5 Hidden Gems the Philadelphia Eagles Should Have Noticed at the Combine
The Philadelphia Eagles are one of those franchises that learned the ultimate lesson of the NFL Scouting Combine. About this time every year, we are reminded of Mike Mamula, the pass-rusher/workout warrior out of Boston College who elevated his stock to such a point that the Birds made him the seventh overall pick of the draft in 1995.
Today, Mamula is an inside joke of sorts around the City of Brotherly Love. Simply put, he never should've been taken that early in the first place.
None of which is to say no value should be placed on the combine—quite the contrary. Teams discover hidden gems all the time when they get a chance to measure groups of athletes against one another in a controlled environment. That doesn't mean the Eagles should use a first-round pick on a guy because he ran well or can lift a lot of weights, but it certainly doesn't hurt the evaluation.
For what it's worth, Mamula's six-year professional career wasn't as bad as it's often remembered. The defensive end recorded 31.5 sacks over the five campaigns he was actually healthy for, which averages out to a little better than six per season. Obviously, that's not first-round good, nor is it emblematic of complete ineffectiveness.
Remember, don't fall in love with a player simply because of the measurables. Then again, don't completely ignore the importance of physical attributes, either. If selected at the right point in the draft and not overwhelmed by outrageous expectations, the following prospects could develop their hard work and God-given abilities into much more than potential.
Byron Jones, CB, Connecticut
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For the moment, Byron Jones is going to receive a lot more attention for his potential world-record 12-foot, three-inch broad jump at the combine. In due time, he may be viewed as a much more well-rounded prospect overall.
Jones quite literally jumped into the spotlight with one drill, but it was much more than hops that impressed onlookers. The Connecticut product also produced the top time among all cornerbacks in the 60-yard shuttle, finished top three in the 20-yard shuttle and had the fifth-best time in the three-cone drill.
He was unable to participate in the bench press due to his recovery from a torn labrum in what was otherwise a breakout performance for the young man.
Jones racked up 21 pass breakups and eight interceptions as a four-year starter at UConn. In addition to hops and agility, he also displayed the size and length the Eagles typically look for at the position, measuring 6'1", 199 pounds with 32-inch arms.
Considered a mid-round prospect heading in to the combine, look for Jones to leap up cornerback-needy Philly's draft board come draft day.
Justin Cox, S, Mississippi State
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Justin Cox had the kind of showing at the combine that can bump a player who may have gone undrafted altogether into a likely late-round pick.
Running the top time in the 40-yard dash among all safeties—and second-fastest overall among all defensive backs—didn't hurt, as his 4.36 was the fastest by nearly a full tenth of a second. Cox was also tops at his position in the broad jump and 60-yard shuttle, not to mention finished in the top three in the vertical jump and 20-yard shuttle. He even brings quality size to the defensive backfield, measuring 6'1", 191 pounds.
What will no doubt hurt Cox is a lack of production at Mississippi State. He spent the first two seasons of his collegiate career at a junior college before joining the Bulldogs, where he produced seven pass breakups and two interceptions in two years.
His NFL.com scouting report mentions a past legal incident, which could be a red flag for Philly's culture as well.
By no means is Cox a sure thing to even make an NFL roster out of the draft, but as far as using a flier in the sixth or seventh round, it couldn't hurt a safety-needy team like the Eagles to at least consider.
Ben Heeney, ILB, Kansas
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The Eagles could sorely use some size alongside Mychal Kendricks at the interior linebacker position, an issue Ben Heeney may not solve at 6'0", 231 pounds. However, for a mid-round prospect, it's going to be hard to beat the Kansas product's measurables.
Heeney ran a sub-4.6 40 at the combine, good for fifth among all linebackers at the event—outside and inside. In addition to high-end straight-line speed, he also showed tremendous agility with the top time in the three-cone drill, 20-yard shuttle and 60-yard shuttle at his position.
Would they form the biggest interior in the NFL? No, but Kendricks and Heeney might instantly form the most purely athletic pairing in the league.
A three-year starter, Heeney recorded 335 total tackles, 35.0 for loss, 4.5 sacks, four interceptions, five pass breakups and three forced fumbles in college, showcasing plenty of versatility. Again, it might be nice if someone bigger was back there to impose his will on ball-carriers and receivers coming across the middle, but when you have a player with Heeney's range, he can more than make up for the intimidation factor.
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Ali Marpet, OG, Hobart
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The Eagles' need at offensive guard is well documented, at least it should be. Todd Herremans will turn 33 in October, All-Pro Evan Mathis will turn 34 a month later, and both missed eight games in 2014 due to injury.
What was almost infinitely less known, at least prior to the combine, was a fella by the name of Ali Marpet. To fans of teams that desperately need offensive line help in this draft, that should've changed.
Forget Marpet's Division III pedigree at Hobart and William Smith for a moment. The kid ran the only sub-5.0 40-yard dash of any offensive lineman at the entire combine this year plus finished second in the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle. Marpet also had a strong showing in the bench press, coming in tied for fifth with 30 reps.
At 6'4", 307 pounds with 33-inch arms, Marpet's size is just fine to play on the interior at the next level. His athleticism could prove especially appealing to a team like the Eagles, though, being as they run an uptempo offense. Marpet could really wear opponents down.
No doubt, coming from a Division III school hurts Marpet's chances to be one of the top guards selected, but once the run on the position begins in the mid-rounds, expect his name to be called. After the combine, perhaps it could happen earlier than anticipated.
Chris Conley, WR, Georgia
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Wide receiver is becoming an increasingly difficult position to impress at from a physical standpoint. Most everybody is over 6 feet tall. Most everybody runs below a 4.5 it seems. We're coming off a 2014 class with record productivity as a collection of rookies in the NFL, and the '15 class is said to be almost as deep, if not deeper.
So when you're in the position the Eagles are in, which is needing a wide receiver to fill out your roster but not necessarily needing a top wideout because you are hopefully re-signing Jeremy Maclin and just spent second- and third-round picks in the previous draft, you have to dig deep to find what you're looking for. That's where Chris Conley's combine comes in.
Conley's 4.35 40 time tied for the third-fastest among receivers at the event. His 18 reps in the bench press were good for fourth. The Georgia product's vertical and broad jumps were by far the best in his grouping. His agility drills left something to be desired, but when you package the rest of those attributes in a 6'2", 213-pound frame, that's a pretty good workout.
The main thing that may hurt Conley at this point is his lack of productivity in college. With just 1,938 yards and 20 touchdowns in four seasons, there's some question as to his ceiling at the next level. For a late-round pick and developmental prospect, however, there sure is plenty else here that intrigues.
All combine measurements and drill results courtesy of NFL.com.
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