Mark Eckel of the New Jersey Times is our guest columnist today.
Mark covers not only the Eagles but also the Giants and the Jets. And so he is able to give us a unique perspective on the Eagles' quest to land a future fixture at Tight End in the upcoming draft. He also looks at the wide receivers picture.
Here is Mark Eckel's essay on both the TE and wide receiver prospects for 2013:
Tyler Eifert, left, of Notre Dame catches a pass over Alabama's Dee Millner, but is ruled out of bounds in the first quarter in the BCS National Championship game at Sun Life Stadium on Monday, Jan. 7, 2013, in Miami Gardens, Fla. How good is Notre Dame tight end Tyler Eifert?
When the Fighting Irish took on Alabama in the BCS Championship, the Crimson Tide put their best cornerback, Dee Milliner, a likely top 10 selection in next month’s draft, on Eifert.
“Alabama knew he was the guy they had to take away,” one top college scout said. “So they put their top cover guy on him.”
Eifert was considered the best tight end in the draft by most scouts before the NFL Combine last week, and he then proved it with an impressive workout that included a 40 time of 4.68 for the 6-foot-6, 251-pounder.
Now, there are some who think he might be the best receiver in the draft, period.
“Keenan Allen (of California) is up there,” a personnel man said of the draft’s top wide receiver. “But I’ll put Eifert up there with any of them. This kid is good, real good.”
Eifert is considered by some the best tight end coming into the draft since Maryland’s Vernon Davis went No. 6 overall to the San Francisco 49ers in the 2006 draft.
“(Detroit’s Brandon) Pettigrew was pretty good coming out (of Oklahoma in 2009), but this kid is better all-around then he was,” a scout said. “This guy is the real deal. He can run. He can catch. He runs good routes. He’s not a great blocker, but he’s getting better at it, and he’ll get even better yet.”
Eifert’s best year in South Bend was his junior year when he caught 63 passes for 865 yards and five touchdowns. Last year, as the Irish became more of a run-first offense his numbers slipped to 50 receptions, 685 yards and four touchdowns.
“He’ll probably go somewhere in the middle of the first round, somewhere in the teens,” a scout said. “And somebody is going to get a real good player there.”
The only other tight end getting a lot of looks is Stanford’s Zach Ertz, a 6-6, 249-pounder, who ran 4.76 at the NFL Combine.
Ertz might also find his name being called by commissioner Roger Goodell at the end of the first round.
“I guess it depends on the team,” a scout said. “To me, he’s a big, possession wide receiver. That’s what he is. You put him out there, and it’s like having three wide receivers on the field. He can’t block at all. He has just average speed for the position, but he does run great routes, and there is something to be said for that.”
Here’s a look at the top wide receivers and tight end in this year’s draft with a scout’s take on each of them.
• Keenan Allen, California, 6-3, 205 — “The most polished of the receivers, the most ready to play of all of them. He will be a pretty high pick, and he should be.”
Southern California's Robert Woods, left, has a chance to make an impact in the NFL. • Cordarrelle Patterson, Tennessee, 6-3, 205 — “He’s explosive. He’s dynamic. He runs consistent 4.4s, I’m just not sure how smart he is. You’re going to have to keep it simple for him. But the kid is really dynamic.”
• Robert Woods, USC, 6-1, 190 — “He’s more quick than fast. But I like him. He makes plays. He’s an ideal slot guy.”
• Tavon Austin, West Virginia, 5-9, 174 — “He’s kind of like DeSean Jackson. The difference is they use DeSean deep. With this kid, they throw him short stuff and let him go. Again, he’s perfect as a slot guy to get away from press (coverage). He’ll probably go first round, but in my opinion, he’s a second-round pick.”
• DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson, 5-11, 205 — “Some people like him more than I do. He’s a classic possession receiver. He’s just not fast enough.” He ran a 4.57 at the NFL Combine.
• Quinton Patton, Louisiana Tech, 6-2, 195 — “I’m not a big fan. He’s just a guy. The best he’s going to be is a No. 3 for you, if that.”
• Terrance Williams, Baylor, 6-2, 205 — “He has some ability, and his speed (4.52 at the NFL Combine) is deceptive. He’s just not ready. He needs a lot of work. If you’re a team that can wait, he may turn in to something pretty good.”
WHAT THE LOCALS MIGHT DO…
Eagles: While they could use a big wide receiver, there are many more pressing needs, especially on defense.
Giants: The team is pretty set with Hakeem Nicks, Victor Cruz and Rueben Randle as their top three.
Jets: This is a major need. Don’t be surprised if the Jets don’t go for a receiver early in the draft.
Thanks, Mark Eckel. You can contact Mark Eckel at [email protected]…
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