Andy Reid's Draft History, Part 1: The Beginning

ANDY REID’S DRAFT HISTORY, PART 1: THE BEGINNING:


After head coach Ray Rhodes led the Eagles to a 3-13 record in 1998 in his fourth season in Philadelphia, the Eagles brass decided it was time to make a change.

At the time there were some big-name former NFL head coaches available, but the Eagles decided to go with a lesser known quarterbacks coach from the Packers.

Andy Reid was hired by the Packers in 1992, the same year Brett Favre was brought in, and coached Favre through 1998.

That tenure included the 1997 season when the Packers won the Super Bowl, and also included three straight Associated Press NFL Most Valuable Player awards from 1995 through 1997.

While fans in Philadelphia expressed mixed emotions on the Reid hiring, NFL insiders had a much more positive opinion of the Eagles decision.

Reid definitely had his work cut out for him. The Eagles leading passer in 1998 was Koy Detmer, a former seventh-round pick, who had a 53% completion percentage to go along with 5 touchdowns and 5 interceptions.

Bobby Hoying also started 7 games, leading the Eagles to a 1-6 record in that span and throwing for 50% completions, 0 touchdowns and 9 interceptions. Rodney Peete started 4 games as well, going 1-3 and completing 55% of his passes.

Charles Johnson was one of the other bright spots on offense, a 27-year-old former first round pick of the Steelers who had 65 catches for over 800 yards and 7 touchdowns.

Jeff Graham and aging pass catcher Irving Fryar were the other top receivers, and neither topped 600 yards or 2 touchdowns.

There were, however, a few bright spots on offense. One of them was a multi-talented halfback named Duce Staley, a third-round pick from South Carolina in 1997.

Staley was only 24 years old and coming off a season in which he had 1,497 yards on offense and 6 touchdowns.

A rookie named Tra Thomas, whom Ray Rhodes selected with the 11th pick in the 1998 draft out of Florida State, started all 16 games at left tackle.

For all of Ray Rhodes shortcomings on offense on the team he put together, he was a very smart defensive mind and managed to bring in some legitimate talent on that side of the ball.

Hugh Douglas recorded 12.5 sacks as the Eagles top defensive end and a 25 year old safety that Rhodes drafted in the 2nd round of the 1996 draft named Brian Dawkins was quickly emerging as a force.

Other bright spots were veteran Troy Vincent, who was added via free agency in 1996, a young cornerback picked up off the Buccaneers’ practice squad named Al Harris, Bobby Taylor, a cornerback who was a 2nd round pick of Rhodes in 1995, and a big defensive tackle named Hollis Thomas who racked up 5.0 sacks in 1998.

Outside linebacker William Thomas, middle linebacker James Willis, and outside linebacker Mike Caldwell rounded out the defense.

Long-time strong safety Mike Zordich, who was one of the leaders on defense and most talented players, decided to retire after the 1998 season. Zordich played 12 seasons in the NFL starting with the Jets, then the Cardinals and wrapping up with four seasons as the starting strong safety in Philadelphia.

Heading into the 1999 draft, Reid had a lot of holes to fill and had the second overall pick in the draft. Reid obviously needed to fix the offensive side of the ball, as that was the bigger weakness for the Eagles.

As a former quarterbacks coach, and quarterback being a huge weakness on the Eagles, a lot of experts expected Reid to take his pick of a strong quarterback class with the second pick.

In 1999, there were a plethora of top-rated quarterbacks declaring for the NFL draft: Tim Couch was considered the best of the bunch, a big athletic strong armed pocket passer from Kentucky who lit up opposing defenses.

After that, Akili Smith and Donovan McNabb were considered the next best. Smith was extremely athletic and considered to have the most upside, but also a lot of question marks.

McNabb was also a terrific athlete with a rocket arm, however he also had questions about how his game would transition to the NFL.

Daunte Culpepper was the dark horse, he was a massive player that may have had the strongest arm in the draft and also was extremely strong and quick.

Cade McNown was the last of the top quarterbacks. At UCLA, McNown set numerous school records, winning the Johnny Unitas Award, finished third in Heisman voting and picking up the MVP of the Senior Bowl as well.

The buzz in Philadelphia at the time was all about Ricky Williams , who at the time was well deserving of it. At the University of Texas, Williams broke the all-time NCAA rushing record that was set 22 years earlier by Tony Dorsett.

Known as the “Texas Tornado”, Williams ran over almost every defense he faced. In the end Williams won the Doak Walker and Jim Brown awards twice.

He also won the Walter Camp and Maxwell awards to go along with the Heisman trophy and Associated Press player of the year selection all in 1998. Heading into the draft the Eagles fan base was really pushing for Reid to draft Williams in the first round

The feeling was that Williams was the best player in the draft, while the quarterbacks were big risks and non were as prolific as the ‘Tornado‘.

The fans, as well as a lot of scouts, felt that any pick except Williams would be a big mistake and extend to the Eagles' woeful ways.

THE 1999 DRAFT: THE REID ERA IS USHERED IN IN A TUMULTUOUS MANNER



SECOND OVERALL PICK: QB DONOVAN McNABB, SYRACUSE

Reid knew that the Eagles fan base was an extremely loyal bunch, but they also were very opinionated and wouldn’t sit by while they felt the team was making a mistake.

The Cleveland Browns made Tim Couch the top overall pick, setting the stage for a historic Andy Reid pick.

As soon as Paul Tagliabue announced Donovan McNabb as the Eagles new quarterback the 30 or so Eagles fans present at the draft in New York began to rain down the boos.

Donovan walked up to the stage and flashed an awkward smile while holding the Eagles jersey with the commissioner while being serenaded with the bitter sounds of disapproval.

That scene immediately became a classic and would be the beginning of a love/hate relationship between Donovan and the fans.

McNabb was without a doubt was the right pick, and in hindsight Andy Reid looks like a genius- as the fellow Quarterbacks in 1999 were simply a mess.

Tim Couch was thrown into a horrible spot with the Browns who had a dearth of talent around him. Akili Smith only started 17 games in his career and went 3-14. Cade McNown lasted just 2 seasons and was a miserable 3-12 as a starter.

In fact, the only other QB who had some success was Culpepper, who made three Pro Bowls.

While the fan favorite, Ricky Williams, had some success in the NFL, but he ultimately walked away from the game out of nowhere in favor of his use of marijuana.

He eventually returned and is a quality halfback for the Dolphins, but it's clear that McNabb was by far the smarter pick here.

GRADE: A+

You really can’t get much better than this, picking up a franchise quarterback with your first pick as head coach of a struggling franchise. McNabb is hands down the best quarterback to ever suit up in Philadelphia.

The McNabb selection also netted the Eagles a second-round pick in 2010 and conditional third round pick in 2011 after being traded to the Redskins after spending 12 seasons in Philadelphia.



35TH OVERALL PICK: LB BARRY GARDNER, NORTHWESTERN

Barry Gardner was a versatile linebacker who scouts thought could project to the NFL as both a outside and middle linebacker.

While Gardner did become a valuable special teams player, he never progressed into the starting linebacker the Eagles were hoping for.

In fact, his only significant role came in 2000, when he started 13 games at outside linebacker and registered 57 total tackles and one sack.

After that, he hung on the active roster through the 2002 season as a quality backup and special-teams player.

Gardner wrapped up his NFL career with two seasons in Cleveland and one with the New York Jets, mainly as a backup.

GRADE: D

Andy Reid was looking for a impact starting linebacker in Gardner; what he got was a backup and special-teams player.

While Gardner wasn’t completely without value, he didn’t come near to the Eagles expectations as a second-round pick.



64TH OVERALL PICK: OG DOUG BRZEZINSKI, BOSTON COLLEGE
Doug Brzezinski was only the first of many selections Andy Reid has made on the offensive line through his tenure in Philadelphia.

Brzezinski was an athletic and aggressive guard from Boston College that was highly regarded.

As a rookie, Brzezinski looked like he had a bright future with the Eagles, earning a spot on the starting lineup and starting all 16 games at left guard and flashed his potential and nasty demeanor.

After that, however, Brzezinski’s progression seamed to halt and he never managed to crack the starting lineup for significant time again.

Sticking with the Eagles through the 2002 season, Brzezinski only started 6 more games in that span and was mainly a backup.

In 2003 he moved on to the Carolina Panthers, where he started eight games in 2004. before being released.

GRADE: C-

Andy Reid saw a lot of potential in Brzezinski and in the first year it seemed as if Reid struck gold in the third round.

In the end, though it just wasn’t meant to be and Brzezinski was a quality backup at best. That rookie season bumps up his grade a bit though, and I will give him a C- instead of a D.


  
97TH OVERALL PICK: OG JOHN WELBOURN, CALIFORNIA

The Eagles fans were now truly getting their first taste of a Andy Reid style draft, and one of the trademarks of that are multiple picks across the offensive line.

Welbourn came into training camp as a rookie and really impressed coaches quickly. He got his first chance to start against the Cardinals as a rookie where he was injured in the second quarter and placed on injured reserve, ending his rookie season.

As a sophomore, Welbourn came back even stronger, starting all 16 games and beating out fellow 4th round pick Doug Brzezinski for the left guard job.

Welbourn became a valuable piece of the Eagles offensive line, earning the starting left guard spot through 2003, starting a total of 39 games in the following three seasons.

After the 2003 season Welbourn became very unhappy with his contract situation but the Eagles refused to talk to him about a long-term deal.

Things really became bitter when Welbourn demanded a trade then blasted Andy Reid on a radio interview, questioning Andy Reid’s ability in the draft and the team’s direction.

Andy Reid had heard enough, and traded Welbourn to the Kansas City Chiefs during the 2004 draft in return for the Chiefs fifth-round pick in 2004 and a conditional pick in 2005. That pick escalated from a fourth to a third after Welbourn started over half the offensive snaps for the Chiefs in 2004.

Welbourn showed his versatility after the trade, earning the starting right tackle position after playing guard his entire career in Philadelphia. Welbourn started 10 games at right tackle in 2004.

Steroid use became a major issue in the 2005 season after Welbourn was suspended for 4 games for testing positive for a anabolic steroid, he still managed to start 9 games that season.

In 2006, Welbourn found himself on the bench, but re-emerged at right guard in 2007 where he managed to start all 16 games for the Chiefs. The Chiefs then released Welbourn with one year left on his contract.

The last time Welbourn was in the NFL was with the Patriots who signed him in August 2008, but then cut him from the roster on Aug. 31, 2008.

GRADE: B

Whenever you can manage to get a good starting caliber player in the fourth round it is a good move. Welbourn was a solid piece of a terrific offensive line here for four seasons.

Although he ended up blasting the Eagles organization, he still was a good pick because he gave the Eagles some really good seasons as a starter, then the Eagles managed to get third- and fourth-round selections in return for Welbourn, who was a fourth-round pick originally.



128TH OVERALL PICK: SS DAMON MOORE, OHIO STATE

With veteran Mike Zordich deciding to retire, the Eagles had a pretty big hole at strong safety across from young free safety Brian Dawkins.

Damon Moore was a strong player from Ohio State who was most famous for delivering bone-jarring hits over the middle.

As a rookie, Moore saw action mostly as a backup and on special teams but flashed his potential grabbing a interception and forcing a fumble in his limited role.

After that, Moore earned the starting strong safety role and started all 16 games in 2000 and 2001.

Moore always seemed to be a misfit in the Eagles secondary though, and while players like Brian Dawkins, Troy Vincent, and Bobby Taylor were becoming big stars, Moore just couldn’t live up to his full potential, and his immaturity seemed to be a big issue.

In the NFC championship game against the Rams Moore tore his ACL and that officially marked the end of his career with Philadelphia. Moore was released after the 2001 season.

The Chicago Bears gave Moore a shot, but he only managed to start one game for Chicago and seemed to lose his confidence and may not have been fully recovered from the serious injury the year before.

Chicago released him after the 2002 season, and he was never seen on a NFL field again.

GRADE: C

Moore definitely had the ability and upside, but he just seemed to let his immaturity and lack of confidence from letting him reach his potential. In 2001 it seemed like he may have been turning the corner after registering 78 tackles, 2 forced fumbles, 2 fumble recoveries, 5 passes defended, 2 interceptions (one which was returned for a touchdown) and a sack.

If he hadn’t suffered that ACL injury in the NFC championship game, Moore may have progressed into a Pro Bowl caliber player in Philly, but we will never know and in the end it just seems like it wasn’t meant to be.



130TH OVERALL PICK: WR NA BROWN, NORTH CAROLINA

Na Brown was a speedy receiver at North Carolina who was a big playmaker in college and had some potential as a NFL receiver. As a rookie he came into camp and absolutely wowed every coach and scout watching.

Brown completely lit up the field in training camp and the buzz about him was at a very high level. Fans were starting to talk about Brown being able to be a big playmaker as a rookie.

In the end, though, there is a huge difference between practicing at camp and playing in a full-speed NFL game. As a rookie, Brown did manage to start 5 games and had 18 catches for 188 yards, scoring one touchdown.

Coaches and fans were hoping he would put it all together in his sophomore season, but Brown actually seemed to regress. In 2000, Brown rarely saw the field and only made nine catches for 80 yards.

By 2001, Brown was competing for a spot on the active roster. While he did make the team, he only had 7 catches and was quickly released after the 2001 season.

Not surprisingly, Brown never caught on with another NFL team and was not seen again after those three seasons in Philadelphia.

GRADE: F

Na Brown was never cut out for the NFL, but will always be a name fans remember because of that buzz he created in his rookie training camp.



172ND OVERALL PICK: FB CECIL MARTIN, WISCONSIN

Cecil Martin was a versatile fullback at Wisconsin and one of the top-rated players at that position in the 1999 draft.

Martin was never a elite blocker; he was more a fullback who was a solid blocker but also had some natural running ability and could make some plays in the passing game.

As Eagles fans would come to know, Andy Reid really likes his fullbacks to be able to block, run, and catch and be good at all three phases.

As a rookie, Martin managed to a relatively uneventful 5 games. In 2000, Martin started 10 games, racking up 219 yards receiving and another 72 on the ground.

In 2001, Martin started 15 games and was mainly used as a blocker but also scored 2 touchdowns through the air. Wrapping up his career with Philly in 2002, Martin dealt with some injuries and only started 9 games.

After 2002 Martin was released and resurfaced on the Oakland Raiders practice squad.

Later that season, the Raiders cut Martin and the Buccaneers picked him up but he only managed to appear in one game that season.

2003 was the last season Cecil Martin was in the NFL.

GRADE: B

As a sixth-round pick, Martin really wasn’t a bad selection. He managed to get some solid playing time through four seasons with the Eagles.

Although Martin was never a great player and never lived up to the versatile player Reid thought he would be, he was still serviceable and was a decent pick in the sixth round.



201ST OVERALL PICK: WR TROY SMITH, EAST CAROLINA
Troy Smith was a player that most fans will have no recollection of, and for good reason. Smith managed to see action in 1 game in his career with the Eagles and has one career catch in his NFL career. Smith was later cut by the Eagles in his rookie season and never resurfaced with another NFL team

GRADE: F
Yes, the majority of 6th round picks never make it in the NFL, but the goal in this round is to add a player who can be a quality backup or special teams player. That definitely was not the case with Smith who never really had a chance as a NFL receiver, he just didn’t have the talent.



208TH OVERALL PICK: TE JED WEAVER, OREGON

The Eagles expected starter at tight end in 1999 was Jamie Asher, but he went down with a broken ankle in preseason.

That allowed rookie tight end Jed Weaver to step up and he ended up starting 10 games for the Eagles.

While he only had 11 catches for 91 yards in those 10 games, he really stood out with his pass blocking ability.

Weaver ended up losing his starting job near the end of the season to two players the Eagles brought in midseason: Luther Broughton and Chad Lewis.

Lewis emerged as the guy the Eagles wanted to be their future starter at tight end, and Weaver became a victim of the numbers game, being released in the off-season.

That didn’t spell the end for Weaver, though. The Miami Dolphins picked him up and he spent three seasons in Miami, starting 11 games in that span.

In 2003, he signed with the 49ers and started all 16 games at tight end, racking up 35 catches for 437 yards and 1 touchdown.

In 2004 Weaver joined the Patriots and was a primary backup and tight end they used in blocking situations. 2004 was the last season Weaver was in the NFL, but he picked a good team to spend it with: earning a Super Bowl ring with the Patriots in 2004!

GRADE: B+

The Eagles released Weaver after his rookie year, but Weaver went on to have a very good career for a 7th round draft pick. Even starting 11 games as a rookie is a major accomplishment.

Weaver never put up staggering numbers, but he always was a strong blocker, and Reid found a very solid player in the seventh. Even though he didn’t spend his whole career in Philadelphia, it was still a very good pick.



222ND OVERALL PICK: LB PHIL GLOVER, UTAH
Phil Glover was an undersized linebacker from Utah that Reid took a chance on. In the end, Glover never made the Eagles roster but spent 1999 in Tennessee and 2000 in Indianapolis before being cut and never reemerging in the league.

GRADE: N/A

I cannot realistically grade the seventh round. Its not fair to give a ’F’ for a player who doesn’t make the team as the vast majority of 7th round picks never make the team.



251ST OVERALL PICK: DT PERNELL DAVIS, ALABAMA-BIRMINGHAM
Appeared in two games as a rookie in 1999 but did not register any stats and didn’t make the Eagles roster, or any other roster after the 1999 season.

GRADE: N/A



This wraps up the first installment of my Andy Reid draft history. I hope that you enjoyed it and that it may have shed some light on the earlier Andy Reid drafts.

Feel free to discuss the 1999 draft, and any of my evaluations of the selections made!