College Players The Eagles Are Interested In

[PhillyPhreak54]

Look at Dan Klecko. He was a DT in college, Temple no less, and he's a guy who they move around.

Are you saying Temple isn't a major college football program?

F*** you!



PS: None of them were "projects" coming out, were they?

Al Golden will turn the Owls around! Natty Champs, baby! Then MDS can pop his official Temple Owls polo and fight for the cherry and white.

As for the "projects" thing...yes, some of them were projects. Like I said...every college player is a project to an extent. I don't care where they went to school. Sure I like to see some major college stars at times, but you never know what you're going to get. All NFL teams draft projects, bro.

[Rome]

Yes but doesn't it seem that the Eagles tend to draft projects higher than other teams?

Todd Herremans is a prime example of this philosophy.

Sure, he MIGHT turn out to be a serviceable player in the NFL but why was it necessary for the Eagles to go after him so early?

I mean the guy played at what amounts to no better than a community college, yet for some reason, the Eagles drafted him in the third round when he was projected to go a lot lower.

You mean to tell me that a guy who played at a major school, who performed against talent that was wayyyyyyyyy more skilled wouldn't have been a better choice at that spot?

All I'm saying is, I'd rather have a guy be picked in the higher rounds who played at a major school.  They play better competition in environments that are much more similar to the NFL than a fricken junior college.

Look, if a guy is a star at a smaller school, that's fine.  Walter Payton was a star at a smaller school and NFL history is strewn with stars from smaller programs.  Again, I'm not talking about stars here.  I'm talking about the choice between two guys who could be serviceable NFL players.  One went to Notre Dame and the other went to UCF. 

Which player would you rather take if everything else was equal?

[Dillen]

Deangelo weighed in at 5'8" 1/4, 208 pounds. He pretty much is Brian Westbrook, better runner, worse hands. Hell, theyre both listed at 5'10" and neither are close to that.

[MURP]

Yes but doesn't it seem that the Eagles tend to draft projects higher than other teams?

Todd Herremans is a prime example of this philosophy.

Sure, he MIGHT turn out to be a serviceable player in the NFL but why was it necessary for the Eagles to go after him so early?

I mean the guy played at what amounts to no better than a community college, yet for some reason, the Eagles drafted him in the third round when he was projected to go a lot lower.

The Eagles drafted Herremans late in the 4th round.   And while he did go to a joke college program he was a fairly popular player to coaches and scouts.  I too at first thought he would be a project, but after reading up about him he sounded decent.  There hasnt really been anything negative at all said about the guy since he was drafted.  If the Eagles didnt snag him where they did there is a good chance he wouldnt have been around by their next pick.   I went back and found the article I posted about him after the draft.  Take a look Rome.

SVSU tackle Herremans hopes for best
Thursday, April 21, 2005

Here's the scuttlebutt:

"Has been worked out by 11 teams. He is a project that is worth taking a chance on. One coach said he'd bet his Mercedes that (he) would be a first-day pick," wrote NFL.com senior draft analyst Gil Brandt, a former vice president of personnel for the Dallas Cowboys who lists this player as a "wildcard."

When asked on an ESPN draft segment to name an unknown player who may go in the first three rounds, draft guru Mel Kiper Jr., named him.

   If he had played for a Division I school, he'd now be compared to last season's first-round pick Robert Gallery, the No. 2 overall pick in 2004 to Oakland, according to one NFL scout.

Todd Herremans, an offensive tackle from Saginaw Valley State University, is doing his best to block out the "buzz" over his draft status as the fateful weekend approaches.

"My whole take on this is, I'm going to plan on being a free agent and if anything else happens ... it's a bonus," said Herremans, who measured nearly 6-feet, 7-inches tall and more than 320 pounds when NFL scouts visited SVSU's Ryder Center on St. Patrick's Day in March.

Still, it's difficult to block out the talk that has swirled around the Division II All-American, who seemed to fly so low under the radar screen that even Michigan Tech's Joe Berger was invited to the NFL combine workouts in February while he was not.

Interestingly, neither Herremans nor Berger -- pronounced 'burr-jay' -- appears on NFL.com's "prospect profiles," although Brandt always includes the SVSU tackle, while he also appears on the list of tackles in the Sporting News' draft preview edition.

While statistics show that about 85 percent of those who attend the combine end up drafted, Herremans believes that his absence now may be contributing to scouts' hearts growing fonder of the Ravenna athlete.

"I'm glad I didn't go," Herremans said. "It didn't bother me, you can't control it. ... I think I have more buzz like this than going to the combine."

The fuss all began during the postseason all-star games, when Herremans first played well at the Division II Cactus Bowl. However, he really turned heads during the Las Vegas All-Star Classic, butting heads with Division I and I-AA athletes.

"That kind of started the buzz right there, I did real well," Herremans said.

Making his case even more interesting, Herremans' pro day was cut short because he tweeked his hamstring, meaning his five-second 40-yard dash was not confirmed with another running. In addition, he had hurt his pectoral muscle while working out before the scouts visited and so lifted the 225-pound barbell just 20 times before stopping. "I didn't push it," said the tackle, who noted that during workouts he has put up the bar 32 times.

Still, since his pro day, Herremans said he has had contact with NFL teams almost daily, and has been flown to 11 team headquarters across the map. Coaches often visit SVSU to meet with Herremans, who had a meeting slated with the Atlanta Falcons as late as today.

"It's been a little crazy," he said.

Herremans, who spurned preferred walk-on offers from Division I schools in order to play at SVSU, said he did not have any realistic NFL aspirations until last year when scouts came to look at receivers Ruvell Martin and Glen Martinez and also asked about him.

"One scout told me that if I was playing at a Division I school I'd have as much hype as Robert Gallery last year, ah, I don't think so," Herremans said. "But obviously, it's harder for teams to measure you up with the other tackles."

While Herremans may not have known of his NFL potential, his name came up in conversations with SVSU coach Randy Awrey several years ago.

"I don't think he did that well in his pro day, but because he is such an athelte, and such an intelligent young man and such good character, everybody is checking him out," Awrey said.

Herremans said scouts have said he could play the left or right tackle slot, and probably would play both as a rookie learning the ropes.

They've also filled his head with all the buzz that seems to be ringing in his ears.

"I'm taking it all with a grain of salt," he said. "I'm just blocking everything out."

Now that's an appropriate comment. v

[ice grillin you]

to me andy thrives off getting players that are projects or castaways and getting them in the starting lineup...hed much rather take herremans from saginaw valley state or an UFA and make them into and average or slighty above nfl players than he would take debrickashaw ferguson and have him be a pro bowler for ten years

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

to me andy thrives off getting players that are projects or castaways and getting them in the starting lineup...hed much rather take herremans from saginaw valley state or an UFA and make them into and average or slighty above nfl players than he would take debrickashaw ferguson and have him be a pro bowler for ten years

I'm sure that if D'Brickashaw would be available in the 4th round (let alone at pick #14 in the 1st), Reid would take him.

All coaches love getting contributors from the later rounds and from UDFA's.  If you don't think Andy wants to get Pro Bowlers from his picks (especially early in the draft) as much as the next, you're simply wrong.  Look at Freddie, for instance.  Reid went with the guy who'd produced at a high level and was, at the time, considered more NFL-ready than some higher-ceiling guys like Chad Johnson who were still available.  I think Reid mixes up his "project" players and his "sure thing" players fairly well.

[Rome]

I think Reid mixes up his "project" players and his "sure thing" players fairly well.

Unintentionally funny but funny none the less.

[Feva]

I kinda feel where Rome is coming from on this one.

Reid seems to covet drafting players who are consistently referred to as a "project", or a guy that "if he can be coached up, he can be something special."  Whenever we draft a guy, a lot of times, he seems to have a small catch or a small knock against him.  Even Patterson last year.  (Now, I'm not complaining because I love Patterson, but as an example)... while he proved to be a productive player, the knock on him at the draft was that he was undersized.  He was too short.  Andrews... a "road grater" on the O-line, but has weight issues.  Moats... 1,700 yards at La Tech, but undersized with fumbling issues.  Scott Young... potential, but raw because he's a converted D-lineman.  Parry, a UDFA... a converted LB.  Cole... undersized DE.  I understand that some guys prove to be diamonds in the rough, some prove to be scrubs, it just seems as though Reid seems to go after these guys a lot more than most.

[MURP]

If thats your thinking, then why wouldnt you rather have a player who could become a good player with some NFL coaching as opposed to a player who has reached his full potential in college?   

[Feva]

Who says they've reached their potential?  Ovbiously every college player is going to require coaching to excel at the next level.  Just why not start with a guy who has all the measurements and qualities that you're looking for?

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

If you want to nitpick, every single draft pick ever has had some sort of "project" factor or capability to improve.  And most of the guys who have absolutely zero room to improve simply suck.

[Feva]

C'mon... you know I'm not saying that.

You're taking it like I'm faulting Reid for his choices.  All I'm doing is simply pointing out that he seems to go after more of these guys, good or bad... than most other people making those decisions.

[MURP]

Maybe he does, maybe he doesnt.  All I know is that I havnt been shown proof either way.  Kinda like IGY trying to say DE's in the first round bust more than any other position.  Well, show me the proof.   I guess I just dont see the point in trying to argue that Reid takes more "project" players than any other team if there is nothing to back it up with.

[Feva]

Fair enough... but let's get one thing straight.

If you ever... EVER... compare me to IGY again, it'll be me and you. 


Get me?

[PhillyPhreak54]

From ge99 via newspaper:

He should see his stock on the rise. He met with a number of teams, including the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Carolina Panthers, Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. He had not yet met with the Bengals, but said he would have his fingers crossed.

That is in regards to Nick Mangold, who had a very, very good week.