Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Top 10 Targets at 22

If Philadelphia stays put at 22, I've compiled my personal list of the top 10 targets. This list doesn't include Jadeveon Clowney, Khalil Mack or Sammy Watkins. This list contains potential targets the Eagles might be able to choose from if they stay put.

1. OLB Anthony Barr (6-5 255lbs)

Once considered a top five pick, Barr has fallen in recent mock drafts. I'd still be surprised if he's available at 22, but there's definitely a chance.

Barr is a freakish athlete. The former running back has only been on the defensive side of the ball for two years, but he's been very productive at UCLA. Chip Kelly covets length and athleticism on defense. Barr was a playmaker for the Bruins' defense, and provides some speed and explosion off the edge, but smooth movement in space. He is raw, but possesses elite upside.

With Cedric Thorton, Vinny Curry, and Fletcher Cox pushing the pocket back, Barr could provide that burst off the edge to force the QB to step up, likely into traffic. Trent Cole just doesn't have the explosion at age 32.

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Are Eagles Equipped To Move Up In Round One?


Are the Eagles equipped to move up in round one to grab a top player? To simply answer the question, no.

To give some reasoning behind that, let's first take a look at Philadelphia's ammunition based on the famous draft pick value chart:

Round 1: 22 overall (780 points)
Round 2: 54 overall (360 points)
Round 3: 86 overall (160 points)
Round 4: 122 overall (50 points)
Round 5: 162 overall (26.6 points)
Round 7: 237 overall (<2 points)

Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Where Do The Eagles Stand?



I get extremely tired of other NFL players tweeting inaccurate shots at the Eagles organization. Let's get one thing straight, DeSean Jackson's reported gang affiliation had NOTHING to do with his release. Philadelphia tried trading Jackson last offseason, but didn't get much interest.

Jackson's release is in no way a race issue. Chip Kelly isn't profiling DeSean Jackson or his group of friends. DeSean Jackson was released due to selfish locker room behavior.

Another thing that is completely off-base, is to compare the DeSean Jackson release to Riley Cooper's situation last summer. Riley Cooper made a terrible mistake. He paid for his mistake, and still has a negative public image which will never leave him.

However, Riley Cooper is a hard-worker. Riley Cooper is a good teammate. Riley Cooper is an unselfish player. Riley Cooper is 100% bought-in to Chip Kelly's system.

Tuesday, April 1, 2014

A Plan On Draft Day

Howie Roseman has preached about building through the draft. That becomes more difficult when the team only has accumulated six draft picks in what's considered the deepest draft in 30 years.

The Eagles weren't able to garner serious interest for playmaking wideout DeSean Jackson. It looks like the market is lukewarm for Evan Mathis, who I don't think the front office truly wants to deal.

With two Pro Bowlers receiving minimal interest, it's hard to fathom Brandon Graham, Vinny Curry, or Bryce Brown developing a competitive market.

That being said, there are other avenues the Eagles could take to stockpile some picks. Many fans seem to love the idea of trading up for Mike Evans or Anthony Barr, but that seems pretty reckless with only six picks.

The smartest approach is trading down. While it may be unpopular, adding mid-round picks is the best move for the long haul.

Here's the famous draft pick value chart: