Did the Eagles make a mistake in Round 1?

Did the Eagles make a mistake in Round 1 of the 2017 NFL Draft?

In short: No.

Former NFL defensive end Stephen White is very enthusiastic about Barnett:  http://www.sbnation.com/2017/4/5/15073514/derek-barnett-scouting-report-2017-nfl-draft

I also like what I see from his piece in the Players' Tribune, though that's mostly just a marketing opportunity for players and their agents. I do like the creativity and the good writing in the piece, though; these speak well to Barnett's intelligence, which certainly can't hurt as he tries to make a name for himself at the NFL level: https://www.theplayerstribune.com/derek-barnett-nfl-draft-cover-letter/

His production and game tape speak for themselves, and his Combine didn't show special athleticism...but he was sick with the flu during that week. Imagine running football drills while you have the flu!!! That tells me that he's a competitor and a grinder, and the game tape shows me that even Alabama respects his abilities as a run defender--and Barnett even got a sack against a mobile QB on the well-coached Alabama offense!

So, in short...the Eagles picked a productive player who is likely to excel after a couple of years. And, since pass-rushers are so valuable, this is a good pick at an important position. They can find good corners elsewhere in the draft, but they can't get such productive and impactful defensive ends later.

I'm confident that the Eagles did the right thing.

Welcome to Philly, Derek!

Should the Eagles pick Gareon Conley at #14 overall?

Contrary to Betteridge's Law of Headlines, I'm starting to think that the answer is "yes."

Some people would object that he's 'bad value' at 14 overall, since some "experts" are projecting that he'll be picked at the end of the first round or the beginning of the second. But check out this scout's take on Conley.

http://www.elevenwarriors.com/sites/default/files/styles/904x490/public/c/2016/09/74325_h.jpg?itok=smLMZOE9

Which WR should the Eagles draft?

Everyone talks about Western Michigan's Corey Davis, and with good reason. I like Davis' tape, work ethic, and drive to succeed! I do think Davis will be a good NFL wide receiver, and I certainly won't be upset if the Eagles draft him!

But he's not without his faults, and I don't think he's the WR that the Eagles should select--even though I think Davis is going to be very good.

I want the Eagles to pick Virginia Tech's Isaiah Ford or Penn State's Chris Godwin in Round 2-3. Here's why:

I declare victory in the media market!

Mock drafts are fun! But, as I've written before, they're nearly always wrong.

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Snubbed!

How Brian Dawkins got snubbed >:(

Former Eagles safety Brian Dawkins, a 9-time Pro Bowler, 6-time All-Pro, and member of the NFL All-Decade team (2000s), changed the game of football. Not just for the Eagles. For every team.

2017 Mock Draft...With A Twist!

Eagles' Offseason Plan for 2017

I've written before that mock drafts are worthless. And I immediately proceeded to publish a mock draft of my own—but with a twist!

Instead of the typical "Team X is going to pick Player Y," I instead listed a variety of players, at a variety of positions, that the Eagles might consider. Only then did I list the players I thought the Eagles would pick. 

Naturally, when the Eagles traded up for Carson Wentz, my entire scenario was ripped to tatters. I was upset that the Eagles spent all those picks in order to trade up for one player; a very risky move. Coach Pederson's decision to sit the rookie QB all year met with my approval. But, as it turns out, I was wrong—and I'm quite happy about that!

Despite the fact that the Eagles didn't pick a single prospect that I had suggested, I'm doubling down on it this year. I believe that my approach has the advantage of providing a more robust view of the players and the strategy, without shoehorning a particular player into a particular draft slot.

So, here goes my second annual attempt at making an offseason plan for the Eagles:

Carson Wentz wants the Eagles to pick that player...

http://www.huddleupwiththedaves.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/Carson-Wentz-2016.jpg

Why the Eagles should NOT trade for Torrey Smith

I keep seeing pleas for the Eagles to trade for Torrey Smith, apparently based on the questionable reports from ProFootballTalk ('cause, y'know, PFT totally isn't the TMZ of the NFL world). The logic is something like this: 

1) The Eagles need WRs who can catch the ball.

2) Torrey Smith is a WR. He has been known to catch the ball. Also, he is a deep threat who can stretch the field and open up opportunities underneath for players like Jordan Matthews.

3) Profit???

There's just one problem with this: Torrey Smith is not the top WR that some fans seem to believe. His only role would be as a deep threat to change defensive coverage against the Eagles; he's not much better at catching the ball than our current WRs. Yes, including Dorial Green-Beckham or Nelson Agholor (!), and I'll prove it. 

In 2014, Smith had a higher drop rate (6.5%) than rookie Jordan Matthews (5.8%), according to Football Outsiders. In 2015, Smith had a higher drop rate (4.8%) than Matthews (3.9%). In each year of Matthews' career, including so far in the 2016 season, Smith has caught fewer balls, for fewer yards, than Matthews. And Smith has caught fewer TDs, to boot, except for when he caught a ridiculous 11 TDs in 2014. 

And, according to Football Outsiders' DVOA and DYAR, Jordan Matthews and Nelson Agholor are BOTH better receivers than Torrey Smith thus far in 2016. Green-Beckham would be, too, if he caught more passes for the Eagles. Do you really want to trade a valuable draft pick for a guy who's worse by most measures than our current young receivers? Just so you can get a shiny new toy?

I wouldn't necessarily be against trading for Torrey Smith, but I would be against it if we traded premium resources for him as though he's a #1 WR--because he simply isn't one. I'm not normally a look-at-the-stats-and-forget-the-tape kind of guy, but the tape backs it up: Smith has never been a top WR. Never. And I have no reason to believe that'll change.

The only reason to trade for Torrey Smith is that he can be a decoy (who occasionally catches deep balls), which would open up space for guys like Jordan Matthews, Brent Celek, Zach Ertz (maybe) and running backs like Darren Sproles underneath. 

Torrey Smith is a role player. He is not a sure-handed receiver. He is not the solution to our receiving woes. Period.