{"id":76723,"date":"2015-05-04T17:09:59","date_gmt":"2015-05-04T17:09:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/sandbox.web.rcn.net\/rcntv\/?p=76723"},"modified":"2023-04-19T20:43:37","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T20:43:37","slug":"sportstalk-shop-nfl-draft-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.astound.com\/atvn\/sportstalk-shop-nfl-draft-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"The SportsTalk Shop: NFL Draft Recap"},"content":{"rendered":"

I don\u2019t believe there has been more excitement, angst, anticipation\u2014and anxiety\u2014for an NFL Draft than this year\u2019s selection process for both the Redskins <\/a>and Eagles <\/a>communities.\u00a0 Birds fans wanted new Eagles Czar Chip Kelly to move up and pick Marcus Mariota<\/a>, and many Skins supporters wanted a move backwards to secure more picks.\u00a0 While many dyed-in-the-wool football experts really thought the odds were against both of those things happening, it seemed that many, including the entire Delaware Valley, had convinced themselves\u2014emotionally\u2014that a major move would be made\u2026one that would never occur.\u00a0 After several days of mental withdraw, it\u2019s time to take a step back and take a more pragmatic view of what transpired.<\/p>\n

Day One\u2026the first pick<\/span><\/p>\n

REDSKINS PICK:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 B+<\/strong>
\nEAGLES PICK:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A- \u00a0(However\u2026)<\/strong><\/p>\n

All things considered, I believe both Washington and Philadelphia made the \u201csafe\u201d move.\u00a0 The Redskins were not able to get the number of quality picks to trade out of the number-five spot overall, and Brandon Scherff<\/a> is a good choice for a team that needed a major boost on the offensive line.\u00a0 While it\u2019s normally startling to hear a top-five pick is slated for right tackle (the #5 pick is an awfully high pick for that position), it is an area that had to be addressed, and if he can also play guard, that versatility certainly is a plus.\u00a0 I had Scherff several spots lower on my draft board, but I don\u2019t think it was a major leap for the Redskins to make to enhance their O-line.<\/p>\n

For the Eagles, I\u2019ll first go back to the final game of the regular season.\u00a0 They had NOTHING to play for, so why didn\u2019t they give Matt Barkley<\/a> the start at quarterback?\u00a0 Kelly clearly doesn\u2019t like him (is there another team in the country with more quarterbacks\u2014all of them ahead of Barkley?)\u00a0 Playing him in the season finale would have benefitted the team no matter what happened.\u00a0 If Barkley played well, it would have served as a showcase for other teams so that you could have used him as a trade chip.\u00a0 If he fell flat on his face and lost, the Eagles would have moved up several spots in the draft\u2014perhaps enough to get Marcus Mariota, their prized quarterback.\u00a0 Clearly Sam Bradford<\/a> was not enough to enable the Eagles to get Mariota without also surrendering other major talent, but if Bradford is your guy, why haven\u2019t they signed him to a long-term deal\u2014like, yesterday?\u00a0 If Bradford plays well, he\u2019s going to ask for the farm\u2014and get it.\u00a0 If he fails (or gets hurt for the third year in a row), you\u2019re starting year-four under Kelly with no definitive quarterback.<\/p>\n

So after dropping the ball at several steps, Kelly saved face in the first round by filling one of the three major holes they needed to address.\u00a0 Of course, if they signed Jeremy Maclin last summer as I had suggested they do, they wouldn\u2019t have had that vacancy in the first place.<\/p>\n

Day Two\u2026Rounds 2 & 3<\/span><\/p>\n

REDSKINS PICK:\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0C+ \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>
\nEAGLES PICK:\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A-<\/strong><\/p>\n

While I really like the selection of Preston Smith<\/a> in the second round and think he has great potential, I was not a fan of the third round trade and their subsequent picks. \u00a0The Redskins picked up a running back (Matt Jones<\/a>) that I had questions about and really don\u2019t think will make a major impact with this team.\u00a0 With the other acquired selections, Washington\u2019s first-year General Manager Scot McCloughan clearly favored selecting players in spots of need over the best available talents, and there were enough players at their initial third-round selection position with more upside that could have made a bigger impact that the collective efforts of the players gained through the trade.\u00a0 However, whether he\u2019s right or wrong, I\u2019ll give McCloughan credit for adding bodies in the draft (see below).<\/p>\n

The Eagles made their best decision of the draft in the second round–trading up to obtain Defensive Back Eric Rowe<\/a> out of Utah.\u00a0 He can be an instant starter (that’s something new for a Kelly draftee) and could be a star at either cornerback or safety going forward.\u00a0 While I question selecting an inside linebacker with their third pick (unless Kelly is planning on trading Mychal Kendricks<\/a> or is looking ahead to the future), Jordan Hicks<\/a> is a nice pickup with the 84th overall pick and can help right away on special teams.<\/p>\n

Day Three\u2026Rounds 4-7<\/p>\n

REDSKINS PICK: \u00a0\u00a0B- \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0<\/strong>
\nEAGLES PICK:\u00a0 C\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

With very few big names escaping past the first three rounds (which is why I did not like the decision to trade down), I think Washington did make some good talent additions to their squad overall.\u00a0 Probably the one most likely to exceed their respective numbered-round expectations is Kyshoen Jarrett<\/a>, a defensive back out of Virginia Tech.\u00a0 Despite being undersized (5\u201910\u201d), I think he can help Washington right away on special teams, and could carve out a nice career as a nickel back or an occasional number-two corner.<\/p>\n

In the later stage of the draft, the Eagles added much-needed secondary depth in their back-half of the draft.\u00a0 However,\u00a0 I’m still shocked that they didn’t select ANY offensive linemen in the draft–which was one of the three major needs to the team going in. They also didn\u2019t get a \u201cpure\u201d strong safety, so that could be a more minor issue to watch as training camp unfolds.<\/p>\n

Final Evaluations\/Overall Grades<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite failing to solidify the quarterback position–which could be a major setback to the future success of the organization–the Eagles’ picks themselves make a lot of sense.\u00a0 Keep an eye on non-drafted lineman Mike Coccia<\/a>.\u00a0 I announced several of his games and visited his workouts at Freedom High School.\u00a0 He\u2019s an outstanding young blocker who works hard and has always had good technique.\u00a0 I think Kelly would be foolish not to hold onto him as he can add some much-needed depth along the Birds\u2019 offensive line.\u00a0 Still, Philadelphia needs a lot to go right to protect an already fragile Bradford under center.<\/p>\n

Overall, the Eagles moved forward with this draft, with a couple question marks remaining.\u00a0 They may have done just enough this past weekend (and, taking advantage of one of the weaker NFL schedules this fall) to propel themselves to a playoff appearance.\u00a0 How far they’ll go remains a mystery, led by the quarterback combination of Bradford (when\/if healthy), Mark Sanchez, Tim Tebow et al, and the team certainly didn’t do anything to help protect their signal callers with their draft choices.<\/p>\n

EAGLES OVERALL DRAFT GRADE:\u00a0 B+<\/strong><\/p>\n

I also think the Redskins made some nice decisions in this year’s draft…but “nice” won’t result in a major improvement in the win total for this season.\u00a0 Their draft selections should move the team in the right direction, and, with some luck, they could win at least six to seven games this season.\u00a0 The team made a few weaker selections at some spots in trying to fill needs.\u00a0 Skins fans hoping for some major moves are left disappointed, as they still look to be AT LEAST one year away from any possible playoff contention, and a subpar year from Robert Griffin III (whose option for 2016 was picked up last week) might just set that plan back even further.\u00a0 I\u2019ll take into account that it was McCloughan\u2019s first draft with the Skins, and I do believe in him going forward.\u00a0 But again, we’re analyzing with our head and not with our heart, which results in a…<\/p>\n

REDSKINS OVERALL DRAFT GRADE:\u00a0 B<\/strong><\/p>\n

What are your thoughts on this year\u2019s NFL Draft?\u00a0 Which picks did you like\/hate and what grades would you give the Eagles and the Redskins?\u00a0 We\u2019ll have plenty of football talk on this Thursday\u2019s \u201cRCN SportsTalk\u201d so email your opinions to RCNSportsTalk@rcn.com<\/a> and tune in as we respond to your comments live on air.\u00a0 Don\u2019t forget our show is now on at a new time, live on Thursdays from 7-8pm.\u00a0 We\u2019ll also have a phone interview with Washington Nationals broadcaster Charlie Slows to talk about the first month of the baseball season on this week\u2019s program.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I don\u2019t believe there has been more excitement, angst, anticipation\u2014and anxiety\u2014for an NFL Draft than this year\u2019s selection process for both the Redskins and Eagles communities.\u00a0 Birds fans wanted new Eagles Czar Chip Kelly to move up and pick Marcus Mariota, and many Skins supporters wanted a move backwards to secure more picks.\u00a0 While many…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"Yoast SEO Relevanssi index exclude","inline_featured_image":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4,5],"tags":[176,372,451],"class_list":["post-76723","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-featured","category-sports","category-the-sportstalk-shop","tag-eagles","tag-nfl","tag-redskins"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nThe SportsTalk Shop: NFL Draft Recap - 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