Not a Good Day for Predictions
Apr 26, 2008 Eagles Rumors
So here’s what we know after Day 1 of the draft — NFL teams are, somehow, still very good at keeping secrets. 
We know this because today was as unpredictable as anyone could imagine. Seriously, was there anyone out there who thought Donnie Avery would be the first wide receiver off the board? That Chris Johnson would be a first round pick? (and 22!) Or, for that matter, Antoine Cason, Joe Flacco, Sam Baker, and Dustin Keller would all go in the first?
There isn’t a single mock draft out there on the Internet that even closely resembles today’s results.
As to the Eagles — it’s difficult to feel strongly in either direction about their day. On the one hand, it’s another year without a first-round player. On the other hand, holy crap! Did they ever take the Panthers to the cleaners.
I’ve long been critical of DeSean Jackson as a first round pick here, but as pick #49? Sign me up. Remember, I was high on Chris Johnson in the second round because of his all-around explosiveness and ability to contribute on special teams. Jackson immediately brings some firepower to the punt and kick return units.
Do I think he’s ever going to be a #1 or #2 receiver? No, I don’t. He’s too small. The odds are stacked really high against it. But he could be a deep threat in the right situations, and the Eagles could run some plays specifically designed to take advantage of his talents — like the Bills do with Roscoe Parrish.
As for Trevor Laws — nothing glamorous with this pick, just the usual Andy Reid mindset that the offensive and defensive lines are priority #1. It will be nice if this guy actually contributes in his first year spelling Bunkley and Patterson — but at this point should we really expect that?
The Eagles track record with defensive rookies points to Laws spending a season on the sidelines. And if that ends up being the case, this was a horrible pick — this team is ready for a run this season.
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