Whatever the Eagles decide to do in this year’s draft with their defensive backfield they’d better take note of the many big and physical receivers that are playing in the NFC East. ¬†The Birds can’t afford to draft guys who are too small to battle these big wideouts.
They need a safety who can cause some fear when receivers come across the middle and the corner they draft will need to be able to jam these big guys at the line.
Need I say that both of these guys must be good tacklers.
Do you remember how the Cowboys wideouts brushed the Birds defensive backs away like lint on their jackets in the final regular season game and the playoff contest?
Pro Bowl Cowboys wide receiver Miles Austin is listed at 6’3″ 214 pounds. ¬†He has tremendous power in his lower body with big strong legs and has shown the ability to catch short passes, then run through tackles and turn those short completions into long touchdown scores.
He punished Asante Samuel after catching some quick screens in the playoff blowout.
Despite being a disappointment so far in Dallas, Roy Williams hasn’t struggled because he lacks size. ¬†He is listed at 6’3″ 215. ¬†One of his best plays as a Cowboy were in that playoff game against the Eagles Sheldon Brown. ¬†It probably had something to do with why they traded Brown.
The Cowboys don’t have a wide receiver shorter than six foot. ¬†I don’t think that’s accident.
Nobody talks much about the New York Giants receivers but they’re good and capable of getting better.
Like DeSean Jackson, Steve Smith was a Pro Bowler a year ago. ¬†He’s not a big guy but he’s a tough and crafty receiver with great hands. ¬†He’s got decent size and is listed at 5’11” 195 pounds.
Hakeem Nicks is the big,talented Giants receiver who I expect to have a breakout year in 2010. He’s nearly as big as the Cowboys Austin and listed at 6’2″ and 215 pounds.
As the season went on in 2009, Nicks started making those physical plays that the Giants saw him make in college.  Outjumping defensive backs for the ball, breaking a couple of tackles on the way to a touchdown or catching a ball with one hand.
Ramses Barden was a rookie a year ago and is a project. ¬†He didn’t play much a year ago but he ever gets on the field watch out because he’s 6’6″ 227 pounds.
The Washington Redskins have another big receiver in 6’2″ 215 pound Devin Thomas but he hasn’t done anything since he was drafted. Malcolm Kelly who was drafted in the same year is even bigger. ¬†He’s listed at 6’4″ 227 pounds.
Like Thomas, Kelly hasn’t accomplished anything yet in his NFL career, but lack of size won’t be his excuse if he doesn’t turn that around.
Join GCobb.com for Eagles Draft Talk tomorrow night at 7pm at P.J. Whelhan’s on Rte. 70 in Cherry Hill, NJ. ¬†We’re going to do a mock draft and talk about what the Eagles should do in the upcoming draft.
There’ll be plenty of great wings and you’ll be able to get $10 dollar domestic draft pitchers. ¬†We’ll have prizes to win and a good time to be had.
Like Paulman said I think trading Asante to the Raiders for asomugha would be a serious difference maker in the secondary. Then draft Taylor Mays in the first round and trade up by giving up maybe the 2nd pick and a player along with a 4th pick to grab Devin Mccourtny. If this happend i would buy season tickets in a heartbeat!
WTF is up with all the Aante hate? The dude is a friggin stud. He doesnt make open field tackles. Guess what? NONE OF THE ELITE DO!! Shaddup with the Asante must go bullshit.
Asante is not a complete corner, don’t make up excuses for his cowardess play. Eagles need a press corner not a guy who plays 15 yards back and looks to breaK ON THE BALL 95% OF THE TIME. How can you be elite and not be a tackler in PRO FOOTBALL. tHE GUY WEARS DREDLOCKS WITH A RECEDING HAIRLINE= TOTAL VIOLATION
There are certain aspects of being a good CB that Asante excels in, but being a great route jumper means nothing if he plays 8 yards back and teams throw quick screens to bigger, stronger receivers that will run him over. The man was exposed throughout last year, especially against Dallas. Now any team without a retarded coaching staff will be able to exploit Samuel at will unless he stops being a punk and listens to our coaches.
Trading for Nnamdi would be nice, but it’s not the slightest bit feasible. The man is due ~$16 million this year. This draft is very deep and we need to do what is necessary to bring in 3 solid defensive players that can contribute on Day 1. If that means trading up, we have to do it. If we have to use a 2nd rounder from 2011 to get the right guy this year, we have to do it. I am not looking forward to watching Asante and Ellis Hobbs get abused by the bigger, stronger receivers that are all over the NFC East. Eric Berry will be too much of a reach, but we do need to try very hard to get Earl Thomas as well as a solid CB or two that can play press coverage.
@ Jimmy Mac
Dont get me wrong I like Asante I wish we could keep him cause when he makes thoughs picks it gets me fired up but seeing the big picture like big E and JB is creepy says he has his weakness’s and Nnamdi is one of the best at shutting down a WR.
@ Big E
I almost pissed my pants with the
tHE GUY WEARS DREDLOCKS WITH A RECEDING HAIRLINE= TOTAL VIOLATION comment
hahahahaahaha
You can’t trade Asante for Asomugha – his contract is prohibitave. Nice thought anyway…
Wrong BigE. Asante is fine right where he is. If you want a press corner, get one to tandem up with Asante. Asante may be a pussy, but dude is retarded good. First off, he’s got a skill set that cant be coached. Premonition of where the ball is going before the QB does. I agree with BigE, we need some toughness back there. But dont cut off the nose to spite the face.
G:
I think that you have to hit the big receivers in the mid-section and take the wind out of them. I understand that they will score over the CB’s in the End Zone with a quick, high pass. But if they do the long sideline reception, the smaller CB’s should hammer the soler plexis as if it was a grandmom’s sofa. That should change their thoughts…unless they’re true NFL Pros.
I see where you are coming now from Jimmy Mac. If we did have another corner who would shut down those big WR’s we would be seriously feared
Remeber fans,
My trade scenario about A Sammuel to the Raiders would only work if the Radiers were willing to pay Asmagoah’s crazy Roster Bonus which is due in May or be June 1st…which is very unlikely for which
I will have to generate a new Paulman Mock Draft for the Eagles soon.
I also thing that Vick getting traded becomes more unlikely every day..with J Campbell on the trading blocks now, I think theBIlls,Raiders,Steelers or even Panthers would prefer him over a M Vick who has not shown the ability to read defenses or be a pocket passer during his career where Campbell still has a shot at it short term while not having the off-field baggage that Vick has…..
We are always undersized at critical positions. It’s been that way for a decade. Guys on our D-line be undersized. We always have undersized CBs. I mean we haven’t really had decent sized CBs since Taylor, Vincent and Harris were here. A couple of the LBs were undersized and playing out of position i.e. Will Witherspoon. This has been our defense under Andy Reid. We like DBs that are 5-10 and under, WRs that are 6 feet and under and RBs who are also small.
Also, I don’t think getting rid of Asante is the answer. You need someone physical on the other side of him to match up with the other team’s most physical WR. Like against the Cowboy’s I think Sheldon would have been to match up against Austin had he not been hurt. Since he was hurt, it would have been a mistake to have him up in Austin’s face because he would run right by Sheldon. So now your most physical CB can’t cover the most physical WR and your other CB doesn’t play that way. You just need one opposite of Samuel so you’ll have the one physical guy and the other ball-hawking guy.