April 26, 2017
Earlier today, we had a chat that lasted two hours, so I was able to get the majority of your questions. However, I'll expand on one that I got a minimum of 30 times.
It went something like, "Are the Eagles now interested in Dalvin Cook and Reuben Foster, and why the change of heart on them?"
That repeated question was in reference to an assertion I made a few days ago on Twitter that the Eagles would not be drafting either Cook or Foster at pick 14.
My tweet was based on information I had received from several trusted sources. However, if there's an NFL event where information can be good one day and bad the next it's the NFL Draft, which is as unpredictable as it gets. Weird things happen, like Sidney Jones rupturing his Achilles, Foster screaming at hospital workers in Indianapolis and getting sent home from the Combine, or Gareon Conley suddenly being accused of rape.
All three players, sans injury or incident, were of clear interest to the Eagles at pick 14. Now? Jones, no. Foster and Conley, probably not. As the list of players of interest to the Eagles at pick 14 has dwindled since the start of the draft process, logically, players on the periphery have entered consideration.
And so, information emerged that specifically Cook was an option for the Eagles at pick 14, so I had to correct my initial information.
Ehhhh, so this might be wrong. I call erasies. 😨 https://t.co/FopmGGkvkk
— Jimmy Kempski (@JimmyKempski) April 26, 2017
I've shamed myself and my family. (But seriously though, I should know better about how volatile the draft can be). My apologies.
Soon after, several other reporters communicated similar information, including Les Bowen of the Philadelphia Daily News:
#Eagles haven’t taken RB in first round since Keith Byars in 1986, but personnel guy from another team told me he thinks they take Cook, so?
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) April 26, 2017
So are the Eagles drafting Dalvin Cook? He's one of many options, but certainly, the Eagles have players on their board that they favor over him.
Question from Dan: Should the Eagles draft Dalvin Cook at 14?
Nope. I think it's a horrible use of resources. To begin, Cook has a significant list of red flags, including character concerns, three shoulder surgeries, a bad performance at the Combine, and 13 career fumbles in three years at Florida State.
Now you can look at any one of those issues and argue against them individually. For example, you can make a case for taking a risk on a character concern player if his game tape is really good. You can maybe take a risk on a guy with three surgeries to the same area of his body if you think he's special. You can reason that maybe you can coach up his fumbling issues. And finally, you can talk yourself into the idea that a lot of players have have disappointing Combine performances and ended up being good players.
However, when you combine those four things together, there is simply too much in the way of concern for a player at pick 14, especially when it's debatable whether you should value running backs that highly in the first place, in a year where it's one of the most loaded running back classes ever.
Question from Joseph:Â Your takesies-backsies tweet.... Was that an indication that the Eagles are considering Foster or that the Eagles are considering Cook? Please, please say the former.
I'm done saying "They're definitely not taking (Player X)," but my "erasies" tweet was more about Cook than Foster.
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