Sports: An Early Glimpse at the NFL Draft

By Pete Henry

The Eagles could still use a receiver with great speed that can get deep on a defense.  Torrey Smith may not be brought back next season due to inconsistent play.  James Washington is a wide receiver who could interest the Eagles in the upcoming draft.  The Oklahoma State product has a very quick first step running slant routes as well as curl routes. 

James Washington

Washington has a thick build.  He’s built more like a running back than a wide receiver.  Washington is a physical receiver.  He is used to making catches with people draped on him.  Washington will use a good stiff arm to gain additional yardage after the catch.  He will drop some passes that he should catch, however, particularly on long balls. 

T.J. Edwards

T.J. Edwards is a physical linebacker.  He is a tone-setter.  Edwards has good instincts in pass coverage.  The Wisconsin Badger plays with a real nastiness.  When he played against Alabama, he didn’t back down one bit.  Edwards punishes ball-carriers. 

Edwards is a middle linebacker.  When Edwards hits people, he drives them backwards.  He is extremely strong.  Edwards is a leader on the football field.  Other players rally around him.  His play is contagious.  Edwards would fit very well in the NFC East.  He has a strong base.  Edwards uses his hands well to get off of blocks. 

Brent Celek is still an effective blocker but his best days are behind him.  The team may want to bring in another difference maker at the tight end position.  Mark Andrews is a player who could interest Philadelphia.  The Oklahoma Sooner is not only a large target at 6-5, 254 but he is also extremely athletic.

Mark Andrews

Andrews plays with an attitude, much like Travis Kelce.  His style of play is extremely similar to Kelce’s.  Andrews can play in the slot and can be split out wide.  He is excellent at finding holes in zone coverage.  Moreover, he can beat man coverage.  He is difficult for smaller defensive backs to cover due to his size and athletic ability. Andrews and Zach Ertz would be an absolute nightmare for opposing defenses if they were on the field at the same time.  Andrews is outstanding after the catch.  He has footwork like a running back.

Mike Gesicki

Penn State has a star tight end of their own in Mike Gesicki.  He is essentially a basketball player playing tight end.  In fact, Gesicki won the dunk contest for the football team.  Gesicki is an even better athlete than Andrews.  At 6-6, 250 combined with his incredible leaping ability, Gesicki has an unbelievable catch radius.  He has excellent hands. 

Gesicki moves like a wide receiver.  He makes some extraordinary catches.  There are times when Gesicki is open when he is really covered due to his ability to outjump opposing players for the ball.  He possesses phenomenal body control.  Gesicki can play in the slot or be split out wide.  He will need to get stronger and work to get lower as a run-blocker.  Though, Gesicki can definitely add some weight and strength.  He will cause big problems for opposing defenses in the red zone in the National Football League. 

Mike McGlinchey

The Eagles are going to need an offensive tackle sometime in the near future.  Mike McGlinchey of Notre Dame is a player who the Eagles might like.  McGlinchey is a local product from Penn Charter.  He can play left or right tackle but he seems better suited for the right side. 

McGlinchey is a battler.  He has decent mobility for 6-7, 295.  The Philadelphia native will need to get stronger, however.  Moreover, McGlinchey needs to work on getting lower with his run-blocking.  He tends to play too high at times.  When McGlinchey fires off the ball and strikes first, he usually moves his man.  He has trouble with speed rushers at times. 

Derrius Guice is the kind of tailback the Eagles like.  Guice is an electric runner with outstanding feet.  The Baton Rouge native runs with power.  At 5-11, 220, he has speed to go with size.  He has the longest run in LSU history.  It was a 96-yard touchdown against Arkansas.  Moreover, Guice is the only player in school history to rush for 250 yards or more in a game twice. 

Derrius Guice

He has very good stamina.  Guice picks up speed on long runs and has the ability to pull away from defenders.  It is a mistake to try to tackle him high.  Guice possesses phenomenal balance.  He breaks a lot of tackles and gains a lot of yards after contact.  Guice changes direction and sets up his blocks awfully well.  He does a good job of angling away from defenders when running.  Guice can return kicks as well.  He wields a swift first step.  Guice should be good in short yardage situations and in the red zone.  He has the potential to be a franchise running back.