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Do you fancy a blocking Tight End?
To note, we have a few updates to the 2009 Eagles Draft Prospects. Alphonso Smith, Graham Harrell, and Anthony Parker were all added to the list the players the Birds have shown interest in leading up to the 2009 NFL Draft.
Pascoe is an award winning calf-roper. Does that count? Are we talking freshman calves here? Accepted an invite to the East-West Shrine Game but did nothing to impress scouts as he had trouble getting off the line and separating against linebackers in practice. Caught a 28-yard ball during the game however. It'll be interesting to see how he runs this weekend at the combine. He's currently projected to run a mid 4.7 to mid 4.8 in the 40 yard dash.
Iggles Blog had a nice post regarding Tom Heckert's worry about the dearth of blocking skills in this year's crop of elite tight end prospects. Aside from Brandon Pettigrew, the balance of tight end prospects projected to go in the first three rounds lack any semblance of functional blocking skills (Chase Coffman, Shawn Nelson, Jared Cook, James Casey, Travis Beckum).
There are however, some blocking tight ends with intriguing upside that should be available on the second day of the draft. From what I can gather reading scouting reports, there are three blocking tight ends that should garner potential interest from the Birds (if that's truly what Heckert & Co. are looking for). All have accepted invites to the NFL Combine.
Bear Pascoe - 4th round grade - Fresno State
Pascoe is a good around player who lacks the top end speed to really wow the scouts. He was a consistent performer (112 rec, 1294 yards, 10 TDs) in three starting seasons for Fresno. Pascoe's known as a good inline blocker with skills to take out defending LBs on the second level. Earned his nickname by tough running after the catch skills, although, I'd prefer a moniker related to a certain bird of prey. From Wiki:
Birds of prey are birds that hunt for food primarily on the wing, using their keen senses, especially vision. Their talons and beaks tend to be relatively large, powerful and adapted for tearing and/or piercing flesh.
Brian Mandeville - 5th Round Grade - Northeastern
Small school prospect alert! Heckert's probably going ape-shit! Here's another chance for Tom Heckert to show us he's smart! Mandeville is a monster (6'6" 255) with long arms that help him with the snatch. Snatching balls away from his body that is. Scouts note that he runs like a wide receiver, however, such athletic exploits were realized against FCS level opponents such as Montgomery County Community College and Prairie View. Mandeville turned heads at the East-West Shine game, from NFL Draft Scout:
EAST-WEST SHRINE STANDOUT: TE Brian Mandeville, Northeastern: One of the FCS players who shined in his opportunity to play against the big boys (his 6-7, 255-pound frame fits him into that category no matter where he plays). His length and straight-line speed threatened the seam and he consistently caught passes with his hands outside of his body. His relatively slight frame belies his ability to effectively block defensive ends in pass protection, and he even showed the ability to block linebackers at the second level after going in motion.
Draft Scout also compares Mandeville to Kevin Boss, which is intriguing in a perverted (The Giants are perverts) sort of way. If Mandeville can hit the 4.6's in his 40, Tom Heckert might need to be medevaced to the closest gang shower for the powdered sugar treatment.
Anthony Hill - 5th/6th Round Grade - North Carolina State
The scratch in my Senior Bowl notebook for Hill reads:
Huge. Can he block? Monster blocker.
That's a linear storyline from the Senior Bowl. You're welcome. Hill's interesting because his stock was much higher before he fell prey to a knee injury (ACL tear - missed 2007 season) and a chest injury that limited his play well into the 2008 college season. Hill lacks speed and quickness and some have suggested he bulk up and just move to tackle at the next level (intriguing). However, in his 2006 breakthrough season, Hill showed his receiving prowess notching 45 receptions for 478 yards, tops for the N.C. State squad. Expected to run in the high 4.8's in the 40-yard dash. Get your stopwatches ready.
That guy from Northeastern excites me way more than should be normal. I will be keeping an eye out for him at the combine. If he's going off the board in the 5th round, sounds like a no brainer. Sometimes I don't get that with the Eagles. Blocking TE's and FB's of pretty good quality are always there later in the draft and they never take them. What else is being done with these late picks that is so special? Why not take a guy at a position that is really of need, and where you can still get a top player at that position. With our constant issues at FB, I don't know how we haven't drafted a legitimate one since like Cecil Martin 100 years ago.
I agree - check out NFL Draft Countdown's FB rankings. Their number one overall FB prospect is rated as a late round/FA prospect. Just take one in the 6th or 7th round for God's sake.
The TE class is very thin this year, and blocking is not something these TEs possess. If the Eagles truly value a blocking TE, one of the best in the business is a FA in Jim Kleinsasser. He weighs 273 punds and makes his living as a blocker. He is also a capable receiver. I find it doubtful the Eagle will go that route but it is an intriguing name to consider.
Heckert needs to find a new small school prospect.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/football/nfl/02/21/mandeville.combine/index.html
Ouch.