PhillySportsline – Eagles Draft Report Card
…And let the children come to me…
After watching the Eagles fiddle with free agency for the first three
months into the off-season, it became apparent that their main avenue of resupply
the roster with impact players and who make a difference would not leave the
lineups of other teams, but from the draft.
That strategy, which has been the cornerstone of the Andy Reid era (with the
notable exception of 2004, of course, namely Terrell Owens and Jevon Kearse), has
worked fine.
Until last year, that is.
You’d think a 6-10 season would scare the Eagles out of bowing too
heavily on untested rookies and sophomores, as they did last year. One
I would think that if the Eagles wanted to turn things around quickly, they would have
done in free agency, with players who are ready to play right away.
But that’s not Reid’s style. Reid likes to go with the children. And, to tell the truth, with the
With the exception of 2005, his strategy has worked.
So with a 6-10 record, this year’s draft was Reid’s biggest since his first draft.
as head coach of the Eagles in 1999. The good news is that this appears to be his
best eraser At least, its best draft to the extent that it can be seen when no one has
tied in a single pad or put on a fringe of uniform still.
With that, let’s take a look at the kids who will be trying to get the Eagles out of
the deep hole they’ve dug for themselves in the NFC East…
Mark Constant – Grade B
OK, I really like the first pick the Eagles made on Broderick Bunkley. he seems
be what Corey Simon was six years ago… same school, similar size and similar
explosiveness. The selection was an absolute no-brainer.
Getting Winston Justice in the second round seems like a steal, but why was this guy there?
Are you still around 39? Would there have been at 45, the second-round starting pick that
had? Justice have had some issues off the pitch and some teams weren’t impressed
with him during the interview process. As of now, I think Justice was a good choice.
because he is a talented and HUGE man.
Not only that, the writing of Justice and Bunkley made veterans Hollis Thomas and Artis
Expandable hicks.
In the third round, the Eagles selected 1-AA phenom Chris Gocong.
1-AA Phenomenon. I just wanted to mention that part again.
Gocong had 23 ½ sacks last year in DE, but the Eagles feel he’s athletic
enough to switch to OLB and challenge Dhani Jones for that position.
With two fourth-round picks, the Eagles selected OG Max Jean Giles and WR Jason
Before. The best I can hope for from these two is that they are useful backups if
I need them Giles may have a chance to fight for a prominent spot, depending on
Where does Justice play this year? Before he will be our #5 receiver and will contribute in
special teams too, which in turn means goodbye to Billy McMullen and probably
Darnerian McCants too.
Jeremy Bloom in the fifth round is a pick I’m smitten with. even though he has
He hasn’t played for two years, he’s a very explosive player and he’s going to have an immediate impact
our special teams I’m not so sure that Omar Gaither and LaJuan Ramsey do the
team, but at that point in the draft, I guess you just go with the best player available.
In general, I am satisfied with the draft. I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t
addressing the secondary at all considering both starting safeties are free agents in
the end of this year, but overall it was a solid draft.
John Stolnis – Grade B+
Round one: Call it a gift from above, but Brodrick Bunkley, the athletic manager of
Florida St. was supposed to be gone by the time the Eagles picked. But why
Buffalo caught Donte Whitner at safety with the #9 pick, Bunkley magically went down
to the Eagles at 14. It was a stroke of luck and the Eagles took advantage of it.
Round Two: It’s not in every draft that you can draft a consensus top 15 pick
Round #2, but that’s just what the Eagles got at OT Winston Justice. character
Questions caused this fall, but there is no debate about his talent. Each mock draft
on the planet had this guy as the second best offensive lineman in the draft, and
the Eagles reached 39. Just impressive.
Round three: Andy Reid likes productive college players, no matter where they play
juice. That’s why the Eagles selected Chris Gocong, the nation’s leading sacks in
OF. Of course, Gocong played in Division 1-AA, but so did Brian Westbrook. I would say that
that worked pretty well. Eagles hope Gocong can replace Dhani
Jones at OLB in 2005.
Round Four: The Eagles are getting rave reviews for their first of two fourth-rounders
picks, OG Max Jean-Giles. Most of the experts had Jean-Giles as the second round, but
once again the Eagles got a bit lucky and fell in the fourth round. he could be a
starter in 2005. With their second pick in round #4, the Birds took Michigan WR
Jason Before. Most think he has some talent, but a WR in Andy Reid’s system requires
at least two years to be productive; so don’t expect much from him in 2006.
Round five: The Eagles went with a dynamic special teams player here by selecting
Olympic skier Jeremy Bloom. He will compete with Bruce Perry to handle the kickoff and
punt return duties.
Anything after the fifth round is pointless to dissect. None of the players probably
make the team
Still, the Eagles earn high marks in their 2006 NFL Draft. And while most of the
these guys will probably become productive NFL players, how much help can they
really be in 2006? The Eagles run a complicated offensive and defensive system, and
these players will take a while to get used to it.
If the Birds expect all these guys to be impact players right away, it’s not
It will happen. Not only that, the Eagles are still woefully shorthanded at WR, and
I’m surprised they didn’t address his need for a bigger back in the draft as well.
All in all, the Eagles’ draft should be considered a success. But it remains to be
seen if his 2006 season will be as lucky.