Analysis & Articles On The Picks

[PhillyPhreak54]

Pro Football Weekly

47. Philadelphia (from Minnesota) — DT Trevor Laws, Notre Dame
Laws is a great fit for the Eagles' interior and brings added bulk to defend the run at a position where the Eagles would like to stay fresher. He should factor into a rotation with Mike Patterson and Brodrick Bunkley right away and provide much-needed depth.

49. Philadelphia — WR DeSean Jackson, California
A solid value for his return ability, Jackson is very comparable to Roscoe Parrish and could have a very difficult time staying healthy at 169 pounds. Character questions pushed down his draft value and could keep him from realizing his potential, but Donovan McNabb should be excited about having a playmaker on offense.

Sporting News

Eagles take Trevor Laws at No. 47. Philadelphia understands the importance of having several big, athletic bodies to rotate on its defensive line, and that's why its front office keeps dipping into end and tackle. Laws can be a good part-time contributor inside as a rookie.

Eagles take DeSean Jackson at No. 49. Wow, what a fall for the Cal explosive wideout and return man. That's why Philly kept trading way down -- it had some indication it would get a great value in the second round with how so of the bigger school receivers have dropped. Considering how bad the Eagles' receiving corps is, it wouldn't be surprising if Jackson started as a rookie

SI.com

The Eagles pick up a high-motor defensive tackle with the selection of Trevor Laws. Though he may be a little undersized by some standards, his quickness and relentless motor are a nice fit in defensive coordinator Jim Johnson's blitz-heavy scheme

The Eagles give Donovan McNabb the playmaker he has coveted for years. The diminutive Jackson possesses outstanding speed, and his penchant for producing big plays in the return game will boost the Eagles' mediocre return game. Although he lacks the size to be an every down receiver initially, he gives Andy Reid another weapon to incorporate into the Eagles' game plan.

NFL.com

Pick Analysis:Laws is an intelligent player, who the Eagles most likely took because of his fit in their 4-3 scheme. If not for that, Laws likely would have not gone this high. But his motor and his ability to read plays will be a good addition for Philly

Pick Analysis:Donovan McNabb gets the playmaker he's been coveting in Jackson. A deep threat, Jackson is in the mold of Carolina's Steve Smith -- a small but shifty receiver, who gives the Eagles their most explosive weapon since Terrell Owens, as well as a potentially great punt returner

Yahoo Sports/Rivals.com

The buzz: The Eagles love drafting on both sides of the line, and Laws was a monster this season. He was almost unblockable at the Senior Bowl. Laws is a little short, but he should work well in the Eagles' rotation-based system

The buzz: The Eagles grab the fastest receiver in the draft as Jackson falls deep into the second round. Questions about his size and off-field issues likely caused this slip. The fact that he can contribute on special teams right away makes this a solid value choice.

I'll search for more and post the local paper links too

[PhillyPhreak54]

CBS Sportsline

Comment: Laws is a nice meaty run stuffer with a high motor and an ability to block kicks. He might not have been the Eagles' first choice, but he was the best choice at this point as many people saw him as a late-first/early second-round choice.

Comment: It was only a matter of time before Jackson was off the board. While he doesn't have ideal size, he has amazing speed. Expect him to work on special teams as well as play in a situational role on offense in 2008. If this offense made Kevin Curtis a 1,000-yard receiver, Jackson can do it too.

FOX Sports

Laws was ultra-productive on a really bad Notre Dame team last year. 112 tackles out of your DT? That's unheard of stuff. He'll be a fine pro. Philly traded back a bit here, and still got a very strong defensive tackle.

DeSean Jackson's GENEROUSLY listed at 5-11, but could be the next Devin Hester. A kick and punt return threat who has solid hands, he's worth the flier at 49. Philly fans have been clamoring for a solid return man since Brian Mitchell left town.

NJ.com

Following an unsuccessful attempt to move up from No. 19, head coach and vice president of football operations Andy Reid dealt the team's first-round selection for the second consecutive year, then sent the Minnesota Vikings the 43rd overall pick he received from the Carolina Panthers as part of a package Reid called "too sweet to turn down."

At 6-foot-1 and 304 pounds, Laws started all 12 games for the Irish in 2007 and had four sacks, five pass breakups, three blocked kicks and was the only defensive lineman in the Football Bowl Subdivision to record 100 or more tackles in 2007.

"I'm just beaming right now," Laws said. "It's a surprise. It's a big surprise, but I'm real thrilled about it."

The undersized Jackson (5-9, 169 pounds) ran a blistering 4.35 at the NFL Scouting Combine and declared for the draft following a junior season in which he finished with 65 receptions for 762 yards and six touchdowns.

As a return man, Jackson scored six special-teams touchdowns at Cal and finished his career with 3,293 all-purpose yards.

"This is a blessing and a dream come true," Jackson said. "The Eagles were high on my list. I felt like I had a connection with the program and I want to get in there as soon as possible and make great things happen for this team."

There now is speculation the Eagles may use Sheppard and next year's first-round pick they received from Carolina in a trade for a proven wide receiver.

[PhillyPhreak54]

Inquirer

"Trevor is a high-energy player," Eagles coach Andy Reid said. "He had the most tackles for a loss in the country this past year."

Jackson returns punts and kicks and is an explosive player. "He's very fast, very quick and he's one of those guys that, if you talk to people around the league who have evaluated him, they put him in that exciting, explosive category," Reid said.

Jackson has been working out with Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice. "I have been working with him for the past two months," Jackson said. "He is a great mentor of mine. He has been teaching me a lot of things about running routes and being ready for the competition at the next level."

[PhillyPhreak54]

Daily News (Bowen & Domowitch Blog)

Saturday, April 26, 2008
Day One thoughts

Some end-of-day-one thoughts on the Eagles:

1) With the drafting of DeSean Jackson and the offseason acquisitions of free agents Rocky Boiman, Dan Klecko, Kris Wilson and Chris Clemons, their special teams should be a lot better this season, which should also translate into better field position for the offense and poorer field position for the opponent.

2) Pray that the Carolina Panthers are really bad next season.

3) The selection of Notre Dame DT Trevor Laws with the 47th overall pick is a good move that should allow Jim Johnson to keep starting DTs Brodrick Bunkley and Mike Patterson fresh.

4) I don't know what it means that Lito Sheppard still is an Eagle. They'd be a better football team if he stayed and played hard. But his contract situation pretty much makes that impossible.

5) Eagles have 10 picks in the final 5 rounds, but they don't have roster spots for 12 new players. Expect them to package many of their fifth, sixth and seventh round picks to improve their position in the third and fourth and target players they want. I expect them to walk away from this draft with 8 players max.

Posted by Paul Domowitch @ 8:32 PM  Permalink | 10 comments

[PhillyPhreak54]

Comcast SportsNet

ROUND 2 (No. 47):
Trevor Laws
Position: DT
College: Notre Dame
Height/Weight: 6-1/304
Analysis:
The Eagles have little depth behind starters Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley and Laws fits the Eagles' DT mold. Laws is a smallish, quick tackle who won't be called on to anchor against the run. Laws played nose tackle in Notre Dame's 3-4 defense, acquitting himself well despite his smaller stature, and showing the ability to make plays behind the line of scrimmage. He'll provide the Eagles with a nice third option in the Eagles' tackle rotation. Not an exciting pick but a solid addition to a strengthening d-line.

ROUND 2 (No. 49):
DeSean Jackson
Position: WR
College: California
Height/Weight: 6-0/178
Analysis:
After passing on bigger receivers like Devin Thomas, James Hardy and Limas Sweed the Eagles grab a dynamic return man in Jackson. Jackson slipped in the draft primarily because of his slight stature and aversion to the weight room, but picking him up at this stage of the proceedings is a coup for the Eagles.

Jackson should be able to contribute immediately on kick and punt returns, upgrading a woeful return game, and eventually work his way into the offense where he could be the deep threat they need to open the field up for Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown.

Ellis vs. Laws
Notre Dame went 3-9 last season, but had it not been for Trevor Laws, their record might have been worse.

"Despite the fact that we had a bad performance as a team, Trevor was absolutely extraordinary," head coach Charlie Weis said.

How extraordinary? Weis feels Laws, drafted 47th overall, is on par with USC defensive tackle Sedrick Ellis, who was taken 40 picks earlier.

"All I want you to do is go look at the numbers for Sedrick Ellis, and go look at the numbers for Trevor Laws," Weis said. "Go look at the measurables – the height, weight, all that other stuff. Then just go look at the numbers from this year. Tell me if Philadelphia didn't get a great deal here. I think you're going to look at them and say, at worst, that their numbers were equal."

Laws is 6-1, 304. Ellis is 6-1, 305.

Last season, Laws had 112 total tackles (53 solo), while Ellis had 58 tackles (29 solo). Laws had four sacks. Ellis had 8½. Laws had eight tackles for loss. Ellis had 12½.

Also consider that Notre Dame's defense spent more time on the field more than USC's and that Ellis was surrounded by more talent.

But Laws beat Ellis in the classroom. Laws was a member of the Academic All-American second team last year and of the National Honors Society in high school.

"This was one of the smartest kids on our football team," Weis said.

[MadMarchHare]

Wait, Laws had 112 tackles last year as the NT in a 3-4?  Jesus.

[hunt]

Daily News (Bowen & Domowitch Blog)

5) Eagles have 10 picks in the final 5 rounds, but they don't have roster spots for 12 new players. Expect them to package many of their fifth, sixth and seventh round picks to improve their position in the third and fourth and target players they want. I expect them to walk away from this draft with 8 players max.

i really hope this is true.  i don't see how drafting 12 players and cutting 8 of them in training camp helps.  at this point, i'd prefer quality over quantity.

[Diomedes]

quality is not something this FO can be said to recognize

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Wait, Laws had 112 tackles last year as the NT in a 3-4?  Jesus.

He played end in the 3-4, but still... yeah.

[rjs246]

Jackson has been working out with Hall of Fame receiver Jerry Rice. "I have been working with him for the past two months," Jackson said. "He is a great mentor of mine. He has been teaching me a lot of things about running routes and being ready for the competition at the next level."

Nothing to dislike about that.

[SunMo]

i saw that on Sportscenter yesterday morning...Jerry was probably blowing some smoke, but he thought the kid had a bright future in the NFL as a receiver

[Sgt PSN]

I know this probably isn't a big issue for most people, but......

Laws was a member of the Academic All-American second team last year and of the National Honors Society in high school.

"This was one of the smartest kids on our football team," Weis said.

The fact that this kid has a damn brain and the ability to comprehend stuff other than x's and o's is a good thing. 

[Sgt PSN]

Daily News (Bowen & Domowitch Blog)

5) Eagles have 10 picks in the final 5 rounds, but they don't have roster spots for 12 new players. Expect them to package many of their fifth, sixth and seventh round picks to improve their position in the third and fourth and target players they want. I expect them to walk away from this draft with 8 players max.

i really hope this is true.  i don't see how drafting 12 players and cutting 8 of them in training camp helps.  at this point, i'd prefer quality over quantity.

Spot on. 

[Drunkmasterflex]

i saw that on Sportscenter yesterday morning...Jerry was probably blowing some smoke, but he thought the kid had a bright future in the NFL as a receiver

I've heard him talk about Jackson multiple times on Sirius, he really seems to be high on the kid.

[QB Eagles]

Bowen said that Andy hinted that he would have taken Otah at #19 if the Carolina trade offer hadn't come in. Judging by the posts in that 1st round thread, a lot of guys here barely avoided having some broken furniture and injured pets in their homes this morning.