2008 Draft Eagles Day 1 Picks

Trevor Laws

College: Notre Dame
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 304
40 Yrd Dash: 5.09
20 Yrd Dash: 2.90
10 Yrd Dash: 1.72
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 35
Vertical Jump: 30 1/2
Broad Jump: 8'7"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.49
3-Cone Drill: 7.37
Arms: 33-3/8"
Hands: 9-3/4"

espn.com scouting report

Strengths: Plays with outstanding motor. Is at his best when on the move. Will never give up on a play and makes a lot of tackles in pursuit for an interior defensive lineman. Plays with very good leverage, discipline and technique. Gets good forward lean in stance, anticipates the snap well and can get into the backfield. Moves well laterally, slants well and runs line stunts well. Works from snap to whistle and takes sound angles to the ball. Very good spin move. Shows great awareness. Reads keys fairly well and can sniff out screens. Stays balanced, uses hands to protect legs and rarely gets knocked to the ground by cut blocks. Wraps up upon contact, shows good body control and is an effective open field tackler. Hands are active, flashes good power at the point of attack and flashes effective rip move. Times jumps well and gets hands up when isn't going to get to the quarterback.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal height and lower body strength. Can get driven back when he doesn't win with first step and struggles to hold ground against double teams. Though never stops working, lacks the power to consistently collapse the pocket and isn't a great bull rusher. Is very quick but lacks great closing burst and there are concerns about ability to get to the quarterback at the NFL level. Sat out the 2003 season with an injury and durability is somewhat of a concern.

Overall: Laws arrived at Notre Dame in 2003 but sat out the entire season because of an injury. In his first three active seasons (2004-'06), he played in 37 games (25 starts) and amassed 112 tackles (14.5 for losses), six sacks and three blocked kicks. He was a terror as a senior last season, starting all 12 games and turning in 112 tackles (eight for losses), four sacks, five pass breakups and three blocked kicks. Laws was college football's only defensive lineman to record 100 or more tackles in 2007. Laws is a three-technique prospect that lacks ideal height but makes up for it with good quickness, technique, upper-body power and a non-stop motor. Laws built on a strong senior season by turning in impressive showings at both the Senior Bowl and the NFL scouting combine. His draft stock is soaring as a result. In a weak class of defensive tackles, Laws could come off the board as high as the second round.

other scouting reports

nfl.com
newerascouting.com

compares to

- luis castillo
- kelly gregg





DeSean Jackson

College: California
Height: 5'10"
Weight: 178
40 Yrd Dash: 4.35
20 Yrd Dash: 2.52
10 Yrd Dash: 1.53
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 34-1/2"
Broad Jump: 10'00"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.19
3-Cone Drill: 6.82
Arms: 29-3/4"
Hands: 9-3/8"

espn.com scouting report

Strengths: Possesses excellent top-end speed, does a good job of tracking the ball downfield and is a vertical threat. Changes directions smoothly, explodes out of cuts and can run crisp short-to-intermediate routes. Reads defenses well and locates seams working against zone coverage. Drives corners off the line with excellent initial quickness and does a nice job of getting turned around when running come-back routes. Has excellent body control and can make the tough catch in traffic. Times jumps well and is tall enough to compete for jump balls. Isn't afraid to go over the middle and flashes the ability to hold onto the ball after taking a big hit. Makes defenders miss in traffic and is fast enough to go the distance. Runs with balance, flashes an effective spin move and can pick up yards after contact. Is a dangerous return man that reads blocks well and shows a second gear when gets a seam.

Weaknesses: Lacks ideal bulk and can get pushed around by bigger corners. Appears to lose focus at times and drops too many passes that he should catch. Footwork is inconsistent and rounds off cuts at times. Effort is inconsistent and appears to pull up when isn't going to get the ball. Doesn't lock onto defenders and struggles to sustain blocks. Doesn't play with a mean streak, doesn't deliver a powerful punch and isn't going to knock defenders back at the point of attack. Missed 2005 Washington State game with an injury, hindered by a thumb injury in 2007, hindered by a thigh injury in 2007 and lack of ideal bulk makes durability that much more of a concern.

Overall: Jackson started ten of the 11 games he played in during his true freshman season in 2005 finishing with 38 catches, 601 receiving yards, seven receiving touchdowns, eight carries and 48 rushing yards. He also returned a punt 49 yards for a touchdown that year. Jackson started all 13 games of the 2006 season finishing with 59 catches, 1,060 receiving yards, nine receiving touchdowns, five carries and 19 rushing yards. He also returned 25 punts for a total of 455 yards and four touchdowns that year. Jackson started 11 of the 12 games he appeared in during the 2007 season finishing with 65 catches, 762 receiving yards, six receiving touchdowns, 11 carries, 132 rushing yards and one rushing touchdown. He also returned 12 punts for a total of 129 yards and one touchdown last year. Jackson would benefit from adding some weight and needs to show the thumb injury played a big role in his numerous drops in 2007. However, there's a reason he should be one of if not the first receiver to come of the board. Jackson can stretch the field vertically, he excels at turning catches underneath into long gains and he is the most dangerous punt return specialist in the 2008 class. It may take Jackson a year or two before emerging as a No. 2 starter on offense, but he should make an immediate impact on special teams.

other scouting reports

nfl.com
newerascouting.com

compares to

- santana moss
- steve smith

Trade Down?

for the second year in a row, the birds traded out of the first round today. i'm scratching my head as much as anyone right now. while they did receive *very* good value in getting a 1, 2, and 4 for a mid-level 1, it seems especially curious is that jeff otah and devin thomas -- two players who were reported to be targets -- were both still on the board when they traded out.

here are some possible reasons off the top of my head:

- this draft is supposed to be short on difference makers but deep in overall talent pool while the 2009 draft is supposed to be very strong. so a possible reasoning here is that the eagles trade down to get essentially the same player they could have gotten with their mid-first round pick, and as a bonus, end up with 2 first rounders next year.

- we're all fixated on wideout and finding replacements for dawkins, thomas, and runyan, but if you think about it, the biggest problem area with the birds last season (aside from shoddy QB play) was special teams. the coverage teams were awful and the return teams were worse. if you listen to the media chatter on and on about how the eagles finished in "last place" in the nfc east you'd never guess that they finished ranked 6th on offense and 10th on defense. those are pretty good rankings. they couldn't score in the red zone, but maybe if they had shorter fields to work with, their points/yard output would have been better. maybe the birds are trading down because they expect to turn over a fairly significant number of players this season -- purely based on ability to play special teams. since there are few difference makers in the draft anyway, why pay someone first round salary when you are targeting special teams players?

- the bengals, cardinals, and lions have stated that chad johnson, anquan boldin, and roy williams are not going to be traded. at least one of those teams is going to come around and end up trading their guy. who'd be in a better position to trade for that player than the birds, sitting with 2 first rounders and lito sheppard as trade bait?

of course, it is possible that they're just idiots, but i highly doubt it. i know it's human nature to think that people are screwing up when you don't have insight into what's happening inside the black box, but andy still has more hits than misses on his track record and you have to give him the benefit of the doubt until we see what happens. i'm sure they have some reason for doing it, but we'll be in the dark until it plays out.

Lito Trade Coming?

lots of chatter about lito's visit to the bucs yesterday:

- jay glazer reports that it will take second pick and another pick or player to get the trade done

- les bowen reports that lito didn't deny a possible trade to tampa, and that eagles message boards speculate that michael clayton would be coming to the birds as part of the trade

- bob grotz says that st. louis is also interested and would be offering the 33rd pick in return

- roy cummings of the tampa tribune says that the bucs would be reluctant to part with more than just a single second round pick

i don't know about you, but i'm not that excited about the prospect of michael clayton suiting up for the birds. he has some size, but in the 3-4 times i've seen him play, he's been more or less invisible. he didn't have enough catches last season to be ranked by footballoutsiders, but his DVOA would have placed him at #73.

still, i guess the worst that can happen is that they'd cut him in training camp (or they cut greg lewis finally). also, with 12 picks, i don't have any doubts that the birds will be looking to aggressively move up to get the players they want. let's hope they're targeting the right players.

no more jerome mcdougles, please.

Eagles Targeting 3 Players?

gcobb is reporting via blast magazine that the eagles are targeting three players for their top pick:

- chris williams, OT, vanderbilt
- jeff otah, OT, pitt
- devin thomas, WR, michigan state

here are some scouting reports for these three guys:

Chris Williams

College: Vanderbilt
Height: 6-6
Weight: 315
40 Yrd Dash: 5.13
20 Yrd Dash: 2.91
10 Yrd Dash: 1.75
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 21
Vertical Jump: 25"
Broad Jump: 08'07"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.85
3-Cone Drill: 7.95
Arms:
Hands:

espn.com scouting report

Strengths: Possesses a massive frame; is tall with good bulk, adequate arm length (33.5) and big hands (10). Displays very good overall mobility for his size, including quickness in his pass pro set. Does a very good job of using his long arms to ride pass rushers wide while he's still getting set. Displays great footwork and gets excellent hand placement. While he may not jar defenders at the point of contact, he can lock on and then sustain his blocks. He can engulf bigger defenders once he's in position and engaged. Displays versatility with experience at guard and tackle. He has been durable throughout his career.

Weaknesses: Still too much of a finesse player. Lacks explosive upper-body power. Does not jar defenders at the point of attack. Lacks the base and lower body power to drive defenders off the line of scrimmage in the run game.

Overall: Williams redshirted in 2003 and was ineligible in 2004, when he changed majors and didn't qualify to play football under Vanderbilt's stringent academic standards. In his first active season (2005), he appeared in 11 games and started the final nine at left guard, also taking game reps at left tackle. Williams moved to left tackle for good as a junior, starting all 24 games at the position over his final two seasons (2006-'07). Williams is a left tackle prospect with great feet but a bit too much finesse to his game at this point. He lacks ideal upper-body strength, which was confirmed in only 21 reps on the bench press. He also lacks ideal physicality. However, Williams possesses very good mobility for his big frame and he typically can overcome below-average strength by using excellent technique and positioning. Thanks to a productive senior season, followed by excellent showings at the Senior Bowl and combine; Williams has built tremendous momentum heading into the 2008 draft. He should be one of the top-five offensive linemen selected likely in the middle of the first round.

other scouting reports

nfl.com
newerascouting.com

compares to

- d'brickashaw ferguson
- matt light




Jeff Otah

College: Pittsburgh
Height: 6-6
Weight: 322
40 Yrd Dash: 5.55
20 Yrd Dash: 3.10
10 Yrd Dash: 1.83
225 Lb. Bench Reps: 27
Vertical Jump: 22 1/2
Broad Jump: 08'06"
20 Yrd Shuttle:
3-Cone Drill:
Arms:
Hands:

espn.com scouting report

Strengths: Is a massive, mauling right tackle type. Has a huge frame with very long arms (35.3 inches). Not a great athlete but does play with good balance. He has a massive base. Will get low and uproot DL. Does an excellent job of anchoring versus the bull rush. Shows very good overall strength. Rarely loses a battle once he is locked on. Will drive his legs and create a new line of scrimmage as a run blocker. Still learning technique but is intelligent and continues to improve with more experience and coaching.

Weaknesses: Below average athlete. The more space he's in the less effective he becomes. Lacks ideal initial quickness out of his stance and struggles to get set in time versus speed edge rushers. Struggles to reach the second level ass a run blocker. Will have trouble hitting moving targets in space. Hands are smaller than ideal (9.2 inches).

Overall: Otah was born in Nigeria, came to the United States when he was seven years old and did not play organized football until his senior season of high school. He attended Valley Forge (Pa.) Military College in his first two years out of high school (2004-'05), making 17 consecutive starts at left tackle. He also averaged nearly 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Valley Forge basketball team. Otah transferred to Pitt in 2006 and made an immediate impact, starting all 24 games of his junior and senior seasons with the Panthers. He was an All-Big East first team selection in 2007. The Nigerian-born Otah lacks ideal playing experience and is still unpolished. While he is not a great athlete, he is not as slow as his combine workout numbers might indicate, as he participated despite an ankle injury. Otah is a massive mauler with the size, power and short-area quickness to develop into a good starting right tackle in the NFL, which is why we grade him as a mid-to-late first round prospect.

other scouting reports

nfl.com
newerascouting.com

compares to

- max starks




Devin Thomas

College: Michigan State
Height: 6-2
Weight: 215
40 Yrd Dash: 4.40
20 Yrd Dash: 2.50
10 Yrd Dash: 1.47
225 Lb. Bench Reps:
Vertical Jump: 28
Broad Jump: 10'06"
20 Yrd Shuttle: 4.26
3-Cone Drill: 7.15
Arms:
Hands:

espn.com scouting report

Strengths: Possesses adequate-to-good height with a sturdy build for a wide receiver. Very smooth and fluid. Displays outstanding hands. Can consistently catch over his head. Strong hands to pluck in traffic. Can snatch the ball on the run with very little wasted motion. Is a treat after the catch. Does not possess elite initial burst but he does display a second-gear to run away from defenders once he gets going (see 2nd quarter vs. Wisconsin). He is a silky smooth runner with excellent vision and body control. Sees the entire field and shows the change-of-direction ability to make sharp cuts without losing speed. Is strong and will drag some defenders for extra yards after the catch. Was effective in the times we saw him take hand offs in the backfield and might have a future as a kick return man in the NFL. Has bulk and strength to sustain blocks when he's in position. Also flashes a mean streak.

Weaknesses: More dangerous after the catch than he is as a vertical route runner. Lacks ideal experience at the highest collegiate level. Still needs polishing as a route runner. Rounds off many of his routes. Not crisp enough to consistently separate from tight man-to-man coverage. Needs to improve his array of release moves versus press coverage at the line of scrimmage. Takes a bit too long to reach top speed. Doesn't always sell routes on play-action runs. Can sustain his blocks once locked on but takes some poor angles and doesn't always get in good position. Effort as a blocker is inconsistent.

Overall: After proving his explosiveness and versatility by averaging 105.5 all-purpose yards at Coffeyville CC in 2005, Thomas enrolled at Michigan State. He played 10 games in his first season in East Lansing, but finished with just six receptions, 90 receiving yards and a touchdown. He broke out as a junior last season, playing in all 13 games and delivering 79 catches, eight TDs and a Big Ten-best 1,260 receiving yards for a Spartans offense that relied heavily on the run. He added 177 rushing yards on 27 carries and starred as a return man, averaging 29.1 on 39 kickoff returns. Compared to most prospects, there's very little information to go off of when evaluating Thomas. He only played one year at the FBS level and, as an underclassman entry, he was not able to compete in a post-season all-star game. His inexperience and lack of exposure naturally creates some doubt. However, the more film we study of Thomas the more impressed we are with his overall physical tools. He possesses the size, athleticism and hands of a future starter in the NFL, which is why we graded Thomas out in the second round. He will fit best in a West Coast system, where his run-after-catch ability will be maximized.

other scouting reports

nfl.com
newerascouting.com

compares to

- koren robinson
- dwayne bowe

2008 Draft Preview

for eagles fandom, i think the upcoming draft represents a greater unknown than almost any other draft during the andy reid era. by this time in the offseason, fan and radio speculation has typically converged on specific players or positions that they are sure the eagles need to draft. not so much this season. to be sure, the constant whining about the wideout position is there, but with the lack of true gamebreakers in the wideout draft pool this season, it's more of a low simmer than the violent boil it usually it around this time of year.

one big reason is probably the uncertainty around lito sheppard's status, which likely directly impacts where the birds will be drafting. just like everyone else in town, i think lito is going to be traded. for what i'm not so sure. the birds likely don't want any more draft picks -- already having 11 for this year's draft -- so trading him for another player or better picks is probably what they're trying to do. i don't think they're going to get the first round pick they seem to want for him because of his salary demands, but i'm sure they're going to try. one thing i'd like to consider is trading him for a first rounder in next year's draft. next year's pick is worth less than this year's pick so more teams may be open to it, and many of the teams that are likely to need lito will have a better pick than the eagles in next year's draft.

another reason is that while the birds can definitely improve their depth, they're solid or better at almost every position on the field. really.

QB - mcnabb
RB - westbrook
FB - klecko?
TE - smith
WR - brown, curtis
T - thomas, runyan
G - andrews, herremans
C - jackson

DE - cole, abiamiri
DT - patterson, bunkley
OLB - gaither, gocong
MLB - bradley
S - dawkins, mikell
CB - samuel, brown

it would definitely be nice if the eagles can upgrade their wideout corps, but i don't think the draft is the place to do it. with a few rare exceptions, it takes wideouts a long time to adjust to the pro game, and that isn't what this team needs. they need players who may be lower ceiling but who can make an impact quickly -- especially on special teams.

my sense is that the eagles are going "all-in". they're making a push this season and it probably will determine whether it's mcnabb's last with the team. i haven't heard anyone talking about it, but their attempts to sign randy moss and trade for larry fitzgerald indicate to me that they think this team is ready to contend for a championship. they view WR as one of the last pieces to the puzzle, not one of the first, and their flirtations at bringing in a big-time wideout indicate to me that they think they're just about there. it all depends on mcnabb's health really.

as far as draft needs, they need immediate help on special teams -- coverage and return -- so some of the draft hopefully addresses those areas. they also need some heir apparents to brian dawkins and john runyan/tra thomas (depending on where andrews ends up) and depth at DT, RB, and CB (if lito gets traded or holds out).