko) .. I can just see the Patriots and Belichek salivating to get this guy for he fits that Patriot system perfectly..