Eagles Should Target Secondary in Second Round

Written By Bob Cunningham On Friday, April 23, 2010

Nate Allen could be the Birds' pick in the 2nd-round.



Brandon Graham was the man in the first round, but what do Andy Reid and company do with two picks (37 and 55) in the second round?

There are a lot of good players left, which is what we all expected in such a deep class, and the Eagles should have their pick of the litter with the fifth pick in the second round. And now that they addressed their need for a defensive end, it's likely they target a cornerback or safety next.

Guys like Chris Cook (6'2, 212), Perrish Cox (5'11, 195), and Brandon Ghee (5'11, 192) are the best cornerbacks available, with Cook appearing to have the biggest upside of the trio. Cox and Ghee are probably more capable of coming in and playing immediately, but Cook's size makes him a more-than-intriguing prospect.

At safety, Nate Allen (6'1, 207) and Taylor Mays (6'3, 230) are clearly the best guys available. Allen is probably more what the Eagles are looking for, but it could be difficult for them to pass on the potential and physical attributes of Mays.

If the Eagles' scouting department thinks the talks of Mays' coverage ability, or lack thereof, is overblown and unfounded, then he will probably be the pick. However, if there are questions about his ability, the Birds could pass him over and look at Allen or the best cornerback still available.

It's possible that Allen is the guy at 37, and then one of the cornerbacks becomes the target with the 55th overall pick. In fact, that's probably the most likely scenario.

However, the Birds could also use one of those picks on a linebacker.

Sergio Kindle (6'4, 255) slipped out of the first round and would be an absolute steal early in the second. It's unlikely four other teams pass on Kindle for a second time around, but if he's still available when the Eagles pick, it would be tough not to take him.

He could come in and immediately win the spot at SAM with that kind of size, or slide over to the MIKE position and force Stewart Bradley over to SAM.

Sean Lee (6'2, 235) is also available and could be an option at MIKE if the Eagles are willing to kick Bradley over to SAM, but Lee is a bit undersized for what the Eagles are looking for. That's not any bigger than Omar Gaither, whom the Eagles clearly don't see as a starting MIKE.

Brandon Spikes is also still available, but Sean McDermott's MIKE linebacker has to be a bit faster than Spikes. I don't believe the slow 40-yard dash time is a big deal, but I doubt the Eagles feel the same way.

There aren't many true SAM linebackers available, so if the Eagles aren't willing to move Bradley to his natural position at SAM and allow someone to replace him in the middle, Kindle is really the only option at linebacker.

Ideally in the second round I'd love to see the Eagles grab Kindle, make him the starting SAM, and then still be able to draft Nate Allen or Chris Cook. If they can find some way to address every one of their needs in the first two rounds it would put them in a great position heading into the final rounds on Saturday.

Also, don't be surprised if the Eagles also try to move up into the third round with their remaining fourth (x2) and sixth-round picks. They've also got two seventh-round picks, but those are compensatory picks that cannot be traded.

Dexter McCluster, anyone?


Enter your email address to receive the best Philly sports news and analysis on the web!:

Delivered by FeedBurner

For the best in Philadelphia sports, look no further than Belmont.com. They've got you covered for all American sports wagering offering unparalleled customer service and fast payouts to the customers.

DISCLAIMER:

This site is strictly for informational and entertainment purposes, and is in no way affiliated with the National Football League or the Philadelphia Eagles. It also claims no rights to the trademarks of the NFL or Philadelphia Eagles.

2 Minutes to Midnight Green also claims no copyright to any photos used.