SB Nation just came out with the latest edition of the 2011 NFL Mock Draft, and some trends are starting to emerge from the selections they give the Eagles. They either give them some help along the offensive line, or in the defensive secondary. This week, they opted for the latter with Colorado CB Jimmy Smith. Here is their rationale.
Minus a worthwhile offensive lineman here, there are a number of directions the Eagles could go, including cornerback. Smith is a character risk, but his talent is significantly better than every Eagles CB aside from Asante Samuel.
When have character issues ever prevented a cornerback from being very good? In some cases, I might call that a requirement for the job. Smith has the kind of bravado that elite cornerbacks need. When the ball is in the air, he is confident that he is going to come down with it, and I like that kind of attitude from my corners. In terms of fit, he would certainly help the Eagles secondary that was exposed at times last season.