The Eagles said they were looking for speed and not size in the draft and that’s definitely what they got. I was amazed to find out that I can look down at all of the picks that I got the chance to talk to.
Number one draft pick Brandon Graham is built like a fire hydrant.¬† He is short and wide with big legs and arms.¬† He’s built like Dwight Freeney now we’re going to find out if he can play like Dwight Freeney.
I could see he’s quick off the ball and he stays low when he comes around the corner.¬† This dude is quick and he can run.
The young man says he loves the pressure that’s on him because he was drafted so early.¬† The Michigan Wolverine says he has no problem with a lot of people expecting a lot from him because the Birds traded up to get him.
Graham was nothing but all smiles once he took his helmet off.¬† Maybe he’s thinking about all the money he’s getting ready to get from the Birds when he signs his contract.
I talked to him afterwards and he’s got to smile as much or more than any other rookie I’ve seen come through here.¬† Again, the Eagles like the Colts have built a team which is put together with a focus on speed rather than size.
They are counting on him being a Dwight Freeney-type for this football team.
Second-round draft pick Nate Allen is very well spoken. I didn’t see much of him because he’s got a leg problem that kept him out of the team drills.
He’s also got some poise because he had no problem answering a question about his reported inability to tackle.¬† He didn’t hesitate to answer the question with confidence.
Third-round pick Daniel Te’o Nesheim is built the same way and says he loves rushing from the defensive tackle position because guards aren’t normally as quick as offensive tackles.¬†¬† This kid is as soft spoken as any football player I have ever talked to, but they say he can bring it on with the pass rush.
The young quarterback Mike Kafka, who they picked in the fourth round, had his head spinning from all of the plays that Andy Reid and Marty Mornhinweg put in for the offense.
Kafka says he knows quite a few of the plays but will have to learn new terminology.
The fact that we have Trent Cole on the other end may really help this kid out. He might see a lot of 1 on 1 early on and If he is as quick as you say G he might have a decent sack total next year. D.E. is one of those positions where a rookie can have an outstanding year.
3 chances at a solid DE with these 2 guys and Sapp. Hopefully 1 pans out. I am really interested in getting your analysis on Allen when he practices and the CB that they drafted.
Steal Freeney’s spin move and abuse the crap out of it
I do not care how tall they are, as long as they can knock some heads.
I would look at the teams we’re playing this year and what they have a R/LT positions. It’s gonna be a brutal sched but I’m always cheering for the Birds.
Personally, I still think it’s a big man’s game. The NFL season is very long and smaller guys tend to wear down or get injured. Just my opinion. Obviously, no one is paying me to be a general manager or coach.
D Winslow:
If you look at the rosters in our division the other teams have bigger defensive players all the way around.
“its a big man’s game”……tell that to desean jackson.
IBG: He’ll learn that in the trenches soon enough.
I saw Graham make a spin move on a pass rush in college and he looked Freeneyesque.
And exactly when will DJax be “in the trenches”? Graham, the one thing I like about him is his persuit (sic) he really gets after the mobil QB’s, even if he doesn’t always get there for the sack he’s relentless in running QB’s down.
Graham looks good. I agree Allen is very well spoken.
Teo-Neshiem needs a nickname if he makes the team. I find watching his interviews uncomfortable in that I think he looks really nervous and appears to have a hard time expressing himself. I don’t think he is stupid, slow, or stoned. I guess what I am saying is that I hope his play says it all.