Philadelphia Eagles - NFC East, 2008 Draft Selections & Prospects
Philadelphia
Eagles
The Draft Was
... Excellent. Not only did the Eagles get a ton of
prospects and plenty of value, they got RB Lorenzo Booker from
the Dolphins and Carolina's 2009 first round draft pick. DT
Trevor Laws and WR DeSean Jackson were first round picks taken
in the second round, while CB Jack Ikegwuonu and OT King Dunlap
were fantastic finds on the second day. Best Value Pick: Jack Ikegwuonu, CB Wisconsin. 4th round.
Give him a year to recover from his torn ACL and he'll be like
getting a high draft pick in 2009. Even if it takes him two
years to fully recover, it'll be worth it; he would've been a
second rounder this year if healthy. Biggest Reach: Andy Studebaker, LB Wheaton. 6th round.
There's no faulting a flier on a late pick, but Studebaker
doesn't have the talent to fill the hole the Eagles hopefully
took care of with Bryan Smith in the third round. . They Should've ... Taken Early Doucet or Harry Douglas
over Smith in the third. Yeah, Philly needed Smith, but getting
a second receiver to pair with DeSean Jackson would've made
Donovan McNabb ecstatic, and much better, and would allow for
the Kevin Kolb era, once that kicks in, to get off to a big
start.
#
Pick
16
47
2nd Round (from Minnesota)
Trevor Laws, DT Notre Dame
112 tackles as a senior. For a tackle. Again, 112 tackles in one
season. While he's not necessarily a tackle to build a defense
around, he has the drive and the fire to become a bear of a
starter and a phenomenal second interior option next to a bigger
established starter. Very active and with a great motor, he can
be used in a variety of ways and will still produce. At only
six-feet tall, he's a bit of a bowling ball and he isn't a good
interior pass rusher, but he'll make plays and will always keep
working. CFN Projection: Second Round
CFN Position Rank: 3
18
49
2nd Round
DeSean Jackson, WR California
If you're asking Jackson to be a star target to revolve an NFL
offense around, he's not going to be it. If you're asking him to
go deep five times a game to clear out the safeties and have a
gaudy yard-per-catch average, he's your guy. Make him a No. 2 or
No. 3 target against a relatively slow defensive back and he'll
hit home run after home run. The problem is his size. He's never
going to be big, he's always going to be too thin, and he's not
going to be a smallish physical receiver, like a Steve Smith.
Banged up at times, he was a major disappointment in 2007; he
didn't make the Cal offense better. Still, his blinding speed
and electrifying return skills make him a fun weapon to have in
the arsenal. CFN Projection: Late First to Second Round
CFN Position Rank: 8
17
80
3rd Round
Bryan Smith, DE/LB McNeese State
Extremely athletic and a terrific pass rusher at the lower
level, Smith cranked out 24 sacks in the last two years and is
great at making every tackle. He's not really a linebacker, but
at only 6-2 and 231 pounds, he's not an end. Despite his lack of
size, he'll be a fun toy for a defensive coordinator to play
with. CFN Projection: Fifth Round CFN
Position Rank: 17 (as a DE)
10
109
4th Round
(from Buffalo)
Mike McGlynn, OG/OT Pitt A brutish run blocker
who has been one of the most consistent players on an
inconsistent Pitt team over the last three years, McGlynn did
everything asked of him and played hurt when most would've been
on the sidelines. The problem is his quickness; he doesn't have
any. While he was a great tackle at the collegiate level, he
could be a star at guard if allowed a while to develop. He'll
have a long career on want-to, but there's a ceiling on what he
can do. CFN
Projection: Fourth RoundCFN Position Rank: 7 (as a OG)
18
117
4th Round
(from
trade)
Quintin Demps, FS UTEP
An excellent four-year starter for UTEP with good ball-hawking
skills and cornerback coverage ability in a safety body, Demps
is a seasoned veteran who can step in right away. He has the
4.41 speed to play corner, but he's a free safety and can be
used from time to time as a punt returner. Consistent tackling
ability is an issue and will be the difference between starting
and being used as a nickelback. CFN Projection: Third Round to Fourth
CFN Position Rank:5
32
131
4th Round
Jack Ikegwuonu, CB Wisconsin
If he can be consistent and if he can become tougher, he has the
potential to be a great pro. The first issue is a knee injury
suffered right after the season ended in a pre-draft workout.
The second issue is his character. He got in trouble off the
field and the coaching staff openly questioned his toughness in
a few big games when he got dinged up. Outside of allowing a
huge pass play to Michigan's Mario Manningham last year, he shut
down most of the top receivers and showed off his speed by
chasing down Darren McFadden in the 2007 Capital One Bowl. CFN Projection: Third Round to Fourth Round
CFN Position Rank:9
18
184
6th Round Mike Gibson, OT/OG California
A former JUCO transfer who stepped in and did a nice job as a
two-yard starter for the Bears. A great run blocker who'll power
over anyone who isn't going 100 miles per hour, he might project
to be a guard if he can't prove he can handle an NFL caliber
pass rusher. He'll need a while to improve his overall technique
if he's going to be a tackle. CFN Projection: Fifth Round CFN
Position Rank: 14
34
200
6th Round
Joe Mays, LB North Dakota State
A late arriver on the draft scene after a good pro day, he's on
the map as a possible special teamer with good size and decent
speed. The knock on him seems to be his height, but at 5-11 he's
an inch shorter than Curtis Lofton; it doesn't matter. While
he's a bit limited as an NFL defender, he has enough skills to
be worked on as a project. CFN Projection: Free Agent
CFN
Position Rank: 36
37
203
6th Round Andy Studebaker, DE/LB Wheaton More than just a great name, Studebaker is a hybrid outside
defender who'll likely find a permanent home at linebacker if he
ends up making a team. Very strong with room to add at least 15
pounds to his 245-pound frame, he's a productive player with big
potential. He would've been an early second day pick if he
hadn't torn a tendon in his foot. CFN Projection: Free Agent CFN
Position Rank: 31
23
230
7th Round King Dunlap, OT Auburn
If he plays every game and every down like he looks, he'll be a
dominator. He's a tall, strong, quick 6-8 and 310 pounds, but he
doesn't play up to his talent level and got the hook last year
when he should've been crushing and killing.. If he decides he
wants to be a top pro and if a coaching staff can fire him up
and show him how to be a Pro Bowl blocker, it could happen for
him. He's a chance on greatness. CFN Projection: Third Round CFN
Position Rank: 13