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A little over a year ago, the Eagles made a Day 3 deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars to jump the Oakland Raiders and selected USC quarterback Matt Barkley. The popular college passer was projected as an early-round pick but slid as the NFL questioned his shoulder injury and prospects at the next level. The Eagles were the first team to pounce on Barkley, despite the perception that the Eagles wanted athletic passers with speed.
The Eagles passed on the likes of E.J. Manuel and Geno Smith (twice) before selecting the pocket passer. This caused a sense of disbelief among analysts and most national media members still apparently don't believe it happened. The pick went against the norm from an outside perspective, but Kelly clearly loved him enough to make him the first quarterback that he ever drafted.
This year, a quarterback is probably less likely but there are other perceptions that could become misconceptions after this weekend. The Eagles could pull the trigger on a quarterback, they could take a smaller cornerback or they could even take a kid with serious off-the-field issues. Remember, this only Year 2 of the "Chip Kelly Era." While we like to think we know the guy, it doesn't mean he is ready to reveal all his cards.
Part of Kelly's appeal is that he is a wild card and Howie Roseman has never met a deal that he was afraid of in the heat of the moment. The truth is that the only thing that's for sure is that nothing is for sure with the Eagles. This team could deal a player (Nick Foles) that you didn't expect or they could trade for a talented player that no one knew was on the block (#NnamdiSilence). With the Eagles, anything is possible.
Who will be the shocker in this one? Will the Eagles pull off the Dion Jordan trade? Will Chip Kelly play Metalica's "Seek and Destroy" as he walks to the podium to discuss the team's first round pick? We won't know the answers until the end of the weekend, but one thing is certain, we are hours away from SHOWTIME folks!