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With the 136th pick in the 2013 NFL draft, the Philadelphia Eagles have selected safety Earl Wolff from NC State.
Wolff is an athletic 5-11, 209lb safety who racked up 119 tackles, 2 INTs and 8 passes broken up in his senior season. He's not big, but is well built and ran an impressive 4.4 40 at the combine. He's drawn comparisons to former Dolphin Yeremiah Bell.
Here's a snapshot of him from NFL.com
Solidly built defender able to make plays against the run and pass. Physical tackler coming downhill to attack ballcarriers, not afraid to bring intensity to the stop. Diagnoses and attacks. Breaks down quickly and wraps up the legs of receivers effectively to bring them down quickly after the catch. Uses relentless hustle to reach plays, even if on the opposite sideline. Flashes quickness to move from two-deep to a single-high look after the snap, as well as pick up vertical routes and stay with receivers in deep coverage. Displays sound footwork and technique in coverage. Aware zone defender who watches the quarterback and keeps an eye out for targets in his area. Has physical nature and athleticism to contribute on special teams immediately.
The concerns are that he's not particularly tall and can tend to leave his feet at times in tackles. That leads to big hits sometimes, but it can also allow smart RBs to run through as well. That will have to be cleaned up at the NFL level, but the good thing is that he displays good form the majority of the time.
NC State coach Tom O'Brien referred to Wolff as the "heart" of his defense. So the Eagles are getting yet another player in this draft known as a leader.
Mike's Take: Good player, had him as a 6th-7th. He's a very good hitter and is very vocal. He can play either spot. Has 6 career INTs and 8 FFs. Loves attacking the ball. You guys will love him. He’s a true leader. I would not be surprised if he beats out Chung in 2014. He will be a very good ST guy and solid back up this year. We talked about the depth of the defense in this draft. Wolff is real proof of that.