Lorenzo Booker starts fast [Philadelphia Inquirer]  — The Lorenzo Booker trade thrilled me from the start.  I don’t know how many people are familiar with his college career, but when I watched his Florida State games two seasons ago, I was always paying attention to him.  Every time he got the ball, he had a chance to take it to the house.  His ability to get yards after the catch is uncanny.  So far, Booker’s talent and level of preparation in camp is being raved about.  Not only does Booker fit in perfectly in the Eagles’ system, not only will he be able to take some pressure off Westbrook, but he has a great attitude that Eagles fans love.  You have to love quotes like this:

I’m a perfectionist.  I expect to go out there and when you tell me something once, I get it right. I just love the game. I love to play football. I’m not a guy that can go out there and jog through stuff. To me, there is no halfway. Going full speed and working hard is the only thing I know how to do.  You want to always get used to finishing a play or breaking a long run because you never know in the course of a game when it’s going to happen.

Big tackle has big name, big hopes [Philadelphia Inquirer] — King Dunlap was a great low-risk, high-reward draft pick.  Dunlap was a pre-season All-American and could have been taken in the one of the top two round this draft, but he lost his starting spot his senior year because of some injuries and his draft stock plummeted.  Dunlap ended up being the 35th tackle taken in the draft. Despite a poor senior season, you have to be intrigued with his physical assets and credentials: 6’8″, 310 pounds, size-18 shoes, 5.0 40-yard-dash (that’s fast for a tackle — Jake Long ran a 5.23, Ryan Clady ran a 5.2), 225-pound bench press 20 times, and a very good Wonderlic score.  Give him two or three years behind Tra Thomas and I’m sure he’ll pan out just fine with the Eagles.

Offensive tackle Justice has something to prove [Philadelphia Inquirer] — Justice is ready to prove wrong all the critics who say that he has no heart/fight/fire/bite.

Still Excited About the LBs… [Iggles Blog]  — A bit of pessimism/criticism to relax all the praise that is thrown to the Eagles young linebacking corps.  I happen to love the Eagles linebackers.  They’re young, have a ton of talent, and should continue improving.  Gaither will move to the WILL where he will be able to utilize his athleticism more.  I’m expecting big things from Stewart Bradley in the middle — he made a statement at the end of the season and was drawing comparisons to Brian Urlacher.  Gocong should only keep getting more comfortable in his role on the strong side.  Interesting article nonetheless.

Bryan Smith Buys Food, Gains Weight [Bleeding Green Nation] — I was a little worried about Smith’s small size (231 lbs. at the combine, 243 lbs. right now) as a DE, but Smith says that he could barely afford to buy food in college since D-II athletes get about half the amount of scholarship checks that D-I athletes get.  They get $438 a month and once you deduct money for rent, utilities, and other expenses, you’re not left with a whole lot of money to feed a 240-pound athlete.  Smith has the frame to pack on weight and he should be able to get up to 250 pounds.

Getting To Know Joe Mays [Inside the Iggles] — Joe Mays looks like he could be a beast on the field.  He’s short and stocky, so he has some problems changing direction, but he’s a downhill player, a tackling machine, and he does a great job at shredding blocks.  It seems like Joe Mays is a guy that the Eagles could use in the middle on running downs to stuff the line.  He may get a roster spot if he proves to be a valuable asset on special teams.

Sizing Up Some Prime Roster Battles [Dave Spadaro]  — It’s already pretty clear who will make the 53-man roster.  The only real question marks are what runningbacks won’t make the roster and whether the Eagles go with Jason Davis or Dan Klecko at fullback.

Lito Sheppard lining up as a wide receiver? [Yardbarker] — I don’t see the point of that when you have DeSean Jackson, but sure, why not?

Will the Ravens bring the return of Freddie Mitchell? [Bleeding Green Nation] — The Ravens have worked out “The People’s Champ” Fred Ex.

Eagles getting some love [Iggles Blog]  — According to Iggles Blog, Vegas gives the Eagles the 6th-best odds to win the Super Bowl.  By my count, the Eagles have the 10th-best odds to win the Super Bowl.  The Jaguars, Steelers, Browns, and Saints are all ahead of the Birds.  The Eagles odds to win the Super Bowl are currently 25-1 on sportsbook.com.

Eagles defense ready to soar [Sporting News] — Nothing we don’t already know.  On paper, this defense looks as good as ever.

5 teams that could surprise [ESPN - Matt Mosley] — Here is what Matt has to write on the Eagles:

Even in the very talented NFC East, it’s hard to imagine the Eagles staying down for long. Andy Reid didn’t suddenly become a bad coach and he still has a very talented roster. Keeping quarterback Donovan McNabb and running back Brian Westbrook healthy always is going to be a challenge, but the Eagles will be contenders if McNabb and Westbrook can stay on the field. Reid firmly believes Lorenzo Booker, acquired in a trade with Miami, can help lighten Westbrook’s load.

Wide receiver remains an issue, but the Eagles drafted DeSean Jackson to try to give McNabb another playmaker. Reid’s had a rough couple of years, dealing with family issues and the saga of former Philadelphia receiver Terrell Owens. But when Reid has the time to just focus on coaching, he’s as good as anyone in the game.

It’s been a while since I’ve gotten around to the Sixers, but it’s about that time to start thinking about the draft.  The Sixers not only stole Game 1 from the Pistons, but were able to get another win before succumbing to the power-house that is the Pistons and losing the series 4-2.  Hell of the season for the Sixers.  Many “NBA Experts” predicted that the 76ers would be dead last in the NBA East.  Most of us thought that they were lottery bound.  At the beginning of the season, I predicted that the 76ers would finish about 4 games out of the 8th seed in the East.  None of us pictured that the 76ers would make the playoffs and even when they made the playoffs, few of us thought that the series against the Pistons would be decided by more than 5 games.

With a ticket to the playoffs, there was no hope that those ping-pong balls would bounce the right way to bring the Sixers the No. 1 or No. 2 pick (Michael Beasely or Derrick Rose).  Rather, the Sixers draft position was already predetermined: the No. 16 pick.  The good news is that this draft is deep; maybe not as deep as last year, but the Sixers can still get the best player available and still be able to fill a position of need.

Ed Stefanski is already on top of pondering who the Sixers’ first-round selection will be.  He’s off to Orlando to attend the NBA predraft camp.  The Philadelphia Inquirer has a great article covering his trip and his thoughts on this year’s draft.

Here’s a list of players that the Sixers should be able to choose at No. 16:

• Chris Douglas-Roberts SG/SF (Memphis)
• Brandon Rush SG/SF (Kansas)
• Marreese Speights PF/C (Florida)
• Joe Alexander SF/PF (WVU)
• Chase Budinger SG/SF (Arizona)

Stefanski stated that the Sixers top priority is finding a shooter: Alexander, Budinger, Douglas-Roberts, and Rush would certainly fit the bill there.  Next, the Sixers will look at the center/power-forward position, which makes Marresee Speights (6′ 10″ 250 lbs.) an interesting prospect, but he’s raw.  After those needs, the Sixers would look for a point guard.  I’m interested in seeing whether D.J. Augustine falls down the board to the Sixers at 16, and would hope the Sixers think about drafting him, but I would say there’s a 90% chance that he’s taken in the top 15.

The 2008 NBA Draft takes place Thursday, June 26, 7:00 p.m. on ESPN. Stay tuned for more coverage.

What’s new since last time?  The Flyers got killed by the Penguins in Game 5.  Hell of a season none the less: from NHL’s worst to Eastern Conference runner-up.  Now, my attention has turned to the Eagles and it’s about that time for another Eagles link roundup.

Eagles Kolb grows into quarterback’s role [Philadelphia Inquirer] — Kolb is improving as a signal caller as he has improved a lot since last year, especially with his mechanics, which Quintin Demps noted.  Demps played against Kolb when they were rivals in Conference USA.

A Pause From Camp, With Some Observations [Dave Spadaro] — Lorenzo Booker looks great, DeSean Jackson’s hands are outstanding, Demps is a very smart player and has all the tools to be a very good safety.

A Closer Look: Bryan Smith [Bleeding Green Nation] –  I thought the Eagles reached for Smith, but it looks like several teams were on to him.  I think the Eagles will find that diamond in the rough small-school DE in either Bryan Smith or Studebaker.  It’s interesting to note that the Eagles plan to keep Smith at DE despite his small size (241 lbs.) and plan to convert Studebaker to OLB.

Eagles hope Trevor lays down Laws [Philadelphia Daily News] — Trevor talks about his favorite player: John Randle.

YouTube pushed Studebaker up the NFL draft board [Philadelphia Daily News] — With 17.5 sacks in his junior season as a DE at a small school and looking to convert to OLB in the NFL, it looks like the Eagles have another Gocong on their hands (Gocong had a 1-AA record 23.5 sacks).  Check out Studbaker’s Pro Day workout video on YouTube.  Great pick for the Eagles.

Some new Eagles images:

Inside The Life Of Donovan McNabb [Inside the Iggles] — Donovan McNabb photo shoot.

DeSean Jackson Can Fly [Inside the Iggles] — The man has some ups.  Click on the picture to enlarge.

Asante Samuel America’s Next Top Model [Inside the Iggles] — The man looks good in midnight green.

Eagles news has been slow since they commenced their first minicamp of the season.  Despite what the critics had to say, there was a positive buzz surrounding minicamp.  The 2008 draft class got very good reviews, especially the top two picks.  Andy Reid claimed they are ready to compete for a championship and I fully agree.  There is no doubt that the Eagles are in the toughest division in football, but with a much improved defense, a healthy McNabb, and few more pieces to work with on offense, there is no reason to doubt that this is the season that the Eagles get it done.

Here are some articles to read since minicamp closed:

Which team will be this year’s Giants? [ESPN] — Writer Matt Mosley feels that the Eagles will be this year’s Giants.  He says that they won’t win the division, but will be able to battle hard deep into the playoffs with their much improved defense.  I have one point to disagree with him on: he calls Kevin Curtis a No. 3 receiver.  Curtis doesn’t get the credit he deserves.  He may not be the dominant No. 1 that fans want, but he did a damn good job last year and deserves more respect from Eagles fans.  That leads me to the following article.

Kevin Curtis has the credentials of a #1 receiver [Bleeding Green Nation] — 77 receptions, 1,100 yards, 6 TDs.  Those are the stats.  That’s more yards than Plaxico Burress (1,025), Steve Smith (1,002), Anquan Bolden (853), and Roy Williams (836).  However, Curtis ranked 13th in the NFC in TDs behind those players: his TD numbers could certainly improve.  Curtis was 19th in the NFL receptions, just 4 shy of the amount T.O. had in 2008.  I also want to re-emphasize that the Eagles are 1 of 5 teams last year to have 2 WRs with 60 or more receptions.

Is DeSean Jackson just Ted Ginn? [Iggles Blog] — Their profiles are almost exactly the same.  The one key difference is that Jackson has better hands and runs better routes than Ginn, but Ginn has a little more speed.  Either way, I love the pick, and I think Jackson will be able to contribute significantly next year.

Building Jackon’s Game, On And Off The Field [Mike Spadaro] — The one you have to admire about Jackson’s game is his work ethic.

Very Detailed Eagles Draft Review [Inside the Iggles] — I was going to work on putting up profiles on all the Eagles 2008 draft picks, but Inside the Iggles already put together a nice collaberation so we are able to learn all about the Eagles new players.

Eagles add quarterback, 2 linebackers [Philadelphia Inquirer] — The Eagles like Casey Hansen as a QB to try to develop.  The Eagles also have a knack for finding solid undrafted linebackers.

Eagles cheerleaders shoot eco-friendly calendar [Philadelphia Inquirer] — Article provides four preview pictures.

Close look at the Red Zone [Iggles Blog] — A in-depth statistical break down of the Eagles’ redzone efficiancy over the last few years.

The Eastern Conference Finals start tonight.  The puck drops at 7:30 on the Versus Network.

The bad news: Kimmo Timonen may be out for the series.  He has a blood clot in his left foot

The good news: Bill Clement is picking the Flyers in seven and Penguins fans (ala the Montreal fans via extreme rioting) have jinxed themselves.

Asante picked off a pass from A.J. Feeley.  Asante said to A.J., “Didn’t you learn last year that you couldn’t get a pass in on me?” That got the whole team laughing, including Andy Reid. — [Bleeding Green Nation]

I love DeSean Jackson’s confidence.  He is so assured that he is going to make it at the next level.  His attitude is quite similar to a Maurice Jones-Drew.  They’re both small guys, with a lot of heart, who have a chip on their shoulder for not getting picked in the first round.  Maurice Jones-Drew has one hell of a career already; hopefully, Jackson will have the same success, and I don’t doubt it for a second.

You have to love quotes from Jackson like this, “I’m very confident that I can produce and do great things for this team on offense. I know what I’m capable of doing.  I just want to do anything and everything possible to help out this team. I don’t want to come in expecting to do too much or not expecting to do too much. Any way I can fit in, that’s what I’m willing to do.”  With what Jerry Rice said about him, I’m confident that he’s going to be outstanding and will have a hell of a season.

Spadaro’s Camp Review Summaries:

Eagles Take Positive From Post-Draft Camp [Dave Spadaro]

Backfield Has Depth, Talent, Promise [Dave Spadaro]

News, Note And Why I Think the Eagles Are Ready [Dave Spadaro]

Here’s a recap of how the Eagles camp went.  Obviously, nothing but positivity from Spadaro.

Defense: The defense looks insane.  Dawkins is healthy.  We already know about their young linebackers, who are oustanding, and Akeem Jordan keeps improving.  Bradley is ready to become the man in the middle.  The Laws pick was huge: he should be able to contribute right away and will get a lot of playing time.  Jim Johnson has a lot of pieces to work with: they got another outside speed rusher Byron Smith in the 3rd round, not to mention the addition of Chris Clemons.  Abiamiri should push Juqua for the starting job on the left. Their rookie safety Demps had a good camp.  Factor in Asante Samuel to an already outstanding cast and you get a Super Bowl defense.

Jim Johnson Quoteable:

I think it’s been a good offseason. If you get Asante (Samuel, cornerback) and Chris Clemons (defensive end), those are two playmakers. I told our defense that we are on a three-game winning streak. We beat Dallas and New Orleans on the road and Buffalo here (to end the 2007 season), and we didn’t really lose any players. We picked up some more players and had a good draft with what we wanted draft-wise, so you feel good and you feel positive

Offense: First, Donovan McNabb is 100%.  I love the Eagles two big additions: DeSean Jackson and Lorenzo Booker, they should both have tremendous seasons.  Considering the Eagles added those two players and haven’t lost anyone on offense (other than Tapeh), their offense should be outstanding once again.  Those two players add a ton of speed and they will both take a lot of pressure off Westbrook.  Their running back corp is as deep as ever: Westbrook, Booker, Buckhalter, Hunt, and Moats.  Moats is said to be looking good and after his recovery.  Moats and Hunt will be be battling hard for a roster spot.  Hunt is going to have to prove to be more than just a short-yardage back.  Booker has a lot of plays designed for him: he should have a large role in the offense this season.  If you haven’t heard already: Jackson has been outstanding.  He was given a lot of reps in at camp and responded well.  Jackson is going to drive defensive coordinators nuts.  They’ll have him in the slot, lined up out wide, put him in motion, and running fakes and end-arounds.  He’ll definitely keep the defense on their heels and guessing.  You can do a lot of things with Jackson in the slot and Westbrook and Booker in the backfield: you can flank them out to the side, and somebody will be open.  McNabb should have an outstanding completion percentage and passer rating as long as the line does its job, which I’m confident it will.  The linemen pick ups in the draft were wise choices:  McGlynn adds a solid reserve who can take over any spot on the line and King Dunlap is a beast.  Dunlap is a project, but his size and quick feet make him a promising prospect at tackle.

I’m pumped about the season, the Eagles have improved immensely.

Crazy game.  Montreal drew first blood to gain their first lead ever in this series.  Umberger tied it up later in the first by deflecting in his own rebound sliding on his knees — ridiculous goal.  Check out the video of the goal.  Umberger is so hot right now: that’s was his 7th goal of this series and his 8th came later!  The Canadiens then jumped to a 3-1 lead.  The Flyers then tied it with goals from Richards and Umberger.  Hartnell got the Flyers the lead before Montreal was able to tie it at 4.  With 3:04 left in the 3rd, the Flyers put the game away with a goal from Upshall.  Flyers win 6-4.  Biron was outstanding.  The Penguins, who have a 3-1 lead over the Rangers, are likely to be next.

In my prior draft article, I shared my thoughts on the Eagles’ first two draft picks.  In this article, I’ll take a look at the Eagles’ selections in rounds 3-7.

When then third round made it’s way, I was rather confident the Eagles would select Brian Dawkins’ future replacement.  Many quality safety prospects were still available.  In fact, only two safeties were drafted in the first two rounds: the Giants drafted Kenny Phillips and the Vikings drafted Tyrell Johnson.  Personally, I was pulling for the Eagles to draft Tom Zbikowski — his style of play and work ethic would surely win Eagles fans over.  I also expected that the Eagles could make a move for either DaJuan Morgan or Thomas DeCoud.  The Eagles passed on those three players to select Bryan Smith, an undersized DE from McNeese State that would be used as a pass-rush specialist in the NFL.  I was slightly disappointed with the pick, but I think the Eagles are onto something with the pick.  Shortly after this pick, Morgan, Zbikowski, and DeCoud were all taken later in third round, which had be panicking that the Eagles would be without a quality safety from this year’s draft.

I don’t know exactly how Bryan Smith fits into the Eagles plans for this team, so I’m curious to see how he performs in camp.  I thought the Eagles reached for him.  He was projected to be drafted in the later rounds, so the Eagles must really love this guy to take him in the third round.  From what I’ve read about him, he has tremendous explosiveness, speed, natural athletic ability, and the ability to change directions quickly.  His downsides are that he is undersized and doesn’t play well against the run.  My first thought was that Smith’s role would be primarily as Chris Gocong’s reserve.  He could also be brought onto the field purely for pass-rushing situations.  I was puzzled that the Eagles would draft Smith when they already went out in free agency and got pass-rush specialist Chris Clemons for that role.  This pick made more sense when I read that the Eagles may experiment with a 3-4 defense.  The Eagles’ base defense will still be a 4-3, but with the plethora of pass rushers on the roster, the Eagles could run a 3-4 in certain situations and cause nightmares for opposing offensive coordinators around the league.  Here is a great interview with Bryan Smith if you want to learn more about him.

The fourth round has come and the Eagles have a chance to pick up a lot of pieces with the four picks they have this round. The Eagles came out in the fourth round and selected Pittsburgh OL Michael McGlynn.  McGlynn played primarily at RT for Pittsburgh, but projects as an OG in the NFL since he lacks the athleticism to play as a tackle in the NFL.  He is very technically sound, has the ability to play any position on the offensive line, and his long-snapping abilities make him an intriguing prospect.  I thought that the Eagles would have used their first-round pick on an offensive linemen, but the top linemen were off the board, which prompted the Eagles to trade the pick.  Since the Eagles haven’t selected a lineman yet, this pick shouldn’t have come as a surprise.  Andy has a knack for finding solid linemen in fourth round (Herremans and Jean-Giles).  Hopefully, McGlynn will be every bit as good as those fourth-round picks.

The Eagles also made a trade with the Miami Dolphins for Lorenzo Booker.  Booker was a player that the Eagles had their eyes on in the draft last year, but Miami beat them to the punch in the 3rd round and selected him, which led to the Eagles selecting Tony Hunt later that round.  The Eagles love Booker’s ability to catch the ball out of the backfield.  I became extremely impressed with him during his days at Florida State.  He has tremendous quickness, does a tremendous job at making defenders miss, and is a superb East-West runner.  Last season, Booker had 125 rushing yards on 28 attempts and 237 receiving yards on 28 receptions.  Booker’s draft profile looks quite similar to Brian Westbrook’s, so it’s no coincidence that the Eagles wanted him last year and did what it took to get him this year.  Great pick up.

Later in the fourth round, the Eagles finally took a safety that they badly needed to get their hands on: Quintin Demps.  When I read about Demps, I became extremely impressed and intrigued.  He has great speed and is a ball hawk with ability to cover a lot of ground with his long range.  His weakness is his ability against the run.  Demps will need to add bulk and improve against the run if he wants to make it in the league.  His upside is that his skills in coverage are exceptional.  You also have to love his attitude with this quote: “I am a playmaker. If the Eagles wanted a playmaker, they got one as a steal in this draft. I am not a Pro Bowl player, I’m a Super Bowl player. I am ready to go. I am fired up.”  Hopefully, the Eagles didn’t miss with this one.  Last year, I was extremely excited about the prospect C.J. Gaddis and he didn’t make it very long before he was cut by the Eagles.  He was even getting great reviews during training camp.  The difference between Demps and Gaddis is that Gaddis was a great natural athlete with a lack of football skills and the Eagles thought that he could make it at as a safety.  With Demps, the Eagles got a player with a qualified resume at safety, but he’ll just have to improve against the run.

At this point in the draft, I would already conclude that the Eagles had a successful draft.  They got an extremely talented defensive lineman, an explosive kick returner and speedy receiver, a pass-rush specialist, a versatile offensive lineman, a tremendous coverage safety, and an elusive running back.  I started to think that the Eagles could use their late fourth-round pick to fill a void at FB with the departure of Thomas Tapeh.  I was hoping the Eagles would draft Owen Schmitt, the FB from West Virginia with a bad-ass mohawk who took it to the house against Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl.  However, with their final pick in the fourth round, the Eagles took Jack Ikegwuonu.  Ikegwuonu has all the things you look for in a starting CB, but injuries and character issues caused him to fall down the draft chart.  If he was able to stay healthy during college, he could have been drafted in the second or third round.  His best quality is his physical play and his ability to jam receivers at the line of scrimmage.  I think this was a solid value pick for the Eagles.  The Eagles got a guy with starter potential, but with a few injury and character concerns.

The Eagles then had four picks left in the last four rounds.  They picked up a guard (Michael Gibson), two linebackers (Joe Mays and Andy Studebacker), and another tackle (King Dunlap).

Final Thoughts: Excellent draft by the Eagles.  When I first saw that the Eagles traded their 19th pick, I, like everyone else, was pissed.  However, I was quite happy at the conclusion of the second round, especially since the Eagles were able to get DeSean Jackson, a player who the Eagles could have easily used their 19th pick on, and now they have two first-round picks next year.  The only thing I would have changed about the Eagles draft would be taking DaJuan Morgan or Tom Zbikowsk in the third round and hope that Bryan Smith would still be there in the fourth round.  I’m excited to learn more about these prospects during the mini-camps and training camp.

2008 NFL Draft Grades – NFC East [The Football Expert] — Great breakdown of the NFC East draft picks.  The author gave the Eagles the highest grade with a 89/100.  He gave the Cowboys an 86, the Giants an 86, and the Redskins a 76.

More Draft Grades [DraftSeason.com] — He gave them a B+.  Better than Kiper’s C+.  I don’t know what Kiper was thinking — the Eagles had a very solid draft.  He must have failed to take into account that the Eagles got  Carolina’s 2009 1st-round selection and Lorenzo Booker.

NFC East Draft Grades [Miami Herald] — The Miami Herlad gave the Eagles a B+.  They thought the Redskins were losers: they gave them a D+.  Washington may have picked up a lot of offense, but paying no attention to the defense will hurt them.

Which rookie receiver will have the best rookie year? [End Zone Buzz] — The consensus has DeSean Jackson as the rookie who will have the best year.   I’m going to through out some predictions for Jackson’s year.  I’ll be modest here and predict 35 receptions, 500 yards, 3 receiving TDs, and 2 kickoff returns.  Here is a quick comparison of rookie WR stats from the 2007 draft class.  [The Pass Rush]

DeSean Jackson has been working with Jerry Rice on his routes [Inside the Iggles] — Jerry Rice says don’t sweat his size.  Rice has nothing but praise for Jackson: he says he has great hands, runs great routes, has tremendous speed, and his work ethic is outstanding.  There is no reason to doubt that he can’t be the next Steve Smith.

AFC scout comes to the defense of Jackson [Delaware Online] — Some are worried about Jackson’s size, but if you see the interview with Jery Rice (above) and read this article you will realize that Jackson has the potential to be a special player in the NFL and not just as a kick returner, but as a wide receiver.

Eagles 2008 Draft Videos [Inside the Iggles] — If you missed the NFL Draft, here are the video segments from the draft that overview the selections for the Eagles first two picks: Trevor Laws and  DeSean Jackson.

Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson get their first Philadelphia cheesesteak [PhiladelphiaEagles.com] –  After a visit to the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles top two picks got a real taste of Philly.

DeSean Jackson Highlights [PhiladelphiaEagles.com] — I’m liking the DeSean Jackson pick more and more each day.  Here is a great interview with Andy Reid and DeSean Jackson while they go through his college highlights.

Eagles Add Seven Rookie Free Agents [PhiladelphiaEagles.com] — They grabbed a handful of WRs hoping that one of them will stick.

Lito Sheppard Update [Bleeding Green Nation] — He showed up for mini-camp to avoid being fined, had a chat with Andy Reid, and stated there are still some “things” that need to be worked out.  Apparently, everything will be fine between the two parties.  If I were the Eagles, I would say “Play in more than 10 games in a season and then we’ll talk.”  If I were Lito Sheppard, I would be pissed at my agent instead of the Eagles organization.

Sheppard shares time with Brown and Samuel [Philadelphia Inquirer] — At the Eagles’ first mini-camp, Sheppard wasn’t sent to the second team.  Rather, he rotated with Samuel and Brown.

Minicamp Quotables [Bleeding Green Nation] — Dawkins, Sheldon, Asante and Lito commented on the “Lito Sheppard situation.”  Westbrook stated that his contract was fair at the time he signed it.  McNabb stated that he’s happy with the Eagles’ offseason moves.  Sheldon said he’s excited about moving to the slot at times because he’ll get more opportunities to go after the quarterback.  I’m going to say there will be a forecast of a lot of blitzes from the Eagles next year.

Day One Minicamp Observations [Dave Spadaro] — Looks like the King Dunlap pick in the seventh round was huge — literally.

I’m back from a vacation and ready to get into some Eagles draft coverage.  This article highlights my thoughts on the Eagles’ first two draft choices: Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson.  Coverage on the remaining picks will soon follow.

Eagles 2008 Draft Selections:

Round Pick Player Position School
2. (47) Trevor Laws DT Notre Dame
2. (49) DeSean Jackson WR Cal
3. (80) Bryan Smith DE McNease State
4. (109) Michael McGlynn OG Pitt
4. (117) Quentin Demps S Utep
4. (131) Jack Ikegwuonu CB Wisconsin
6. (184) Michael Gibson OG Cal
6. (200) Joe Mays ILB North Dakota State
6. (203) Andrew Studebaker DE Wheaton
7. (230) King Dunlap OT Auburn

When I saw that the Eagles traded their first-round pick, I was less than thrilled.  I was really hoping the Eagles would take Branden Albert, but he was off the board.  Jeff Otah would have been a mediocre pick, but the fact that the Eagles traded away the 19th pick shows that the Eagles didn’t rate Otah too highly.  Unless they thought Otah was going to be a stud at tackle,  there was no point in drafting him and I’m glad they didn’t.

The Eagles got a steal from the Panthers with their 2009 first round pick, especially since they should be around a .500 team next year, and they got a 2008 second rounder and fourth rounder to boot.  On the draft-trade chart, they Eagles gave away a pick worth “875 points” and picked up picks equivalent to “1,546 points.”  They made out like bandits and still got a player that they could have easily have drafted in the first round: DeSean Jackson.

After the trade, I was then hoping the Eagles would be able to draft Brian Dawkins’ heir to be: Kenny Phillips.  I was livid when Phillips ended up going to the Giants with the 31st pick, but there’s a reason 30 teams passed on him and it appears that his game has major flaws.  Since he’ll be forced to be a starter next year in New York since Gibril Wilson left to sign with with the Raiders, those flaws should be exposed by most teams.

At the conclusion of the first round, not a single receiver was taken, which relieved my fears that this year’s draft would become a disaster.  I was then hoping the Eagles would be able to trade up to land James Hardy, but with the plethora of teams with WR needs, I knew that it was highly unlikely.  With two second-round picks, I was confident the Eagles would still be able to walk away with a solid defensive talent and a wide receiver.  That’s exactly what happened when the Eagles selected Trevor Laws and DeSean Jackson two picks later.

I found both picks rather curious, but I think they were both wise choices.  James Hardy, the top receiver on my board, was snatched up by the Bills. Devin Thomas also went a few picks earlier to the Redskins.  When the Eagles were up after the Laws pick, DeSean Jackson, Limas Sweed, and Malcolm Kelly were options for the Eagles.

I put Sweed and Kelly ahead of Jackson, but the Jackson pick makes much more sense after I gave it a second thought.  Jackson may never be more than a third receiver in his career, but I think the pick was better for the Eagles than Sweed and Kelly for a number of reasons.  First, Jackson’s role as a kick returner is a good enough reason to draft him over Kelly and Sweed.  Plus, as the 49th pick, it was great value since he could have easily went in the first round.  Additionally, when a team drafts a receiver, they rarely contribute as a rookie and don’t contribute much in their second season either.  Typically, a receiver takes about three years to finally come into his own.  With that said, if the Eagles took Kelly or Sweed, guys with potential to be the “No. 1 receiver” Eagles fans want, they wouldn’t be able to reap the benefits of that player until a few years down the road.  With Jackson, the Eagles not only have an excellent Hester-esque kick returner, they have a speedster they can immediately put on the field in three- or four-receiver sets who can stretch the field and give Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown more room to make plays.  Basically, with Jackson on the field, it will create more mismatches for defenses and it gives the guys around him a better chance to make plays — “the Reggie Bush effect.”  I also think Jackson is a great fit in the West Coast system since he has the ability to turn a short catch into a ton of yards.  A receiving trio of Reggie Brown, Kevin Curtis, and DeSean Jackson should work much better together than if you interjected Limas Sweed or Malcolm Kelly into the mix.

When the Eagles selected Trevor Laws, I was slighly disappointed because I would prefer to address a position of need over a position where the Eagles are set.  The Eagles used their 2005 and 2006 first-round picks on their two starting DTs Mike Patterson and Broderick Bunkley, and last year they were both outstanding.  The Eagles love rotating linemen, so the pick makes sense because outside those two guys, the Eagles didn’t get much contribution from any reserve DTs.  I truly believe the Eagles took the best player available at that spot.  I’m absolutely shocked a team with question marks at DT, like the St. Louis Rams, Oakland Raiders, or Cincinnati Bengals, didn’t pull the trigger to get Laws in the second round.  Laws is easily the third best DT in the 2008 draft class behind Glenn Dorsey and Sedrick Ellis.  Laws is the only lineman in this year’s draft class to amass over 100 tackles with 112 tackles, including 14.5 tackles for a loss, 6 sacks, 5 pass breakups, and 3 blocked kicks.  The guy has a non-stop motor [YouTube Video].  Here is a video of his combine work out.  35 reps on the 225-pound bench press — the guy is a beast!

The Eagles learned their lesson after the New Orleans playoff loss two years ago and improved immensely against the run last year with the development of Bunkley and their young linebackers.  With another year of experience for their young front seven and Laws in the mix, the Eagles should rank in the top five against the run in years to come.  Although I may have scratched my head at the first two picks at first, I’m going to have to say that they were rather brilliant picks.