Phildelphia Eagles: Meeting the Second- and Third-Round Picks

The Philadelphia Eagles used the second and third rounds of the NFL Draft to build upon an impressive first day.

After moving up three spots to select Mississippi State defensive tackle Fletcher Cox with the 12^th overall pick, Andy Reid continued to find defensive playmakers with his two second-round selections.

In the third round, Reid found another quarterback who is tailor-made for his style of West Coast offense.

With only four more rounds remaining in this year’s draft, I am proud to introduce the newest members of the Eagles.

Mychal Kendricks, California LB

The Eagles have found their new starting SAM linebacker in Mychal Kendricks.

In short, Kendricks is an absolute freakish athlete who possesses good instincts and extensive knowledge of the game.  He does it all.

The Fresno native runs a 4.47-second 40-yard dash and displays tremendous range in coverage and in run support. 

At 6’1”, 240 pounds, he flies to the ball and has the ability to stick with tight ends down the field.

He looks comfortable in zone assignments and one-on-one as well.

During his time at California, the senior showed off his versatility by playing all three linebacker positions.  This should provide the Eagles with invaluable depth and a vote of confidence as they near training camp.

The 21-year old rookie is an excellent tackler—something Andy Reid and the defense sorely missed during last year’s failed season. 

Kendricks attacks ball carriers with tremendous tenacity and aggression.  Not only does he consistently drop his pad level low, but he also drives his legs and body into opponents.

With the addition of this former Golden Bear, the Eagles have found themselves a playmaker who could become a Pro Bowl regular for years to come.

Vinny Curry, Marshall DE

Reid traded eight spots down from the 51^st spot all the way to 59 and was still able to pick up a pass-rushing specialist.

As a late second-round pick, Vinny Curry provides the Philadelphia Eagles with tremendous value and is more of a luxury pick than anything else.

As the third or fourth end on a defensive line rotation that already features Jason Babin, Trent Cole, Darryl Tapp and the return of Brandon Graham, Curry gives Andy Reid arguably the best set of end pass rushers in the league.

Curry plays every snap with maximum effort and routinely chases down opposing ball-carriers from behind.

However, due to his aggressive style of play, he has trouble closing out games with the same pressure production.

This shouldn’t be a problem in Philadelphia since defensive line coach Jim Washburn employs a rotational system.

Curry’s primary focus in the “wide-nine” will be getting to the quarterback—which bodes extremely well for the specialist.

Nick Foles, Arizona QB

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If you follow the draft history of Andy Reid, the Nick Foles selection should come as no surprise.

Reid values the quarterback position more than anything else and loves to keep his roster stocked with at least three signal-callers who can challenge for playing time.

At 6’5”, Foles stands to be the next "pet project" of Philadelphia’s head coach.

The Arizona product is coming off an impressive senior season. 

In his final year of college, he totaled a career-high 4,344 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, while completing 69.1 percent of his passes.

Although he lacks athleticism, the ex-Wildcat has good pocket presence and makes throws with composure.

He has an above-average arm and is extremely accurate on short-to-intermediate routes. 

In time, Foles should develop into a reliable starter and is already a good fit for the Eagles’ style of West Coast offense.