Matt Jones, a freak???

[Kensat30]

Matt Jones may be well AHEAD of the curve when it comes to college WRs learning the ropes in the pros, nobody really knows.
Sure he is behind about 3 years of experience in route running and matching up with CBs (half his size)... but his receiving skills and athleticism are said to be on par with even the top WR prospects in the draft.

Learning the mechanics of the WR position is probably much easier than learning the mechanics of an NFL defensive scheme. It doesn't take much thought to running a pattern and knowing a route...Playing QB takes a more intimate knowledge of the game and recognizing defenses than playing WR. Matt Jones may very well be ahead in that aspect. And the WR position takes a few years to develop in general anyways, virtually no one outside of Randy Moss is productive right away.

Should the Eagles give up their 2 top picks (top35 picks) in addition to later round/future draft picks in order to acquire a top flight WR prospect like Mike Williams or Braylon Edwards? Especially considering this draft is considered to one of the least talented in recent memory... They would need to fork over an additional 8-digit paycheck for the luxury of selecting in the top5 as well. Who's to say that either of these guys is a sure fire prospect? Reggie Williams anyone?

Eagles doctrine would be to use their multitude picks on players that can fill the role of aging players currently on their roster without breaking the bank on them... Moving up in a weak draft class to pick a WR in the top5 just does not seem like an Eagles move to me. More picks = more chances at landing a diamond in the rough for an affordable price.

[PSU All Day]

I will give you that Matt Jones having played QB might help him in coverage recognition etc. That is the biggest hurdle with the WR's coming out of college not the Physical part.

I would rather see the Eagles stand pat and select a LB, OL or DL with #31. Then select a WR and RB in round two. Then back to fill whatever they didn't fill in rd 1.

I don't see them trading up for a WR. If they do trade up it will be for a line player (DL or OL) who they think will fill a need this year.

[maddog60]

Eagles doctrine would be to use their multitude picks on players that can fill the role of aging players currently on their roster without breaking the bank on them... Moving up in a weak draft class to pick a WR in the top5 just does not seem like an Eagles move to me. More picks = more chances at landing a diamond in the rough for an affordable price.

While I agree you're right about the Eagles philosophy, consider a few other things.

1) Reid has a habit of trading up in the 1st round to secure the impact player he wants. Shawn Andrews last year. McDougle the year before. So, it would stand to reason they'll use some of their extra picks to trade up.

2) Reid has come out and said that the Eagles don't have the roster space for all the picks they have. Not even close. There are plenty of guys they want to and can keep on the current roster, so trading off picks in this situation, to move up, doesn't have nearly the drawback it usually does.

Combining those two factors, and the fact that WR is the biggest position of need for the Eagles, a trade up for Mike Williams seems feasible. Maybe they can get away with trading to Tennessee at #6 for him. But the generally weak draft, and the lack of offers to move down for teams that desperately want to, may end up letting the Eagles move up for less than they should have to give.

Either way, they have to address WR in a big way this draft. The reason I like Jones over a defensive pick they need is that they can still pick up a good defensive guy (judging from all the mocks, plenty of solid LBs should be left) with their early 2nd rounder. Bear in mind, they're top two needs on defense are DT and LB, though none are immediate. Look at the teams in between them though: NE, 49ers, Browns. A likely fallout for those teams is this:

NE - ILB
SF - WR
CL - a defensive player (assuming they go QB in the first), otherwise offensive.

Lets consider the worst scenarios if the Eagles don't draft defense with that pick (assuming Chrowder and DJ are gone beforehand). CLE and NE both taking ILBs. CLE and NE taking together a ILB and an OLB. CLE and NE taking a ILB and a DT. No matter how you slice it, judging from mock drafts the Eagles should be able to a get a top 4 LB prospect, or top 2-3 DT, same as in the first.

Whereas there's no gaurantee SF who has been rumored to consider Braylon Edwards, and was looking at David Boston, might see the need at WR, realize they're not competing for anything quite yet, and take a project who could revitalize their team, Matt Jones.

[MadScott]

I heard an interesting piece this weekend on radio about Mr. Jones. While he does possess many physical gifts, he is apparently real hard headed. During the Senior Bowl, he dogged many a workout until the last practice day when they played him at QB. Apparently, he still wants to be given a shot to play that position and may dig his heals in a bit. Word is, in order to get him, you are going to have to promise to at least let him try out QB.