Rowe's the guy on top of fellow second round pick Devin Funchess, photo credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Rowe’s the guy on top of fellow second round pick Devin Funchess, photo credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

The Eagles must’ve really liked Eric Rowe, seeing as though they traded up five picks and sent both of their fifth round picks to the Dolphins so they could get him. [They got a sixth in return as well.]

He’s a 6’1 cornerback, HYBRID D-BACK from Utah. The scouts say:

CBS Sports gives the pick an A+, saying:

He is one of the most versatile defensive backs in the draft. To go up and get him is a heck of a move by Chip Kelly. I think he can be a star safety, but a lot of scouts love him as a corner.

NFL.com likes the versatility as well:

Rowe brings great coverage skills, and as a bonus, he can play both safety and corner.

The strengths on his draft profile:

Tall cornerback with long frame. Has the ability to disrupt wide receivers off the line of scrimmage and can mirror them out of their release. Jams and disrupts shallow crossers. Will throw his body around in run support if needed. Solid tackler. Attacks ball at catch point and makes it hard for receiver to finish the catch. Was a three-year starter at free safety before moving to cornerback this year. Can break hard on throws in front of him. Instinctive in zone with ball skills to match.

And the weaknesses:

Linear body type with average play strength. Will struggle to carry NFL deep speed. Lacks an accelerator and is not a recovery-type cornerback. Limited as a man-cover corner. Has change-of-direction issues in tight spaces. Plays into boundary too often. Had to fight through a leg issue at one point during the 2014 season. Likely a scheme-specific player.

What does the Apple Watch say through the Eagles app?

Voila_Capture 2015-05-02_09-16-04_AM

Apple Watch approves.

Fun fact: he likes big buttholes:

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pic via (@CMazzi78)

My take? Rowe seems like a fairly highly regarded defensive back with perhaps no obvious position. The knock on him always seems to center around speed, butt he makes up for it with his ability to attack the ball, and tackle. Look at this hit– that’s a tight end he nearly broke in half:

https://youtu.be/1z4hj28L1Ww

And, in this highlight video, his ability to destroy would-be catches and utterly ruin receivers is evident– I think we’re going to like him:

Meanwhile, their third round pick was Jordan Hicks, an inside linebacker out of Texas.

The strengths on his draft profile:

Looks good on the hoof. Has desired height, weight and speed. Smart and loves the game of football. Scouts say the staff at Texas raves about the way Hicks lifts, prepares for games and takes care of his body. Has football character in spades. Not a thumper but a tackle finisher — won’t miss often. Can glide and chase as plays bounce outside. Has burst to leverage outside runs and cut off angles against mobile quarterbacks. Showed more discipline and improvement after a year under head coach Charlie Strong.

And the weaknesses:

Despite intelligence and preparation, still considered only average with instincts and anticipation. Considered by evaluators as robotic and assignment-rigid. “Line dancer” who rarely free-styles and takes chances. Doesn’t see it quickly, so lacks downhill game to make plays on other side of the line. Gets late start on routes crossing face in zone coverage. Must improve at taking on blocks and keeping linemen off of him. Had season-ending injuries in both 2012 and 2013, missing a total of 19 games.

That had him listed as a fourth or fifth rounder. The other concern seems to be his durability.

Here’s what Chip Kelly had to say:

“This was a guy we had ranked higher than anyone on the board,” Kelly said. “We had him in the second round. There wasn’t anyone even close to him at this point. He’s a three-down linebacker. We like that. We want three-down linebackers. That’s what Mychal and Kiko are.”

He also said don’t read too much into what it means for Kendricks.

My take? It sounds like Hicks’ durability may have been more of a concern than his lack of creativity. Maybe Chip saw some value there. Seems to be a theme this offseason.