2010 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles Fans, Don't Start Hating on Brandon Graham

When the Philadelphia Eagles officially traded up for the 13th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, there was one thought running through the minds of fans watching; Texas safety Earl Thomas was going to be wearing midnight green for the Birds next season.

At the time, it seemed to be the most logical idea. The Eagles had been rumored to try and trade up one of their 10 draft picks for Tennessee safety Eric Berry. When he was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs with the fifth pick, the dream of Philadelphia moving up to snag a top safety appeared to be nothing but a simple thought of what could have been.

That was until the 13th pick rolled around.

After swapping a first and third round picks with the Denver Broncos, the Eagles found themselves in a position to select Thomas and finally find their first true candidate to fill in the gap left by Brian Dawkins at safety.

Then, the Eagles pulled an act that sent a shock wave through the Philadelphia fan base and analysts across the country—which seems to be a common trend this offseason—by passing on Thomas and selecting Michigan OLB Brandon Graham instead.

Shocking, yes.

Bad move by the Eagles?

Absolutely not.

Graham is arguably one of the top defensive ends in this year’s draft class and has the potential to make an immediate impact on Philadelphia’s defense as an effective pass-rusher. Not only did he lead the nation his senior year with 26 tackles for a loss, but was also ranked 14th with 10.5 sacks.

If anything, fans should consider themselves lucky for the Eagles gaining an opportunity to move up 11 picks to acquire Graham. While Thomas may have been a great fit in Sean McDermott’s defense, Philadelphia still has a solid shot at drafting a safety early in the second round with the 37th pick acquired from Washington in the McNabb trade.

Taylor Mays anyone?

Dan Parzych Is the Eagles Fan Voice for NFLTouchdown.com

He is also the founder of the new NFCEastFootball.com