Senior Bowl targets
NFL Draft Countdown was at Senior Bowl practices this week and reported the Eagles were most interested in observing the following players:
Tuesday’s Practice:
Justin Blalock (OG-Texas)
Tony Ugoh (OT-Arkansas)
Mansfield Wrotto (OG-Georgia Tech)
Daymeion Hughes (CB-California)
Wednesday’s Practice:
Kevin Payne (S - Lousiana Monroe)
Manuel Ramirez (OG-Texas Tech)
I’d rant about the infatuation with the offensive line prospects, but there are reasons not to worry. One, NFLdraftcountdown.com which is a reputable site, doesn’t really explain themselves very well in how they identified which teams were looking at which players. Actually, they don’t explain anything at all. These players are simply listed as “player observations” by the Philadelphia Eagles. So in reality, Andy Reid and Tom Heckert could have bookended Mansfield Wrotto at the urinals and taken a peek. Bang! Player observation!
Two, it’s January and the draft is in April, and three, with the exception of Justin Blaylock, most of the players the Birds were purportedly observing are projected as mid-to-late round picks. The Eagles may already know what the well known players can bring to the table, and thus, chose to scout the lesser known guys they can potentially steal in the later rounds of the draft.
Do I sound like someone trying to convince themselves of something? I hope not.
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Posted on January 29, 2007 by Dave | Filed Under Philadelphia
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It might make sense to draft another Guard high. If they can get a good Guard prospect, they can slide Herremans to Left Tackle and dump William Thomas and his bloated contract and balky back.
They may also just be scouting out replacements for the Eagles own human penalty machine, Scott Young.
Thomas is a total fraud. The weak link IMHO.
I think Thomas is gone. He makes too much money next year. The Birds still have:
LT: Justice (2nd round), Herremans
LG: Herremans
C: Jackson
RG: Andrews
RT: Runyan
Backups are Max Jean-Gilles, Scott Young, Nick Cole. When Runyan is gone in another year or two they’ll likely kick out Andrews. We’re still stacked at OG. You’ve got Jean-Gilles without a spot. Hey, maybe the Eagles don’t think Jean-Gilles is good enough. Who knows? But as it looks now, I wouldn’t take an O-lineman when the team has more pressing needs at LB, S, CB, and DL. If it were up to me I’d draft defensive in the top 4 rounds.
Dave:
Justice is actually more of a Right Tackle, the position he played at USC, IIRC. Probably part of why he was never activated.
Thomas is adequate as a Left Tackle, nothing spectacular. Watch enough Eagles games, and you’ll notice how many sacks come off his side. The “line of the future” of Herremans-Jackson-Cole-Young-Andrews, played quite well pass-blocking for Feeley against Atlanta.
The Eagles thinnest positions right now are:
CB (need two players for the roster unless you count Dustin Fox)
S (need two players for the roster unless you count Dustin Fox)
RB (need two players for the roster, or three if Moats is cut loose)
DE needs one or two players depending on the fate of McDougle and Juqua Thomas
I say the first pick is CB or DE. If the first pick is DE, the second pick has got to be a CB or S.
DT is not thin personnel-wise, but needs better play
LB is not thin personnel-wise even with Jones getting cut if Gocong and Richmond can play some, although a new LB in free agency and/or by the draft would hardly be a surprise.
QB needs one player
OL needs one player if Thomas is cut.
At maximum, that is 13 new/resigned players needed assuming other bottom of the roster types like Pat McCoy, Joselio Hanson, and Dedrick Roper are back. Actually, thinking about that, I bet Roper won’t be coming back, because they like Torrance Daniels better, so lets say 14.
Looking at so much need is why I bet Stallworth won’t be back. Bloom can take his spot, the Eagles keep their 3rd round pick that they desperately need, and they get a compensatory pick in 2008 once someone else overpays for Stallworth (Green Bay? Denver? Atlanta?) that will probably be a 4th or 5th rounder, meaning they could trade a current 4th round pick in 2008 for an extra pick this year if needed.
I don’t necessarily think that was the line of the future, but more of who’s ready to play today. I can’t see the Birds ignoring Justice and Jean-Gilles if they have spots open. Especially Justice as a 2nd round pick. I know he worked a lot at the left tackle spot in preseason.
Your analysis of the OL kind of makes my point - I’m not against drafting an O-lineman after the 4th round, but just not 1, 2, or 3.
Dave:
I guess in theory the “Line of the Future” could be Herremans-Gilles-Jackson-Andrews-Justice, with Young and Cole retaining back-up spots. The main thing is that Herremans-Jackson-Andrews are all signed long term right now (I suppose you could say Justice is too with his 5 year contract), so they are necessarily the core of the line. Herremans is a left side guy from where he has always played. Justice is a right side guy who they are trying to convert. Since Herremans has shown he is pretty good at Left Tackle, I see Justice having an uphill climb to take that spot if they are serious about trying Gilles out at Left Guard.
Draft a Middle Line Backer!!!
Either 1st or 2nd round. Think Vilma.
It’s hard to argue with what the Eagles have done recently in the draft (5 division titles this decade), but with the 26th pick you aren’t going to get a top dlineman and the oline is solid. And the top-level CBs will be gone too, so wait on that. A top safety could be there and so will an inside linebacker. The LBs that go early are outside speedsters like Merriman. What about the Poszluzny???