2011 NFL Mock Draft: Philadelphia Eagles Draft Take
The Philadelphia Eagles had a very impressive 2010 season, despite it being the first year since 1999 without Donovan McNabb as the starting quarterback. Kevin Kolb was expected to be the franchise quarterback, but he got knocked out in the first game and Michael Vick took over as the starter. One of the youngest teams in the league, the Eagles should only get better as their young players get more experience.
Michael Vick turned in an MVP type season after taking over for Kolb, and he looks to have a strong hold on the starting spot for the time being. Kolb may be used as trade bait this offseason, but I think that they’ll hang onto him so that they have a solid backup in case of an injury to Vick. LeSean McCoy broke out in 2010, as he showed just how valuable he is in both the run and pass game. He could develop into a top back in the NFL, but the depth behind him is suspect so an injury to McCoy could damage this team’s championship aspirations. DeSean Jackson is one of the league’s most electric players and a great vertical threat. Jeremy Maclin and Jason Avant are also very good wide receivers, and they give Vick a nice array of weapons in the passing game. Brent Celek had a down year, but he is still a solid starter at the tight end position. The offensive line struggled in 2010, giving up a total of 50 sacks. Jamal Jackson went down with an injury in week one, and Mike McGlynn just wasn’t very good at center. The left side is good with Todd Herremans and Jason Peters, but look for the Eagles to upgrade the right side of the line.
The defensive line has a lot of talent, but it wasn’t all that impressive last year. Trent Cole and Juqua Parker are both solid pass rusher, but hopefully Brandon Graham can come back from his injury and make more of an impact. Antonio Dixon and Mike Patterson are above average starting defensive tackles, and Broderick Bunkley is still solid despite losing his starting job. The linebacker group could use some work, but some of the rookies looked good last season. Ernie Sims was a big disappointment and he needs to be replaced. Stewart Bradley is a very talented player, but he has had problems with injuries in the past, and it remains to be seen what position he plays moving forward. The cornerback group is led by Asante Samuel, who remains one of the top cornerbacks in the game. However, with the loss of Ellis Hobbs, this unit is a problem spot. Dmitri Patterson and Joselio Hanson are adequate corners, but they probably shouldn’t be starters in the NFL. Look for the Eagles to upgrade this position. The safety group also may have some questions, with Quintin Mikell being a free agent, and Nate Allen coming off a serious injury despite a very successful rookie season.
2010 Draft Recap
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1. (13) DE Brandon Graham, Michigan: Graham struggled early on before he really started to show some potential, but unfortunately, he suffered a torn ACL and missed the rest of the season. 13 GP/ 6 GS
2. (37) S Nate Allen, South Florida: He looked like a very good pick and he should be a long time starter if he can come back ok from his season ending injury. 13 GP/ 13 GS
3. (86) DE Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, Washington: He didn’t get a whole lot of playing time, but he’ll get a chance to be more productive in 2011. 6 GP/ 1 GS
4. (105) CB Trevard Lindley, Kentucky: He didn’t get a lot of playing time despite the fact that the cornerback position was a sore spot. 11 GP/ 1 GS
4. (121) OLB Keenan Clayton, Oklahoma: He played well as a rotational player, and he could get some more snaps in this next season. 7 GP/ 1 GS
4. (122) QB Mike Kaftka, Northwestern: Kaftka is a developmental player who could step into the backup role if Kolb is traded. 0 GP/ 0 GS
4. (125) TE Clay Harbor, Missouri State: He is a very good athlete who will see some more playing time as his overall game develops. 9 GP/ 6 GS
5. (134) DE Ricky Sapp, Clemson: A guy with a lot of pass rushing ability, he missed the season with a knee injury. 0 GP/ 0 GS
5. (159) WR Riley Cooper, Florida: Cooper was a very solid contributor on special teams, but he should get some more opportunities at wide receiver. 13 GP/ 2 GS
6. (200) RB Charles Scott, LSU: He didn’t play for the Eagles, as he was traded to Arizona for Jorrick Calvin. 0 GP/ 0 GS
7. (220) LB Jamar Chaney, Mississippi State: Chaney looks like a steal who may get an opportunity to be the full time starter at middle linebacker. 14 GP/ 2 GS
7. (243) DT Jeff Owens, Georgia: He only played in one game before suffering what looks to be a very serious knee injury. 1 GP/ 0 GS
7. (244) S Kurt Coleman, Ohio State: He got a couple of starts after Nate Allen’s injury, and he actually looked pretty impressive. 15 GP/ 2 GS
Summary: This looks to be an excellent draft for the Eagles that will give them a lot of good talent and solid depth moving forward. Not every player played up to expectations, but they all should get more opportunities to play in 2011. I was very high on this draft class before last season, and I’m really impressed with the long term potential of some of these players.
Grade: B+
Team Need: Cornerback
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Asante Samuel continues to be one of the top cornerbacks in the game, and he should be a starter in Philadelphia for a long time. However, with the retirement of Ellis Hobbs, this position could use a lot of work. Joselio Hanson and Dmitri Patterson provide good depth, but I personally don’t think that either of them should be NFL starters. They were forced into the role last year, and they were routinely beaten by opposing team’s wide receivers.
One player who may get a chance to make more of an impact is Trevard Lindley. The Eagles had some high hopes for him last year, but he just couldn’t crack the lineup. All in all, I would be a bit shocked if a cornerback isn’t taken by the Eagles in this year’s draft.
Potential Cornerback Targets
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Round One: Brandon Harris, Aaron Williams, Jimmy Smith
Round Two: Ras-I Dowling, Brandon Burton, Curtis Brown, Johnny Patrick
Round Three: Curtis Marsh, Rashad Carmichael, Jalil Brown, Davon House
Round Four: Chimdi Chekwa, Kendric Burney, Shareece Wright
Round Five: Chykie Brown, Marcus Gilchrist
The Eagles will most likely consider taking a cornerback high in the draft. Harris, Williams, and Smith would all be good options in the first round, and I think that any one of them could take the other starting spot opposite Asante Samuel.
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Team Need: Outside Linebacker
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Moise Fokou lost the starting spot in training camp before getting it back in the middle of the season, but his job is still far from safe. Kareem Clayton could challenge him for his spot, but it’s also possible that Philadelphia brings in another linebacker to compete with those two players. Ernie Sims was underwhelming last season, and he will most likely be replaced in the starting lineup for next season.
One option to improve the outside linebacker spot would be to move Stewart Bradley to the outside. This would allow rookie standout Jamar Chaney to take over in the middle, while Bradley could man one outside spot.
Potential Outside Linebacker Targets
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Round One: Akeem Ayers, Justin Houston
Round Two: Bruce Carter
Round Three: Colin McCarthy, Mark Herzlich
Round Four: Nate Irving, K.J. Wright, Lawrence Wilson
I don’t really think that this position is as big of a need as a cornerback, so it’s unlikely that they use a first rounder on an outside linebacker. Taking a chance on a guy like Herzlich could pay big dividends, as he will only continue to get better with the more playing time he gets.
Team Need: Offensive Tackle
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The trade to bring in Jason Peters has shown to be a wise decision, as the Eagles will have a pro bowl caliber, blindside protector for Michael Vick for a long time. The other offensive tackle spot is still unsettled, as Winston Justice does not look like he will be an adequate starter moving forward. He has struggled throughout his career with penalties, and he has a tendency to get beaten by speed rushers.
The Eagles may be content having Justice as the starter next season, but I really think that they need to find a long term option. They could take a guy early on in the draft who can challenge Justice for his starting spot right off the bat.
Potential Offensive Tackle Targets
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Round One: Anthony Castonzo, Nate Solder, Gabe Carimi
Round Two: Marcus Cannon, Ben Ijalana
Round Three: Orlando Franklin, Marcus Gilbert, James Carpenter
Round Four: Joe Barksdale, DeMarcus Love, Jason Pinkston
The Eagles could consider a first round tackle if either Castonzo, Carimi, and Solder are available at the Eagles spot. A more likely bet, at least in my opinion would be to use a second or third rounder on a guy who can compete right away, but has a lot of long term potential. Cannon, Ijalana, and Carpenter all fit the bill on that.
Tem Need: Center
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Jamaal Jackson is an excellent starting center, but he has had trouble staying healthy in recent seasons. Now I expect Jackson to come back strong and claim his starting spot at center. However, it remains to be seen if he is the same player after his serious injury that cost him an entire season. If he can come back strong, than this position is no longer a need.
Mike McGlynn is a solid backup at center, but the Eagles can’t count on him being a starter for an entire season if Jamaal Jackson goes down again.
Potential Center Targets
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Round Two: Stefan Wisniewski
Round Four: Brandon Fusco, Alex Linnenkohl, Kris O’Dowd
Round Five: Jake Kirkpatrick
Round Six: Tim Barnes
Wisniewski is far and away the most talented center in this year’s draft class, but I doubt the Eagles will use a high pick on a center. The most likely option is to take a developmental player in the later rounds who can provide extra depth in case of an injury.
Team Need: Defensive End
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This isn't the biggest of needs for the Eagles, but there could be concerns moving forward. First off, Juqua Parker is going to be 33 years old for next season, so he may start slowing down here soon. The other big concern is the injury issues of both Brandon Graham and Rickey Sapp. The Eagles have high hopes for those two players, but there injury issues are concerning, especially if Graham isn't ready for the start of the season.
The Eagles like to rotate their defensive linemen, so having extra depth wouldn't be a bad thing. They won't use a high pick on a defensive end, especially after drafting three defensive ends in 2010. Yet, this will be an area the Eagles will consider on day three of the draft.
Potential Defensive End Targets
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Round Three: Sam Acho
Round Four: Cliff Matthews, Ryan Winterswyk
Round Five: Ricky Elmore, Pierre Allen
A guy like Elmore or Allen would be solid picks in either round five or six. I don't expect them to consider an end before round four, but they may have bigger concerns about Sapp and Graham bouncing back from their injuries than I do.
Other Possible Needs
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Offensive Guard: Todd Herremans is solid on the left side, but Max Jean-Gilles isn't really starting material so they should try to look for an upgrade.
Running Back: I think the depth behind LeSean McCoy is suspect, and the Eagles would really be in trouble if they lose McCoy for any extended period of time.
Quarterback: I don't expect Kolb to be traded, but if he is, the Eagles need to find a backup because I don't think Mike Kaftka is ready to fill that role.
Team Draft Strategy
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The Eagles have a lot of good, young talent on this team so the future is looking bright. I think the biggest issues lie at the cornerback position and on the right side of the offensive line. If the Eagles can improve those positions, the sky could be the limit for this team. They need to build up the depth of this team, because if guys like LeSean McCoy or Asante Samuel go down with injury, it could spell trouble for the Eagles if they don't have suitable backups.
Andy Reid pulled in another solid draft class last season, and I expect him to find multiple contributors again in this year's draft. I think the Eagles should be the early favorites to win the NFC East, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to call them serious Super Bowl contendors just yet.
Previous 2011 NFL Team Draft Takes
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