We were dumped by the New England Sports Network (revenge motive for our winning the Super Bowl?) but then picked up by USA Today, which sponsors this new format. Luckily as it turns out, we have a much more inclusive Comments engine which (gasp!) appears to auto-refresh…so maybe it all worked out for the better.
As a sort of test drive, I will reproduce the lost ~BROZ draft article which somehow disappeared in the messy transition:
MACH 10 Draft Buzz—your favorite Eagles puzzle—
Another three weeks to go until the NFL Draft heats up in earnest…but already I’m feeling the MACH 10 jitters. This will be the 12th Annual MACH 10 Eagles Draft Challenge, and for the first time we’ll be selecting our choices from the #32 spot, although I have no doubts Howie Roseman will be wheeling and dealing to move up in certain rounds. Even so, this may be my one best shot to win a MACH 10 crown. I figure with the late formal pick position (and the fact we’ve got zero picks in certain rounds), some of our veteran MACH 10 contestants will lose interest in competing this year. That means a better chance for me to win a MACH 10, assuming I can get even one Eagles draft pick correctly predicted.
What’s the latest intel from ~BROZ at Drafttek? He thinks the way it sets up now, the Eagles are going after a defensive tackle in Round 1:
Maurice Hurst
Michigan
DL3T
Reach/Value: +5
Height:
6’2″
Weight:
282
“The Eagles’ defensive line was given a healthy share of credit for the team’s championship run in 2017, and rightfully so. The success on the D-Line has given some fans a sense of over-confidence there; a common opinion is that a RD1 defensive lineman would fall into the “luxury pick” category. Even before the recent drama that has popped up in the news, I still considered D-Line a need for the Eagles. As the third DT, recently departed Beau Allen played over 40% of the defensive snaps in 2017. So when mulling over positions of importance on the defense, the third tackle (as well as third DE and nickel corner) should rank as a higher need than the third “starting” linebacker in the Eagles’ 4-3 scheme. It should also be noted that Jim Schwartz platoons linemen in and out of the game so frequently you might expect them to be wearing orange and black instead of midnight green.
“Not only would Wolverine DT Maurice Hurst represent a huge upgrade at the third defensive tackle spot, he’d also provide some much-needed competition for Tim Jernigan. As concerns of Hurst’s health problems slowly diminish (I mean, it’s not an MCL, people…it’s just a freaking heart), so do the chances that the best interior pass rusher in the draft will last until the 32nd pick. While Hurst’s stats are respectable (130 tackles, 13.5 sacks, and 31 TFL since 2015), you don’t truly appreciate the player until you watch him play. –Broz, Eagles Analyst”
Some of you’se think drafting a DT is somewhat redundant, due to the stacked depth at that position on the current Eagles roster. But there is method to ~BROZ’ madness. When you look at Tommy Lawlor’s updated list of Eagles draft prospects who have visited Novacare recently, or who have had off-campus workouts with the team, there is a ton of 1-gap DT action on that list:
Visits to Philly:
RB Derrius Guice – LSU
RB/KOR Rashaad Penny – San Diego State
WR Daurice Fountain – Northern Iowa
TE Chris Herndon – Miami
OT Chukwuma Okorafor- Western Michigan
OC James Daniels – Iowa
LB Leighton Vander Esch – BSU
LB Darius Leonard – South Carolina State
LB Jermaine Carter Jr. – Maryland
DB Justin Reid – Stanford
CB Donte Jackson – LSU
Pro Days
OT Orlando Brown – Oklahoma – OL coach worked him out at Pro Day
OT Chukwuma Okorafor – WMU – Jeff Stoutland worked him out at Pro Day
OT Mike McGlinchey – Notre Dame – Asst OL coach Eugene Chung worked him out at his Pro Day
OT Jamil Demby – Maine – Asst OL coach T.J. Paganetti worked him out at his Pro Day
OT Matt Gono – Wesley – scout at his Pro Day
OG Austin Corbett – Nevada – OL coach at his Pro Day
OG Will Hernandez – UTEP – OL coach worked him out at his Pro Day
OG Quenton Nelson – Notre Dame – Asst OL coach Eugene Chung worked him out at his Pro Day
OC Tanner Stallings – UTEP – OL coach worked him out at his Pro Day
TE Tyler Conklin – Central Michigan – TE coach at his Pro Day
TE Hayden Hurst – South Carolina – TE coach at his Pro Day
TE Durham Smythe – Notre Dame – TE coach Justin Peelle worked him out at his Pro Day
TE David Wells – San Diego State – Eagles will work him out
WR J’Mon Moore – Missouri – Says he is “receiving interest from the Eagles”
WR Christian Kirk – Texas A&M – WRs coach Gunter Brewer worked him out at Pro Day
WR Courtland Sutton – SMU – Eagles to meet with him before Pro Day
WR D.J. Moore – Maryland – workout scheduled with him
RB Nyheim Hines – NC State – Duce Staley at his Pro Day
RB Jaylen Samuels – NC State – Duce Staley at his Pro Day
RB Kalen Ballage – Arizona State – Duce Staley at his Pro Day
RB Sony Michel – Georgia – Duce Staley worked him out at his Pro Day
RB Nick Chubb – Georgia – Duce Staley w0rked him out at his Pro Day
RB Trent Cannon – Virginia State – scout worked him out at Pro Day
QB Kyle Lauletta – Richmond – Press Taylor at his Pro Day
RS/WR Braxton Berrios – Miami – Eagles scout worked him out at Pro Day
***
DE Kentavious Street – NC State – DL coach Phillip Daniels at his Pro Day
DE Rasheem Green – USC – DL coach Chris Wilson worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Josh Sweat – Florida State – DL coach Chris Wilson worked him out at his Pro Day
DE Harold Landry – Boston College – Jim Schwartz was at his Pro Day
DT Nathan Shepard – Fort Hays State – DL coach worked him out at Pro Day
DT Tim Settle – Virginia Tech – DL coach worked him out at Pro Day
DT Joshua Frazier – Alabama – met with him
DT B.J. Hill – NC State – DL coach Phillip Daniels at his Pro Day
DT Justin Jones – NC State – DL coach Phillip Daniels at his Pro Day
DT Josh Fatu – USC – DL coach Chris Wilson was at his Pro Day
DT John Atkins – Georgia – DL coach Phillip Daniels at his Pro Day
DT Trenton Thompson – Georgia – DL coach Phillip Daniels at his Pro Day
DT Derrick Nnadi – Florida State – DL coach Chris Wilson worked him out at his Pro Day
DT Tracy Sprinkle – Ohio State – talked to him at his Pro Day
DT P.J. Hall – Sam Houston State – campus workout
DT McKay Murphy – Weber State – son of Dale Murphy…Eagles met with him at Pro Day
DT Taven Bryan – Florida – DL coach Chris Wilson worked him out at Pro Day
DT Maurice Hurst – Michigan – asst DL coach Phillip Daniels worked him out at his Pro Day
LB Nate Cichy – Wisconsin – LB coach at his Pro Day
LB Jaylyin Minor – Cincinnati – interviewed by multiple Eagles scouts at all star game
LB Uchenna Nwosu – USC – extensive interview at his Pro Day…DL coach was there
CB Chandon Sullivan – Georgia State – coach at his Pro Day
CB Tremon Smith – Central Arkansas – met with him before his Pro Day
CB Trey Johnson – Villanova – met with him at his Pro Day
CB Josh Jackson – Iowa – Eagles showing lots of interest per Tony Pauline
Again, look at all the Defensive Tackles on that list! ~BROZ seems to know what the Eagles have in mind after all. At least at #32 overall, Maurice Hurst makes more sense than originallythought if you are seriously thinking about getting at least one pick right in the MACH 10.
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