Eagles Select Danny Watkins in the First Round

It comes as little surprise that the Eagles selected an offensive lineman with the 23rd overall pick in last night's first round of the 2011 NFL draft, but who they selected does raise a few questions.

When NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell announced that Philadelphia had selected Baylor guard Danny Watkins, it was not the name I was expecting with Wisconsin tackle Gabe Carmini and Colorado cornerback Jimmy Smith still on the board. None the less it is a solid pick as the Birds definitely need some help on the right side of the offensive line.

Watkins is a bona fide road grader at 6-foot-4 and 312 pounds and should be able to step in as a starter right away. There is some concern with his age, as he will turn 27 later this year, but if things work out he could become a fixture at right guard for a number of years.

The next major area of need would be in the defensive secondary, which will most likely be addressed tonight in rounds two and three. The Eagles have nine more picks in the draft including two fourth and fifth-round picks and three in the seventh.

2011 NFL Schedule Review

The NFL released the 2011 regular season schedule this past Tuesday. The following is a look at some of the biggest macthups of the year as originally posted on ATS Sportsline


2011 NFL Schedule Review

Philadelphia Eagles 2011 Regular Season Schedule

The Eagles open the 2011 regular season on the road against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, September 11 in a 1 p.m. start. From there they head to Atlanta for a Sunday night showdown with the Falcons in Michael Vick's first game at the Georgia Dome since his days with that team.

Birds will play in primetime a total of five times next season with two more Sunday night appearances, two Monday night games, and one NFL Network Thursday night game.

Here is a look at the complete 16 game schedule as provided by ESPN.com

2011 Regular Season Schedule

1 Sun, Sep 11 @St. Louis 1:00 PM
2 Sun, Sep 18 @Atlanta 8:20 PM
3 Sun, Sep 25 vs New York 1:00 PM
4 Sun, Oct 2 vs San Francisco 1:00 PM
5 Sun, Oct 9 @Buffalo 1:00 PM
6 Sun, Oct 16 @Washington 1:00 PM
7 BYE WEEK
8 Sun, Oct 30 vs Dallas 8:20 PM
9 Mon, Nov 7 vs Chicago 8:30 PM
10 Sun, Nov 13 vs Arizona 1:00 PM
11 Sun, Nov 20 @New York 8:20 PM
12 Sun, Nov 27 vs New England 4:15 PM
13 Thu, Dec 1 @Seattle 8:20 PM
14 Sun, Dec 11 @Miami 1:00 PM
15 Sun, Dec 18 vs New York 4:15 PM
16 Sat, Dec 24 @Dallas 4:15 PM
17 Sun, Jan 1 vs Washington 1:00 PM

News & Notes from the NFL – April 14

Much of the early speculation on who the Eagles will select in the first round of this year's NFL draft has centered around the right tackle position. Quite a few mock draft boards have the Birds taking either Wisconsin's Gabe Carimi or Boston College's Anthony Castonzo with the 23rd overall pick. Everyone knows Andy Reid's propensity for taking linemen early in the draft and the right side of the offensive line is an obvious area of need for this team.

Another hole that needs to be filled is in the defensive secondary, so do not be surprised if Philly takes a cornerback with its first pick. A possible candidate could be Colorado's Jimmy Smith, or the Eagles could try and move up to snag Nebraska's Prince Amukamara, who is regarded as the second-best defensive back in this year's draft after Patrick Peterson.

The one constant from year-to-year with Philadelphia is the fact that it is next to impossible to predict what Reid will do. Just like any good poker player, he never tips his hand before making a play.

Below is a link to all the news & notes from the NFL this past week as originally posted on ATS Sportsline.


News & Notes from the NFL – April 14

News & Notes from the NFL – April 7

Here is a link to the news & notes from the NFL over the past week as originally posted on ATS Sportsline


News & Notes from the NFL – April 7

NFL Draft: Offensive Skill Players a Hot Commodity

Every year all 32 NFL teams look to the college draft as a means to fill existing holes in the starting lineup, add depth to some of the weaker areas on the roster, and to generally improve their overall level of talent.

Selecting offensive and defensive linemen when the need exists often makes the most sense as a strong line on both sides of the ball is the key to winning championships. Despite this fact, football fans rarely get excited when their team selects a 325 pound offensive tackle with its first round pick. Everyone loves the glamour positions of quarterback, wide receiver, and running back.

The following is look back over the past few drafts to see how the top players in these skill positions have fared in their first few seasons in the NFL as originally posted on Doc's Sports


NFL Draft: Offensive Skill Players a Hot Commodity

2011 NFL Draft Preview – Wide Receiver Prospects

The 2011 NFL draft takes place the last week of this month starting with the first round on Thursday night April 28. The second and third rounds will be held on Friday night and the draft will wrap up with rounds four through seven on Saturday afternoon.

The following is a look at the top wide receivers available in this year's group of prospects as originally posted on Bang the Book.


2011 NFL Draft Preview – Wide Receiver Prospects

News & Notes from the NFL

The only game in town for the NFL given the current labor situation is the upcoming college draft scheduled for Thursday, April 28 through Saturday, April 30.

This week's news and notes takes a look at the quarterback position in relation to the past few drafts as well as the top prospects is this year's class.

Here is a link to this week's article as was previously posted on ATS Sportsline


News & Notes from the NFL – March 31

2011 NFL Futures – Odds to win the AFC

The 2011 NFL regular season is still over five months away but its is not too early to take a look at which teams have the best chance to win their conference next season.

The following is a link to a preview of the teams to watch in the AFC as originally posted on Bang the Book


2011 NFL Futures – Odds to win the AFC

2011 NFL Draft Preview – Quarterbacks

This year's NFL draft is less than a month away and it is time to take a look at some of the top prospects at each position. The following is a link to a preview of the top quarterbacks available this year as originally posted on Bang the Book


2011 NFL Draft Preview – Quarterbacks