Draft Grades: Eagles

I was shocked when the Eagles selected Jeremy Maclin for a couple of reasons. First, he's too similar to DeSean Jackson. Maclin is a little bigger than Jackson, but just as soft. He also isn't going to make a significant impact while McNabb is still in Philly. The Eagles have a closing window of opportunity to win a Super Bowl and selecting a receiver in the 1st round isn't going to help much. There were other players available that would have made a more immediate impact.

LeSean McCoy was an excellent 2nd-round selection. I think there's a significant difference between him and the three 1st-round running backs, but he can still get the job done. He's an excellent receiver and will be able to take some of the load off Brian Westbrook's shoulders.

Cornelius Ingram was a steal in the 5th round. He's a major injury risk, but he has a tremendous upside. If healthy, he could start for them as early as this year.

Macho Harris is a little overrated because of his collegiate success but he had good value in the 5th round. He isn't a future starter, but he'll add to their depth and should contribute on special teams.

I love the selection of Brandon Gibson. He doesn't have elite speed but he has great hands and is an excellent route runner. He may actually be able to contribute more right away than Maclin.

Paul Fanaika is an unimpressive lineman with little upside. However, the Eagles do need depth at guard and there wasn't much else available in the 7th round.

Moise Fokuo will compete for the backup job at strong-side linebacker. He doesn't have much upside but could be an adequate backup.

Overall the Eagles had a decent draft, but they didn't get much in term of immediate impact players. McCoy and Ingram should see playing time right away and Maclin will contribute on special teams, but its possible that none of them crack the starting lineup. The impact of this draft class won't be felt until a few years down the road, which was a curious decision by the Eagles who hope to compete for a Championship in 2009.

Grade: B

Draft Class: Running Backs

Yesterday I went through my list of the top 10 quarterback prospects. Today its time for the running backs.

Chris Wells tops my draft board, and it's an easy decision. No other play in the draft has his combination of size, speed and athleticism. He has the same potential as recent top-10 picks Adrian Peterson and Darren McFadden, but injury concerns will likely cause teams to pass over him early in round one.

Donald Brown, who has steadily risen up the draft board, is number two on my board. It was a tough decision to move him ahead of Knowshon Moreno, but in the end I would be more comfortable making Brown a feature back in my offense. He's every bit as athletic as Moreno and I love his work ethic. He's a coaches dream, which could easily cause some team to fall in love with him and select him higher than expected.

Moreno is the third running back on the board, receiving a late 1st-round grade. I rate him slightly lower than Brown only because of Brown's exceptional work ethic and attitude. That isn't to say that Moreno has character concerns by any means, its simply a reflection of Brown's willingness to go above and beyond what is expected of him. Moreno is an elite athlete, but I have questions about his toughness. He isn't the type that can run between the tackles, meaning he needs to be paired with another bigger, stronger running back to be truly effective.

LeSean McCoy ranks 4th on my board, receiving an early 2nd-round grade. I like McCoy, but I'm concerned about his running style. A bit reckless and I wonder how he'll hold up at the next level. His instincts aren't great and he doesn't always hit holes as they open up. I would have liked to see him stay in school for at least another year to work on that. He's worth a second round pick, but I don't think he'll be a Matt Forte-like prospect that steps in and makes an immediate impact.

Andre Brown ranks 5th and receives a 3rd-round grade. Brown has risen up the board this offseason, to the point where I feel he is now overrated. He has an NFL body but there are serious injury concerns. I don't see him as the type that can carry the load at the next level. However, if paired with a more athletic outside runner (a Knowshon Moreno, for example) he could be a nice complimentary back.

Also receiving a 3rd-round grade is Shonn Greene. This past season for the Hawkeyes Greene played like a 1st rounder. He's a power runner that builds up a head of steam and is tough to bring down. However, I have concerns about the fact that he only played one year at the D-I level and is already 24. The fact that we haven't really seen a full body of work from him gives me hesitation and I would prefer to wait until the 3rd-round to select him where I would be satisfied if all he turns out to be is an adquate backup.

I gave Rashad Jennings a 3rd-round grade for similar reasons as Greene. Coming from an FCS program, we haven't seen what Jennings can do against top competition. We know he has the size to take his game to the next level, but will he still be a force when going up against bigger defenders. Ultimately I think the answer is no, but I would be willing to take a chance on him in the late 3rd-round.

Jeremiah Johnson intrigues me. He's undersized but he was nothing but productive when on the field in 2008. Durability is an issue, but I would be willing to take a chance in the late 3rd-round. He could be a nice backup at the next level.

Gartrell Johnson receives a 4th-round grade, but I think he's one of the top sleepers in this draft class. He's an absolute beast with the football in his hands. He's a powerful downhill runner and actually has more speed on the field that you'd expect from his forty time. He probably isn't going to be a starter in the NFL, but he'll find a place a short-yardage back and could be the type of touchdown vulture that makes a big impact in fantasy leagues.

Rounding out my top 10 is Javon Ringer. Early in the 2008 season Ringer was taking full advantage of his first year as the full-time starter and looked like a potential 1st-round pick. However, he came down to earth when matched up against legitimate collegiate defenses such as Penn State and Ohio State and his stock took a nose dive. Ringer can be productive, but he simply doesn't have the build to be a starter at the next level. He likes to run between the tackles, but his frame simply won't hold up with that type of pounding in the NFL.

So there you go... my top 10 running backs fo 2009.

Bengals Want A Running Back

The Bengals are showing a clear interest in running backs this offseason, and could be targeting one with their second-round pick. The Bengals have either met with, or will be meeting with, Chris Wells, Donald Brown, Rashad Jennings and LeSean McCoy.

While the Bengals are clearly doing their homework, Donald Brown appears to be the favorite and the mostly likely be available and worthy of their 2nd-round selection. The Bengals have reportedly mentioned him as a player they have been impressed with and will strongly consider selecting him 38th overall selection.

Brown's stock is rising, however, as he has/will meet with the Chargers, Eagles and Jets as well. Its possible that he could come off the board in the late first round.