In case you haven’t noticed, we’ve been going back over the 2008, 2009, and 2010 draft class of each franchise and assigning each pick a grade. Up next? Well, that’s the Philadelphia Eagles.
Each pick between the 2008 and 2010 draft classes has been given a grade between +2.0 and -2.0 (in 0.5 increments) that depends upon:
• Where they were drafted
• Their performance
• Their contribution (how many snaps their team got out of them)
• Other factors, such as unforeseen injuries and conditions that could not have been accounted for
Let’s take a look at how the Eagles drafted.
+2.0: You’ve just found Tom Brady in the 6th round
Forget drafting a quarterback, they just picked one up out of prison!
+1.5: Getting much more than you bargained for!
Nope.
+1.0: The scouts nailed it!
Desean Jackson, WR (49th overall pick in 2008): Jackson hasn’t always impressed us. For all the big plays he’s also put the ball on the ground too often, and gone missing for large stretches. But, while the Eagles were struggling in 2012, he rectified this and put forth his most complete season.
King Dunlap, T (230th overall pick in 2008): A former seventh-round pick, Dunlap is the kind of reliable swing tackle teams love (who also showed in 2011 an ability to play at guard). While it wasn’t ideal, when starting last year he did produce a decent +6.6 grade. For a seventh-round pick the Eagles have done exceptionally well out of him.
LeSean McCoy, RB (53rd overall pick in 2009): A man who makes defenders look stupid, McCoy was our highest ranked pure runner in 2011. Quite the accolade. But while impressing he couldn’t quite replicate it a year later. Still earned a +9.7 grade for his troubles, and firmly established as one of the better runners in the league.
+0.5: Never hurts to find a solid contributor
Moise Fokou, LB (230th overall pick in 2009): Not a bad pick at all to turn a seventh-round selection in to a guy who has managed 866 snaps on defense and who has contributed 27 special teams tackles over three years.
Brandon Graham, DE (13th overall pick in 2010): After a horrible ACL tear as a rookie Graham took some time to get back to his best. Consider him there after a monster 2012 where he had our second highest grade of all 4-3 defensive ends on just 435 snaps. Only playing time stops this grade being higher.
0.0: It could have been worse
Mike McGlynn, G (109th overall pick in 2008): Manned the center spot in 2010 and, while he struggled with his pass blocking, was a decent enough run blocker.
Quintin Demps, S (117th overall pick in 2008): Didn’t get much of a chance on defense, but for two years had a positive impact on special teams, including a 15-special-team-tackle season as a rookie, and a kickoff returned for a touchdown.
Jack Ikegwuono, CB (131st overall pick in 2008): A once highly regarded college prospect, knee injuries ruined the career of Ikegwuono. The Eagles get a pass on the pick since the upside was high and they did have 10 picks in 2008.
Mike Gibson, G (184th overall pick in 2008): Spells with numerous NFL teams but problems with injuries always limited his ability to catch on with the Eagles.
Joe Mays, LB (200th overall pick in 2008): The worst thing about this pick is Mays managed only 75 snaps for Philadelphia in over two years with the team. Not recognizing talent is a horrible trait, because Mays has gone onto star as the kind of two-down linebacker the Eagles desperately need. A win for the scouts negated by a loss for the coaches.
Andy Studebacker, LB (203rd overall pick in 2008): Taken off the Eagles’ practice squad by the Chiefs.
Jeremy Maclin, WR (19th overall pick in 2009): A solid guy to have catching balls, Maclin is the type of reliable player every receiver group needs. The only problem is he’s a former first-round pick, so you’d like to see him impose himself a bit more and become one of the top receivers in the league. He hasn’t done that yet.
Cornelius Ingram, TE (153rd overall pick in 2009): Two ACL tears in back-to-back years seemed to ruin what promise Ingram had — just couldn’t recapture his burst after his second tear occurred in 2009.
Macho Harris, S (157th overall pick in 2009): Didn’t look horrible when he started at safety for the Eagles (especially considering he converted from a college cornerback) but didn’t last into Year 2.
Fenuki Tupou, T (159th overall pick in 2009): After missing his rookie season with a chest injury, Tupou was cut by the Eagles.
Brandon Gibson, WR (194th overall pick in 2009): Traded weeks into the 2009 season, he did at least help the Eagles acquire Will Witherspoon. Gone on to become a useful receiver for the Rams.
Paul Fanaika, G (213th overall pick in 2009): The Eagles lost Fanaika to the Redskins, who took him off their practice squad.
Nate Allen, S (37th overall pick in 2010): Allen’s hot start to his NFL career made way to being exposed as his rookie season developed, before an injury cut it short. It took him some time to find his stride the following year and then he was a big part of a horrible secondary in 2012. Big year coming up. If he doesn’t get on the field and impress then this pick is a miss.
Keenan Clayton, LB (121st overall pick in 2010): Looked good in limited opportunities but was waived after two years.
Mike Kafka, QB (122nd overall pick in 2010): Has the look of a career backup who will struggle to ever see the field more than the 33 snaps he managed in 2011. Cut before the 2012 season.
Clay Harbor, TE (125th overall pick in 2010): To be a success Harbor needs to do more as the Eagles’ No. 2 tight end. For now he’ll do well just to hold on to that spot.
Riley Cooper, WR (159th overall pick in 2010): Cooper needs to make some plays to be worthy of a positive. Consistently earning negative grades regardless of the quarterback.
Charles Scott, RB (200th overall pick in 2010): Traded away before the start of the 2010 season.
Jamar Chaney, LB (220th overall pick in 2010): You can sometimes ask too much of a player, and that appears the case every time the Eagles let Chaney take the field. Suffice to say, earning a -33.7 grade over the course of three seasons is not good.
Jeff Owens, DT (243rd overall pick in 2010): Three snaps as a rookie and nothing more as the Eagles waived him months after suffering a serious knee injury requiring reconstructive surgery.
Kurt Coleman, S (244th overall pick in 2010): Simply playing a lot isn’t enough to warrant a positive grade, no matter how low a pick you are. Coleman was a liability when on the field, and had a horrid 2012 season.
-0.5: That pick was not put to good use
Trevor Laws, DT (47th overall pick in 2008): You don’t draft a defensive tackle mid way through the second to just backup starters and assume a situational role. Even when opportunity knocked, Laws was unable to take it, looking the kind of mediocre player you’d find later on in the draft.
Trevard Lindley, CB (105th overall pick in 2010): A former fourth-round pick, Lindsay was something of a disappointment, but also lacked any sort of luck with the Eagles deciding to invest heavy on proven cornerback talent.
Ricky Sapp, DE (134th overall pick in 2010): Didn’t manage a single snap (or game day active) for the Eagles as he was unable to overcome college injuries.
-1.0: What a waste!
Bryan Smith, DE (80th overall pick in 2008): Cut after a year, the undersized Smith didn’t manage a single defensive snap. Not good enough for a team that likes to rotate their defensive linemen and get players who can contribute on the field.
Daniel Te’o-Nesheim, DE (86th overall pick in 2010): It’s never good when a third-round pick finds his way to your team’s practice squad and sees NFL action only in a meaningless game. A disappointment and true waste of a pick.
-1.5: The scouts/ coaches failed, big time!
Nothing overly terrible here.
-2.0: You just drafted the love child of Jamarcus Russell and Ryan Leaf!
No Russell/Leaf hybrids in these classes.
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