Eagles 2010 Draft Class Faces Make It Or Break It Year (Part 3)

See part 1 and part 2 of this series here and here. I would say that of all the guys in the Eagles 2010 draft class, that Nate Allen has played at the highest level. Problem is, he hasn't done it with a lot of consistency. Sometimes his play has dropped off and other times he's not been healthy. So you could argue that the two most productive players the Eagles picked in 2010, in terms of games/snaps played have been 7th rounders Jamar Chaney and Kurt Coleman. This is not to say they've always been good, but they've been playing and starting, which for 7th round picks is pretty impressive.

Now you might argue that with guys like Jarrad Page and Omar Gaither as their main competition, the level of difficulty in earning a starting job wasn't terribly high for these guys and that may be true. But this year, the stakes have been raised and both guys really face make it or break it seasons.

Jamar Chaney, LB - Jamar has far more competition than Coleman at this point. He could play either MIKE or WILL and has competition at both. At MIKE, he really only has a shot at a backup gig with DeMeco Ryans now in town. At the WILL side, he'll likely be in a 3 way battle with Casey Matthews and Brian Rolle for a starting gig. His versatility could certainly win him a job as backup to all three spots, but that really represents a step back for Chaney. This is a guy who has started as many games as Matthews and Rolle combined. If he now falls behind them on the depth chart, the Eagles could very well look for someone with more potential next season (or earlier) to fill out the depth chart.

Kurt Coleman, S - Unlike Chaney, Coleman has a good grip on a starting job heading into training camp. The question is whether he can hold it. Jaiquwan Jarrett didn't do much last season, but with a full offseason here he's going to be coming after Coleman's job. And as a second round pick, whether the team wants to admit it or not, there probably will be a little bias in his favor. After all, your 2nd round pick should outplay your 7th rounder right?

So it's really up to Coleman to make this job his own this season. If he doesn't, the team could certainly toss Jarrett into the fire to see what he's got and they definitely could spend another high pick or sign a free agent next year to try and solve the position once and for all. This year, Kurt Coleman "playing pretty well for a 7th round pick" is enough to earn him a starting job heading into camp. Next year, it won't be. After your 3rd year, your expectations aren't tied to your draft spot the same way they are after years 1 and 2. You can either play or you can't.