Here is a YouTube guide to the newest offensive weapon in the Eagles offense - dynamic wide receive Jeremy Maclin.  I never thought we’d have a chance to get a guy like Maclin without having to give up a lot, but thanks to Al Davis obsession with 40 yard dash times, the Raiders took Darius Hayord-Bey and Maclin was available to us for a cheap cost.

Even McNabb can’t complain a lack of weapons with a guy like this.

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What is it about the NFL draft that captivates football fans throughout the country? Starting with the completion of the Super Bowl, through the combine, pro days, free agency and accompanied by an endless supply of mock drafts across the Internet and ESPN specials, the excitement culminates with the draft itself, a weekend extravaganza lasting 2 full days.  During that time, your favorite team selects a group of 7 or so college players whom most professional football fans have never actually seen or heard of.

One probable reason for the enthusiasm is that in no other professional sport can your team immediately enhance its roster by obtaining up to 15% new team members in one sitting. Compare this to baseball, basketball or hockey, where a team is fortunate if it acquires a single player who can contribute in the upcoming season. We dream that our front office will “hit the lottery” like when the Steelers drafted 4 future Hall of Famers in the 1974 draft (1st – Lynn Swann, 2nd- Jack Lambert, 4th – John Stallworth and 5th – Mike Webster). Trivia quiz – who was their 3rd round pick? As Eagle fanatics, we pray that our management comes up big! And, its not that the chances are nil, but that they are just improbable.

Click here to read Prof. Blick’s full Eagles draft day analysis

Drafting a QB in April doesn’t make a lot of sense, but generally the Eagles follow George Costanza logic:  Take your first instinct and do the complete opposite.

A pretty impressive two minute drill there, although the clock stoppage after 1st downs in college football changes the dynamic completely.  The Eagles sure could use that (both a QB who can execute and extra time outs).

While all the attention is currently focused on Matt Stafford and Mark Sanchez, Kansas State’s Freeman could end up being the top QB of the ‘09 draft.  He looks like an NFL QB (6′6″, 248 pounds), can run the ball (4.97 40 yard dash, 14 rushing TDs last season) and not only has a strong arm but also throws efficiently (20 TDs, 8 INTs, 136.5 QB Rating in ‘08 season).

Freeman reminds me of a young Donovan McNabb; a playmaker both throwing and running the ball, but absolutely needs to refine his accuracy, touch and pocket passing game.  Definitely a boom or bust prospect, Freeman could become the next Aaron Brooks just as easily as the next McNabb.  I don’t see the Eagles drafting QB early, but if Freeman slips into the second round of the draft the Eagles may consider picking him up.

I’d rather have a young McNabb backing up the real McNabb than a young A.J. Feeley backing him up like we do now.

There aren’t many Fullbacks invited to the Scouting Combine, and those that were invited in 2009 aren’t projected to be 1st day draft picks.  That’s just the way it is for this gritty, thankless position.  For the Eagles, the way that the front office handled the Fullback position in 2008 was an embarrassment.  After letting Thomas Tapeh walk the Eagles tried and failed to convert DT Dan Klecko into a FB.  Once it was obvious that Klecko isn’t an every down Fullback (days into training camp), the Eagles started bouncing Tony Hunt back and forth between HB and FB to point where his head was so spun around the Eagles ended up cutting Hunt.

Fullback is a position that requires a ton of strength and detailed knowledge of pro blocking schemes.  Therefore, not all rookies are up to the task of starting immediately, which is why adding a veteran player through free agency makes a lot of sense for the Eagles.  It’s always good to keep an eye on the future, and here is how some of the Fullbacks of the future performed at the NFL Combine:

Quinn Johnson, converted to FB from LB, may turn out to be a beast of a Fullback

• Tony Fiammetta - The 6′0″ 245 pound FB distanced himself from his competition at the position with his Scouting Combine workout.  Fiammetta led all Fullbacks with a 4.63 40 yard dash and 30 bench reps.  Although he isn’t a running FB, the Eagles don’t need a rusher at the Fullback position, and Tony’s got decent hands coming out of the backfield.  I would welcome him to Philadelphia with open arms.
• Quinn Johnson - The LSU product could only put up 16 bench reps at the Combine, the least of any Fullback who benched.  Johnson is a converted Linebacker, and as he is purely a blocker, you’ve got to think that his weak Combine is going to hurt his stock.  He does seem like a bit of a beast as a lead blocker and a special teamer, so I’ll overlook the poor Combine showing and gamble a late round pick on Johnson.
• Brannan Southerland - Was slightly behind Fiammetta in both his 40 yard dash (4.78 seconds) and bench repetitions (28).

Any of the three FBs listed above have the potential to fill a glaring need on the Eagles roster, blocking Fullback.  Fiammetta is the pick of the litter, as his experience at the position and pass catching ability to go along with power blocking push him over Johnson and Southerland.  However, Quinn Johnson is a raw, physical player who is still learning the position and has some potential.  If Johnson is still available when the Eagles go on the clock in the 6th or 7th round, I’d scoop his up, although the Eagles won’t due to his ineptitude as a receiver.

Even if the Eagles don’t address the Fullback position through the draft, they will absolutely need to via Free Agency.

I honestly don’t care about the QBs throwing in the 2009 Combine.  I’m much more concerned about the standing of the Quarterbacks currently on the Eagles roster (McNabb & Kolb) than those available in the draft.  The top of the draft class isn’t that strong, but there are a few Quarterbacks who I think will eventually make a real impact in the NFL.

It seems unlikely that the Eagles will use a high draft pick on a QB, but potentially could look for a project player in the middle or later rounds.  Lets focus on those who looked good at the Combine:

I'm not sure if Matthew Stafford has what it takes to make it in the NFL, but that girl does

• Matthew Stafford - Participated in positional drills, the 40 yard dash (4.84), vertical jump (30.5″) and broad jump (8′11″).  Nothing special in those numbers, but that isn’t Stafford’s game.  We’ll see what he really is in the NFL, but I don’t think any Quarterback can succeed in Detroit right now.
• Mark Sanchez - I think Sanchez is an intriguing NFL prospect, and his performance at the Combine only helped his cause.  At 6′2″ 227 pounds, Sanchez is a gun-slinger with some of the longest arms and biggest hands of all this year’s QBs.   His 4.88 40 was among the best of the Quarterback class, as well as his 32.5″ vertical, 4.21 second shuttle, and 9′8″ broad jump.  Sanchez will bring fire power to whichever NFL team’s offense that drafts him, plus lots of interceptions.
• Pat White - His stock was falling pre-Combine, but I think Pat White’s workout will help him on draft day.  The big question has always been his ability to play the QB position in the NFL, and did what he could, throwing well on Sunday.  For those who considered White more of a project offensive player, he put up an impressive 4.50 second 40 and 35″ vertical jump, both best among QBs.  Troy Smith was drafted in the 5th round of the 2008 draft, and I expect Pat White to be drafted before that in 2009.
• Josh Freeman - May have push himself into the 1st round of the draft with his Combine workout.  Freeman could have been better in positional drills, but his size and athleticism shined through.  He’s 6′5″ 248 pounds, and put up a 4.97 40, 33.5″ vertical leap, and an athletic 9′11″ broad jump.  You can’t coach Freeman’s size and athleticism, and if he’s available at pick #21 I would have to consider drafting him.

Quarterbacks the Eagles have met with at the Senior Bowl (a bunch of little white guys):

Rhett Bomar, who was booted from Oklahoma for breaking NCAA rules, is one of the QBs the Eagles met with at the Senior Bowl.

• Graham Harrell - The Texas Tech QB only participated in the 40, and ran it poorly with a slow 5.07 second dash.  Harrell was a tough college player, but his small hands and average size don’t translate well into the NFL.  He’s a late round gamble at best.
• Rhett Bomar - Isn’t the biggest QB at 6′2″ 225 pounds, and his hands were among the smallest of Combine QBs at 9″ long.  That said, he ran a solid 4.82 40 and put up the 225 bench press 25 times, second most of QBs.  Bomar left Oklahoma University after breaking NCAA rules in 2006, and the stigma from that incident will hurt his draft stock but one man’s lose is another’s gain.
• Nathan Brown - A small guy at 6′1″ 219 pounds, Brown’s got a pretty live arm but some questions about his size and mobility.  He tried, but didn’t do much to answer these questions with a 4.91 40 and a 4.44 second shuttle, one of the slowest among QBs to complete the drill.  Brown seems too small to be a pro QB, but his arm strength and accuracy keep him in the discussion.

To me there aren’t any sure things in the QB class of 2009.  I won’t be convinced of Stafford until he plays an NFL game and Sanchez is a situational boom or bust, so my favorite QB may be Josh Freeman.  It’s possible that all three will be taken within the first 20 picks of the draft.

Of the three QBs which the Eagles met with at the Senior Bowl, they all showed the common thread of being late round system quarterbacks.  Rhett Bomar is the most interesting to me as it seems like his stock is deflated due to him getting paid just like every other big time college athlete.  I need to read more about Nathan Brown too.

When it comes down to it, I hope the Eagles are following my lead and looking more deeply into positions like RB, OT, S, WR, DE, CB, etc. rather than  QB.

Tight End is a hot-button position for the Eagles in the 2009 NFL offseason.  Brent Celek has claimed the starting position and brings strong play-making ability to the table with his pass catching.  That said, I’s still not sold he can be an every down Tight End and block consistently.  Beyond Celek, the Eagles currently have only L.J. Smith (will most likely leave in Free Agency), and Matt Schobel (miraculous that he is on an NFL roster) on the official roster.  Regardless of what you think of Celek’s long-term viability, the blatent lack of depth at Tight End makes it a position of need for the Eagles.

Here are some of the Tight Ends whose names rang out at the 2009 NFL Combine:

Jared Cook's impressive combine performance will jump him into the 1st round

• Brandon Pettigrew - He’s really the only Tight End who has consistently been mentioned as a potential first round draft pick, based on his combination of pass catching and blocking ability.  Pettigrew may hurt his stock with a below-expected 4.85 40 yard dash to go along with 22 bench reps.  His performance opens the door for the Eagles to pick him up in Round #2, once we trade back in the draft with one of the 1st round picks.
• Jared Cook - May have helped his stock moreso than any other player in Day 1 of the Combine.  Cook ran a 4.50 40, leaped a ridiculous 41″ vertical and added a 10′3″ broad jump.  All three drills highlighting his freakish athletic ability and his results are all highs among Tight Ends.
• Cornelius Ingram - The 6′4″ 245 pound TE from Florida was solid at the Combine with his 4.68 40 and 21 bench reps.  Ingram looks like he has the potential to become a good overall tight end in the NFL, and is currently projected to be a second round pick largely due to a torn ACL that made him miss the ‘08 season.
  

  Coming off an ACL injury that ended his '08 season before it started, Cornelius Ingram looked agile and strong at the Combine

• Shawn Nelson - A TE that looks more like a really tall WR, Nelson ran an impressive 4.56 40 yard dash.  Only 19 bench reps is pretty weak, but the kid has the potential to become a real weapon as a pass catching Tight End.
• James Casey - The 6′4″ former minor league baseball player put up a TE leading 28 bench reps at the Combine, but he hoped for a better 40 than 4.71.   In addition to baseball, Casey played safety, defensive line, running back and special teams during his two years at Rice.  The guy is clearly an athlete, but who knows what the future holds for him.

All of the above tight ends looked pretty good at the Combine to me, and that’s probably because of how big I feel the need is for the Eagles.  Like Frankie detailed in an earlier post, I’m not sure a Tight End is the right way for the Eagles to go with a 1st round pick.

If the Eagles fill two positions of need with both of the current first round draft picks, then picking a Tight End in Round #2 makes a lot of sense.  Cook’s stock is on the rise, Pettigrew may fall a bit from a 1st round grade, and Ingram looked really strong at the Combine coming off his injury.  But the Eagles may end up needing to move up in the second round in order to land any of those guys.

Right now I still feel that OT and RB are the two positions the Eagles should focus on with their two 1st round draft picks, I’m going to keep an eye on Cook and Ingram as we head toward the draft.

The Eagles starting center Jamaal Jackson is 28 and currently signed through the 2012 season.  Although he was named to Peter King’s All-Pro team in 2007, Jackson wasn’t at his best in 2008.  He held his own, but at times I would have liked to see more push from the interior of the offensive line on running plays.  Nick Cole backs up Jackson at center, and two centers is usually the most you’ll see on an NFL roster.

There are some strong prospects at center coming out in the draft this year, and here is are some notable center performances from the 2009 NFL Combine:

Max Unger sure looks like an NFL center, and will welcome a 1st round pick with open arms

• Alex Mack - Didn’t work out at the combine, but he is the consensus pick for the best Center available in the 2009 draft.  Despite the ankle strain, Mack has proven that he’s got the strength, skills and intelligence to be a starter at the next level (as much as a player who has never taken an NFL snap can prove he’s ready), and could only hurt his stock by participating in the Combine.
• Max Unger - Was a player that flashed in positional drills, and sure looks the part at a scrappy looking 6′5″ 309 pounds.  His 5.29 40 and 22 bench reps didn’t wow though.  He passes the eye test, and I think he’s going to help whichever team ends up drafting him.
• Eric Wood - Among the group of Centers at the Combine, Wood was the most impressive workout warrior.  At 6′4″ 310 pounds, he ran a nimble 5.17 40 yard dash and threw up 30 bench reps of 225 pounds with his 33 3/4″ arms.
• Jonathan Luigs - Anchored Arkansas’ offensive line for Run DMC and Felix Jones.  Put up a solid 5.14 40 and 26 bench reps at the Combine.

Center is not a position of need for the Eagles by any stretch of the imagination.  Mack and Unger look like day 1 starters, but there is no need to use the first round pick that would been needed to land either of them in the Draft.  Maybe the Eagles pick up a Center late in the draft if the right scenario presents itself, but I have the feeling that the front office is fairly content with our current standing at Center.

While offensive line is a priority in the 2009 off-season and draft, offensive guard is currently a position of depth for the Eagles.  Todd Herremans has proven to be a starter at guard in the NFL, and both Max Jean-Gilles and Nick Cole stepped up in the absence of “The Big Kid” Shawn Andrews.  Shawn is expected back in ‘09, and the status of the tackle position impacts our depth at guard as Andrews or Herremans could be moved outside.  Andy Reid and the Eagles personnel department are always looking for offensive lineman with versatility.

Although it doesn’t appear to be a top priority and this year’s guard class isn’t the deepest, drafting a guard who has the ability to play a number of positions along the offensive line has some real viability for the Eagles in the 2009 NFL Draft.  Here’s how some of the top guards at the Combine performed:

Herman Johnson is the type of wide-bodied offensive guard the Eagles have drafted recently, plus he's from LSU

• Duke Robinson - Projected as a mid to late first round pick, Duke didn’t lift due to an arm injury that also kept him out of the Senior Bowl, but he ran a 5.27 40 yard dash at the Combine on Saturday.  Meh.  Regardless of his limited involvement at the Combine, he looks like he is going to be an impact player and may be gone before the Eagles first pick at #21.
• Herman Johnson - For the biggest guard in the draft (6′7 364 pounds), he didn’t do much with his 5.54 40 time and only 21 reps.  Forget the 40 with him though, his run blocking potential is as big as his appetite and his arm length is 36.5″ (longest of all guards at the Combine).  The Eagles seem to like guards of this mauling build, and I can’t argue that strategy.
• Louis Vasquez - The 6′5″ 333 pound guard had 39 bench reps, most of any OL at the Combine.  He didn’t run and he still a fairly raw player, but has the potential to be dominant.  If he were available after a few other needs are addressed I may consider him.
• Andy Levitre - Played every position except center during his career at Oregon State, but got beat up playing RT at the Senior Bowl due to his lack of lateral movement in one on one situations.  Put up a solid 5.26 in the 40 to go along with 23 bench reps at the Combine.  His versatility, intelligence and athleticism will make him a useful offensive lineman on any NFL roster.
• Kraig Urbik - He’s toward the top 5 of everyone’s offensive guard lists, and did enough to maintain his 2nd to 3rd round grade with a solid performance at the Combine.  29 reps is nice, but a 5.41 40 is nothing special.  The upside with Urbik is his versatility to play either guard or tackle, and he’s big (6′5″ 328 pounds).

There are several value options that may be available in the middle rounds for the Eagles at offensive guard.  Reid loves linemen with the ability to play multiple positions along the line, so the fact that a player started in college playing guard or tackle can be overlooked in some cases.

The Eagles have some serious size at OG right now, and I expect that the trend will continue.  I love it, and adding a player like Herman Johnson in the second round would be interesting if we don’t address the line with earlier picks.  Even if a tackle is selected in the first round, the Eagles could draft a versatile offensive lineman like Kraig Urbik or Andy Levitre in the 3rd or 4rd round as an insurance policy to improve the line’s depth in case of injury.

The 2009 NFL Combine kicked off yesterday with Offensive Linemen and Tight Ends completing positional drills, bench pressing and running their 40’s.  Offensive tackle has been a position of strength for the Eagles over the past few years, starting two Pro Bowl level players in Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas.  However, both are aging and impending free agents.  Runyan is currently recovering from knee surgery and the rumor is currently floating that Tra Thomas will resign, but a young competitor at tackle may need to be added to the mix.

Although it isn’t flashy to draft an offensive lineman high in the draft, every good offensive in football has one thing in common: a good offensive line.  Here’s a look at some of notable offensive tackle performances from the NFL Combine:

I would love to see Jason Smith blocking for #5, but he may end up being the 1st player selected in the 2009 draft

• Jason Smith - At 6′5″ 309 pounds, Smith sure looked the part and is a pretty nasty finisher on tape.  Smith moved around well in positional drills and had an impressive overall workout.  Despite an average 5.22 40, he threw up the 225 pound bench press 33 times.  Smith looks like an impact player I would love to draft, but Smith will gone long before the Eagles have a chance to draft him, even if we combined both 1st rounders to move up. 
• Michael Oher - Has popped up as a potential target for the Birds in round 1, but had an uninspired Combine workout.  21 bench reps decent for a guy with long arms, but his 5.32 40 didn’t do anything to help his cause.  There are some question if Oher is a tackle or a guard, and the “boom or bust” talk seems to follow him but he looks like he may be worth the gamble.  
• Eugene Monroe - The massive 1st round prospect ran the 40 fairly well (5.12), and put up 23 bench reps.  He did show some of his agility, posting one of the better OT broad jumps of 9′2″.  The fact that Monroe’s play at LT kept last years 15th overall pick Brandon Albert at guard in Virginia says a lot about his ability.  Monroe is going to go early.
• Andre Smith - It baffles me that a guy who is due to make millions in guaranteed money by getting drafted in the top 10 picks would kill his draft stock by being so out of shape that he is forced to bail on the Combine.  Sure seems like a bust waiting to happen, but the kid has enough talent to get himself drafted in the first round or two.   
  

  Loadholt is quite a load at 6'8", 337 pounds

• Phil Loadholt - is 6′8″ 340 pounds, damn.  Due to his ridiculous size, it isn’t too surprising that he has some trouble dealing with smaller speed rushers.  Despite not lifting at the combine, he’s got a ton of upsize.  Practicing opposite the Eagles wealth of undersized and speedy DEs could help him become a real force at LT.
• William Beatty - Is one of the more impressive athletes in this year’s tackle class (5.12 40, 33.5″ vertical), but looked weak and his footwork is sloppy.  I’ll pass.
• Eben Britton - Looks like a natural who will transition well into the NFL and reminds me of Matt Light a little bit.  His 32 3/4″ arm length raises some concerns, but the 5.16 40 and 24 bench reps are legit.  His stock has been on the rise, and if the Eagles are stay at #28 and Britton we may be tempted to draft him (We’ll see how he interviews).
• Jamon Meredith - Another player with a real possibility to be drafted late in the first round.  The combination of his 5.03 40 and 31 bench reps make his performance one of the strongest statistically for an OT at the combine.

As you can see, there are a ton of solid options at tackle, and I expect quite a few of them will go in the 1st round of the draft.  I would love to somehow get Jason Smith,  but Oher seems like the top prospect that the Eagles have a legitimate shot to land at #21.  Even if the Birds don’t draft a tackle with their first pick, strong options may still be available like Loadholt, Britton or Meredith at #28 or even later.

The biggest news out of the NFL Combine so far has been the falling stock of Alabama’s Andre Smith.  Smith was widely regarded as the #1 OT in this year’s draft and was a sure fie top 10 selection before this weekend.   After not participating in any drills because he is over weight and reportedly giving horrible interviews to numerous teams, Smith up and left Indianapolis and returned to Alabama.  As a result, he could see his draft stock plummet faster than the Dow Jones Industrial.

Here’s what SI.com has reported about Smith’s inexplicable actions this weekend.

It’s been a bizarre few days for Alabama offensive tackle Andre Smith, considered by most to be a top five pick. Immediately before the second group of offensive linemen were about to start their workout, an official announcement was made stating Smith had left the combine headquarters unannounced. After a long search, Smith was found 30 minutes before the workout began. The announcement went on to say Smith and his agent were giving conflicting stories as to the reason of his disappearance. Sources later said Smith’s interviews with teams have been going horribly. He’s been inappropriately dressed and has been giving a number of conflicting statements as to why he was choosing not to workout at the combine. Several offensive line coaches have already suggested Smith be removed from their team’s draft board and there’s no doubt his draft stock is falling.

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