We Finally Have A Winner - Draft Grades

[ice grillin you]

SI

Philadelphia Eagles: I'm very unconvinced that QB Nick Foles will ever be an NFL starter, so using a third-rounder (88) on him stings. Aside from that, this was gold. Philadelphia robbed the league by trading up for DT Fletcher Cox at 12, then added solid pieces in LB Mychal Kendricks (46), DE Vinny Curry (59), CB Brandon Boykin (123), WR Marvin McNutt (194) and G/T Brandon Washington (200). Grade: A-minus

Walter

2012 NFL Draft Grade: A-

Goals Entering the 2012 NFL Draft: The Eagles don't really have many needs, so they can afford to take the best player available at almost every pick. Areas that still need to be upgraded are strongside linebacker, strong safety and cornerback depth. A big receiver and a successor for the current starting quarterback should also be considered.

2012 NFL Draft Accomplishments: Philadelphia addressed every single position listed above (save for strong safety) and selected great value prospects with nearly every choice. Eagle fans should be very pleased with this class.

Fletcher Cox was considered to be the top pass-rusher in the 2012 NFL Draft despite being an interior defensive lineman. The Eagles did well to move up three spots for him, merely giving up fourth- and sixth-round picks in the process. Andy Reid had so many selections to work with, so it was a deal he could afford to make.

I like both prospects Philadelphia secured in the second round. Vinny Curry is an avid Eagle fan and was projected by some to be a late first-round pick. Mychal Kendricks, meanwhile, was highly productive at Cal, winning the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. However, I have some concern that he won't be able to play strongside linebacker, where's he'll be stationed. There's no denying his talent though, so it wouldn't surprise me if he succeeded in his new position.

Elsewhere, the Eagles found corner depth (Brandon Boykin) and a big receiver (Marvin McNutt). Strong safety wasn't addressed, but I don't see why Reid would give up on Jaiquwan Jarrett so quickly. Still, it wouldn't have been a bad idea to find competition there instead of Nick Foles. I'm not a fan of the inaccurate and checkdown-happy Foles whatsoever, so I see that as a wasted pick.

12. Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi State: A Grade
I normally don't like it when teams trade up, but Fletcher Cox is talented and could have gone as high as No. 6 or 7, so the Eagles are getting great value here for a mere fourth- and sixth-rounder. Cox is a perfect fit for Jim Washburn's scheme.

46. Mychal Kendricks, ILB, California: B+ Grade
I'm going to need an explanation for this because both Mychal Kendricks and DeMeco Ryans are inside linebackers. Perhaps the Eagles think Kendricks can play SAM. We'll see. What I do know is that Kendricks is incredibly talented. He might fill a need at one of the linebacker positions and he fits the range.

59. Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall: A Grade
A few mocks had Vinny Curry going in the very end of the first round. He was No. 44 on the consensus big board, so the Eagles are obviously obtaining some value with this selection. Curry doesn't fill an immediate need, but I can't blame Andy Reid, who loves bolstering the defensive front, for providing some insurance for Brandon Graham, who is coming off a nasty knee injury.

88. Nick Foles, QB, Arizona: D Grade
I mocked Nick "checkdown" Foles to the Eagles - but in the fourth round. This is a bit of a reach, and I'll be shocked if Foles pans out. There's too much Blaine Gabbert with Foles. They even have the same hair style.

123. Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia: A+ Grade
Awesome pick. Brandon Boykin was ranked No. 61 on Mike Mayock's board. Scouts Inc. slotted him at No. 52. We had him at No. 63. I mocked him in the second. He's a steal at No. 123. He also fills a need because Asante Samuel was traded.

153. Dennis Kelly, OT, Purdue: D Grade
This pick surprises me for two reasons. First, no major big board had Dennis Kelly ranked in the top 225. Second, I don't think he is a good fit for Philadelphia's blocking scheme.

194. Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa: A+ Grade
Here's the big receiver that Eagle fans have been coveting. Marvin McNutt (6-3, 216) is a great value selection; he's No. 109 on the consensus board. If some team picked him in the third round, it would have been acceptable. Philadelphia's offense will be much better in the red zone if McNutt pans out.

200. Brandon Washington, G/OT, Miami: A+ Grade
The Eagles are collecting sixth-round steals. Brandon Washington is No. 121 on the consensus board. In addition to providing great value this late in the 2012 NFL Draft, he also fills a need. Philadelphia needed to find tackle depth in the wake of Jason Peters' unfortunate Achilles injury.

229. Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas State: B+ Grade
Bryce Brown is either going to make the team play well or get cut right away. But these are the type of boom-or-bust picks you're supposed to make in Round 7. Brown was highly recruited coming out of high school, but flamed out at both Tennessee and Kansas State. Maybe Andy Reid can turn his football career around.

Czarnecki

Coach Andy Reid took a lot of heat last season for naming offensive-line coach Juan Castillo his defensive coordinator. Well, this year Castillo has run out of excuses, because they drafted some tremendous defensive talent. Fletcher Cox can anchor the interior of Philadelphia's wide-nine approach with its pass rushers.

Cal linebacker Mychal Kendricks was the second-best middle linebacker in a 4-3 scheme. Kendricks has some injury issues, but is a rock-solid football player.

Georgia cornerback Brandon Boykin can handle the slot, while defensive end Vinny Curry had 26 1/2 sacks at Marshall. Curry is a street kid from New Jersey who has turned around his life despite a learning disability. He has tremendous upside.

Of course, Reid couldn't help himself with the pick of Arizona quarterback Nick Foles, who broke Drew Brees' records at Westlake High in Austin, Texas. Unlike Michael Vick, Foles has feet of cement, but he does have very good arm strength. Grade: B

Sporting News

Key picks: DT Fletcher Cox, ILB Mychal Kendricks, DE Vinny Curry.

The Eagles plugged nearly all their 4-3 defensive holes. Juan Castillo should be happy

Kiper

One of the best drafts in terms of lining up needs and getting guys at spots where I didn't think they'd still be around. They moved up to get Fletcher Cox, an immediate starter. Mychal Kendricks is a perfect fit, and at No. 46, a really good value. The Eagles look a lot better up the middle after this weekend. If Vinny Curry came off the board really early in the second round, nobody would have been surprised, so to get him at No. 59 is a steal. Nick Foles has the upside of an NFL starter, and Andy Reid could turn him into something. Brandon Boykin is my No. 9-ranked corner, so I love the value as a fourth-rounder. I thought they might get a tackle earlier, but it's hard to quibble given the value they got with every pick early on. I love this draft, and Bryce Brown will be an interesting story if he sticks. Keep an eye on Brandon Washington, a sixth-rounder with the upside of a starter at guard.
Needs - A, Value - A-, Overall - A

Football Nation

There has been a ton of talk about how well teams did in this years draft. I've decided to grade two teams, one AFC and one NFC. The AFC team will be covered next article. The NFC team I decided upon was none other than the Philadelphia Eagles.

Eagles selected Fletcher Cox, DT, Mississippi St, 12th overall (from Seahawks)

This was one of the best picks of the first round. Cox is a big, fast, and athletic DT. I saw Cox going top 10 definitely, needless to say, I was wrong. Cox is arguably the best all around defensive player in the draft. All this, plus the fact that the Eagles needed help defending against the run makes this pick a great one.

Grade for this pick - A

Eagles selected Mychal Kendricks, LB, California, 46th overall

This pick is another standout pick. While Kendricks is a bit undersized at 5'11, he has the athleticism to be a premier pass rusher if the Eagles put Kendricks on the outside. However, Kendricks is a formidable run stop LB too. Kendricks should definitely help the Eagles handle opposing running games, an area where they struggled at many times last year.

Grade for this pick - B

Eagles selected Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall, 59th overall (from Packers)

I was scratching my head at first to this pick, the Eagles didn't need a DE, especially not this early. However, after thinking about it, I realized Curry has potential to be a top 10 pass rusher. However, Curry isn't great at stopping the run, but he is good at getting around OTs. I suspect Curry will sit behind Trent Cole and Jason Babin this year, meaning we'll probably only see him as a special steamer this year.

Grade for this pick - B

Eagles selected Nick Foles, QB, Arizona, 88th overall (from Texans)

Not the biggest fan of this pick. Foles is a bit slow when in the pocket, which can cause him to get sacked frequently at the pro-level. However, the Eagles coaching staff has shown that they can make the most out of quarterbacks. Foles should provide a better backup than Vince Young, Mike Kafka, and Trent Edwards. Seeing how often Michael Vick is injured, that may make Foles a better pick than anyone could've imagined.

Grade for this pick - C

Eagles selected Brandon Boykin, CB, Georgia, 123rd overall (from Packers)

Boykin is an amazing athlete. Boykin also played in the SEC, which is arguably the best conference in the NCAA and has the best defenses by far. Boykin's major downfalls are his size(he is only 5'9) and he is a poor tackler. However, he can make up for his poor tackling with his play making ability. Another upside to Boykin is that he played slot receiver some plays at Georgia and returned kicks. This should add Boykin to the Eagles plethora of multi-threat players.

Grade for this pick - B

Eagles selected Dennis Kelly, OT, Purdue, 153rd overall

This is easily the Eagle's worst pick of the draft. Kelly is pretty much an unknown prospect. At Purdue's pro-day, he didn't standout at all really and was average at best. Why the Eagles would select a player like this in the 5th round when there was players like George Lloka, Tommy Streeter, Billy Winn, Emmanuel Acho, Alfonzo Dennard(can't believe he went in the seventh), and Chris Polk still available.

Grade for this pick - F

Eagles selected Marvin McNutt, WR, Iowa, 194th overall (from Broncos)

The Eagles made a good investment in this pick. McNutt is a big, strong receiver. He also has good hands. McNutt has several technique problems, but they can be fixed by good coaching. If these problems are fixed, McNutt could be an elite number two receiver, but would probably be put into a slot position or only used in 4 wideout situations.

Grade for this pick - B

Eagles selected Brandon Washington, G, Miami, 200th overall (from Patriots)

Wow! This guy was a freak in college. Washington has very good speed for a OL and understands blocking assignments very well. He also has pretty good size and strength. If given time to develop and transition to the pro-level, Washington should become an all-pro G. Not to mention, he never missed a game and even filled in at RT sometimes.

Grade for this pick - B

Eagles selected Bryce Brown, RB, Kansas St., 229th overall (from Falcons)

This pick is as to be expected of 7th round picks, nothing special. Brown has good size, but other than that, he is nothing too special. His speed is average, his ability to utilize blocks is average at best, and isn't much of a threat outside the hashes. However, Brown should provide a power back should the Eagles find themselves in 3rd and short situations.

Grade for this pick - D+

Overall Grade - B

The Eagles selected many players who should become good to very good pros. The obvious standout was Fletcher Cox, he should be a great DT for the Eagles and be a front-runner for Defensive Rookie of the Year. The most lackluster pick was easily Dennis Kelly, he is player who really doesn't have much to offer and would've likely went undrafted if not picked by the Eagles. The pick most likely to surprise most is Marvin McNutt, he has extreme athleticism. The only thing holding McNutt back is his technique issues, should they get fixed, he will be a force. Overall, the Eagles had one of the best drafts out of every team, if not the best. The Eagles filled every whole on their team but safety, which may be tended to later. Regardless, the Eagles should have incredible depth now at positions like WR, RB, DE, G, and CB. I predict the Eagles to rise from their ashes, and be a stronger force than ever. Can you say dream team...... what? Too soon?

Yahoo

Grade: A-

Analysis: The Eagles made a wise trade to move up from No. 15 to No. 12 to nab Cox, one of the more versatile defensive linemen in the draft and a guy who automatically improves the run defense. Kendricks and Curry were taken with the same mission in mind after the Eagles defense was basically a running gag throughout the 2011 season. After dealing with those needs, the Eagles then picked up a pair of great values in Foles and Boykin. Foles has all the physical tools to be a terrific player and is going to a coach in Andy Reid who can harness those gifts. Foles should be ready to either take over for Michael Vick when Vick is done or be a good piece of trade bait in the future. Like Foles, Boykin has a lot of tools at a premium position.

[PoopyfaceMcGee]

Nice roundup. It does sound like Football Nation made up their review on Bryce Brown.

[Zanshin]

Eagles selected Vinny Curry, DE, Marshall, 59th overall (from Packers)

I was scratching my head at first to this pick, the Eagles didn't need a DE, especially not this early. However, after thinking about it, I realized Curry has potential to be a top 10 pass rusher. However, Curry isn't great at stopping the run, but he is good at getting around OTs. I suspect Curry will sit behind Trent Cole and Jason Babin this year, meaning we'll probably only see him as a special steamer this year.

This doesn't make much sense. It's obvious that the way the Eagles rotate the ends in particular, he'll get chances. Doesn't say much for the credibility of the source.

[Sgt PSN]

Wtf is a special steamer? 

[Zanshin]

Like you don't know. Nice cover.

[ice grillin you]

kiper put out his best value picks of the draft...does three offensive and three diefensive for each round

three eagle picks made it

boykin in the 4th.....wash and mcnutty in the 6th

[phattymatty]

I was scratching my head at first to this pick, the Eagles didn't need a DE, especially not this early. However, after thinking about it, I realized Curry has potential to be a top 10 pass rusher.

at first i was like...i don't like this pick...then i was like...hey, this dude could be great.

[hbionic]

 

[QB Eagles]

Boykin is an amazing athlete. Boykin also played in the SEC, which is arguably the best conference in the NCAA and has the best defenses by far.

This Football Nation writer is 16 years old, at most.

[ice grillin you]

Boykin is an amazing athlete. Boykin also played in the SEC, which is arguably the best conference in the NCAA and has the best defenses by far.

This Football Nation writer is 16 years old, at most.

you cant really go wrong taking an athlete from the SEC

[General_Failure]

Totally proved him wrong there.

[MDS]

who is adam caplan

he sounds like someone i took bar mitzvah lessons with

[Zanshin]

I was scratching my head at first to this pick, the Eagles didn't need a DE, especially not this early. However, after thinking about it, I realized Curry has potential to be a top 10 pass rusher.

at first i was like...i don't like this pick...then i was like...hey, this dude could be great.

Let the record show that I didn't spew that nonsense, but rather quoted someone who did. I'd rather take credit for my own inevitable nonsense.

[Diomedes]

The record is irrelevant.  You'll be known as the hive wants to know you, facts be damned.

[Zanshin]

There's only, like, 10 bees. It's more like a lonely honeycomb stuck under a deck table than an actual hive.