There has been a lot of talk over the past few weeks about who will be declaring for this year's supplemental draft because, let's face it, what else are football writers going to talk about this time of year? Soccer? Anyway, while the Eagles haven't been mentioned directly with any of the following players, they have drawn significant interest from several NFL teams, so there's a good chance that Andy Reid and company are paying close attention to this year's crop of college cast-outs.
For those of you that don't know how the supplemental draft works (I didn't until last year), players who are not eligible to declare for the NFL Draft due to academic or disciplinary matters may enter the supplemental draft pool. Teams can then bid on the players using their draft picks from the following season. Priority for each team is pre-determined based on 2009 records. The team who offers the highest pick earns the rights to the player. Usually, only one player gets chosen each year, but some choices have panned out nicely, such as Ravens OT Jared Gaither and Chargers/Broncos DT Jamal Williams. Most recently, the Redskins selected DE Jeremy Jarmon with a 3rd round pick in last year's supplemental draft, but Jarmon has yet to garner much playing time so the jury's still out on him.
So, will anyone be worth an Eagles draft pick this year? Let's take a look at who's available:
Harvey Unga - RB/FB, Brigham Young
Easily the most sought-after prospect in this year's supplemental draft, the former BYU star is expected to have more than 20 NFL teams attend his pro day workout on July 8th. During his four years as a Cougar, Unga racked up 3,455 yards on the ground, averaging 4.9 yards per carry to become the school's all-time leading rusher. He displayed nice hands out of the backfield and a bruising running style that could translate to either the halfback or fullback position at the pro level.
Vanness Emokpae - FB, Truman State
Listed as a receiver at Truman State, the 6'1" 240 lb Emokpae has played at nearly half the positions on the team (including wildcat QB, kickoff returner, and even punter), but projects to be a fullback or H-back at the pro level. He has already been contacted by 25 different teams to schedule a workout, but will likely only garner a seventh round pick.
Joshua Price-Brent - DT, Illinois
The 6'2" 330 lb Illinois defender was ranked as a top 150 player in this year's draft pool, but was declared academically ineligible and therefore barred from entering the draft. During his senior year, Price-Brent accumulated 29 tackles and three sacks while starting all twelve games. He could garner a fourth or fifth round pick from teams willing to take a chance on him, but be warned: he has a history of disciplinary problems and a DUI to boot.
Jeremiah Masoli - QB, Oregon
The former Oregon quarterback was kicked off the team recently after pleading guilty of burglary and received twelve months probation. During his two seasons with the team, though, he presented a dual threat by throwing for 3,891 yards and 28 touchdowns with 11 interceptions and rushing for 1,386 yards and 23 touchdowns. No word yet on whether Masoli is officially declaring, however. He still has one year of eligibility left and could opt to transfer to a division 1-AA school.