Eagles select in SBNation writers mock draft

by JasonB on Mar 31, 2009 8:09 PM EDT in Philadelphia Eagles News

It's mock draft madness these days at BGN headquarters. Our own community draft is in full swing and at the same the third annual SBN bloggers mock draft has been underway. In that mock, each writer of the 32 SBNation football blogs act as their team's GM and make their pick.The draft is taking place at our draft site Mocking the Draft if you'd like to follow the picks.

I want to thank our own community member Clyde Simmons for playing Tom Heckert to my Andy Reid during this process. He and I have hotly debated and weighed the picks in our email warroom and collaborated on the final selections.As evidenced by his win in our draft contest last year(he predicted the pick of Mike McGlynn in round 4!), Clyde Simmons knows the draft and been a great asset.

So, if you hate the pick you can blame him as well as me!

Our first pick at #21 has been posted, and Clyde and I are currently locked in discussions over our #28 pick.

Be sure to read my defense of the pick, discuss it in the comments, and... be gentle.

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I probably would have risked it, especially considering most teams in between aren’t likely to take a RB, and if they did they would jump at Wells first. But I won’t argue with the player.

by FredEx on Mar 31, 2009 8:18 PM EDT reply actions

That’s really what it came down to. As I said in the explanation, the Eagles probably would have traded down and tried to get more “value” that way… but for the purposes of this mock we just wanted the player we wanted. It was that simple.

Bleeding Green Nation - Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Mar 31, 2009 8:29 PM EDT up reply actions

What a reach

but i guess it is a good pick. You two just fell into the trap of drafting for need over talent but I guess it happens.

by homestar2281 on Mar 31, 2009 8:27 PM EDT reply actions

makes sense to me

I understand it’s generally smart to take the best player and get the most bang for your buck, but the eagles literally have no one (might as well, anyways) to back up westbrook that has shown they can do it, and westbrook goes down with an injury pretty frequently. I think the eagles need to get a back that will be able to be the next westbrook (or fill his role), and if they need to reach to do it, so be it.

by eagleyosh on Mar 31, 2009 8:32 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree that after westbrook we have less than nothing

but we could have easily drafted brown 7 picks later and with this one picked a player that was higher rated.

by homestar2281 on Mar 31, 2009 9:33 PM EDT up reply actions

i can see that

i honestly don’t know much about the players and their respective values. if you could get the guy lower, it would make sense, but there is the risk that you then don’t get him and don’t fill a real need. also, based on the analysis it sounds like they considered that it was a reach, but since there is no trading down in this draft it wasn’t an option.

by eagleyosh on Mar 31, 2009 11:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t disagree at all. Brown’s a guy who’s getting a lot of looks late in the 1st. Could he possibly be there at 28? Yeah. But the Eagles aren’t afraid to reach, and if Knowshown is gone @ 21 I think Brown could be the guy.

by wildcatlh on Mar 31, 2009 8:34 PM EDT reply actions

This is true, and if someone would have ‘reached’ for Forte last year, no one would be criticizing them after how it turned out.

by FredEx on Mar 31, 2009 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions

Everyone called the Titans pick of Chris Johnson a big reach… no one is now.

What it comes down to is whether the guy can play or not.

Bleeding Green Nation - Philadelphia Eagles Blog

by JasonB on Mar 31, 2009 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions

100% exactly what I was going to say

Great minds think alike!

by cwel87 on Mar 31, 2009 9:39 PM EDT up reply actions

need a tissue ?

"I think pro athletes should be forced to use steroids. I think we as fans deserve the greatest athletes science can create."- Daniel Tosh

Crabtree ! Crabtree ! Crabtree ! -NPK

by NorthPhillyKid on Mar 31, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Hidden Message?

I noticed that over on the SB Nation site our pick is listed as No. 20 instead of 21. Is this a secret shout out to our beloved and departed #20? A classy hidden goodbye to a classy hero of teams past? Or maybe just a mundane typo…

by AATG on Mar 31, 2009 9:41 PM EDT reply actions

Mundane typo. Very embarassing.

by Dan Kadar on Apr 1, 2009 8:26 AM EDT up reply actions

I would really like to get Pettigrew at 21, it’s a shame that we have absolutely no clue since Big Red is so hard to read. I wouldn’t be mad if we used the 21st overall pick on Brown, but I just personally would rather go for Pettigrew and try to mold him into a monster TE comparable to the TE’s of the other NFC East teams. I mean seriously, Boss, Cooley, and Witten are such awesome weapons.

"Nobody in football should be called a genius. A genius is a guy like Norman Einstein." -Joe Theismann

by southjersey89 on Mar 31, 2009 10:08 PM EDT reply actions

Yeah, I want Pettigrew and ...

… one of the backs. I think this pick was well reasoned out, and if the Birds have a first-round grade on the guy, it doesn’t matter what the pundits think. It only matters if they thought they could trade back and still land the player they really covet.

I don’t mind them going OL at some point, but I’d prefer RB/TE (even though I usually say don’t draft for need).

I would be OK with the RB we really want at 21.

Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome

by D3Keith on Apr 1, 2009 2:45 AM EDT up reply actions

Remember that..

Witten was a 3rd round pick (#69 overall)
Boss was a 5th round pick (#153 overall)
Cooley was a 3rd round pick (#81 overall)

There’s TE talent to be found in the middle rounds of this draft.

by wildcatlh on Apr 1, 2009 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

Brown

This guy put up 2,000+ yards in an offense where passing was a joke. Yes it was UConn but he saw nothing but 8 and 9 men in the box. I like this pick – it’d be great if we could get him later but I think he’s the best fit for our offense (except for Moreno who was off the board).

by ajay on Mar 31, 2009 10:48 PM EDT reply actions

Live Action

I watched this guy vs. Temple at the Link this past year and he really ran well, with great power and vision. I know rushing for 170+ or whatever he ran that day vs. Temple isn’t a huge accomplishment with the defense Temple had, but he ran all over a team he should have. I really like the pick, way to go Commish.

by Ettore on Mar 31, 2009 10:59 PM EDT reply actions

I ran for 170 yards against Temple

Just kidding, but I get your point ;-)

by ajay on Mar 31, 2009 11:32 PM EDT up reply actions

Ya great pick I am still hoping for Moreno in the draft but if the Eagles walk away from day 1 with either of those guys I will be happy. Brown is an amazing back who would fit into our system nicely.

by IgglesFanDeployd on Apr 1, 2009 2:35 AM EDT reply actions

another reason to like the pick

if you have brown and wells on the board and assume the 1 serious threat to take a RB between our 2 picks is AZ, i don’t think brown is there at 28. If I am AZ I look at the fact I have Hightower who is a lot in style like Wells, why would i pick Wells if i truly was looking for a second back to compliment Hightower, and to take edgerrin james’ place when i offload him

by 0sirys on Apr 1, 2009 7:48 AM EDT reply actions

i guess ur assuming

that AZ trades up from #31 with someone who is between #22 and #28

by BadCo'09 on Apr 1, 2009 1:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Get out of my head!

I could certainly see value in taking Davis or even Harvin at that spot with both Wells and Brown still available, but I can’t argue with your reasoning.

by Tracer Bullet on Apr 1, 2009 8:49 AM EDT reply actions