Good insight from Heckert (http://cbs.sportsline.com/nfl/story/9411240)
QuoteEagles scored in draft: Here's how they did it
Clark Judge May 1, 2006
By Clark Judge
CBS SportsLine.com Senior Writer
Few teams in last weekend's draft were as active or as successful as the Philadelphia Eagles. From the second round on, the club was in motion -- swinging deals to acquire descending talent, with the emphasis on talent.
The Eagles traded up to draft tackle Winston Justice in the second round. They traded up again to tap defensive end Chris Gocong in the third. Then they were back at it in the fourth round, maneuvering to grab guard Max Jean-Gilles and wide receiver Jason Avant.
When it was over, Philadelphia strengthened itself on both sides of the ball -- particularly on the line, where coach Andy Reid focuses most of his attention. Of the Eagles' eight choices, five were linemen -- including the first four selections.
But that's not the story. I'm more concerned how the club maneuvered to line its pockets, picking up the top-rated defensive tackle, the second-best offensive tackle and the second-best guard.
That's why I contacted Tom Heckert, the team's vice president of player personnel, and he joins us now to provide a round-by-round account of how Philadelphia swung this year's draft in its favor.
Round 1: DT Brodrick Bunkley, Florida State
Bunkley was the top defensive tackle on some boards, including the one at the NovaCare Complex, but Philadelphia didn't imagine him slipping to the 14th spot. The Eagles thought Buffalo might be interested; maybe Detroit; or Cleveland. In the end, all of them passed, which meant Philadelphia was left with a no-brainer of a decision.
Heckert: "There was no question about it. In fact, we talked to some teams about moving up to take him. But once he got by Buffalo we thought there was at least a chance of getting Bunkley. We knew (Kamerion) Wimbley would go in there and that (Haloti) Ngata would possibly go in there, too. But, originally, we didn't think Bunkley would be there, and we believed there was a chance that Justice would be gone, too. We didn't talk about which one we were going to take, but we had Brodrick Bunkley a little more highly rated. So we took him and really didn't think about Justice much more -- until, at least, a little later in the round."
Round 2: OT Winston Justice, USC
The Eagles had Justice in for an interview and liked the guy. In fact, they liked him so much there was talk about making him a first-round choice. But they chose Bunkley instead, a move that seemed to kill their chances with Justice. Not so fast. Once he cleared the first 20 choices, the Eagles started working the phones.
"We tried like crazy to get back up -- in fact to get back up in the first round to do it. When we couldn't do that, we kept trying with teams as far as we could go. We finally got a trade partner, so we moved up and got him. I still really don't know why he lasted that long. Obviously, some people didn't have him rated as highly as we did."
The knock on Justice was his character. He'd been arrested once and was suspended the entire 2004 season after threatening a student with a fake handgun. That pushed some teams away. Not Philadelphia.
"We have no problem with the kid. We interviewed him at the combine. We brought him to Philadelphia. We spent a lot of time with him and talked to a lot of people at USC. And they told us both incidents were out of character. We feel really comfortable with him. I think he's going to learn both left and right tackles, and we haven't quite decided if we're going to use him at guard. But right now I think we're going to sit him at both tackles, and see what happens."
Round 3: DE Chris Gocong, Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo
At this juncture, you had to wonder when the Eagles would reach for a deep receiver. Patience, people, and listen to Reid: You can never have enough linemen, even if they play at a place you can't pronounce. Gocong was the most dominant pass rusher in Division 1-AA the past two years, leading the nation in sacks both seasons, and that caught the attention of a team that dropped from 47 sacks in 2004 to 29 a year later.
"He was still on the board and was by far the highest-rated guy there. We're going to play him at linebacker, but we thought we may have a need at 'Sam' (strong-side) linebacker and also with someone to help us as a pass rusher. He was so highly rated that we thought we had to go up and get up and try to get him. We did not think he was going to be there at our pick, so we said, 'We'd hate to sit there and lose him,' because he was sticking out like a sore thumb on our board."
Round 4: G Max Jean-Gilles, Georgia; WR Jason Avant, Michigan
While others were busy reaching in the fourth round, the Eagles attacked to take Jean-Gilles, considered by some to be the second best at his position. All he did was allow three sacks in 40 career starts and earn All-SEC and All-American status his senior season. So what's the knock? His weight. At the February scouting combine he checked in at 6-3?, 355.
"I think that's probably why he fell. He's 350 pounds, but it's not like he ever had a problem. At the end of the fourth quarter, he's playing as hard as he was in the first. We didn't think it was an issue. We had him and Gocong graded almost the same. Now, we have a chance to get this guy in the fourth round? We were thinking that everyone else probably is saying the same thing. So it's Saturday night, the first day is over and you look up on the board and this guy is way up there. ... We just said we have to do whatever we can do to get up there and get him. Luckily, we found a trade partner in New Orleans."
The Eagles maneuvered again to acquire Avant, spending two draft picks on a receiver who doesn't have the speed they covet but who was productive. A two-time Bilentikoff candidate, Avant wound up as the third-leading receiver in Michigan history -- with a career-best 82 catches last season.
"He was a guy we had targeted. He's a move-the-chains machine. He's a third-down guy who Donovan (McNabb) can trust and who can catch the ball. If we had stayed put in the third round, he was a guy we thought about taking there. We knew why his stock had fallen: Because he didn't run very well at his workout. But we just thought he was a good player who didn't run real fast. And if we thought: If he was good enough to take in the third we thought we better try to get him in the fourth. Fortunately, it worked out."
Round 5: WR Jeremy Bloom, Colorado; LB Omar Gaither, Tennessee
Here the Eagles ran into a problem. They wanted both of these players at the same spot in the round. So they had to decide who was more likely to disappear first, then take him. That man was Bloom, even though the Olympic freestyle skier hasn't played football in two years. The attraction: He was a playmaker who had five TDs of 75 yards or more in his abbreviated career at Colorado -- including three on returns -- and who has the speed to help at wide receiver.
"We weighed the options, with Jeremy not playing in two years and some people thinking he's just a return guy. We don't. We think he can be a wide receiver as well. So we made the decision to take Jeremy and hoped Omar would be there with our second pick. And he was. That was one of those where we held our breath after we took Jeremy and hoped Omar would fall to us."
He did, and Philadelphia pounced. A two-year starter at strong-side linebacker, Gaither is considered a hard worker with good range and instincts. He's not expected to push for a starting job, but that's OK. He's versatile, and the Eagles can use special-teams help.
"We don't have a lot of linebackers like him. (Jeremiah) Trotter is our only real big guy, and (Gaither) has been up to 245. We think he can be a backup 'Mike' (middle linebacker) and 'Will' (weak-side linebacker), and he can probably also get us through at 'Sam,' too. He's a leader and a bigger guy than we've had here."
Round 6: LaJuan Ramsey, DT, USC
A backup in 2004, Ramsey finally cracked the lineup last season, though part of it was interrupted by injury. Nevertheless, he showed enough -- particularly in an 11-tackle performance against Notre Dame -- to convince the Eagles to take a flyer on him. But it probably didn't hurt that he's the former roommate of Mike Patterson, the team's first-round pick a year ago.
"We watched him early, and he was hurt. He had a high ankle sprain, and he was battling that. But the last few games of the season -- especially the national championship game -- this guy was really, really good. We have Mike Patterson here, so we asked him about him. And he loves him. We talked to Coach (Pete) Carroll, too. We just thought he was a good football player, and we knew he was going to be under the radar because nobody was talking about the guy."
And that's where the Eagles stopped, kicking back Sunday night to assess the weekend's results. They were all good.
"We didn't expect to do quite as much (dealing) as we did, but the way it fell there were guys within reach. Now, we didn't think we were going to do it in almost every round but the first, but we do think that, in the end, it worked out pretty well."
I love it when a plan comes together.
good article...gets you a little more pumped than before.
it's like hoping you get all the Xmas gifts you want...and you do!
I'm gettin kinda giddy about the season already!
:yay :yay :yay :yay :yay
It must be nice to be Heckert and the boys this week. Lots of back slapping and chortling going on. Most of the fans happy, coach is happy, etc.
Quote from: Diomedes on May 02, 2006, 08:43:15 AM
It must be nice to be Heckert and the boys this week. Lots of back slapping and chortling going on. Most of the fans happy, coach is happy, etc.
Let's just hope we'll still be happy at contract negotiation time.
That's never been a huge issue before. Not with the draft picks.
Except for Raheem Brock, of course. :boom
It's nice to have competent player personnel people running things now. Man, when I think back to the days where the Jon Harris's of the world were being picked... ugh.
Quote from: Diomedes on May 02, 2006, 08:54:52 AM
Except for Raheem Brock, of course. :boom
Yeah that one still burns, considering how he has become such a productive player in the rotatiton for the Colts.
great article. It's about time a sports writer did a little investigating and got us some inside info. Im still surprised how much the Eagles moved around in the draft. I wonder what the record is for trades on draft day?
What's great is that it was a purposeful moving around; very precise, almost like a surgeon. Not that flailing around and hoping for the best that I've seen a bunch of teams do.
Quote from: Diomedes on May 02, 2006, 08:43:15 AM
It must be nice to be Heckert and the boys this week. Lots of back slapping and chortling going on. Most of the fans happy, coach is happy, etc.
rome used that word yesterday, that was the first time I had ever seen it:
chor·tle ( P ) Pronunciation Key (chôrtl)
n.
A snorting, joyful laugh or chuckle.(http://radio.weblogs.com/0113064/images/2004/04/07/tdy_stone_peewee_040402.275.jpg)
Chortling is the 'word of the day'
Okay, back on subject. The more I read about Gean-Jiles the more I think we got a steal. Most draftniks were in agreement that the guy had 2nd round talent, but his weight forced him to drop. My early prediction is he's our starting LG come opening day.
nice piece
Quote from: Zanshin on May 02, 2006, 08:20:48 AM
I love it when a plan comes together.
(http://www.tvsquad.com/media/2005/12/a-team.jpg)
Why can't Clark Judge pronounce "Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo"? I have a harder time pronouncing "Gocong".
I am not sure who the guy was but he gave the Eagles a very poor draft grade this morning on NFL radio. He said that they failed to address the receiver and SAM position early. It is funny everybody lists Gocong as a DE, they obviously don't do any research to the fact that the Eagles plan to use him as a SAM.
Quote from: Tomahawk on May 02, 2006, 11:02:58 AM
Quote from: Zanshin on May 02, 2006, 08:20:48 AM
I love it when a plan comes together.
(http://www.tvsquad.com/media/2005/12/a-team.jpg)
Heh, you think the kids needed a pic to get the reference?
Quote from: Drunkmasterflex on May 02, 2006, 12:29:53 PM
I am not sure who the guy was but he gave the Eagles a very poor draft grade this morning on NFL radio. He said that they failed to address the receiver and SAM position early. It is funny everybody lists Gocong as a DE, they obviously don't do any research to the fact that the Eagles plan to use him as a SAM.
Whatever. Anyone who doesn't think this draft went well either doesn't know the Eagles or is borderline retarded.
Quote from: Zanshin on May 02, 2006, 01:05:50 PM
Quote from: Drunkmasterflex on May 02, 2006, 12:29:53 PM
I am not sure who the guy was but he gave the Eagles a very poor draft grade this morning on NFL radio. He said that they failed to address the receiver and SAM position early. It is funny everybody lists Gocong as a DE, they obviously don't do any research to the fact that the Eagles plan to use him as a SAM.
Whatever. Anyone who doesn't think this draft went well either doesn't know the Eagles or is borderline retarded.
I agree, that is exactly what the guy on NFL radio were saying too.
Over here, we got the feed from the NFL Network live on the first day and today, we got delayed coverage of the 2nd day. I had to laugh when they were in the 5th round, and they went to Dan Reeves and Butch Davis and they both said (talking about the lack of trades), "We can't understand why there weren't any trades in the 4th round"--of course, ignoring that the Eagles made what, at least 2-3 trades in the 4th round alone?
Because of the time difference, of course it was a long night Saturday. It started at 5pm our time and ended about 3am Sunday morning. By that time, I was watching the Phils game over the net and keeping one eye on the draft.
Speaking of clueless farging retards, here's Dr. Z's take on the Eagles draft:
Duhhhh... which way did he go, George? (http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/writers/dr_z/05/02/draft.grades/2.html)
QuoteEAGLES: Everybody loves Philly's draft more than I do. Top pick Brodrick Bunkley? Fine. No problem there. But the second-round choice, Winston Justice, simply is not my cup of tea. Workout warrior who plays OK at times, not so OK at other times. Plus he pulled some stuff at USC that, well, they treated fairly lightly because of immaturity or something, whereas if your kid or mine did it, he might be serving time. Third-round choice LB Chris Gocong has great workout numbers, but he'll be learning a new position. Does this sound like a high grade draft? Maybe I'm being too rough, but coming after the problems they had last year ... to go find a new problem child just rubs me slightly wrong.
:-D
What a dope.
Dr. Z's opinion actually means something to me in a totally opposite way.
The same guy who had Bunkley going 21.
Quote from: Philly Forever on May 02, 2006, 03:39:15 PM
The same guy who had Bunkley going 21.
he's just butt sore that the eagles messed up his mock.
Hey wasn't Dr. Z the one who horribly rated the draft when we replaced our secondary. So, isn't this a good sign then?
Quote from: phillywestbrook36 on May 02, 2006, 06:57:23 PM
Hey wasn't Dr. Z the one who horribly rated the draft when we replaced our secondary.
Him and everyone else.
Quote from: L-ong-B-each-I-ggle on May 02, 2006, 06:46:44 PM
Quote from: Philly Forever on May 02, 2006, 03:39:15 PM
The same guy who had Bunkley going 21.
he's just butt sore that the eagles messed up his mock.
Everybody messed up his mock. I don't think he got more than 2 picks right.
Quote from: Susquehanna Birder on May 02, 2006, 07:54:47 PM
Quote from: L-ong-B-each-I-ggle on May 02, 2006, 06:46:44 PM
Quote from: Philly Forever on May 02, 2006, 03:39:15 PM
The same guy who had Bunkley going 21.
he's just butt sore that the eagles messed up his mock.
Everybody messed up his mock. I don't think he got more than 2 picks right.
That sounds like mine. Of course, I don't get paid for it.
the only reason that friggin moron is downing he eagles draft is his incessant need to always be the exact opposite of the majority
Anybody who says that the Eagles had a bad draft by looking at it on paper they are absolutely insane or don't have any clue.
Didn't you hear? Winston Justice sucks now apparently. Reggie Bush created holes on his own to run through.
Quote from: Philly Forever on May 02, 2006, 08:42:04 PM
Reggie Bush created holes on his own to run through.
Well, he did do that plenty of times. But he and LenDale usually had the benefit of a gaping hole to exploit.
TMQ makes the point that SOMEONE on USC was making the others look better. Or even that they ALL made each other look better. And that it can only result in disappointment for at least several of the teams that drafted from USC. He included a few other similar college teams that produced several NFL drafted players.
Interesting point.
ESPN 2 NOW KIPER ON BIRDS
Too bad we'll never know who the Eagles wanted badly but didn't get. I don't believe for a second that the Birds wanted Gaither as much as they wanted Bloom.
The Eagles wanted someone badly?
I think Kiper ended up giving us a B right?
But I don't think he gave any team an A did he? I didn't watch the whole show cause it was pretty long and didn't hold my attention once they got past the NFC East.
Quote from: Don Ho on May 02, 2006, 10:01:22 PM
ESPN 2 NOW KIPER ON BIRDS
did count dracula say anything interesting or new there don ho?
Quote from: Seabiscuit36 on May 03, 2006, 07:51:05 AM
Quote from: Don Ho on May 02, 2006, 10:01:22 PM
ESPN 2 NOW KIPER ON BIRDS
did count dracula say anything interesting or new there don ho?
Not at all really. That Spielman guy is the one who actually spoke about the Eagles. He was gushing over what they did. As posted somewhere else Kiper gave the Eagles a B.
Cowboys B-
Gints C+
Skins C (or C-)
Ray Diddy's take on our draft. Will just throw it in here since so many people are interested in his opinion:
QuoteMonday, May 1, 2006
A View From the Hall: Draft Evaluation
by Ray Didinger
Special to ComcastSportsNet.com
After a season in which so many things went wrong, the Eagles probably were due for a weekend when things broke their way and they surely did with the NFL draft. The Eagles went into this draft needing help and they got plenty.
I rated the Eagles' draft among the top four with Arizona, Cleveland and Denver. I'm including the trade for Javon Walker as part of the Broncos' weekend haul. If I had to give Andy Reid, Tom Heckert and company a grade, I'd say A-minus. I would have liked to see them do more to address the wide receiver position, but overall I thought they did a very good job.
Obviously, they were well prepared. They identified their areas of need and the players who fit those slots. It also was clear they had done their homework on what the other teams, especially those drafting ahead of them, would do. They were patient in the first round and landed the player they coveted, defensive tackle Brodrick Bunkley, at No. 14. They were aggressive later, trading up to get offensive tackle Winston Justice (39 overall), defensive end Chris Gocong (71) and guard Max Jean-Gilles (99).
They also were a little lucky because the Buffalo Bills shocked everyone by taking Ohio State safety Donte Whitner with the eighth overall pick. Most people had the Bills picking Bunkley, so when they passed on him that was surprising enough, but when they chose to stay at No. 8 and pick Whitner – a good player, but certainly a reach at that point – it was the start of a chain reaction that ended with Bunkley falling into the Eagles' laps.
The Bills could have shopped that eighth pick around, traded it for a mid-first round choice plus an additional pick in, say, the third round and still landed Whitner in the 13 to 18 range. I'm sure they had plenty of teams calling with offers. Why they chose to play it this way – who knows? – but it was the best thing that could have happened for the Eagles.
Once Bunkley slipped past eight, the odds were pretty good that he would fall out of the top 10. Baltimore and Cleveland both were looking for help on the defensive line. Two blue-chip tackles remained: Haloti Ngata of Oregon and Bunkley. The Ravens and Browns both were drafting ahead of the Eagles. Philly fans had to sweat out the next 30 minutes.
The Ravens took Ngata, the 6-5, 350-pounder, a classic nose tackle who will keep middle linebacker Ray Lewis happy by eating up two or three blockers on every play and allowing Lewis to do what he does best – fly to the football.
That meant only the Browns stood between the Eagles and the player they wanted. I was doing a WIP radio show with Glen Macnow from the Slack's Hoagie Shack in Voorhees, N.J. and the place was packed with Eagles fans. It was deathly quiet while everyone stared at the TV, watching the seconds tick down, waiting for the Browns to make their decision.
It reminded me of a scene from one of those old World War II movies, where the submarine is underwater and everyone aboard is sweating, waiting for the depth charges to hit. That's what it was like in Slack's on Saturday as the fans held their breath, waiting for the pick.
When Commissioner Paul Tagliabue walked to the podium in New York and announced the Browns had selected Kamerion Wimbley, the defensive end from Florida State, a huge cheer went up at Slack's. I suspect there was a similar cheer in the Eagles' draft room because it meant the Eagles had their man.
I didn't think there was anyway Bunkley would slip to the 14th spot, but he did, and the Eagles, playing it very smartly, acquired him without having to trade up. I like Bunkley very much. His style of play is an excellent fit for the Eagles' style of defense. At 6-3, 305-pounds, he combines power and quickness. He has surprising burst for a man of that size. He had nine sacks and 25 tackles for losses, a school record, last season.
One of the qualities I look for in a defensive tackle is the ability to stay on his feet. That may sound silly, but think about it: When you watch a play unfold, how many of the defensive linemen are on the ground? Last season with the Eagles, the answer was most of them.
But there are some defensive linemen who, either with superior balance or a sixth sense which allows them to feel where the blocks are coming from, always seem to be on their feet. And you have to be on your feet to make a play. When I watched Florida State last season, Bunkley was always on his feet and moving towards the football. I think he'll be a very effective pairing with Mike Patterson, last year's No. 1 pick at defensive tackle.
It has been said many times, but it can't be overstated, how much the Eagles were hurt last season by the lack of a pass rush, in particular a rush up the middle. Their inability to collapse the pocket allowed opposing quarterbacks to step up on every throw which (a) made it harder for the rushers coming off the edge, in particular Jevon Kearse, and (b) made it harder on the secondary because the passers had the nice lanes to throw through. Bunkley will make Jim Johnson's defense much stronger in that critical area.
The Eagles got terrific value with Justice at the 39th pick and Jean-Gilles at 99. I had each of those players rated very highly. I had Justice as my No. 2 offensive tackle behind D'Brickashaw Ferguson of Virginia, who went No. 4 overall to the New York Jets. I had Jean-Gilles as my No. 2 guard behind Davin Joseph of Oklahoma, who went 23rd overall to Tampa Bay.
Jean-Gilles, at 6-3, 355 pounds, was as good a drive blocker as I saw in college football last season. When the Eagles drafted him, it made me think Andy Reid might actually be serious about putting a few running plays in the offense this season because that's certainly Jean-Gilles strength. With the trade of Artis Hicks, Jean-Gilles could very well win a starting job as a rookie. He has that kind of ability.
One sleeper to keep in mind is fifth round pick Omar Gaither, the 6-1, 235-pound linebacker from Tennessee. He is a tough kid who plays hard all the time and plays with a lot of emotion. I see him as another Ike Reese, a low-round draft pick who helps out at linebacker and contributes immediately on special teams.
Overall, it was refreshing to see the Eagles fans finally have a weekend to cheer.
Ray Didinger is a football analyst for Comcast Sports Net and appears on "Post-Game Live" following every Eagles game. His latest book, "The Eagles Encyclopedia", is available in bookstores and on-line.
E-mail Ray Didinger
joe banner will be on csn's daily news live today if you want it check it out...public speaking is banner's specialty so i'm sure it will be worth watching.
Quote from: hunt on May 03, 2006, 09:48:35 AM
joe banner will be on csn's daily news live today if you want it check it out...public speaking is banner's specialty so i'm sure it will be worth watching.
actually, it will probably be one big suck-fest today since they had a good draft.
actually, it will probably be one big suck-fest today since they had a good draft.
why do you think hes coming on
to his credit, he comes on during good times and bad
its not when you come on its what you say...and that guy has never uttered a word of significance in his life...in the good times hes saying how good an organization the eagles are...and in the bad times hes making excuses as to why they arent
Quote from: hunt on May 03, 2006, 09:48:35 AM
joe banner will be on csn's daily news live today if you want it check it out...public speaking is banner's specialty so i'm sure it will be worth watching.
What time does that usually come on? I checked CSN but it didn't have anything listed till 5.
So, in other words, he's doing his job.
yeah, i know that. but you made it sound like he was only coming on because they had a great weekend. i was merely pointing out that he comes on a couple times a year, no matter the circumstances.
Quote from: Diomedes on May 02, 2006, 09:46:40 PM
TMQ makes the point that SOMEONE on USC was making the others look better. Or even that they ALL made each other look better. And that it can only result in disappointment for at least several of the teams that drafted from USC. He included a few other similar college teams that produced several NFL drafted players.
Interesting point.
interesting...but USC's recent track record of NFL 1st/2nd round talent is pretty good...
2005
1 Mike Williams Lions WR
1 Mike Patterson Eagles DT
2 Lofa Tatupu Seahawks LB
2003
1 Carson Palmer Bengals QB
1 Troy Polamalu Steelers DB
So, in other words, he's doing his job.
i suppose...but its a pathetic job...say what you want about people like billy king and bobby clarke but they are honest and will not only kill their team but will kill themselves...i respect that...i dont respect pompous mouthpieces like joe banner who talk to the fanbase like they are idiots...its the difference btwn someone who has played the sport and a desk jockeying number cruncher
and even tho i dont like his style reid i at least respect...he just doesnt say anything..."we did good job" or "we have to get better"...banner goes out of his way to big up the team and put down the fans
Quote from: LeWingspan on May 03, 2006, 10:10:25 AM
Quote from: Diomedes on May 02, 2006, 09:46:40 PM
TMQ makes the point that SOMEONE on USC was making the others look better. Or even that they ALL made each other look better. And that it can only result in disappointment for at least several of the teams that drafted from USC. He included a few other similar college teams that produced several NFL drafted players.
Interesting point.
interesting...but USC's recent track record of NFL 1st/2nd round talent is pretty good...
2005
1 Mike Williams Lions WR
1 Mike Patterson Eagles DT
2 Lofa Tatupu Seahawks LB
2003
1 Carson Palmer Bengals QB
1 Troy Polamalu Steelers DB
Is that it for 1st round picks? It seems like there should be more than that. Anyway, that seems like an awful way to assess players. Are you not trying to surround all your players with other good players and by doing this raising their play? Its one thing to call a guy like Drew Brees or Alex Smith a system QB, its another thing entirely to say a player isn't that good because he is surrounded by other good players.
Quote from: NGM on May 03, 2006, 11:04:44 AM
Is that it for 1st round picks? It seems like there should be more than that.
i didnt feel like going through 10 years of drafts...meh
but thats just from the past couple of years.
Still, all pretty damn good players except for Mike Williams.
From what I have heard about him, he is as immature as they get.
Quote from: SD_Eagle on May 03, 2006, 10:07:50 AM
Quote from: hunt on May 03, 2006, 09:48:35 AM
joe banner will be on csn's daily news live today if you want it check it out...public speaking is banner's specialty so i'm sure it will be worth watching.
What time does that usually come on? I checked CSN but it didn't have anything listed till 5.
daily news live is on from 5-6:30pm but they didn't say exactly what time banner would be on.
Don't get me wrong, the Eagles had a fantastic draft, better than I could have ever imagined, but I think the FO is getting a little too much credit for the Bunkley pick.
They deserve all the creit in the world for making trades when they needed to to get the players they wanted (Justice, Jean-Gilles, etc.) but to say they played it smart by staying pat and hoping that Bunkley would fall to them is a little dumb. We got lucky with that one, because the Bills are obviously idiots.
the point is, that while the Bills are idiots, the Eagles were not. They could have taken Greenway. ha. hence the good job on their part to take Bunkley.
Quote from: MURP on May 03, 2006, 12:33:37 PM
the point is, that while the Bills are idiots, the Eagles were not. They could have taken Greenway. ha. hence the good job on their part to take Bunkley.
agreed.
i dont think to many people are saying the eagles are geniuses just that they had a very good draft...in fact i havent heard to many people say they even had the best draft...
i think where some credit is due is in not passing on bunkley...there are teams out there that would have not taken bunkley because he dropped to 14...its not always who you go get but who you dont pass on
EDIT: murp wins
The Eagles had a great draft because they got lucky in places and were also aggressive to get players they had targeted and were sticking out on the top of their draft board. I also feel they had a great draft, because they stuck to their board and obviously went out and got the BPA in the first 4 rounds. They also got a little something for Thomas and Hicks, two players that would not have made the team this year.
No doubt it could have rolled differently without some luck, but they also deserve credit.
Quote from: FFatPatt on May 03, 2006, 12:42:33 PM
The Eagles had a great draft because they got lucky in places and were also aggressive to get players they had targeted and were sticking out on the top of their draft board. I also feel they had a great draft, because they stuck to their board and obviously went out and got the BPA in the first 4 rounds. They also got a little something for Thomas and Hicks, two players that would not have made the team this year.
No doubt it could have rolled differently without some luck, but they also deserve credit.
Good point. I think you're right on that Hicks and Thomas wouldn't have made the team, so the fact that they were turned into picks was very smart.
Banner is on Comcast right meow.
I just tuned in but:
- Thinks Buck can make a contribution this season. Medical reports are that he's healthy. (Deja vu?)
- Hyped Brown and Pinky, saying you don't need a star WR to win the SB. Pointed to Troy Brown and Deion Branch with NE's 1st SB, also pointed to the Seahawks WRs last season. Said Brown and Pinky were a better combination than either of them.
- Talked about teams winning with rushing the passer and solid O-lines more so than with big RBs and skilled WRs.
Just came back from commercial break.
He also said that David Carr had arguably much better skill position talent than Ben Rothelisberger but Ben was more successful because he had more protection.
Also said that if Reggie produces than two of three second round picks on receivers (threw Freddie Mitchell in there for some reason) are solid to great starters. Which beats the NFL average of 50% of second round players being solid or better.
Thats all SD missed.
Whoa things are getting testy on DNL.
I think Banner thought he was going to be hearing the praises and he just kept getting questions fired at him.
He said it was going to be tougher signing our rookies since we start a week earlier because of the HOF game.
I dozed off...not kidding.
They don't call it Daily News Dead for nothing.
New name? You should thumb wrestle Phreak for sponsorship.
Yeah, I figured I had to out of respect because he was the guy I wanted in the draft and that is once in a blue moon.