Jaiquawn Jarrett Interview Article

Got the oppurtunity to talk to Temple star and future Eagles star Jaiquawn Jarrett and got a lot out of the interview, Check it out here!

http://www.eaglesgab.com/2011/06/27/eagles-newest-defensive-back/

Dion Lewis interview

Had the pleasure of talking to Dion Lewis the other day. Head over to EaglesGab.com and check it out! Link below!

http://www.eaglesgab.com/2011/06/22/dion-lewis-the-eagles-maurice-jones-drew/

Megatron and Roddy Make the Top 30

            On Sunday night NFL Network continued it’s countdown of the Top 100 Players of 2011. Along with DeSean Jackson, two of my favorite receivers around the league appeared on the list. Roddy White of the Atlanta Falcons and Calvin Johnson of the Detroit Lions.

Megatron leaping high to
snag the touchdown pass.

            Calvin Johnson made the list at number 27. The 6’5” receiver was presented to by his head coach, Jim Schwartz. “Even when he’s covered he’s still open,” said Schwartz. Calvin Johnson, or Megatron, is one of the most well-rounded receivers in the league. He has the ability to catch the ball deep and outrun defensive backs to the endzone. In addition, he can catch the ball deep, throw a few of his signature stiff arms and take it to the house. One play that sticks out in Calvin Johnson’s career was in his game against the Green Bay Packers. In the corner of the endzone he was behind two defenders, with a third lingering, and it seemed as though the ball would just fly over everyone. Johnson leaped above the defenders, ripped the ball out of the air and brought his feet down in bounds for a touchdown. This is the kind of play that signifies Johnson’s style of play. He fights for the ball and is one of the best ever at catching the ball at it’s highest point and bringing it down and keep moving.

Roddy fighting to put the ball
in the endzone.

            The other receiver on the list was Roddy White, coming in at 24^th. Head coach Mike Smith says that Roddy is “one of the strongest and most physical receivers I have ever seen.” Roddy, with a smaller frame than Calvin, has a similar style of play. Always fighting for extra yards is one of his most outstanding attributes. With Matt Ryan, Roddy has matured into one of the top players at his position in the league. While his first 1,000 yard season came in 2007 with journeymen quartberacks Byron Leftwich and Joey Harrington throwing him the ball, Matt Ryan is truly the reason Roddy is the receiver he is now. While posting 4 straight season of 1,000 yards, White has become the league leader in receptions (115) for the league. He posted 10 touchdowns on those 115 catches along with 1,389 yards, a career high.

            While both of these receivers deserve a top 15 ranking, 27 and 24 aren’t too bad of placements. Both receivers are physically intimidating and statistically dominant. They are the focal points of their respective offenses and defenses plan around those guys. Congratulations to both players on making the top 30!

            Head over to EaglesGab.com to check out my article on DeSean Jackson’s ranking on the list.

Noel Devine: Darren Sproles Jr. or DeSean Jackson in the backfield?

How could you pass an such an
exciting playmaker?

            Noel Devine is possibly the best college player that didn’t get drafted, on offense at least. Devine was a standout playmaker in West Virginia with the ability to take any carry to the endzone. In his senior season, Noel ran for over 900 yards and took it to paydirt 6 times. Devine’s best season came in his junior year when he averaged 6.1 yards per carry, ran for over 1400 yards, and took it to the house 13 times.

            Many believe that Devine didn’t get drafted strictly because of his miniscule size at only 5’8” and 176 pounds. Some obvious comparisons come with Devine’s size. The person that comes to my mind most when Noel Devine is mentioned is 5’6” Darren Sproles, running back and return specialist of the San Diego Chargers. Devine hasn’t had a lot of experience returning kicks. He got the most action in the return game in his freshmen year since he was behind Steve Slaton at running back. He averaged a solid 23.2 yards per return, just a shade under Sproles’ 24.6 yard average. Whenever this lockout is ended, Devine might want to look for a team who needs help in their special teams game.

            When Devine gets to an NFL team, which is sure to happen, I see him as a DeSean Jackson in running back form. DeSean dropped in the NFL draft due to his size and ego. While DeSean only dropped to round 2, Devine had the poor luck of teams not truly seeing the ability he has. Both DeSean and Devine have the big play ability to take the ball to six points any time they get the ball in their hands. If Devine comes to the NFL and has success, teams may start to think twice about not drafting players because of their size. As said in Noel’s NFL Network tape, “Noel has the small size that hides him behind the big offensive linemen, and the linebackers don’t have sight of him until he is running past them.”

            Devine was impressive at the combine when he put up 24 reps in the bench press, more than any other player at his position. He didn’t run at the combine but he has previously been clocked at around 4.3 seconds for his 40 yard dash. Put this together with his impressive ability to change direction and you have what many were calling the next Barry Sanders, who also stood at 5’8” but had a few extra pounds of muscle on him at 200 pounds. The one edge that Devine may have on Sanders is his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. Sanders only had 23 receptions in his collegiate career, 19 of which came in 1988. Devine had 98 receptions in his college career, including a 34 catch season in his senior year, averaging over 7.5 yards per catch. The comparisons that can be made between Devine and current or ex-NFL stars is enough to have taken a chance in the 5^th round at the very latest.

            Needless to say, NFL executives are really missing out on a great player after passing on this college star 254 times. Whichever team decides to sign Devine as a rookie free agent will be getting a steal. Devine will most likely start on a team as a special teamer or return man and should have a chance, depending on the team, to be a third down scat back.

            Noel Devine is among players like Pat Devlin and Mark Herzlich who had great college careers and didn’t make an NFL team via draft. This comes with both good and bad things. These players will be getting less money and have no idea when they can start working with a team because of the unsure labor situation. The good thing that comes along with being undrafted is that these players now have the privilege of working out for teams that they would like to play for or teams that they would have the best chance of making a productive career on. Devine and Herzlich will have a much better chance at starting than Devlin, even though many teams are quarterback hungry.

2011 Eagles Training Camp Battles

            With the dull time between draft and training camp, let’s take a look at the position battles of most interest. We’ll start on offense.

Kafka is now a master of the Eagles
offense and will get his chance to
hold the clipboard.

Back-up Quarterback: Mike Kafka vs. Free agent signed in place of Kolb

            Mike Kafka was impressive in his limited action in pre-season. He is spending this off-season studying the Eagles offense daily and becoming an expert. Kafka is 6’3” and has prototypical quarterback size. He’s got a big arm and can throw deep downfield or rifle the ball on a rope to a mid-range receiver. It is hard to say who wins this battle without knowing who the Eagles pick up. Since the free agent quarterback class of 2011 is one of the worst ever, expect Kafka to step in as second quarterback and hold the clipboard behind Vick. Kafka has perfected this offense more than any free agent quarterback will by the time free agency opens up.

Back-up Running Back: Dion Lewis vs. Jerome Harrison/Eldra Buckley

            The Eagles will not keep four running backs on the roster for 2011 with the tough LeSean McCoy first. Dion Lewis, a fifth round draft pick, will face off against Harrison or Buckley. With Harrison’s contract ending, the Eagles are unlikely to bring him back in though they would like to. Harrison has starting potential and will likely get big offers from teams in search of a back. So, Dion Lewis versus Eldra Buckley. Buckley has been in the system for a few years now after he was acquired off waivers from the Chargers. Dion Lewis is a tiny back from Pitt who is somewhat reminiscent of ex-Eagle Brian Westbrook. Dion Lewis will get a ton of playing time in the preseason and will most likely get the second string spot. He will get a good amount of time in the regular season on third down and goal line situations.

DeSean brings his big play
ability back in 2011.

Wide Receiver: Which guys make the team?

            DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, and Jason Avant clearly make this team. The question is which two make the team of the remaining 3 receivers, Moss, Cooper, and Hall? Riley Cooper was a solid special teamer in his rookie season. The Eagles have been searching for a goal line receiver who can catch the fade route if need be, Cooper looks like the kind of guy who can be groomed to fit those type of situations. Cooper makes the team. Now, Sinorice Moss and Chad Hall. Hall played sparingly last season and actually made a few appearances at running back. The Air Force graduate who used to repair fighter jets will be going back to his old job and speedy receiver Sinorice Moss, an ex-Giant will make the team. Also, look for the Eagles to bring in a veteran receiver or rookie free agent to fight for a job during training camp as well.

Right Guard: Danny Watkins vs. Max Jean-Gilles

            The Eagles took Danny Watkins with their first pick last weekend in the Draft and it seems that that was the plan all along. Max Jean-Gilles was given his chance at right guard and didn’t impress. The Eagles invested a lot with the firefighting linemen, Danny Watkins and look to plug him right in. Don’t expect Jean-Gilles to go down without a fight. Watkins will ultimately win the battle in camp and be our starter in week 1.

Now we’ll look at defensive players who will be fighting for a job. These ones should be interesting.

Defensive End: Brandon Graham vs. Juqua Parker

            Last year’s first round pick, Brandon Graham, ended his season on IR with an ACL tear. Juqua Parker has been with this team for a few years and hasn’t done anything to earn a starting job opposite Trent Cole. It will be interesting to see how Graham recovers from the injury. I expect Brandon Graham to play well and regain his starting job even after such a horrific injury.

Linebacker: Everyone

Jamar is a fast, young MIKE linebacker
that will make his mark this year.

            The Eagles have a big, big question at the heart of the defense, linebackers. There is a lot of talent but no one player stands out. Here’s my projected starting line-up. Jamar Chaney in the middle, Moise Fokou at SAM, and Casey Matthews at WILL. Stewart Bradley has been unimpressive in the past few years. He did have a season ending injury two years ago and may have never fully recovered. Jamar Chaney was impressive when he played late in the season and is much better in pass coverage than Bradley. It will be an interesting battle and I think we will have a lot of linebackers playing on special teams.

Slot/Third Cornerback: Trevard Lindley vs. Curtis Marsh vs. Dmitri Patterson vs. Joselio Hanson

            The Eagles will most likely sign Nnamdi Asomugha and if they can’t get there hands on him they will pick up Brent Grimes in free agency. Either Asomugha or Grimes will start opposite Asante Samuel giving the Eagles a shutdown cornerback tandem. Last season, I took Trevard Lindley as my Eagles Rookie of the Year. Needless to say, that prediction didn’t come true. Lindley didn’t get a lot of playing time but when he was in he played well. Patterson was a starter for a couple weeks and was very inconsistent. He would make a big hit in the flat on one play then be burned for a fifty yard touchdown the next. Patterson may not make this team this year. Curtis Marsh, the 2011 3^rd rounder will claim a spot on this team, likely in special teams to start. He will come in in dime situations. Joselio Hanson got a good amount of time this year but it may be time for the Eagles to move on. Hanson and Patterson will fight for the last spot and the winner will play a lot in special teams situations. This position is completely up in the air until we see who the Eagles pick up in the offseason.

Strong Safety: Jaiquawn Jarrett vs. Kurt Coleman vs. Colt Anderson

            Quintin Mikell is out. Former Buckeye Kurt Coleman was a solid player last year when given his chance in the secondary. Jaiquawn Jarrett is a physical safety that likes to get up to the line of scrimmage. This is a vital point as an Eagle, where the defensive coordinator will rely on the safeties as a second source of running help. Colt Anderson played well last year. He was a late season pick up and is another physical player. Anderson will likely be third and be a special teams stud like he was last year. I expect Jarrett to win the starting job. The Temple product will be playing at the Linc again and bring defense reminiscent of, forever Eagle, Brian Dawkins.

Finally, we’ll look at a long tenured position and fan favorite. Let’s look at our kicker situation.

Kicker: Alex Hennery vs. David Akers

Hennery brings pure accuracy to the
Eagles kicking game.

            The Eagles made it clear by drafting Hennery in the 4^th that the end of the Akers era was imminent. Akers ended last season on a low note. He missed two out of three field goal attempts against the Packers in the Wild Card week in the playoffs. Had Akers made those field goals, the Eagles would have moved to the next round and the Packers would not be the defending Super Bowl Champions. Alex Hennery, the NCAA’s all-time most accurate kicker comes into Eagles camp looking to take Akers’ job. Hennery played both punter and kicker at Nebraska but will only play kicker in the NFL. The only way Akers could make the team is as a kickoff specialist. The Eagles won’t keep three kickers on the team. The Hennery Era in Philadelphia begins!

There are a lot of positions still to be addressed through free agency with this team. The defense will have one of its biggest makeovers in recent history and the end of an era seems to be on the horizon. Could this ensemble of men be the next Super Bowl Champs? We will see come February.

2011 NFL Draft Notes

            After breaking down the Eagles draft, I want to take some time to look at other big pickups and questionable calls teams made on draft day.

            First off, the Tennessee Titans surprised everyone at 8^th overall by taking Jake Locker. Not only was this a surprise because not many people thought the Titans would take a quarterback in round 1, but with Blaine Gabbert still on the board, the call to draft Locker was gutsy to say the least. In a draft where it was unlikely that more than two quarterbacks would go in the first round it was a big surprise to see 4 go in the first twelve picks. With Newton going 1^st (Carolina), Locker going 8^th (Tennessee), Gabbert going 10^th (Jacksonville) and Ponder going 12^th (Minnesota), the teams that decided to draft their possible future franchise player may have made out well. Each quarterback seems to fit their respective offense well.

            Newton goes to a team without many weapons through the air other than wide receiver Steve Smith. Newton will be making plays with his feet just as often as he did at Auburn.

            Jake Locker is going to the Titans where he will have Chris Johnson behind him. Locker’s play compares to that of Philip Rivers’ and will make an immediate impact with his team. Rivers’ big target in San Diego is Antonio Gates and Locker will have a big guy coming back from an injury by the name of Kenny Britt. Britt blossomed as a threat in the offense late last season. Like Newton, Locker can pull down the ball and take off if need be. Locker has better receivers on his team so he will not have to run as often as he did in college.

            Blaine Gabbert, who was expected to be the second quarterback taken, waited around until pick 12 when the Jaguars couldn’t pass on him. Gabbert is going to an offense with a good receiving corps that consists of Marcedes Lewis at tight end, and Mike Sims-Walker and Mike Thomas. Gabbert will be able to stand in the pocket and deliver the ball to these deep threats. Gabbert should thrive in Jacksonville.

            Another big surprise was the drafting of Christian Ponder by the Vikings at 12^th overall. Mayock believes Ponder is the most athletic quarterback in the draft. In a young and speedy offense Ponder could run the ball just as often as he passes it. With Sidney Rice, Percy Harvin, and Visanthe Shiancoe on the opposite end of his passes, Christian will be satisfied with standing in the pocket or rolling out and tossing the ball. The Vikings have a potent running game as it is with Adrian Peterson in the backfield. Despite drafting Ponder, the Vikings are likely to get quarterback Donovan McNabb in the off-season as a veteran presence.

            My two favorite picks in this draft were running backs in the 2^nd and 5^th rounds. The Arizona Cardinals took VT running back Ryan Williams with their 38^th overall pick. Williams, 5’9” 212 pounds, is a much faster version of Michael Turner of the Falcons with great vision and football speed. He can make people miss in the open field and nobody will catch him from the backside. One difficulty Williams may find is his preference to reverse field. In college, Williams liked to cut back all the way across field and outrun the defense. Defenders are much faster in the NFL and will be able to track Williams down before he reaches the opposite sideline. Ryan Williams will likely take over the starting job and be backed up by Tim Hightower and the back that the Cardinals had such high hopes for, Chris “Beanie” Wells.

            In the 5^th round, the Falcons drafted Jacquizz Rodgers from Oregon State. Jacquizz is one of Mayock’s favorite draftees this year and when you put on a tape of this guy, it is easy to tell why. Rodgers is very fast and has the moves to leave any defender on the turf with sore ankles. He also has very strong legs and keeps moving his feet when he sees the end zone. If Jacquizz gets inside the ten yard line, he is unlikely to be taken down and his determination to put up six points is stronger than defender’s tackle. Jacquizz’s speed will be complimented nicely by Ovie Mughelli and Michael Turner’s power.

            The team who had the best draft this year was the Cincinnati Bengals. Taking A.J. Green with their first pick and Andy Dalton with their second, The Bengals’ days of Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco have seemingly transformed into the days of Andy Dalton and A.J. Green. Marvin Lewis has had a tough couple of months with Palmer saying he would rather retire than return to the Bengals in 2011 and Ochocinco tweeting that his “time is up” in Cincinnati. With the draft, Marvin has new toys to play with and can revamp this offense with some young talent. The Bengals are still far from a playoff team but they are well on their way with a solid quarterback and a big threat in A.J. Green.

The players who were unlucky on draft day and didn’t have their name called are

without a job now. Many are seeking positions in the UFL or CFL where the labor situation is not as bad as here in the NFL. The top undrafted rookies are those like Pat Devlin (Delaware), Mark Herzlich (Boston College), and Noel Devine (West Virginia). If an agreement between owners and players is not met soon, expect to see players like these and many others playing in other football leagues next season.

            Just a few interesting things that jumped out in this draft. The rookie class in 2011 will be an interesting one, expect to have many players in the running for Rookie of the Year, Jake Locker and Nick Fairley are my frontrunners for the awards for offense and defense, respectively.

Eagles Draft Class 2011

Danny Watkins, the Eagles
first pick in the 2011 draft.

            At first glance, the Eagles 2011 draft class may look unimpressive. The Eagles didn’t draft the position of greatest need until the 3^rd round when they took Curtis Marsh, the cornerback from Utah State. Let’s delve into each draftee and see how they fit into this team.

            With their first round pick, the Eagles took the 26 year old guard from Baylor. Danny Watkins was projected to be a mid to late day 2 pick. Watkins didn’t play football in high school so he is fairly new to the sport, only playing for four years. Watkins is in between tackle and guard, he is too fast to play guard and too small to play tackle. He is likely to fit in the Eagles offensive line at tackle.

Safety Jaiquawn Jarrett may take
over for Quintin Mikell if the Eagles
decide to move on.

            Let’s now take a look at one of the most interesting picks of this year’s draft. With the 2^nd round pick, 54^th overall, the Eagles took a local kid by the name of Jaiquawn Jarrett from Temple. At 6’0” and 198 pounds, Jarrett looks like a typical cornerback. But if you watch any film on this safety, he is anything but typical. He makes textbook tackles play after play, occasionally throwing in a huge hit resembling those from his role model, Jack Tatum, the former Oakland Raider known as “The Assassin”.  Jarrett was expected to go in the 3^rd or 4^th round but the Eagles may have gotten a steal to pair with last year’s 2^nd round pick, Nate Allen. When drafted, NFL Network Draft Expert Mike Mayock said Jaiquawn Jarrett was “one of the better and tougher safeties of this draft.” Jaiquawn is NFL ready and is expected to make an immediate impact on the field.

            The Eagles moved down in the 3^rd round and took cornerback Curtis Marsh from Utah State. Marsh showed maturity at the college level when he transferred from Utah’s overpopulated backfield to the injury marked secondary. Marsh believed his best chance to succeed was at the cornerback position. Marsh is a solid tackler in open field and can leave a receiver on an island. In possibly his best game at the college level, against Boise State, Marsh shut down Austin Pettis, a fellow third round pick. It is unlikely that Marsh will be playing opposite Asante Samuel on opening day but he is a solid addition to a sub-par Eagles secondary.

Casey Matthews bring speed, strength
and energy to the Eagles linbacking corps.

            Many fan’s favorite pick of the Eagles 2011 draft was Casey Matthews, the linebacker from Oregon and next in line of the “NFL’s royal family,” as stated by Merrill Reese. Casey is determined to make a name for himself and not be known as Super Bowl Champion Clay Matthews’ little brother. Matthews was a Second Team All American and a Butkus Award Finalist. Casey is a very strong, form tackler. He also recovers very well and is never out of a play. Casey Matthews was projected right around where the Eagles drafted him but he may prove to be one of the biggest steals in this year’s draft, taken in the 4^th round. Casey should be able to step in and be a starter at WILL linebacker.

            Four picks later, the Eagles made what looks like the most questionable pick in the draft. Though he may be the most accurate kicker in college football history, Alex Henery was not expected to be a 4^th, 5^th, or even 6^th round pick. When you first look at it, the Henery pick doesn’t make sense, but the Eagles may have been trying to send a message. To who? David Akers, the long-tenured Eagles kicker who missed two chip shot field goals in the Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers. Akers is set to become a free agent and this pick may prove that the Eagles aren’t going to pursue a new contract with the 12 year veteran.

RB Dion Lewis is expected
to add another gear to this
already young, fast offense.

            As expected, the Eagles added some depth behind starting running back LeSean McCoy. This came in the form of McCoy’s Alma Mater, Pittsburgh running back Dion Lewis in the 5^th round. The 2009 Freshmen of the Year decided to make an early trip to the NFL and declared for the draft after his sophomore year. Lewis stepped up immediately after LeSean McCoy left and broke many records held by McCoy. In only two years, Lewis carried the ball 544 times for a total of 2860 yards (5.3 ypc avg.) and an impressive 30 trips to the endzone. When asked who he styles his play after, the 5’7” 193 pound back said Maurice Jones-Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars. The running style of the two is nearly indistinguishable, both are fast, agile runners who can also pound it up the middle if need be. If you watch any game that Dion Lewis played in, you are sure to have seen his ankle-breaking juke move that leaves opposing defenders tackling a whole lot of air. Lewis is expected to be a third down, change of pace back in this Eagles offense. If he plays that role well, expect the Eagles to split carries between him and Shady, giving the Eagles a potent three headed attack in the running game with McCoy, Lewis, and quarterback Michael Vick.

            The next pick made by the Eagles came out of Iowa on the offensive line. Guard Julian Vandervelde, a 37 game starter at Iowa helped protect quarterback Ricky Stanzi. The 4 time Academic All-Big Ten Honoree has quick hands and moves smoother than a lot of linemen in this draft. Vandervelde is likely to come into training camp competing for a starting spot.

            The Eagles first of two 6^th round picks was another offensive lineman by the name of Jason Kelce from Cincinnati. Kelce played all over the line at Cincy and was named in the draft as a guard. Kelce could also add depth at center for the Eagles. Expect Kelce to make this team as a utility man.

            Ohio State’s strong linebacking corps was anchored on the edge by Brian Rolle, the 193^rd overall pick by the Eagles. When asked what team showed the most interest in him, Rolle told Mel Kiper Jr. “the Eagles because I fit what they need to do at WILL linebacker.” Rolle is an undersized linebacker at only 5’9” and 230 pounds. Rolle makes up for his lack of size with great strength (28 reps at the combine) and speed. He sheds blocks as well as anyone in this draft and has the speed and explosion to bust through the line and attack the quarterback or catch a running back from behind the play. Rolle will most likely fit this team on special teams at the very least.

            The first seventh round pick by the Eagles was Greg Lloyd Jr., the linebacker from UConn and offspring of former Steeler linebacker, Greg Lloyd Sr. Lloyd had trouble recovering from a knee injury in his junior season and played in only 7 games in his senior season. Lloyd’s status as one of the top linebackers in the 2011 draft dropped after he posted only 25 tackles. If Lloyd fully recovers, he will likely be a special teams stud or be a secondary option at linebacker.

            The Eagles concluded their draft with a fullback out of Southern Cal. Stanley Havili, the 6’ 227 pounder is impressive in the passing game. He is primarily a catch first fullback, having more catches than carries in both his senior and junior seasons. At only 227 pounds, Havili is an undersized fullback. His athleticism and catching ability will make him a weapon in the West Coast Offense.

            After carefully looking at each draft pick, the Eagles may have made out better than one would think. You give them a draft grade yourself. I will leave you with a few questions:

-Did the Arizona Cardinals really want Patrick Peterson or are they getting trade bait in the game for Kevin Kolb?

-Is David Akers out as kicker on this team?

-Will the Eagles make a big splash in free agency and go after the biggest name in this year’s class?

-What sort of impact can each draft pick have on this team?