Even though Philadelphia hasn’t been able to get over that final hump and win a Super Bowl they have been a consistently competitive team for nearly a decade. That type of sustained success is rare in today’s NFL but impressive Draft Day performances have helped Philly manage the salary cap and keep the core of their winning teams intact. Sure the Eagles have gone outside the organization to make a key acquisition from time to time, a la Asante Samuel and Jason Peters, but the vast majority of their starters are home-grown. In fact, one could make the case that Philly has found the perfect mix when it comes to utilizing the draft, free agency and trades to build their team. Were Tom Heckert and Andy Reid able to work their Draft Day magic again in 2009?
For years Donovan McNabb and Eagle fans have been clamoring for more weapons in the passing game and the Philly front office is finally giving them what they wanted. A year after stealing DeSean Jackson in round two Philadelphia traded up in the first round to land Missouri WR Jeremy Maclin, a fringe Top 10 talent who fell all the way to #19. A dynamic playmaker with good size (6-0, 198) and 4.4 speed, Maclin is a threat to take it the distance anytime from anywhere on the field. In fact, in addition to being one of the top wideouts in the ’09 Draft Maclin was arguably the premier return man available as well. However, in many ways Maclin and Jackson bring a lot of the same things to the table which has led some to question whether or not Philly might have been better off with a big, physical pass catcher such as Hakeem Nicks or Kenny Britt. Still, Maclin was a great value and certainly addressed a need so it’s hard to knock the pick. The Eagles now have two pass catchers that defenses must account for on every play and with Kevin Curtis also in the mix they have the makings of an explosive passing attack. Maclin, who came out as a redshirt sophomore, is still raw and will be brought along slowly but even though he may not rate any better than #3 or #4 on the depth chart as a rookie the Eagles will surely find ways to get the ball into his hands.
With Brian Westbrook about to turn 30-years-old and seemingly always battling injuries there was a lot of speculation that the Eagles were targeting Knowshon Moreno in the first round. Moreno ultimately came off the board before Philly ever got a shot at him but they did get a nice consolation prize in round two. Pittsburgh’s LeSean “Shady” McCoy isn’t the biggest (5-103/8, 204) or fastest (4.52) running back around but he’s a natural runner with great vision and instincts who racked up an eye-popping 2,816 yards and 35 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Panthers. In some ways McCoy is a poor-man’s Moreno and after being talked about as a potential first round pick throughout much of the process he was a very good value late in round two. A dual-threat who can hurt defenses as both a runner and receiver, McCoy will serve as Westbrook’s backup for the foreseeable future but the Eagles now have a much-needed insurance policy and capable replacement if / when the injury bug rears it’s ugly head. Philadelphia didn’t have a pick in the third or fourth round but in round five they landed a guy who many considered to be a second round value in Florida TE Cornelius Ingram. After beginning his college career as a quarterback Ingram emerged as a key cog in the Gators high-powered offense in 2007 and big things were expected of him as a senior but he wound up missing the entire 2008 season after suffering a torn left ACL in August. There were still concerns about Ingram’s knee and some speculation that he might need more surgery, which was the catalyst behind his Draft Day freefall, but in round five the potential rewards far outweighed the risks. A terrific athlete who also saw some playing time as a guard for the Gator basketball team, Ingram is a mismatch waiting to happen and while he doesn’t offer much as a blocker he is a dynamic receiving threat who in many ways is a wideout in a tight ends body. If healthy Ingram has the talent to compete with Brent Celek for the starting job but even if the Eagles have to wait a year for him to get healthy their patience could pay off in the long run.
Philadelphia had two more picks in the fifth round and they used them wisely. Next up was Virginia Tech CB Victor “Macho” Harris, a prolific college star and playmaker in the secondary with good size but just average timed speed. Harris might have been a little overhyped and overrated as a pro prospect but he represented good value at #157 overall. With that said the Eagles are pretty loaded at cornerback so even in a best-case scenario Harris will be relegated to competing with Joselio Hanson for the dime role. Philly used the last of those three fifth rounders to bolster their offensive line depth with Oregon’s Fenuki Toupu. A big (6-53/8, 314), physical mauler, Toupu played left tackle for the Ducks but profiles better on the right side at the next level. Once again the Eagles got a lot of bang for their buck because Toupu was projected to come off the board earlier than he did.
In round six the Eagles must have been surprised to find Washington St. WR Brandon Gibson still on the board. Had he come out after his junior season Gibson likely would have been a second or third round pick but his draft stock steadily declined as he and the Cougars battled through a trying 2008 campaign. A classic possession receiver, Gibson lacks elite speed but he has good size, reliable hands, is a terrific route runner and is also a hard worker and team leader. Unfortunately Gibson faces an uphill battle as he attempts to make the Eagles roster and barring an injury or unexpected roster move he will likely be competing for the #6 spot on the depth chart. Philadelphia owned two picks in round seven and they used the first on Arizona St. OG Paul Fanaika. A massive physical specimen (6-5, 327) with long arms and huge hands, Fanaika is exactly the type of blocker that Philly looks for and if he makes the team he’ll provide depth at right guard. With their final pick the Iggles opted for Maryland OLB Moise Fokou. A speedy, athletic ‘backer, Fokou doesn’t have the ideal size you look for but he could carve out a niche as a backup and special teamer.
The word that best describes this Eagles draft class is “value”. This haul isn’t going to produce four or five starters but Philly did an excellent job of adding talented players who are good fits for their system to compliment an already formidable roster. In the long run this class will likely be judged as a success or failure based on Maclin’s development but both McCoy and Ingram have the potential to emerge as steals and significant contributers. If nothing else the media, McNabb and the Eagles fanbase can no longer criticize their team for failing to add offensive playmakers.
