College Players The Eagles Are Interested In

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

What confuses me is that the DT position is at the same point now before the draft whether or not they do, in fact, draft a DT in the 1st round.  So, if the BPA is a DT, and the Eagles think their DT's are ok, but they go for the BPA... are they still incompetent?  Or, if they think DT needs to be addressed in the draft, but they don't... wouldn't THAT make them even MORE incompetent?

[reese125]

well, if games are won at the lime of scrimmage,  defense wins championships, and the other defensive positions look solid (except for LB, but they wont pay top $$ in the draft based on their system), then I say good for them. Defensive line is worth top dollar and the pick IMO.

[ice grillin you]

What confuses me is that the DT position is at the same point now before the draft whether or not they do, in fact, draft a DT in the 1st round.  So, if the BPA is a DT, and the Eagles think their DT's are ok, but they go for the BPA... are they still incompetent?  Or, if they think DT needs to be addressed in the draft, but they don't... wouldn't THAT make them even MORE incompetent?

again they arent incompetant if they draft a DT...because they do need one...but i think its a bad thing that they have a allowed one of their coveted positions to become a need for the last two years

lb and wr you can undersstand as they just dont care about those spots...but DT should not be a need this year and it is

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Two things contributed to the Eagles being unsure about their DT situation:

1.  Rayburn was really showing signs of being a good 3rd DT and sucked ass last year.
2.  Walker can be a very good DT but never recovered after his injury last year.

If either of those guys step up, the DT rotation can be actually really good.  If they both step up, the DT rotation will be fairly close to stellar.

Frankly, I don't know why we see DT as much more of a need than DB.  The DB's looked like crap and had injury issues last year, also... most notably Lito and Mike Lewis.  If we assume that they will bounce back, why don't we assume that Walker and Rayburn will bounce back?

[reese125]

Two things contributed to the Eagles being unsure about their DT situation:

1.  Rayburn was really showing signs of being a good 3rd DT and sucked ass last year.
2.  Walker can be a very good DT but never recovered after his injury last year.

If either of those guys step up, the DT rotation can be actually really good.  If they both step up, the DT rotation will be fairly close to stellar.

Frankly, I don't know why we see DT as much more of a need than DB.  The DB's looked like crap and had injury issues last year, also... most notably Lito and Mike Lewis.  If we assume that they will bounce back, why don't we assume that Walker and Rayburn will bounce back?

because when you have 2 recent Pro-bowlers, you feel confident that position is stable--regardless of injury--any serious injury of course

[ice grillin you]

rayburn is average at best and always has been...he had a nice year in 04...but the second people caught on to him he became invisible...hes undrafted out of tulsa and should be commended for even making the team but come on hes a back up type guy

walker i like and is solid...would be a nice a player next to a pro bowler

the problem is their philosophy of getting a bunch of middlings and throwing them in there in a rotation setting...instead of getting two starter quality dt's...yeah rayburn had six sacks in 04...but thats the problem...he shouldnt be playing enough to get six sacks...but instead we hear how good a find this guy was...give him a neat nickname....and fool the fanbase into believing hes a player

[reese125]

rayburn is average at best and always has been...he had a nice year in 04...but the second people caught on to him he became invisible...hes undrafted out of tulsa and should be commended for even making the team but come on hes a back up type guy

walker i like and is solid...would be a nice a player next to a pro bowler

the problem is their philosophy of getting a bunch of middlings and throwing them in there in a rotation setting...instead of getting two starter quality dt's...yeah rayburn had six sacks in 04...but thats the problem...he shouldnt be playing enough to get six sacks...but instead we hear how good a find this guy was...give him a neat nickname....and fool the fanbase into believing hes a player

IGY, I couldnt agree more...I think Rayburn needs to hit the truck stop for a quickie

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

I didn't say anything about Rayburn being starter-quality.  The bottom line is that if the Eagles like to rotate defensive linemen, which they do, it IS better to have 4 quality guys than 2 top-end guys and 2 total scrubs.

I would love to see them bring in someone to prove that Rayburn sucks, but if Walker's healthy... both he and Patterson can be very good starting tackles... as good as you'd hope to have with a rotational system.

We agree anyway... the Eagles should be looking elsewhere with the #1 pick.  They can find a good DT in round 2 or 3 this year.  They should draft someone who can come in and inject the team with some serious playmaking ability in the first round... be it a crazy DE with a nose for killing the QB, or an OLB that simply cannot be kept off the field due to serious athleticism and playmaking ability, a WR that will force opposing defenses to change their scheme, or a DB that can blanket a receiver one play and crash the line of scrimmage another.

At #14, the Eagles should be able to add an extremely talented young man who will make plays and contribute in 2006 AND in the future.  They shouldn't be too picky about what position he plays.

[ice grillin you]

yep

my dream scenario would be to get moss in the first and howard or mcintosh in the second...tho i dont think either will be there

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Thomas Howard would start at SAM immediately, IMO.  I would love to have him in the 2nd, and he very well could be there if some of the top LB's are falling in the draft, which I think they will.

[Drunkmasterflex]

The difference I see with Lewis and Sheppard is they will be better with improved Dline play.  When the Eagles generate pressure it covers their deficiencies.

[MURP]

Eagles | Cofield to visit
Mon, 10 Apr 2006 12:37:15 -0700

NFL Draft prospect DL Barry Cofield (Northwestern) is scheduled to have a pre-draft visit with the Philadelphia Eagles.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

Philly.com

USC's Justice to visit Eagles

Southern California offensive tackle Winston Justice is scheduled to visit the Eagles late this afternoon as general manager Tom Heckert and head coach Andy Reid continue to decide which player they will take with the 14th overall pick when the NFL draft begins April 29.

Justice, 6-foot-6 and 319 pounds, is entering the draft after his junior season at USC, where he played with such stars as quarterback Matt Leinart and running backs Reggie Bush and Lendale White. All four players are projected as first-round picks.

Though Justice played right tackle at USC, he could move to the left side at the professional level. As the right tackle for the Trojans, Justice protected the lefthanded Leinart's blind side.

The Eagles took an offensive lineman in the first round one other time during Reid's tenure. Two years ago, they selected tackle Shawn Andrews from the University of Arkansas and moved him to guard.

Offensive tackle is not an immediate need for the Eagles, but veterans Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas are both in their 30s, and it appears as if second-year lineman Todd Herremans is about to be moved from tackle to guard.

Shocker. 

[SD_Eagle5]

Just heard the same thing on Sirius, Randy Cross was talking about him yesterday saying he has  some maturity issues and that he should have stayed in school 1 more year. Said if he would have opted to stay in school for 1 more season that he would be the D'Brickashaw of next years draft.

[PhillyPhanInDC]

It'd be boring, but Justice would be an excellent pick if he was there at fourteen. If he has D'Brick type physical skills, he'd have time to evolve them with Runyan and Tra still hanging around. Herremans and Justice will eventually make some damn nice bookends.