For most American Football fans the Draft is a big deal. Fresh blood coming out College Football can be a catalyst for a team success over the following season(s). Get it right, and there are only a few teams who get it constantly right, and your franchise goes from strength to strength. Get it wrong and your team will be in the doldrums for years. The great thing with the NFL Draft is that the worst teams get first pick and the best teams pick last. This is a great leveller. But the art is in spotting talent, maximising potential and delivering beyond expectation. The teams who are constantly amongst the best, are the teams who manage to make the most out of their draft picks, irrespective of what position they are picking from. In recent times.
The New England Patriots have lead the way with consistent success on the field season after season, despite each year having a handicap in the draft. The Philadelphia Eagles under Andy Reid and Joe Banner have a good record of finding talent right down to the bottom of the draft. But they have also had a few busts in the first round. Dave Spudaro, at philadelphiaeagles.com has the low down on the first round hits and misses here.
The Eagles needs this year would appear to be OT RB TE and WR. Speculation has the Eagles pursuing Chad Johnson in a move which could give an already strong WR core a significant shot in the arm. However there are plenty of WRs in the draft. So as always the Eagles have plenty of options. Add in the fact that the Eagles are swimming in draft picks this year and a deal for Johnson is not beyond the realms of possibility. But getting Johnson can’t stuff the rest of their draft plans by paying too high a price. The other needs at OT, RB and TE are probably a bigger need right now and probably in that order.
The mock drafts have the Eagles picking a variety RBs OTs and TEs with the 21st and 28th pick of the draft. Mock Draft Tracker. Now I have never got into college football so I am now expert on college talent. but here is my take on three of those potential players the Eagles could pick.
Running Back:
Knowshon Moreno RB 5’11” 217 Georgia, gives the Eagles a mountain of options with his elusive running style and as an excellent receiver too.
Tightend:
Brandon Pettigrew TE 6’5″ 263 Oklahoma State is probably the player I would prioritise who seems to stand apart from the rest of the TE pack.
Offensive Tackle/Guard
Michael Oher OG 6’5″ 309 Mississippi is a very capable player who would help our running game enormously. I expect Andy Reid to be addressing this need first judging by past form.
But as always this is just a bit of fun as there are 20 picks before the Eagles get their first pick so a lot could happen. I am confident that the Eagles team will pick the best available talent on the board. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Eagles trade up or out of the first round altogether. Who know’s. That’s what makes the draft an event in it’s own right.