We go to the toppermost of the poppermost! That's what I say!----Nice draft!!!

Yeah, it might take a year or two to bloom--- but what an intriguing haul of (as Brozer said) VA-LUE !!

Let's start at the top of Round 4...

After trading up for the first pick in the fourth round, the Eagles selected USC quarterback Matt Barkley. They surrendered their fourth-round pick and a seventh-rounder to the Jacksonville Jaguars to land Barkley.

"We had Matt rated in the top 50 players in this draft," coach Chip Kelly said. "The fact he was still there, there was no better value."

Matt Barkley, 6-2 (maybe), 230, USC....think of Drew Brees cloned from Paul Hornung with a gun and a bad shoulder...

"I'm excited to be an Eagle," Barkley said. "It's a fresh start."

Barkley was projected to be the first quarterback taken going into the 2012 college season, but many draft analysts feel he took a step back after a stellar 2011. Of course, a lot of that regression was due to an absolutely crappy offensive line and pass-pro scheme at USC last year. Still, Barkley excelled when he faced Kelly's Oregon Ducks last year, throwing for 484 yards and five touchdowns. Apparently, according to our resident Aussie Rules expert, Chip Kelly takes that stuff personal.

"He's the all-time leading passer in USC history. A four-year starter in high school and college," Kelly said of Barkley. "He has all the intangibles you're looking for."

What the drafting of Barkley means for the other quarterbacks on the roster remains to be seen. The Eagles wouldn't have traded up to get Barkley if they didn't really like him. Unless the team plans on carrying four quarterbacks, it means that Michael Vick, Nick Foles, Dennis Dixon and G.J. Kinne are now competing for three spots.

"I'm coming in here to compete for the starting job," said Barkley. "That has to be my mindset."

The selection of Barkley was the Hollywood moment of the weekend for the Eagles. Here's the complete 7-round recap:

Round 1 (4): Lane Johnson (OT, Oklahoma)
Round 2 (35): Zach Ertz (TE, Stanford)
Round 3 (67): Bennie Logan, DT, LSU
Round 4 (98): Matt Barkley, QB, USC
Round 5 (136): Earl Wolff, SS, North Carolina State
Round 7 (212): Joe Kruger (OLB, Utah)
Round 7 (218): Jordan Poyer (CB, Oregon State)
Round 7 (239): David King (DE, Oklahoma)

We bring in correspondent Brad Gagnon, a guy who does a lot of work for Bloguin.com (my esteemed network---please address all Livefyre Hate Mail to him) to break down the picks:

Best pick: Jordan Poyer (CB, Oregon State)

"Seriously. I don't understand why Poyer's stock dropped. He's versatile and can cover all over the field, and he's got a knack for making plays. Earlier this spring, he was considered to be a second-day pick, but questions about his speed might have been why he slid so far. Still, this is a remarkably good value pick for a guy who possesses the ability to start in this league."

Other picks I liked....

"Joe Kruger, who is Paul Kruger's younger brother, could take some time to develop, but he has a chance to become a solid contributor if he can adapt to being an outside linebacker in Philly's 3-4 scheme...Johnson makes the Eagles' line so much better, but he's still raw and has bust potential...Logan will have a chance to start and make an impact as a pass-rusher up front opposite Fletcher Cox."

"And you can never have enough quarterbacks when you don't have a clear starter, so I'm down with the Barkley pick that late. "

Joe Kruger, outside linebacker, Utah...

Earl Wolff (strong safety), North Carolina State...

David King, DE, Oklahoma...

Thanks, Brad Gagnon. We've seen and read a lot of good things about all these later round picks. Gagnon doesn't like the Earl Wolff pick or the Zach Ertz pick for the Eagles. But I'm definitely okay with them.

Gagnon doesn't think Wolff has enough size to compete at strong safety in the NFL.  But I think he's underestimating Wolff's heart. Although more of a free safety position when he came up, I remember people saying Ed Reed would never make it in the NFL because he was "undersized"...

As for Zach Ertz? Why not?  What Gagnon doesn't realize is Chip Kelly is setting up for a three-tight-end formation in his 2013 offense. We've only just begun to talk about that...

I'll be back later to update the MACH 10 impact of these exciting draft picks...

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Okay, here's where we stand on the MACH 10 Challenge, including the latest UDFA signings...

Freight Train hit on Lane Johnson...
Sunbutts hit on Jordan Poyer...
Bruzer hit on Joe Kruger...
Harry Pianos hit on Lane Johnson...
Kenny hit on Lane Johnson and Jordan Poyer...
Brizer hit on Lane Johnson...
Dr. Funt hit on Lane Johnson...
ATV hit on Lane Johnson...
Dutch Rubb hit on Lane Johnson...
T-Bone (Boner) hit on Lane Johnson and Jordan Poyer...
Don Pardo hit on Bennie Logan and Jordan Poyer...
B. Quick hit on Lane Johnson...
Spuds McKenzie hit on Matty Barkley...
Jerky hit on Zach Ertz...
Palmetto hit on Damion Square (UDFA)...

So far it looks like a 3-way tie among Kenny, Boner and Don Pardo...  But there are still more UDFA's to factor before making a final count.  And of course, the all-important time-stamp of the ballots may be the final decider of the 2013 MACH 10 Champion...

The Philadelphia Eagles took Zach Ertz, a tight end from Stanford, with the 35th pick in the NFL draft on Friday. Ertz, 6-5, 249 lbs, was considered the second best tight end in the draft.

"Ertz was our top choice coming in," Chip Kelly said. "We just had our fingers crossed."

Ertz finished last season with 69 catches for 898 yards and six touchdowns. He ran a 4.76 40-time at the combine, and was in the top three among tight ends in both the bench press and three cone drill. He earned All-Pac 12 and All-American honors in his final season at Standford.

A strong route runner, Ertz should give the Eagles a legitimate threat in the red zone. He will also provide the Eagles with some serious depth at tight end, with Brent Celek and James Casey already on the roster. Ertz could already be the best athlete of the bunch, however, and could be moved all around the field.

Unless Clay Harbor has a huge training camp, the selection of Ertz likely ends Harbor's time with the team.

One player many thought the Eagles would target, safety Jonathan Cyprien from Florida International, went with the first pick of the second round to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Geno Smith was on the board when the Eagles made their pick, but Howie Roseman and Chip Kelly passed on the West Virginia QB prospect for the second time in as many days.

Bennie Logan, a 6-2, 302 lb defensive tackle from LSU, was the Eagles third round selection on Friday night. Logan joins Lane Johnson and Zach Ertz in the team's 2013 draft class.

After a strong 2011 season, Logan saw his production slip last season. Logan had just two sacks in his final season with the Tigers to go along with 47 tackles. Still, the Eagles insisted that they gave him a second round grade coming into the draft.

One criticism of Logan coming into this year's draft was his lack of improvement from 2011. Many draft experts also pointed to his lack of a go-to-move when it came to rushing the passer. One thing the Eagles liked about Logan, however, was his versatility.

"He'll move around," Kelly said. "He'll get a look at nose tackle, but also some (defensive) end."

Logan is not being brought to Philadelphia to become a premier pass rusher, however. With long arms and a big body, Logan is strong against the run. Combined with Fletcher Cox and Isaac Sopoaga, the Eagles now have three big bodies to plug in the middle of the defensive line.

"You know our mentality," Chip Kelly said of the pick. "Big people beat up little people."

Lost in the translation of the Eagles' picks was the saga of Geno Smith.

Geno's long green-room wait finally ended at pick No. 39 Friday. All Smith has to do now is turn around the most dysfunctional franchise in the NFL---the New York Jets.

Smith's toughness and talent will be tested like never before after getting drafted by the Jets in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. If nothing else, he appears to have the requisite confidence for the Big Apple.

"We're going to the playoffs next year," Smith said on NFL Network right after getting drafted.

If that happens, Smith might not just be Offensive Rookie of the Year. He could be league MVP. The Jets have major question marks at guard, wide receiver and tight end. They have six quarterbacks on the roster, including Mark Sanchez, David Garrard and Tim Tebow. A quarterback or three is going to get released. Perhaps Sanchez will be one of them.

They have a coach in Rex Ryan who is set up to fail. Ryan is in a must-win year, and he has to balance trying to win with developing a young quarterback. Then again, it's hard to imagine Smith being a worse option than Sanchez, who only still is on the roster because his $8 million salary is guaranteed. 

"I think Geno Smith is going to be the starter, Week 1, against Tampa Bay, and I think Mark Sanchez will be there and he will be holding a clipboard," NFL Network analyst Kurt Warner said on Friday night. 

Smith would be better off sitting and learning on the bench. But he's likely to compete for a starting job in training camp, and the temptation to play him once the Jets start losing will be immense. That possibly would give the Jets the highest paid backup in the NFL in Sanchez if he remained on the roster.

If Ryan can't win this year, Smith likely will have to learn another offensive system with a new coach who inherits him in 2014.

"I just want to come in and compete, I'm going to accept my role on the team whatever it is," Smith told reporters. "I'm going to come in and work ... do my best for my teammates in order to win a Super Bowl."

That delusional quote was so insane I had to call my old friend Regis Philbin, a long-time Jets fan. And here's what Regis had to say about Geno Smith and the Jets:



 

"THE JETS ARE OUTTA CONTROL !!!!"

So... it's on to Rounds 4 through 7 on Saturday for the Eagles... I'm excited for the value we might find there.

As for our MACH 10 contestants, let it be known that JERKY had Zach Ertz on his MACHer... and DON PARDO had Bennie Logan on his ballot... putting them both right up there in a tie with the top semi-finalists in the race for the MACH 10 Crown.

Tommy Boy Lawlor had both Lane Johnson and Zach Ertz on his "revised" Eagles mock...He conveniently replaced Dion Jordan with Lane Johnson a few days ago... So I've got to acknowledge Lawlor as the only member of our fraternity of fellow fans right now who has two (2) active picks which are on the money. But the reality of MACH 10 LIFE as we know it--- revising one's MACH after initial posting is a no-no.  That's what makes the MACH 10 Challenge the most demanding test in all of sports. It's all about timing...and courage.

Can the Eagles hit a slider?

In a first round that saw eight offensive linemen in the Top 20 picks, EJ Manuel as the lone quarterback in the first round, and FIVE trades, the 2013 NFL Draft first round was predictably unpredictable. And, while players like Kyle Long, Justin Pugh, and Travis Frederick surprised as first rounders, some of the draft’s best players slid past the 1^st round---so says Optimum Scouting and CBSSports, among others.

One of the sliders I'll be watching for is safety Jonathan Cyprien of Florida International...

Cyprien is 6-0, 217, and ran a 4.64 '40 at the Combine...

Should have listened to Mike Mayock, who called it... offensive tackle Lane Johnson (Oklahoma) is now an Eagle...

Lane Johnson, 6-6, 305, OT, Oklahoma...considered the "most athletic" tackle in the 2013 draft, mostly because of prior JC experience at QB and Tight End...

A value pick....Eagles decided not to trade back for more picks if they could get this guy... our resident director of college scouting JB-Sage-Lion has some concerns about his run-blocking ability, but there is little question about his pass-pro skills...

Johnson is not a complicated young man. He's country through and through... He knows his role and---well, you know the rest.

He's only played the tackle position on offense for two years, so that experience factor is a concern. But if you factor in his experience at QB and TE, you come away with a sense of security that this is a guy who understands how crucial his assignment will be to protect and block for his ball handlers.

Here's the PR report on Lane Johnson from his Oklahoma alma mater:

2012
Played in all 13 games with 11 starts at left tackle ... named All-America Third Team by CBSSports.com ... named All-Big 12 Second Team by coaches ... Academic All-Big 12 First Team.

2011
Started 12 of 13 games at right tackle ... had 10 knockdowns against Kansas ... did not play vs. Tulsa ... Academic All-Big 12 first team.

2010
Began the season at tight end ... switched to defensive end midway through the season.

2009
Redshirted.

At Kilgore College
Played quarterback for one season before working out at tight end in the spring of 2009 ... completed 32 of 61 attempts for 510 yards and three touchdowns ... also had 17 carries for 24 yards and one TD.

High School
Played quarterback and was an honorable mention all-state selection at the position ... named all-district ... also competed in track, finishing fourth in the shot put at the 2008 Texas State Championships.

Personal
Rotated between offensive tackle and defensive end during the spring of 2011 ... has added over 35 pounds since arriving at OU ... human relations major.

I get the big picture---  He's an ath-a-lete ---and a potential great fit for Chip Kelly-style offense. It's not hard to imagine Johnson being on the receiving end of a tackle-eligible pass completion.

And as Mayock himself commented, imagine an Eagles offensive line with Jason Peters at LT, Evan Mathis at LG, Jason Kelce at C, Todd Herremans at RG, and Lane Johnson holding down the RT position...

It's a vision that no doubt was playing in Chip Kelly's head during skull sessions leading up to Round 1 Night at the NFL Draft.

WalterFootball.com had him graded out as follows:

Strengths:

• Extremely effective pass-protector
• Phenomenal athlete
• Rare athleticism
• Massive upside
• Superb agility
• Very reliable
• Shuts down pass-rushers for four quarters
• Phenomenal at mirroring speed-rushers going for the corner
• Quick feet
• Good pad level
• Fast in his drop
• Very advanced technique
• Mobility to hit blocks on the perimeter
• Gets to blocks on the second level
• Can anchor against bull rushes
• Natural bender
• Good length
• Plus recoverability
• Should be a real technician as a pro
• Perfect fit for a zone-blocking system
• Smart
• Strong hands
• Good teammate
  
  Weaknesses:
• Needs more strength to run block effectively in the NFL
• Not overly strong, physical
• Definitely would fit better in a zone-blocking system
• Not very experienced
• Will need developmental time
  
  "Johnson played extremely well in 2012. He did a superb job protecting the blind side of quarterback Landry Jones. Against Texas and defensive end Alex Okafor, Johnson had a very good game as the Sooners handled the Longhorns. He closed out his career by playing well against Texas A&M and its edge-rushers including Damontre Moore.
  
  "Johnson used the Senior Bowl to pop from being a fringe first-rounder to a pick in the top half of Round 1. He was the second-most impressive blocker in Mobile - behind only Eric Fisher. Johnson was rock-solid in pass protection in the one-on-ones. He clearly has been well-developed by the Sooners coaching staff to protect the blind side.
  
  "There is no doubt that Johnson is a rare athlete. He is as fast as a tight end and is just scratching the surface of his potential. Johnson has light, quick feet to get depth in his drop and negate speed rushes. His phenomenal agility lets him glide with pass-rushers, while speed-rushers get frustrated with his ability to mirror. Johnson is also quick to react and negate rushes to the inside. Entering the NFL, Johnson is a legitimate pass-protector.
  
  "Johnson has potential in the ground game, but will need some more work. He could use more strength to move defensive linemen. Still, Johnson has the frame to add more weight while maintaining his quickness. He looked like he was hiding his 300 pounds at the Senior Bowl weigh-in. There is little doubt that Johnson will be able to add a significant amount of weight once he enters an NFL strength and conditioning program.
  
  "The athletic Johnson would be a perfect fit in a zone-blocking scheme. His athleticism, quickness and agility makes him a prototypical blocker for a zone scheme. If Johnson is drafted into a man-blocking scheme, he will need some time to add power for the ground game.
  
  "Many believe that Johnson has more upside than Cental Michigan's Eric Fisher or Texas A&M's Luke Joeckel. However, because Johnson has only one season of experience at left tackle, he could use more developmental time. Johnson might be better off starting out at right tackle for a year or two before moving over to the left side. "
• 
  Well, there you have it.  The kid has a huge upside. Kelly believes in him---for now. Maybe not the sexiest 1st-round pick in Eagles history---but far from the worst.

Johnson gets Top 10 money.  The payoff for the Eagles will be about three years down the road, if everything pans out the way Mike Mayock sees it. But something tells me the Eagles expect a return on investment sooner than later.

It's all about that "athletic" thing... and the "smarts" and the "character"... They really like this kid.

Now on to Rounds 2 and 3...

NOTE--- Guys who posted MACH 10 Ballots through 12:40 P.M. of April 25, 2013, and who HAD Lane Johnson on their MACHers included:

Freight Train
Harry Pianos
Kenny Kenemeka
Brizer
Dr. Funt
B. Quick
ATV
Rumpelstiltskin
Dutch Rubb
Boner

I have not yet reviewed any late submissions that came in between 12:40 P.M. and 4:00 P.M. on Thursday, April 25, as those were temporaily obscured by Livefyre problems, but I promise I will review the tapes once they are visible.

Let it rip! GET IN! The 2013 NFL Draft is ready to roll....So relax and enjoy the show...

Livefyre is jumpier than a Phil Niekro knuckleball these days, but Eagles phans and I are eagerly awaiting your smarticle comments as Round 1 plays out.

But most importantly, enjoy the celebration of the event.

Mike Mayock is runing on fumes right now, but he just played his hand on the Eagles in Round 1:

As T-Boner reported to us just a few hours ago,Mayock has the Eagles selecting an offensive lineman with the fourth overall pick--- but not Texas A&M’s Luke Joeckel or Central Michigan’s Eric Fisher as he has them going one and two.

The Haverford School graduate has the Eagles selecting Oklahoma offensive tackle Lane Johnson with the first draft pick in the Chip Kelly era.

“He’s the freakiest tackle I’ve ever seen in my life,” Mayock said of Johnson. “And because of what Chip Kelly does — up-tempo, maximize snaps, throw the bubble screens, throw the tunnel screens — he needs a great athlete at left tackle.” [AS BONER and ATV POINTED OUT--"SO MUCH FOR A CERTAIN ALL-PRO NAMED JASON PETERS!"]

Mayock does indeed have Joeckel and Fisher going No. 1 and No. 2, but not in that order.

He actually has Andy Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs selecting Fisher with the first overall pick instead of Joeckel, who had been at the top of many draft boards and mock drafts heading into Thursday’s NFL Draft.

Mayock does have Joeckel going No. 2, however, to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

I love watching this stuff play out---especially when it all tumbles down outide and around the analyst predictions!

Okay--let's go to the party. We're almost on the clock!

Our special guests on the eve of Draftmas are NFL analyst and home-grown talent Mike Mayock...and the scheming prince himself, Machiavelli.

For those last-minute MACH 10 ballots, you're going to need the inspiration and strategy of both our guests.

GK Brizer turned us on to a nice little 2-hour feature on the Eagles draft which Mayok taped for NFLN.  It may give some late MACH 10 Challenge entrants a little extra juice.   Machiavelli offers some nuggets which are more about the actual gamesmanship involved in beating out your MACH competitors--- many of whom may have basically similar ballots.

Here's Mayock on the Eagles draft with some excerpts courtesy of CSNPhilly.com:

   " OK, where's the value at 4 ? And my whole premise is less about having to plug a particular position and more about making sure I get an All-Pro if I'm picking in the top 10."

"Take a quarterback? I don't see that at all. They signed Dennis Dixon. They've now got three quarterbacks, and I think Chip Kelly's going to be pretty smart with how he handles that thing. I think it's too early to be taking a quarterback given the fact that they've got three right now." [EYE note: the Iggles really have 4 QB's on the roster right now, counting G.J. Kinne]

Dee Milliner (CB, Alabama) at 4? "I happen to think No. 4 is a little high for Dee Milliner. I really like him. I think he's a heck of a football player and I think he'd be safe. But I don't think he's that explosive 4.35 kind of 40 [-yard dash] guy. If they took him, I'd be OK with that because he's a solid football player, but I think it's a little high for him."

How about a Safety?  "I think the Eagles are going to get a chance to get a safety in the second or third round, and that's important. They need a safety badly. They could also use a corner."

Offensive line? "You've got to decide with your offensive line how comfortable you are with all those guys coming back from injury (Jason Peters, Todd Herremans, Jason Kelce), and I think there are some questions there. So you've got to look at the top offensive lineman in this draft. I don't care if it's outside at tackle or inside like Chance Warmack, you better be looking at those two guys."

Linebacker? "If you're looking at a 3-4 outside linebacker, most people are all over Damontre Moore, either at the 4-3 end or a 3-4 outside linebacker. "I kind of like Dion Jordan, who I think is two years away from being an Aldon Smith-type player. He's only about 240 pounds, but he's 6-foot-7. He's got frightening athletic skills, and he's a year away. He would be a situational pass-rusher year one, and if he puts 20 pounds on I think he's going to be a perennial All-Pro. I really like the kid. But, again, that's a little bit of a risk-reward. You're betting on this kid two years from now."

"That's why I wouldn't want a top-10 pick this year. I think the fifth pick in the draft and the 25th pick in this draft are very similar."

What is a greater need for them given their current personnel: Nose tackle or 3-4 defensive end (five-technique)?

 "I have trouble saying that a five-technique should go with the fourth pick in the draft."

"I think the five-techniques, you can probably get them later in the draft. So when you start talking about what kind of nose tackle prospects you're looking for, John Jenkins, the 350-pounder from Georgia, you could get him with the fourth pick in the second round, I believe. That's about where his value is going to come into play. "

"Brandon Williams, I like him a lot. He's got some upside to him. I think Jenkins and Williams make a ton of sense even in the second or third round. "

"If they transition to the 3-4 as they seem to be doing, what don't the Eagles have? What do they need that you would look at first to make that transition? My first question would be: Is Antonio Dixon going to be my guy at nose tackle? If he's healthy and has gas in the tank, I think he could be at nose tackle. So that's my first question. How do I feel about him?"

"And you look at the outside linebacker, and you're looking at guys like [Brandon] Graham, Trent Cole.. Vinny Curry to me would be better in the 4-3. He could probably do it, though, same with Phillip Hunt."

"So I look at those things that you have to make the decision immediately at nose tackle. And how comfortable are you that you could pressure the cornerback with those former defensive ends coming off the edge as rush linebackers? Probably, finally, DeMeco Ryans really didn't like that transition. Is he going to like it any better in Philly?"

"And to be honest with you, they better find a safety at some point, because all the rest of it isn't going to matter if they don't get help from the back end."

Machiavelli then brought up the question of "Trading Down"...








 

Mayock: ""Yeah, somebody might fall in love with (Philadelphia native) Sharrif Floyd or Jarvis Jones. Somebody might love Damontre Moore. I don't. But a lot of people do. So there could be some people looking for those kind of guys, or the Eagles can sit there and say, hey, we think that Dion Jordan or Damontre Moore or any of these guys can fit what we do. And Sharrif Floyd could play the five-technique. I don't think it takes advantage of what he does best. But he's got explosion and quickness."

"If they played the 3-4 like the Houston [Texans] do, which is different than most 3-4s, Floyd would be a natural guy at number four. I bang the table for him. But it all depends from a scheme perspective how they go about doing it, because you can play it different ways."

Mayock admits he is "fascinated" with the Eagles draft this year, partly because there's so much value to be had in the later picks of the 1st and 2nd rounds.

Machiavelli has a few more cryptic points to make about outwitting your fellow MACH 10 competitiors:

Let the MACH 10 balloting proceed until GK Brizer decrees cut-off time, which I currently assume to be 4:00 P.M. EST on Thursday, April 25th.... I shall make corrections as necessary to that deadline.

Just two more sleeps, as Harry from Canada would say, and we're drafting Round 1 live from New York City....

Post your MACH 10 Challenge entry in the Comments section below. If you're having trouble accessing Livefyre today (particularly with phone or tablet), you may have better luck by accessing this article through the 2013 Archives section above.

1969 Ford Mustang MACH 1 in metallic grab-green...

Draft talk surrounding the Eagles has hit the crazy noise level. Sal Paolantonio of ESPN has even put it out there today that the Eagles are considering acquiring WVU receiver Tavon Auston (5-8, 175, 4.3 '40) with their first round pick...either at #4, or by leveraging #4 into a #12 or lower...

That's just crazy. I love the idea of Tavon Austin in a "Double Peanut" formation, but I was just being silly when I said it. I hope Sal Pal didn't take me seriously.

I don't think it's going to be a crazy or exotic surprise kind of draft for the Eagles. GM Howie Roseman has come around to the pick-the-best-player-available philosophy of drafting. So look for an offensive lineman, a defensive lineman, a cornerback and a safety to be among the team’s early picks.

“What they’re looking for, at least what I think they’re looking for, you can get in this draft,” one NFL personnel man said. “This is a pretty good year on both lines and in the secondary.” [Quote source: Mark Eckel, Newark Times].

There's been a lot of talk here about the trade value of that #4 pick in the 1st Round.

Brozer had some nice comments about trade value. If I read Broz correctly, he thinks trading a #4 back to a #12 in the 1st should get you an extra pick in the second round...at #12.

That equation seems in line with the Jimmy Johnson Draft Value Chart, which has been around for 20 years now...It's been altered on a team-by-team basis to better account for rule changes and individual beliefs, but it's still around.

Jordan Raanan of NJ.Live and NJ.com has inside knowledge of the Eagles Draft Value Chart.

So what is the Eagles' No. 4 pick worth? The traditional chart says the fourth-overall pick in the NFL Draft is worth 1,800 points. That's the equivalent of the overall 12th (1,200 points) and 31st (600 points) selections.

It's highly doubtful the Eagles can get two first-rounders for No. 4 right now. The Eagles may want to make a bunch of moves happen from the existing power of the 4th overall pick.

That means moving up or down. The chart says up would be costly.

" Say the Eagles wanted Dion Jordan, who played for new coach Chip Kelly at Oregon, really badly and needed to trade with the Jaguars at No. 2 in order to land him. According to the chart, it would cost the Eagles the No. 4 pick, their second-round pick (No. 35) and their third-round pick (No. 67). Mark it down, that is not going to happen."

Somewhere along the line the Jimmy Johnson trade value chart has lost touch with reality. There is no way the San Diego Chargers, at #11 overall, no matter how desperate they are for an offensive tackle, are going to trade their first, second and fourth-round picks for the Eagles' No. 4 selection. That's what the chart says that pick should be worth.

More likely the Chargers would trade the No. 11 overall selection and some mid-to-late round picks to jump to No. 4.

What seems to be happening is, due to the new NFLPA agreement,  the value of the top picks in the Draft has actually decreased due to a rookie pay scale now in place. Ironically, the value of later round picks has actually increased--- since those earlier round picks are no longer the cash-sapping liabilities they used to be.

So if the Eagles do trade out of that #4 spot, as Broz says, it's likely to be for another1st-rounder--- and an extra second-rounder---or a bunch of mid-to-late round picks thrown in.

Updates to follow....

Our resident boy-genius Blasphemizer was the first here to condemn the trade of all-star CB Darrelle Revis to the Tampa Bay Bucs by the Jets as a ridiculous move by the Floridians...

If there were any doubt among us, NFL football is far from a glamorous sport...

It is about a small window of opportunity... and that window is framed by heavy lifting, a lot of running up hills with weights attached, severe diet control, and incredible confrontation with heat and physical abuse... and that's just the entry point of qualification for training camp.

And if you survive all that noise, your best bet of a career is 5 years... that will get you an NFL pension, which is a meaningful reward for a youthful investment of your sweat and pain into a game we armchairs love to watch.

Hopefully you will still be able to walk and talk coherently at the age of 50...

And the pressure to survive in the NFL is huge. What other sport can you cite where it is routine for players to vomit before a game?

This is all a prelude to the saga of Danny Watkins, the former #1 pick from Baylor of Andy Reid's Eagles just a few years ago...

Jordan Raanan of NJ.com reports:

"Last season went so poorly for Danny Watkins that four months later, he still doesn't want to reflect about what went wrong. The third-year pro is trying to pretend the forgettable year never happened. He won't even touch it with an extra-long firefighter ladder. "

Watkins didn't want to even mention the difficult season as the Eagles began practicing this week at the NovaCare Complex. The moment last year was discussed, Watkins quickly became at a loss for words.

"I'm not ... well ... I don't want to," Watkins stammered.

There's good reason for his reluctance. The 2011 first-round pick started just six games. He was inactive for five, including the final two of the season when he was a healthy scratch. There is also some doubt about whether he was actually injured to the point where he couldn't play in three others.

From start to finish, it was a disappointing year for the player and team that drafted him so highly. Watkins was the 23rd-overall pick in 2011.

Still, there remains an opportunity for redemption. The Eagles have a new coaching staff in place, including a new offensive line coach in Jeff Stoutland. He replaced Howard Mudd this offseason, and the refreshed and recently-married Watkins doesn't seem too disappointed by the change.

"Howard had a very untraditional pass set and coach Stout has a more traditional pass set. That is first and foremost," Watkins said. "[Stoutland and I have] spent a lot of time together. He's a coach you can relate to and you kind of look up to him and work hard for him and do the best you can for him."

Watkins and Mudd never seemed to mesh. The aggressive and demonstrative Mudd sent his young (in football years) lineman into a shell. Watkins, 28, never came out of that shell to play in 2012.

Without Howard Mudd in the picture, this is Danny Watkins' last chance to shine.

If Watkins wants a bona fide shot at an NFL pension, he's got to impress a whole new coaching staff that he's the real deal.

Uneven rookie season... disastrous sophomore year... Watkins is on the verge of being cut.

Hopefully for the beleagured Watkins, the change in coaching staff will give him a fresh start.  I always believed in Watkins' native ability. He has what it takes mentally and physically to be a great guard in the NFL. Certainly Andy Reid saw that in him. And Reid knows offensive linemen.

Watkins was disheartened and disinterested at the end of last season. Getting bumped down to the inactive roster will do that to a guy.

Howard Mudd gave up on Danny Watkins. Now it's Jeff Stoutland's turn to bring out the best in Watkins.

It's just another curious wrinkle in the fabric of a ground-breaking season about to unfold in Philadelphia football history.

I feel guilty about playing off a national tragedy to test a website...

But gosh darn it, I promised our Bored members a real test of this site... I'll keep this short.

First the incredible saga of the two weirdo brothers is over...

It's sad on so many levels...

Got to admit this boy put up one hella fight... But now it's time for him and his bro' to rot in hell...

I don't get why anyone in their right mind would go down this path... But I've got to take a side on the innocent victims of this deluded fraternity of losers...

Life is weird and sucks sometimes...

Now I got my own problems...

Livefyre is acting up. Once the saving grace of our forsaken Eagles Nation after the big bomb hit at OTI, it is now driving our followers away into the desert.

This is a personal disgrace for me. I've got to perk up and salvage this exodus.

But alas, I am not a programmer. And I can't afford to pay our resident programmer Spiffo to fix it...

So I (and we by extension) are at the mercy of a lovely lass named Dharia...and a tough-hearted Swede by the name of Derek at Bloguin.com....

They either get together and fix us... or they don't.

So this is kind of a test blurger...

Let's pick a quick Eagles topic to make it real...

Okay, Trent Cole (DE) and where does he fit into the new defense?

Trent Cole went from his usual double-digit sacks to just 3.0 last season. He was injured. Pretty badly from what Cole described to reporters on Wednesday after the second day of Eagles voluntary minicamp.

Cole claims he originally hurt his right wrist during the 2011 season. He says the tendon tore and it broke some time during the 2012 season, when he appeared on the injured list just once — Week 4 — with a shoulder injury.

"It was an injury I had two years ago but I kept playing with it. It finally snapped in half," Cole said as he sported tape on both wrists. "I played through the season with it and I had to get surgery. I tore tendons and everything. I snapped the bone right off the joint."

Cole wouldn't use it as an excuse. He admitted to being disgusted by his performance and vowed to bounce back with a vengeance.

"In this game, there are injuries that happen all the time," Cole said. "I can tell you about injuries you wouldn't believe I played through. There are a lot of other guys who have been through tough injuries and still played."

Cole, 30, underwent offseason surgery on the wrist in February. He was ready for the first day of practice earlier this week.

Now, he's out to redeem himself after the lowest sack output of his career. Cole had reached double-digits in sacks each of the three previous seasons. He managed just 3.0 in 755 snaps last year.

It may be difficult for him to reach that mark again considering he's changing positions. With the Eagles switching to a 3-4 defensive scheme, Cole is expected to play outside linebacker. He'll be asked to be a stand-up rusher for the first time since high school.

Okay---there's the hook--- Trent Cole was playing injured, and so is Livefyre...  Maybe we both can rehab and come back strong? I hope so...