The Philadelphia Eagles won the NFC East at 10-6 during the 2010 NFL Season, and the sensational play of Michael Vick led the way. Two areas of concern for the Eagles was the offensive line and defensive secondary, and Philadelphia hit on picks at both slots.
Danny Watkins have may been the most popular player at Radio City Music Hall on Draft Day, as the former firefighter got a standing ovation from a group of New York firefighters. But Watkins can play. He can play tackle and guard, and he should be able to shore up the line right away.
The secondary was addressed in Rounds 2 and 3, with the selection of Jaiquawn Jarrett, a safety out of Temple in the second round, and Curtis Marsh, a cornerback out of Utah State in the third round. Both players have have been drafted higher than many experts had them pegged, but they both fit the Eagles system, and should play an important role in shoring up the defensive backfield.
Two late round sleeper picks for the Eagles look to be Casey Matthews, a middle linebacker out of Oregon, and Alex Henery, a kicker out of Nebraska, both selected in the fourth round of the draft. Matthews is the brother of Clay Matthews of the Packers, and he has the football IQ that Coach Andy Reid loves. Henery was the highest rated kicker in the draft, and he could be the eventual replacement for David Akers.
Draft Grade: B-
Showing posts with label Danny Watkins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Danny Watkins. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
DSA Player Rankings 6.0--2011 Final
It is two days until the 2011 NFL Draft, and today I am posting my final DSA Player Rankings for this year. It seems that the prospects at the top have pretty much been solidified in their draft slots, and that is due to the uncertainty of the lockout and labor negotiations. Teams still have not been able to sign free agents, even with the ruling that came down yesterday. So it looks like this is going to be the draft for needs, not just the draft for the best player available. So here is the final DSA Player Rankings for 2011:
DSA Rankings 6.0 4-28-11
1) Cam Newton 1.30
2) Marcel Dareus 1.90
3) Von Miller 3.60
4) A.J. Green 4.20
5) Blaine Gabbert 5.00
6) Patrick Peterson 6.40
7) Robert Quinn 7.00
8) Nick Fairley 7.40
9) Julio Jones 9.20
10) Tyron Smith 9.40
11) Prince Amukamara 12.20
12) Cameron Jordan 13.30
13) Aldon Smith 15.10
14) Corey Liuget 15.40
15) J.J, Watt 16.00
16) Ryan Kerrigan 16.70
17) Anthony Castanzo 17.10
18) Mike Pouncey 17.40
19) Da'Quan Bowers 18.20
20) Mark Ingram 21.00
21) Gabe Carimi 22.60
22) Jimmy Smith 24.50
23) Cameron Heyward 25.90
24) Derek Sherrod 26.60
25) Nate Solder 26.80
26) Muhammad Wilkerson 27.10
27) Akeem Ayers 28.30
28) Phil Taylor 28.50
29) Jake Locker 29.90
30) Danny Watkins 30.30
31) Adrian Clayborn 30.70
32) Aaron Williams 31.10
The biggest upward movers going into the final weeks of the draft has been Cameron Heyward, who moved up seven slots in the latest DSA's. Corey Liuget jumped up six positions, while Tyron Smith and Cameron Jordan shot up five slots each. The players who travelled south the most were Adrian Clayborn, who for some reason dropped ten slots down to #31, and Da'Quan Bowers, who fell another eight spots to #19. Teams are getting nervous about Bowers and just how healthy his knee is, but Clayborn is a bit of a mystery. I believe he is more a victim of the numbers with a deep class at defensive end and could very well go in the mid-first round.
Looking back at the first DSA's I posted back in February compared to the final in late April, there are a number of players who saw their stock rise and fall in the eyes of draftniks during the past two months. Nick Fairley was a unanimous #1 Overall selection, then dropped to a near unanimous #8 pick for Tennessee. Akeem Ayers fell twelve spots to #27, and Adrian Clayborn went south thirteen positions to #31. Brandon Harris was #22 and Ryan Mallett was #23, and both are not anywhere near the top 32 in the final rankings.
Cam Newton started at #8, and moved all the way to the top before the draft. Corey Liuget shot up eleven slots to #14, and Mike Pouncey gained nine spots to #18. Muhammad Wilkerson and Danny Watkins both made the largest jump from outside the first 32 to the final, both moving up ten slots to #26 and #30, respectively.
But nothing compares to the draft odyssey of Da'Quan Bowers. I could do this for another hundred years and not see anything like it again. Bowers was second after the initial DSA Players Rankings, then moved up to the top spot for DSA 2.0. Then the NFL Scouting Combine came around. Bowers did not work out due to knee surgery. Then he had a poor showing at the Clemson Pro Day, mostly due to not being able to work out while rehabbing his knee. Then the rumors circulated. Out of shape. Knee not responding. Arthritic knee. And his stock began to drop. And drop. And drop. All the way to #19 of the final DSA Player Rankings. I'm hoping he proves all the naysayers wrong, is 100% healthy, and hits the field with a whole bags of chips on his shoulder. If that's the case, he will be the biggest bargain of the draft if he indeed falls to the mid-late first round. We will find out Thursday night and in the months ahead.
DSA Rankings 6.0 4-28-11
1) Cam Newton 1.30
2) Marcel Dareus 1.90
3) Von Miller 3.60
4) A.J. Green 4.20
5) Blaine Gabbert 5.00
6) Patrick Peterson 6.40
7) Robert Quinn 7.00
8) Nick Fairley 7.40
9) Julio Jones 9.20
10) Tyron Smith 9.40
11) Prince Amukamara 12.20
12) Cameron Jordan 13.30
13) Aldon Smith 15.10
14) Corey Liuget 15.40
15) J.J, Watt 16.00
16) Ryan Kerrigan 16.70
17) Anthony Castanzo 17.10
18) Mike Pouncey 17.40
19) Da'Quan Bowers 18.20
20) Mark Ingram 21.00
21) Gabe Carimi 22.60
22) Jimmy Smith 24.50
23) Cameron Heyward 25.90
24) Derek Sherrod 26.60
25) Nate Solder 26.80
26) Muhammad Wilkerson 27.10
27) Akeem Ayers 28.30
28) Phil Taylor 28.50
29) Jake Locker 29.90
30) Danny Watkins 30.30
31) Adrian Clayborn 30.70
32) Aaron Williams 31.10
The biggest upward movers going into the final weeks of the draft has been Cameron Heyward, who moved up seven slots in the latest DSA's. Corey Liuget jumped up six positions, while Tyron Smith and Cameron Jordan shot up five slots each. The players who travelled south the most were Adrian Clayborn, who for some reason dropped ten slots down to #31, and Da'Quan Bowers, who fell another eight spots to #19. Teams are getting nervous about Bowers and just how healthy his knee is, but Clayborn is a bit of a mystery. I believe he is more a victim of the numbers with a deep class at defensive end and could very well go in the mid-first round.
Looking back at the first DSA's I posted back in February compared to the final in late April, there are a number of players who saw their stock rise and fall in the eyes of draftniks during the past two months. Nick Fairley was a unanimous #1 Overall selection, then dropped to a near unanimous #8 pick for Tennessee. Akeem Ayers fell twelve spots to #27, and Adrian Clayborn went south thirteen positions to #31. Brandon Harris was #22 and Ryan Mallett was #23, and both are not anywhere near the top 32 in the final rankings.
Cam Newton started at #8, and moved all the way to the top before the draft. Corey Liuget shot up eleven slots to #14, and Mike Pouncey gained nine spots to #18. Muhammad Wilkerson and Danny Watkins both made the largest jump from outside the first 32 to the final, both moving up ten slots to #26 and #30, respectively.
But nothing compares to the draft odyssey of Da'Quan Bowers. I could do this for another hundred years and not see anything like it again. Bowers was second after the initial DSA Players Rankings, then moved up to the top spot for DSA 2.0. Then the NFL Scouting Combine came around. Bowers did not work out due to knee surgery. Then he had a poor showing at the Clemson Pro Day, mostly due to not being able to work out while rehabbing his knee. Then the rumors circulated. Out of shape. Knee not responding. Arthritic knee. And his stock began to drop. And drop. And drop. All the way to #19 of the final DSA Player Rankings. I'm hoping he proves all the naysayers wrong, is 100% healthy, and hits the field with a whole bags of chips on his shoulder. If that's the case, he will be the biggest bargain of the draft if he indeed falls to the mid-late first round. We will find out Thursday night and in the months ahead.
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