Rd 1 Draft Talk Thread

[Rey]

Very late to the Day 3 party as we had a company outing all day. Sooooo, I've done a bunch of game tape this morning on one of the guys we drafted yesterday ... DE Shareef Miller. I had heard the name, but that's as far as it went; I had done zero game tape watching of him. Now, after catching up and familiarizing myself with him, I can absolutely see why the Eagles were high on him. First the negative ... he needs to get stronger; both in the lower body with thinner legs than I would like to see in a starting caliber DLineman and in the upper body as well (although not as important - see Jared Allen). The positives however, I see a bunch ... for starters, his arm/hand use (vice grips) is pro ready! He's a natural at avoiding blocks by using his Left Tackle arm-length to rip, shed and keep Olinemen away from his body. He then uses good bend and excellent speed for his size to attack. He's also really good at setting the edge ... he has really good feel for leaning on the linemen enough where he doesn't get held up and can still disengage to make the stop. For a kid with skinnier legs than you'd like to see ... he's still really effective against the run. That plays really well into him finding his role on this team ... he's not just a speed rusher. Get this kid in the weight room and pack on another 8-10 lbs of muscle (especially in those legs) and I see a future starter. I like him a lot more than I do last year's 4th rounder DE pick Josh Sweat. Sweat is a phenomenal athlete, but Miller has him beat in snap anticipation (which Sweat has very little of), counter moves (which Sweat has little of) and ability to stay clean and make plays.

Next on the docket: QB Clayton Thorson film

 

[Iggloo]

I feel a little better about our draft now that I see some of the UDFA LBs they brought in. Some of those guys might make the team.

TJ Edwards of Wisconsin was pretty productive in college and only runs a 4.7 40, but might be an early down MLB, which is all we use anyway.

Joey Alfieri of Stanford on the other hand was only so-so as a collegian, but he ran a 4.49 40 at OLB and might be a late bloomer.

We also brought in a ton of UDFA offensive linemen, mostly guards--from Nate Herbig of Stanford, a big but unathletic guard, to some very athletic kid out of Weber State that used to play d line and has switched to offense.

 

[Rey]

I feel a little better about our draft now that I see some of the UDFA LBs they brought in. Some of those guys might make the team.

TJ Edwards of Wisconsin was pretty productive in college and only runs a 4.7 40, but might be an early down MLB, which is all we use anyway.

This fits the "type" that the Eagles look for lately in a LB. Smart, shifty with good instincts and cover ability. Edwards fits that criteria to a T; I thought he would be a 4th or 5th, so getting him as a FA works for me. I think he has a great shot of making the team and fitting right into the rotation. Not really excited about any of the other FA's. but that's ok ... our squad is pretty set for the season. Our DL should be one of the best out there and we play 3 Safety sets quite often, so LB was never a high priority. Edwards is actually a better player than I thought we would end up with at Backer in this draft.

 

[Iggloo]

I am surprised about the lack of a safety drafted. Maybe they are going to play Maddox at safety, or something.

 

[Rey]

I am surprised about the lack of a safety drafted. Maybe they are going to play Maddox at safety, or something.

I think you hit the nail on the head. I think either Douglas or Maddox will be used in that 4th Safety spot, but I think the Eagles are set in their top 3 of Jenkins, McLeod and Sendejo. Listening to Howie, I think they have high hopes for a healthy Sidney Jones ... plus we have Mills back, re-signed Darby and possibly have a slot gem in LeBlanc; so they can afford to use Maddox/Douglas as part time Safety's.

 

[Premium]

I think you hit the nail on the head. I think either Douglas or Maddox will be used in that 4th Safety spot, but I think the Eagles are set in their top 3 of Jenkins, McLeod and Sendejo. Listening to Howie, I think they have high hopes for a healthy Sidney Jones ... plus we have Mills back, re-signed Darby and possibly have a slot gem in LeBlanc; so they can afford to use Maddox/Douglas as part time Safety's.

Yep that is 9 DBs so adding a draft pick would have meant cutting one of these. Perhaps the long term plan is Maddox as the McCleod or Jenkins replacement? Makes sense. DBs are DBs. The in the box Safety that is half linebacker is a relic of the past.

 

[Taddy Mason]

I am surprised about the lack of a safety drafted. Maybe they are going to play Maddox at safety, or something.

judging by how long teams waited to take the majority of them, I imagine they felt it was a weak draft for the position.

 

[Screamin Eagle]

I am surprised about the lack of a safety drafted. Maybe they are going to play Maddox at safety, or something.

Me as well. I had S as a priority. The back end clearly is a soft spot.

 

[old duke]

I think Maddox will be what we had in mind with Chauncey. A CB/FS. LeBlanc definitely showed a lot of potential. A little surprising to many - we have a very good stable of DB's, perhaps no All-Pro's except for Malcolm, but the rest do have game.

 

[old duke]

judging by how long teams waited to take the majority of them, I imagine they felt it was a weak draft for the position.

I actually liked the safety crop. We just didn't like them enough when we had a pick, due to having only 5 picks. Next year, I see a lot of picks at most positions. we'l probably have about 10 or more.

 

[Iggloo]

I think Sidney Jones might be a bust personally, but I like how some of the other young guys are coming along. Hopefully Jones is better another year removed from injury. I think he lost his swagger as a player.

 

[Taz]

Very late to the Day 3 party as we had a company outing all day. Sooooo, I've done a bunch of game tape this morning on one of the guys we drafted yesterday ... DE Shareef Miller. I had heard the name, but that's as far as it went; I had done zero game tape watching of him. Now, after catching up and familiarizing myself with him, I can absolutely see why the Eagles were high on him. First the negative ... he needs to get stronger; both in the lower body with thinner legs than I would like to see in a starting caliber DLineman and in the upper body as well (although not as important - see Jared Allen). The positives however, I see a bunch ... for starters, his arm/hand use (vice grips) is pro ready! He's a natural at avoiding blocks by using his Left Tackle arm-length to rip, shed and keep Olinemen away from his body. He then uses good bend and excellent speed for his size to attack. He's also really good at setting the edge ... he has really good feel for leaning on the linemen enough where he doesn't get held up and can still disengage to make the stop. For a kid with skinnier legs than you'd like to see ... he's still really effective against the run. That plays really well into him finding his role on this team ... he's not just a speed rusher. Get this kid in the weight room and pack on another 8-10 lbs of muscle (especially in those legs) and I see a future starter. I like him a lot more than I do last year's 4th rounder DE pick Josh Sweat. Sweat is a phenomenal athlete, but Miller has him beat in snap anticipation (which Sweat has very little of), counter moves (which Sweat has little of) and ability to stay clean and make plays.

Next on the docket: QB Clayton Thorson film

Rey, I have watched Miller his whole career at Penn State and you have a pretty good feel for him. The thing I wills say is he just turned 21 so he has time to get bigger and I do agree he needs to refine his body more. I have no doubt he will.

 

[mcnabb7542]

I think Sidney Jones might be a bust personally, but I like how some of the other young guys are coming along. Hopefully Jones is better another year removed from injury. I think he lost his swagger as a player.

Yeah Im starting to question it as well, ( and I'm a Washington homer that loved this kid)
I question his mental toughness if can play through some of these injuries

 

[Northern Eagle]

I think Sidney Jones might be a bust personally, but I like how some of the other young guys are coming along. Hopefully Jones is better another year removed from injury. I think he lost his swagger as a player.

He played half the year on a busted hamstring - he needs another year to show what he can do so we'll see this season. When he was healthy early in the season he was pretty good in spurts.

 

[Northern Eagle]

Darby and Mills will likely end up being the starters again, but Mills has legit competition this year and his spot more than anyone could be up for grabs... If LeBlanc goes to camp and proves last year's run wasn't a fluke, he's a lock to start the slot. He and Maddox were two of our better defenders, regardless of position, late last season.

I think they like Douglas at outside Corner only and Maddox is the Jack-of-all-Trades who will bounce around all over the place. I would like to see Sidney earn a spot on the outside, he had to learn the slot last off-season out of necessity but I think his more natural position is on the outside.

This group more than any on the team is the most wide open for competition, I'm excited to see who emerges when it's all said and done.