Rookies' impact will be affected by current lockout.... the real reason why Owners will not open the books...and a belated tribute to Gene Gossage...

This kid from Brooklyn's famous Fort Hamilton High School has what it takes...and Eagles Eye readers have picked up on it. Jarrett's former high school head football coach Daniel Perez described Jaiquawn Jarrett as a “sweet, humble kid” off the gridiron, but a young man to be feared at all times on the football field.

The Philadelphia Eagles wholeheartedly agreed with his assessment.

“I mean, he just crushes people,” Eagles coach Andy Reid gushed, moments after making Jarrett the first-ever Fort Hamilton Tiger to be selected in the NFL Draft.

“I know he did that in high school. I know he transferred that to the college level. And I’d expect him to transfer that to this level. He’s a big-time hitter.”

The Eagles, who got a firsthand look at Jarrett smashing opposing receivers from his safety spot at nearby Temple University during the past several seasons, took the Fort Hamilton High standout in the second round with the 54th overall pick during the league’s annual swap meet.

“This is like a dream come true,” said  the self-proclaimed "knockout artist". “I’ve been playing in Philadelphia for the past four years and I love being here. I can’t wait to get out there and practice.”

There were some early concerns that a less-than-spectacular time in the 40-yard dash would cost Jarrett some spots in the draft, but the perennial All-MAC selection credited the Eagles’ coaching staff for seeing through the raw numbers on paper.

“A lot of teams shied away from my '40 times,” he noted. “But coach Reid did a great job of evaluating me and saw something that a lot of people didn’t see. I’m a lot quicker on the field than I am running the '40.” And a lot scarier, too.

Perez told the Eagles before the Draft that opposing receivers had to keep their heads on a swivel to see if Jarrett was approaching, and Reid noted the same thing on film--- and during the rookie’s pre-draft workouts.  Reid paid Jarrett the ultimate compliment by comparing him to former Eagles All-Pro safety Brian Dawkins, one of the hardest hitters in recent NFL memory.

“That’s a privilege, just to be compared to one of the best ever to play the game,” Jarrett said when he asked of the comparison. “I always enjoyed watching Brian Dawkins play. He’s a very forceful intimidator.” Oddly, Jarrett’s role model at the position is one of the most notorious names in NFL history.

“[Ex-Raiders safety] Jack Tatum is someone I always modeled myself after. He was known as ‘The Assassin’,” Jarrett revealed.

An assassin on the field, but a role model off it, is what Jarrett hopes to be in the City of Brotherly Love, especially when it comes to inspiring other Brooklyn kids to pursue their NFL dreams.

“My neighborhood was basically about basketball,” admitted the Bedford-Stuyvesant resident. “There’s a lot of talented football players in Brooklyn, but it’s rare that colleges go out to New York City to recruit. I keep that with me, and I walk around with a bit of a chip on my shoulder.

“I think I’m becoming a role model for New York City kids... Just to let them know that every dream is reachable.”

Though he may have a chance to compete for a starting job in the Eagles secondary right away, Jarrett is keeping things in perspective as he awaits the end of the ongoing NFL lockout.

“I’m coming in here to compete for a spot,” he said. “I’m coming in here with confidence... but not cocky and arrogant. The day I stop learning is the day I hang up the cleats.”

There is no doubt that the NFL's prolonged work stoppage will affect the latest class of incoming rookies and the impact they can have in Year 1.

You put a premium on guys who are good players in college, who are smart guys who can pick things up quickly, who can play the way you like to play... But now, more than a month after the Draft, all head coaches know they likely won’t be able to meet with their rookies for at least several more weeks.

Without the coaching staff's ability to contact drafted players or even get them playbooks, it will be up to the rookies to prepare for the rigors of a game that is much faster than what they are used to in college.

“If this goes into June,” 2002 NFL MVP and CBS analyst Rich Gannon recently said, “I’ve had coordinators tell me you could pretty much write off the first year for these rookies. The coaches want to install as much as they can in minicamps, see what the new players can retain, then have them come back for other minicamps and offseason workouts, so by the time they get to training camps, they have seen what they need to do a few times."

Obviously, that (minicamps and OTA's) will not happen in 2011. And we may not get to see Jarrett challenge Mikell at SS until 2012.

THE REAL REASON OWNERS DO NOT WANT TO OPEN THEIR BOOKS....

I've been saying this for a while, but nobody seems to get it...yet.  The real reason De Smith's demand for the Owners to "open their books" is so outrageous and unreasonable to the Owners is not that they are afraid to reveal financials to the public or to the players---but rather, THEY DON'T WANT THEIR FELLOW OWNERS TO SEE THEIR STUFF!!!!

Think about it. These are egotistical and narcissistic guys...they are self-made and self-glorifying individuals at heart. They are very rich men with very expensive toys. Why would they want their fellow club members to know how much debt they carry or how much money they spent on market research or scouting expenses? Furthermore, they are NOT a fraternity---they are RIVALS out to steal the ultimate prize in a 1-out-of-32 annual marathon race.  Why would they willingly submit "trade secrets" to the general scrutiny of each other?  Put yourself in the shoes of an Owner, and this would make sense.

Vying for a Super Bowl win is the ultimate Rich Guys' Poker Game... they will never willingly show their cards to each other. It would just be unnatural.

A BELATED TRIBUTE TO A FALLEN EAGLE...

Lost in the shuffle of the lockout madness was the passing of a former Eagle from the 1960 NFL Championship Team:


Gene Gossage, DE/DT/G, 6-3, 245, Cincinnati/transferred to Northwestern... drafted 328th overall in 1958 by the Eagles...

Gene Gossage played 40 games with the Eagles from 1960 to 1962. He was a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection at Northwestern. 

Gene gave real meaning to the term "gentle giant".

"Gene Gossage and I played football together at Northwestern. I remember Gene as an excellent player and a really decent guy who was a pleasure to get to know. My condolences to his family." - Frank Caiazza (Barrington, IL)

Gossage is survived by his wife, Jaqueline; a son, Gene Gossage; a daughter, Jennifer Carr; and a grandson, Hudson Carr.