Draft season is upon us as free agency quiets down and prospect watch goes into overdrive. But the reality for us is that we’re not that involved in the College side of things, but that doesn’t mean we’re not fans of the draft.
For me though that means reflecting back on drafts gone by to tell you which teams made the best picks and which ones the worst. So as I do every year I’m grading every draft pick from 2009 through to 2011 on the PFF rating scale (-2 to +2), factoring in where they were drafted, injuries and a host of other things.
Up next? Well we’re moving in draft order so it’s the Philadelphia Eagles
+2.0: You’ve just found Tom Brady in the 6th round
LeSean McCoy, RB (53rd overall pick in 2009): If you can find elite talent in the second round at any position you’re likely to end up here. McCoy has gotten better and better each year to the point where he was comfortably our top-ranked back in 2013.
+1.5: Getting much more than you bargained for!
Jason Kelce, C (191st overall pick in 2011): A breakout third year was so good (outside of an inability to handle the Giants) that Kelce went from man with everything to prove, to PFF All-Pro center. Any GM would be proud of an unearthing that gem in the sixth round.
+1.0: The scouts nailed it!
Not here …
+0.5: Never hurts to find a solid contributor
Moise Fokou, LB (230th overall pick in 2009): Seventh-rounder who would play 865 snaps for the team and not look like a liability in doing so.
Riley Cooper, WR (160th overall pick in 2010): Took him a while to develop but his big 2013 was reward enough for the fifth-rounder the team invested in him. May never have the tools of a No. 1, but Cooper should be a part of the receiver package for the near future.
Brian Rolle, LB (193rd overall pick in 2011): Rolle would start as a rookie and he handled himself well. Sure his 676 snaps aren’t a huge return but they’re more then you’d get out of a sixth-rounder.
0.0: It could have been worse
Cornelius Ingram, TE (153rd overall pick in 2009): Severe injury after severe injury ensured he never played a down for the team.
Macho Harris, DB (157th overall pick in 2009): While he was cut before the start of his second season with the team, his 676 rookie snaps ensured a neutral grade.
Fenuki Tupou, OT (159th overall pick in 2009): Fifth-round selection who spent a year on injured reserve and a year on the practice squad before being released.
Brandon Gibson, WR (194th overall pick in 2009): Would go on and have success in St. Louis, but featured just five times on offense for the Eagles before being traded away.
Paul Fanaika, OG (213th overall pick in 2009): Seventh-rounder who couldn’t fight his way onto the field, poached off their practice squad as a rookie.
Clay Harbor, TE (126th overall pick in 2010): Had his moments during his 920-snap stay, but never made a consistent enough contribution to jump a category.
Jamar Chaney, LB (221st overall pick in 2010): On the surface, 1,356 snaps out of a seventh-rounder over four years is great value. In reality, his -33.7 grade meant the team would have been better off getting others playing time.
Jeff Owens, DT (244th overall pick in 2010): A ruptured left patellar tendon ended his career early after just three snaps on defense.
Kurt Coleman, S (245th overall pick in 2010): Much like Chaney, Coleman would feature an impressive amount on defense, but his contribution was often more likely to have Eagles fans holding their heads in dismay.
Alex Henery, K (120th overall pick in 2011): Henery is a good kicker. However, he’s not a great one and if you’re spending a fourth-round pick that’s what you need to get a positive.
Dion Lewis, RB (149th overall pick in 2011): Fifth-rounder who featured on 102 offensive snaps before being traded away to Cleveland.
Julian Vandervelde, OC (161st overall pick in 2011): Remains part of the Eagles' offensive line depth. Unfortunately for him that’s a hard unit to crack with just 10 offensive snaps to his name so far.
Greg Lloyd, LB (239th overall pick in 2011): Seventh-rounder who would spend time on the practice squad before being traded away.
Stanley Havili, FB (242nd overall pick in 2011): Lasted 232 snaps with the team before being traded at the end of his sophomore season.
-0.5: That pick was not put to good use
Jeremy Maclin, WR (19th overall pick in 2009): It’s not that Maclin has been a bad player. He’s been perfectly acceptable. Yet, as a first-round receiver, perfectly acceptable isn’t enough. Perhaps with DeSean Jackson out of town he’ll assume a bigger role and repay that. Perhaps.
Brandon Graham, DE (13th overall pick in 2010): This owes more to how Graham has been used, rather than his performance because Graham has been fantastic when given a chance. Through two coaching staffs, though, he’s struggled to get on the field, averaging less than 350 snaps per year. That’s the only reason Graham lies in this category.
Nate Allen, S (37th overall pick in 2010): After a strong start Allen just hasn’t lived up his drafting, picking up a -12.9 grade in his 3,645 snaps. It’s close to a neutral grade but just missing out.
Trevor Lindley, CB (106th overall pick in 2010): I like my fourth-rounders to feature on more than 192 snaps. Bounced on and off the roster before the relationship was severed for good before the 2013 season.
Keenan Clayton, LB (122nd overall pick in 2010): The Eagles got a decent return out of some lower round picks but Clayton wasn’t one of them. Just 267 snaps isn’t enough.
Mike Kafka, QB (123rd overall pick in 2010): I’m a believer in turning a quarterback picked in Round 4 into a long-term backup or possible starter. Kafka proved to be neither.
Ricky Sapp, DE (135th overall pick in 2010): Seen by many as a draft-day steal, Sapp would fail to get on the field after missing his rookie year on injured reserve and then was waived before 2011 preseason.
Charles Scott, RB (201st overall pick in 2010): Traded away before the start of his rookie year.
Curtis Marsh, CB (90th overall pick in 2011): Despite reports suggesting a big future, Marsh would last just two years with the team and feature on just 75 defensive snaps.
Casey Matthews, LB (116th overall pick in 2011): Thrust into a starting spot in his rookie year, Matthews just wasn’t ready for what was being asked of him. Since then he’s hung onto the roster without ever looking like breaking back into the team.
-1.0: What a waste!
Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, DE (87th overall pick in 2010): Never good when a third round pick is cut before the start of his second season with the team. Logged 113 underwhelming snaps as a rookie.
-1.5: The scouts/ coaches failed, big time!
Danny Watkins, OG (23rd overall pick in 2011): Seen as an NFL-ready talent, Watkins would play 1,268 snaps and disappoint during his brief tenure with the team. Lasted just two years.
Jaiquawn Jarrett, S (54th overall pick in 2011): Second-rounder who would look out of place on his 254 Eagles snaps before being cut at the start of his sophomore season.
-2.0: You just drafted the love child of JaMarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf!
It was close …
Here are the teams we’ve covered so far:
ARZ | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB
HOU | IND | JAX | KC | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | OAK | PHI
PIT | SL | SD | SF | SEA | TB | TEN | WAS
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