Daniel Jeremiah was a scout for the Eagles a couple of years ago. He went to Nick Foles Pro Day and wasn’t very impressed. Here is his scouting report.
Good thing the Eagles kept the Pro Day in perspective and went with Foles in the 3rd round. Jeremiah did make note that the conditions were rough. Most of these guys workout indoors or in pristine conditions.
The Eagles had good luck when they drafted Brent Celek back in 2007. He had been a star for the University of Cincinnati. Blake Annen never became a star for the Bearcats, but he is a talented, athletic prospect.
Per this article, the Eagles had a private workout with him.
Annen finished last season with 16 catches for 183 yards and 2 touchdowns (you can listen to his first TD catch here). But his stats suffered when the Bearcats changed their offense following a loss at USF in the fifth game of the season. For the rest of the year, UC emphasized a 4-wide receiver attack with limited use of the tight end.
“I think it was a great decision by the coaching staff and we won nine games which is nothing to complain about,” said Annen. “Obviously you want to contribute as much as you can, and that means finding ways to be a team player. If that means catching 100 balls then I do. If that means making 100 blocks, then I make 100 blocks. When you win nine games you can’t complain about it.”
“He was a team player and he was a professional about it,” said Kay. “My hat’s off to him. I’m close to Blake – we’ve spent a lot of time training together – and we’ve been tight for the last five years. It was definitely tough for him when we made that change and he didn’t get many opportunities. I still think he made the most of the opportunities that he had. He can do it all – he can run, he can catch, and he can block. He has a bright future.”
Annen recently had a private workout with the Philadelphia Eagles and last week, took part in the Bengals’ annual workout for draft-eligible players from area colleges and high schools. If he is not selected in the late rounds of the draft, Blake stands a good chance of winding up in an NFL training camp as an undrafted free agent.
“That’s the goal and all I need is a shot,” Annen told me. “Obviously if that comes on draft day I would be ecstatic, but just being able to have an opportunity is more than a lot of people can say. If you do get that opportunity, it all comes down to what you do with it.”
Nate Askew is a 6-3, 241 LB from Texas A&M. He played WR for the Aggies prior to 2013, but they decided to move him to defense. He only started 2 games, but did have a couple of INTs and showed good promise.
Askew had a sensational Pro Day and then had a private workout for the Eagles, per Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post. The Eagles would most likely see him as a developmental prospect, but one with good cover skills and STs potential.
You didn’t get to see Justin Jones catch a pass for East Carolina this year. He was academically ineligible. But the NFL keeps track of guys that are 6-8, 275 and catch TDs. Jason La Canfora has the scoop on him and the teams that are interested.
Jones hasn’t played a college football game since 2012 after becoming academically ineligible before last season. From what NFL teams tell me, his coaches at ECU haven’t been giving him ringing endorsements, but he has the kind of raw but potentially freakish size and ability that teams cannot overlook.
Having had the opportunity to spend a little time around him, I find Jones very difficult not to like and root for. Jones spent the season working at a Jos. A Bank in the Atlanta area, working out relentlessly, and hoping he might get a workout or two. At 6-foot-8, 275 pounds, and with a 37-inch vertical leap he showed off for scouts at the regional combine in Detroit two weeks ago, plenty of NFL eyes were opened. He only played a few years of college football, yet 12 of his 52 career receptions were touchdowns, he has some unique red-zone possibilities and even as a situational pass catcher, there is talent to be developed.
The Eagles have checked out several TEs, some big and some athletic. Jones would be a huge Red Zone target for Nick Foles.
WR Wilson Van Hooser did not have much of a career at Troy. Going 68-993-11 would be a good season, but those aren’t career totals that will get much attention from NFL scouts. Van Hooser found another way to get their attention.
Here is the scoop from Gil Brandt:
Troy wide receiver Wilson Van Hooser worked out at Troy’s pro day, but the New Orleans native opted to work out again at Tulane’s pro day. Van Hooser ran the 40 in 4.45 and 4.48 seconds. He then produced what was described as the highlight of the entire 2014 pro-day season during the on-field workout. Van Hooser was running a fly route, but the pass came up short. Rather than circle back to the ball, Van Hooser caught the ball with his hands behind his back. It was described as “a catch for the ages.”
At Troy’s pro day on March 10, Van Hooser had a 39-inch vertical jump, 10-foot-6 broad jump, a 4.15-second short shuttle time, 6.96-second three-cone drill time and performed 16 strength lifts
I haven’t found a video of the catch, but you can see Van Hooser explain the catch in an video on this article. There is also a note in there about the Eagles.
Last week, Van Hooser went to New Orleans and worked out for the Saints coaching staff. On Tuesday, he had an individual workout at Troy with an area scout of the Chargers.
Van Hooser said the New England Patriots, Philadelphia Eagles, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Indianapolis Colts and BC Lions of the Canadian Football League have contacted him since making that “catch for the ages.”
UDFA target that could make sense for the Eagles. Has good combo of size and athletic ability. Solid blocker. Good hands.
What’s up with the greatest Eagle of them all?
Former NFL lineman Nate Menkin joining Ottawa RedBlacks: Offensive lineman to sign two-year contract http://t.co/4rY3FjAcsF
— NationalFootballPost (@FootballPost) April 16, 2014
Good luck, Nate.
Rolando McClain was once a Top 10 pick. He has terrific ability, but off field issues slowed his career and then he abruptly retired. He talked to the Ravens about coming back so they had him workout for them. Things didn’t go so well.
Rolando McClain got his workout w the Ravens and I'm hearing it was NOT a roaring success. Didn't finish conditioning test, didn't do drills
— Aditi Kinkhabwala (@AKinkhabwala) April 15, 2014
I mention him because I’ve always thought the Eagles might consider him as a low cost redemption project. He is the kind of raw talent they like. Unfortunately, it doesn’t sound like McClain has the drive or work ethic to succeed in the NFL. That’s a shame. He was fun to watch at Bama and showed tremendous talent.
Kurt Coleman talked to several teams, but finally ended up signing with the Vikings. Minnesota fans are happy to have him and showed their appreciation with some Photoshop work.
“@VikingsRepor: @k4coleman We think you need some purple for your twitter. So we made you this. #skol pic.twitter.com/TPSv2lQdHK” check it out
— Kurt Coleman (@k4coleman) April 15, 2014
Good luck to Kurt.
The Eagles brought in Oregon DE Taylor Hart for a visit. Hart is keeping a draft diary for The Oregonian, but unfortunately hasn’t updated that since coming to Philly. Here’s what he had to say a few weeks back.
“It was obviously cool to see (Philadelphia coaches Chip Kelly and Jerry Azzinaro) again at the combine, it had been a while but it will be nice to go out and see them again. It’s nice to always know the head coach and the defensive line coach pretty well, so I don’t know if it makes it easier but it’s nice to see them again. It’s meeting a lot of other coaches, too, so it’s just nice to have them be the first one.
Hart is a good DE that would be an ideal fit for the Eagles. He is 6-6, 284 and is a good 2-gap DE. He also is a solid athlete that can rush the passer. The Eagles need depth at DE and Hart is a mid-round target that would make sense.
Check out this pic.
Eagles and rams need to be front row RT @Vol_Football: All 32 @nfl teams are represented at Vols Pro Day in Knoxville pic.twitter.com/wWAK9gxbf9
— Bradley Dean (@BradD_Parker) April 2, 2014
That is personnel executive Rick Mueller representing the Eagles at the Tennessee Pro Day. The Vols are loaded with OL prospects and obviously the Eagles wanted more than just a regional scout there. They also have gigantic NT Daniel McCullers and a few other prospects.
