Eagles Draft: Eagles Select Eric Rowe

length and cover skills. He's a top fifty pick all day long. And Charles we both felt like this was a guy that could line up outside as a matchup guy against some of those big wide receivers in today's NFL, but also kick inside on the tight ends like Gronkowski, and that's what he did at Utah last year. They used him as a specialty player, that chess piece that can move all over the board where they needed him

on whatever down. That's where he went to me. This is a pit coach strong to deal with their division. You gotta deal with Dez Bryant and Dallas. You gotta deal with Odell Beckham in New York. This is why

they went and got him. Well, you look at corners now, you're always looking for size, and even us on the college level, you're looking for a guy six foot or taller, and that way you can always match up where you can match up outside and inside, because what a lot of people are doing now and you're a lot of offenses stiff from their best receiver inside and so they're looking for a matchup problem. So you don't have to

take a corner. And you look at him. Erica has enough ability where he can go play the nipple position and he can go cover the inside and then if you need to bounce an outside just base down play, he can go outside of player. And that's another Pack twelve player for Chip Kelly, who has now made seventeen draft choices or been part of it since coming off the campus of the University of Oregon. We're live here

at the Novicare Complex, Dave Spidero and Merrill Reese. The Eagles have made a trade, as you know the details, and they select Eric Rowth from the University of Utah. Merril, well, that is the guy we were looking for them to select. It's a guy that they had writted very, very highly and as a matter of fact, Dave, he was selected as the defensive back with the best athletic skills at the entire combine. I am very interested to hear from Chip Kelly whether he plans to use him as a

cornerback or a safety. He has considered to be a corner with safety skills right, so played for safety at safety I believe three years at Utah played cornerback last year. Big Range actually watched the tape of him with Mike Mayock one day and enjoyed that, And yeah, fills the

need for this football team. The Eagles dealing their pick in round number two, that's the fifty second pick overall, as well as two picks in the fifth round, one forty five and one fifty six overall, they get back the forty seventh pick, which is Eric Row, and the one hundred and ninety first pick overall. That's a sixth round pick from the Miami Dolphins. And Eric Row is the latest Philadelphia Eagle at a position of need and still and fits the requirements that the Eagles are looking for.

Paul rangee versatile, physical, and we'll see what he projects as ship Kelly will be along in just a little bit to meet the media and explain the move up. Now, the Eagles wanted to keep all of their draft picks, certainly not the case where they felt that Row would not be there at fifty two, so they make the move up. They give up the fifth round draft picks, So the Eagles out of round number five tomorrow, but they do pick up a second pick one overall in

the sixth rounds. Yeah, but this is good. This is good because two picks so far, and they got two very highly rated players. They got the wide receiver that they loved, Nelson Aglare, and then to life they got the safety or a quarter that they also thought very very good. Chip Kelly at the podium speed parameter, it's kind of off the charts in terms of what he can do from a physical standpoint. So, um, there was a lot of things that stood out for him. You know,

he's another guy. Will get him here and throw him in the mix with the guys we got in the secondary and then figure it out at that point in time to evaluate chorus. Now, when you work out dbs, you kind of it's a dB workout hill. Every skill is you know, kind of highlighted ball skills, change of direction, backpedal, ability to flip your hips, all those things are highlighted, whether you're a safety or whether you're you know, it's really basically almost most teams to kind of use the

same workout whatever dB you're looking at. So did you moved up? Yeah, we were working it a little bit there. Yeah, we we we felt and you know, he was the guy we wanted all along. You know, I wouldn't have been surprised if he went a lot earlier. Um, you know, we kind of had him and Byron Jones with the two guys who really kind of targeted. Obviously, when Byron went off the board really early, we were nearly uh nervous and just hoping that there's a chance he could fall,

and um, it worked out for us. He's a taller, longer guy, so you know, you hope those are the things. But we'll get him in here and look at look at everything he can do. The fact that he's he's he's got that many starts under his about that safety, but then really excelled this last year at Corner and then you know, um, I think was kind of very intriguing to us, though I don't know if it was get ahead of because what was going on is a

lot of people were trading up. So if you looked at the board and said, hey, I think they need a corner, then all of a sudden you look up and someone jumped them and took that spot. So there was a couple more trades ahead of us where you were you were interested, and you're like, okay, I don't look. You look at a team here, maybe they took a corner in the first round. You feel pretty good, but then someone jumps into that spot, you know, so you

really can't predict what's going on. There's I know, there's a lot of there's a lot of phone calling going on around the league. It seems like right now in the second round, yeahs Miami, the first team, you looked at her and you try to do this. Now, we were working for a while the scheme specific skills at at at safety does he have Yeah, I mean that's what we're looking for. We're looking for safeties that can cover.

And this kid played actually corner, you know, So he's got those skills and um, he can play corner, you know. So we'll we'll we'll figure out exactly where he fits. But he may start out at corner force. You know, we we've got we've got a lot of time here, but uh, you know, it's it's it was getting what we felt was the best secondary guy out there for what we do, and that's what we was. He was a guy we targeted since the draft ended last night that that was the guy, that's the guy we wanted

when he was at safety and play. Yeah, he played free safety. He started thirty three games at free safety, started three games at throng safety. So he's done at both. He's been down on the box and he's been a high safety and he's also played obviously corner. So you know, really the one guy that was kind of prototypical and what we're looking for is a defensive player is in the secondary was eric Now. I mean you always have a you have a wishless kind of going into it.

But he also and I think I said it yesterday, when you when need crosses over the talent line, I think that's when you get in trouble because you're reaching. So Um, we had a very very high grade on eric Um. You know, if we ever traded back, he was a guy that we really targeted if we were going to move back yesterday, you know, in terms of being able to get so um. You know, we we were fortunate enough in terms of what we felt about him, um to get him where we did other defensive prospects

prospects before. Tell you what do you see and how he can read offense? He's outstanding, you know, really strong from a mental standpoint, and he's got a very good football iq um. You know, I think those are some of the things that stood out with him. And I think his ability to recall what they did at you when you put the tape on, tell you the coverage, explain it, but not only explain it from the safety position,

but explain it from a corner position. You know, a lot of a lot of times they're they're a byproduct of their experience, so they don't know what it's like when you you kind of move him outside. But he can do that because he actually has done it, you know, in games. So you really don't, I mean, you just it's it starts on what price are you willing to pay? You know, what's what do you have to really move? And really it's just picks, So you know, what what

are we willing to give up? You know, we really didn't. We didn't want to give up a third or fourth if if if we didn't have to um, and obviously we didn't. I think we You know a lot of times you offer something to a team and they come back with a connor offer and say what about this? Well that's you know, that's not We're not going to do that. You know, that's too much, that's too expensive for us to make that move. UM. So it worked out in terms of, you know, trade the two fives

but getting a six back. So it's really we lost one player. Yeah, we tried to trade a lot earlier too much. Yeah, that's kind of how it works with everybody. Just like when we were on the clock at twenty yesterday, we field it a lot of calls, but we didn't feel like it was enough. There wasn't enough offered for us to say, okay, we'll take that to move back. You know, there's because if you take it and move back, you know the player you want may not be there

when you move back. You kind of you there's that you can't predict it. So it's a little bit unpredictable. So let me start hearing. I'll come right through. You're still kind of getting used to call the trade this. We split that up. You know, I think we've done a really good job at delegating wherever it is. I know, Rick Mueller and Lewis Clark are on the phones. When

the heads on the phones, I'm on the phone. So truly just kind of how it comes in because a lot of times, you know, you you're trying to get involved with something, but then someone's calling you. So there's three or four phone lines going on at once. But uh, it's very organized up there, not very chaotic at all. So I thought we did a really good job in terms of handling this and getting out of it what

we really want to get out of it. And starting yesterday when the draft ended, he was a priority for us getting up. You know, as we came in here today and talked about our strategy, what are we going to do, what are we willing to give up um to go get that player? And is it too expensive? And they were there were you know, we had opportunities to move up, but it was just too expensive and we didn't. We felt like we wanted, you know, we really want to keep our third pick, really want to

keep our fourth picks up. Let's go to charge. Specifically, he ran four four five in the forty. He was a three nine four in the short shuttle. He had one of the best three cones at the combine, h thirty nine inches in the vertical jump. I think twenty reps in the bench press. I mean when you look at from a height, weight speed factory, he was in the top twenty five percent of all the defensive backs that were that were out there, and I think in

most cases in the top ten percent. Yeah, you can see that it's evident that he's got a skill set be available second round Byron Jones. No, we felt if we moved back he would probably be there, but he would probably go on the first day. When you think of value and what's too much to give up and a trade chard, we have a trade chard. I think it's changed a little bit with the new CBA, and there's a formula in there, there's a there's math and belt in it. So, um, we have a computer doing it.

Because that's what I was just going to finish is I was told there would be no mass. We have a computer that actually computes that for us. So he'd just say, what's two fives in this? And then you hit a button and it comes right up, and you're like, oh, that's pretty good. Is it a negative number or a positive number? So it's a it's a positive number, we would agree to it when it's a negative number. Yeah, But if you're buying, you may have to give a

couple points. If you're selling, you obviously want to get a couple back. So I don't think we're going to play it against UTA two twelve. Would you have exposure doom him at all on the field, No, I didn't play. We didn't play against h on. I played h only game we played against Utuk he was he was still in high school, so I did not see him in person on film for a cross a bonus, did you see him as a college goes You're like like, did he catch your eye or while you're on in the

draft process. No, And when I was at Oregon, I wasn't scouting for the NFL, so I wasn't really looking to but you can see something. But we were never going to play Utah, so I would never look at him and say, hey, you know there's a guy. You really got to take a look at him and say, who's that safety? Because there's a two game stretcher where you don't play them so you know, until it's two

years out. So I didn't really think of it. So I thought he fared very well at the Senior Bowl, you know, and I think, uh, that's really where the first time we got first live action look at him. He was a guy that we had identified UM our scouts. Trey Brown did a great job kind of um laying the groundwork and one of the first you know, when we were out there and we had our first initial meetings before we went to the Senior Bowl. Certainly a

guy we had to keep an eye on. We had a lot of people look to really take a good hard look at him at the Senior Bowl and that was our real for our coaching staff and Ed and myself, UM and the other scouts besides Tray. That was our real first exposure to him, and we were impressed with him from then. I think there was a sil size of the Dold prospect last year. The utime play the quarterback safety. Yeah, I know, Keith McGill. He was a

little bit taller, a little bit longer. While you were looking at if you were going to Eric kind of pop out. Also, even though he was not. Now, we're really just focusing on that class, you know, so we don't really start looking at the next group until until you start, you know, the next class. So what are his strengths specifically as a corner press. Yeah, he's a press corner. He's that big, physical press corner we're looking for. He's over two hundred and five pounds long, arms, physical,

you know, And I think that's why Utah moved him outside. Um, they felt like that he had the skill set and it was a good move by Kyle in terms of doing it, and really one of the better defensive coaches in college football. Kyle winning him at Utah and just really raved about him. I was out there for his pro day with that, and then Corey actually went back out and did a private workout with him. So you're down to seven picks, now, do you want to try

to get another one day? Yeah, I mean, philosophically, you always want to get picks back, but I think you don't want to sacrifice if there's someone that you want, So you really just got to look how the what's left on the board, and then you know, hey, we got a shot at getting him. You know, there's a couples that we sweated out. You know, Eric is a guy we would sweat it out. Wea is he's still gonna be there. Is he's still gonna be there. He's

still gonna be there. So you really just see how it expresses itself and what what's gone off the board. You know, philosophical you always want more picks, but you're not just going to say, hey, we're taking picks for the sake of taking picks. If there's someone you really want, we're gonna we're gonna take them. A couple of years guys you brought into I'm valuable with them to you as far as ef what you thought these guys were

just I think they're really valuable. I think anytime you get an exposure, um, you get a better idea of what they're all about. You know. And I know some people and I had mentioned that, you know, use them as smoke screens or things like that. I'm not, you know,

I don't. We're not into that. I want to find out as much as we possibly can about each individual prospect so that when we're really involved in kind of looking at him, is that we're making accurate decisions as is our kind of mantra is that we don't care who we don't get. We care very much who we do get, you know, so everybody's always, oh, we should have had that guy, We should have had that guy. We better really know about the guy we get, you know.

And that's where we're trying to dig deeper and work even harder at knowing everything about those guys and trying to get out as many times. If if we don't bring him in here for a top thirty, then we're certainly going to see them at their place, and um,

just visiting with them. I think their scouts, you know, really did a really good job in terms of getting all the background information because the tape is to tape, you know, I think anybody can look at the tape, but then you have to dig and really figure out how do they fit in terms of what we're trying to build here, And um, you know, Eric is a lot like Nelson. You'll get a chance to meet him tomorrow and you can just kind of see what he's like as a person and his character and all those

other things. And uh, that's centrical and what we're doing. But the only way you're gonna do that is you have to go find out, you know, whether you're bringing them in here or you're getting on getting on a plane and going to see them at their place. So I think this makes no I mean, I never saw it this one, you know. I mean I don't. I mean, you guys are gonna write anything you want, so I

don't care. PAC twelve. Utah's close to Oregon geographically. I mean, I don't know, maybe there's vowels in the names or whatever. And I think they're all good football parts and that's why we selected them. So we don't specifically look at one side or another side. We just there's also a really good football There's a lot of Pactol players that were selected last night that we didn't take. You know,

I think Washington had three in the first round. Oregon had two guys taken in the first round last night. Then we didn't take them. Actually, so yeah, we haven't taken Jake Fisher, you know. Yeah, all right, guys, thanks so PAC twelve fever, you gotta laugh about it. Chip Kelly announcing and explaining the move Eagles trading two fifth round draft picks to move from fifty two to forty

seven in round two. They get back a sixth round pick from the Miami Dolphins and select the name that we talked about at the top of our evening, Eric Rowe, the cornerback safety position to be to Terman from the University of Utah. Did I Did I hear him right where he said at the end kidding about the fact that they didn't select an Oregon player. He said, we

haven't taken Jake Fisher, yes yet, right right? So that would that would cap We'll find out in about an hour and a half in round three off the Eagles go in that direction. We are going to take a little break here. Eagles Draft Central presented by Deetson Watson, Dave Spidero with Meryl Reese. Where we've got a long

way to go. We want some analysis of, really in depth on how Eric Rowe fits in to the Eagles defense from a scheme standpoint, and we are also going to speak with Eric Rowe coming up when we return to Eagles Draft Central presented by Deetson Watson. Welcome back

to the Novacare Complex. Eagles Draft Central presented by Deetson Watson, Dave Spidero, Eagles Insider with the Voice of the Philadelphia Eagles Merril Reese and after a day of relative calm on Thursday, well, Friday has been a second round of Neill giving it to the action as we take a look at round two of this twenty fifteen NFL Draft to date, the Giants starting things off where they trade up to the top of round number two, Merrill selecting

Alabama's safety, Landing Collins, and then the Devin Smith went right.

Any comment on Landing Collins, Well, Landon Collins was a great safety, I mean a great safety for Alabama and in the box and the box safety who did not fit here and the guy that you really liked, and we talked about this on the air off the air, Durrell Green, Doria what's his name, first name, Darriereen Beckham, the six foot five and change wide receiver troubled off the field and you think that's a great pick by Tennessee. I think it's a risky pick. But he's a talented player.

Duryo Green Beckham to me, is a clone. He is very similar to Dez Bryant, and like Dez Bryant, he comes with baggage. He comes with a very troubled past. But Tennessee feels that he can be a game breaker. He could be the perfect compliment to getting Marcus Mariota. And then you see the Eagles making that move to forty seven, selecting Eric Rowe, a cornerback who played three years of safety before moving to the corner at the University of Utah. And we still have a few picks

to go here in round number two. Day one. Thing about Eric Row. You might remember it seems like hours ago when I asked Tony Pauline, if the Eagles stay at the fifty second pick, will Eric Row be available? And he said no, yeah, And he also thought it would be an exorbitant price. Not exorbitant, but a very stiff price to move up. As it turns out, the Eagles giving up a fifth round pick, two fifth round picks,

getting back his sixth round picks. So it doesn't seem to be too costly on the surface for the Eagles to go up and get a guy that ship. Kelly said they really really wanted. You know, it's funny you always hear on the talk shows, and you hear it a week after the season. Then two weeks after the season. Are the Eagles better today than they were at the

end of the last season. I really think at this point, even though it's it's still incomplete, I think you can make a case for saying that the Eagles defensively are better today that they were at the end of last season. We shall see as it develops and the Eagles get on a football field. In the fan cave, we've got Bo Wolf and Greg co Sell and the big question is, guys, how does Eric Rowe fit into what Bill Davis does, either as a cornerback or a safety and what's his

ideal position? Well, I guess we'll find out come next week when the Eagles have a little bit of a mini camp and we'll take a look at what Eric row will bring to this defense if he is a corner in a little bit in the film room. But let's talk about the player first. Greg, I love this pick. We talked about Rowe as a possibility in the first round four the Eagles. He checks all those boxes, the size,

the speed. A four year starter, three years as a starter at safety before moving to the outside of corner started as a true freshman in the Pac twelve tells you the kind of experience that he has gotten only twenty two years old. He sort of has an understanding of route concepts. I think because of that safety experience, I think he really checks all the boxes for this Eagles team. Yeah, Soto, as you said, forty five career starts. He's played corner this year and he's a press man

corner and that's exactly what the Eagles want. That's where I think you start with Eric Row. That was the last position he played at Utah, and I think he's really comfortable as a press man corner. What I noticed watching the tape is how smooth he was. Now. You wouldn't call him sudden and twitchy, and that's why he's a second round pick and not a high first round pick. But I think when he plays press man, he gets on the inside hip of receivers running routes. He's very

comfortable doing that. He probably needs to locate the ball a little better, but that will come with coaching. But I think that you line him up at corner now. The thing that he does give you is if you're playing New England, Okay, if you're playing Dallas with Jason Witten, if you're playing Carolina as they're playing this year with Greg Olsen, he gives you the ability with his size to match up man to man to a Gronkowski to a Greg Olson on Carolina, as I said to a

Jason Witten. So he gives you versatility for a defense that plays a lot of man to man coverage. But you start Eric Row outside opposite Byron Maxwell, as Chip Kelly said, ran a four or four or five at the combine really blew up the combine among the defensive backs. How about physicality? Was Is he a willing tackle? Yes he is. And I made a point when I was taking my notes watching Eric Row that he clearly embraced the physical part of the game. And he's played strong safety,

so he's played in the box. He's played free safety, he's played single high, so he has the kind of range to be able to run. So I think, as you said to start this conversation, he pretty much checks all the boxes that you're looking for. But in this league, in a defense like the Eagles that is predominant press man, that's the more important position than safety, you line him up at press man corner. All right, So, as you

can tell, we are very happy over here in the fancave. Guys, back to you in the exfinity of studio in the Exfinity studio. We're on our way now to the film room. Well, very good, Thanks very much. We are kind of in agreement with you there. Great athlete, great fit, and somebody that we've talked about here. And I find it interesting, Mary, let's take a little step back and talk about the first two picks we came into this draft. Identifying wide receiver,

defensive back, and offensive line. Eagles have gone right out in a time when there's no secrets, there's no secrets being identifying needs. Eagles go out and bang wide receiver, bang defensive back, and it makes you think that yes, round three will be an offensive line. Yeah. I think

it's a very intelligent way to draft. I've heard coaches and personnel people for years say you take the best athlete available, But then I always add, it's got to be if you have great athletes available, you don't stretch for somebody, but if you have one available in a position of need, that's what you have to do. And these were positions of in two cases I think dire need. Yeah.

I think it's interesting now that when I look at the Eagles secondary signing Byron Maxwell, who will be a starter, signing Walter Thurmond, who you think is going to get a look at the slot cornerback position, competing with Brandon Boykin, who's been a rumored to be one of those players available at the right price. Then you've got d J. Biggers, who comes into journeyman veteran Jalen Watkins to me, is kind of a wild card here. Does he get a look at safety? Is he a cornerback? Same kind of

thing with Row. You've got two players, two young, talented players who have that versatility to play both. You want to make sure that they're not jack of all trades, masters of none. You want to make sure that they're good enough either at cornerback or at safety to make an impact. Yeah, and I wouldn't be surprised at all to see Nolan Carroll starting at the other cornerbacks across from Byron Maxwell, which leads me I will be surprised.

I think Nolan Carroll can play. I think Nolan Carroll is really good in a as that quasi linebacker in the dime, that's where that's where I think his role is absolutely perfect. But I haven't seen him on the corner that much. Okay, but I think there are some

real possibilities. Now it's safety. You mentioned Jaylen Watkins, and of course it wouldn't shock me to see Eric Rowe compete as a safety because, as you said, he has a lot of experience there, he has the size, he has the skill set to be a successful safety in the NFL. Well, it's interesting. We've been on Eric row for quite some time and when we send our crew down to Mobile, Alabama and the Senior Bowl, bow Wolf

caught up with one Eric Rowe. Well, we're here with Utah defensive back Eric Rowe, and I guess the question for you, Eric, is cornerback or safety? What's it gonna be? I prefer cornerback, but atas my personal opinion, but you know, wherever the coach needs me, you know, just like every guy you know, I'll play it. Are What are the differences for you? Obviously you know where you line up and stuff, But in terms of skill set, you feel

like you can do both? Oh yeah, especially I have a whole you know, college see them about, especially in the PAC twelve. But I spread out in there's a lot of great receivers and impact to it. There's some of them are here today and so you know, guarding them. You know, I feel like I had that under my belt, and then obviously three years at safety. Uh, you know, I can roam the field or just play man. So

it's you know, just like whatever. What was the transition like for you this season going from from safety to cornerback? It was tough just from being seeing the whole whole whole offense, from you know, the center the field to just cutting it down to half and then really corner just focusing on We play a lot of man, so I'm just focused on my man and my technique rather than at safety focused on the checks and calls I have to make. So, I mean it was a big

difference mentally. I think you're getting a little more time at safety here so far this week. But as you talked to teams, what do they tell you about how they see you. I think they just asked me what would I prefer, and I would say corner, and they would now their head, like, I guess that's that's the what they preferred to. Uh, you know, I think I should be playing from corner tomorrow. But you know, right how they had me at safety, something just kind of

ball out of safety. Obviously one of the intriguing things about you on the outside is your size. How do you think that helps you as a cornerback, especially with the receivers nowadays, to being really tall and long, and I mean that combination with speed, I feel like I can match up physically. And then with my physical play, I love to play aggressive. I feel like I can bring that to the corner position as a as a cornerback. What would you say is the scattering report on you?

What would you tell fans have never seen me before? What do you do well? What do you need to work on for fans have never seen me? Very physical? I can come on a round support. I love to hit, especially the big hits. I look for those many things I knew. What do well? Just really just focus on my eyes, catching the ball, catching the ball in my eyes because I tend to look away when I'm about to catch it, and maybe play like a little off coverage as you as you you know, dream at night

about making a big play. Is it is it a pick six or is it laying a big hit? It's a pick six. It's a pick six, you know, snatching the ball out there and just running down the sideline, just having to seeing the crowd just go wowd it reread the home game? Is there a corner or safety in the league who you'll sort of look up to as a player you hope to emulate Cam Chance. I like the way he hits, really aggressive and had a lot of emotions, so I look up to him. All right.

Last question, we'd like to ask everybody who's the best player you played this season? Nelson Aguilar from USC Very quick, very explosive prior to quick as I've seen. All right, Well, Eric, BESSI of luck and maybe'll see in Phildelphia one day. All right, thanks man. And isn't that interesting? It was a game October twenty fifth, twenty four, twenty one win Utah over USC and Nelson had ten catches. Yeah, well

he's special. You know what we are finding today already that the two guys that Chip Kelly drafted are very very intelligent, very well spoken, very poised, and very mature. Eric Row a member of the National Honor Society in high school. He had five tackles in that you were I was not in that. We take your phone calls on the other side, give us a buzz two one, five, three, three, nine six seven zero nine what's your reaction? Eagles have made two selections, one on offense and one on defense.

How you feeling about this twenty fifteen NFL Draft. We will hear from you on the other side as Eagles Draft Central, presented by Dayton Watson, returns in just one moment. We welcome you back Eagles Draft Central here on Philadelphia Eagles dot Com. Dave Spidero, Merrill Reese in case you

are just joining us. The Eagles making their second selection over this twenty fifteen draft, engineering a trade with the Miami Dolphins, sending the fifty second pick overall in two fifth round picks to the Dolphins in exchange for the forty seventh pick in round number two and a sixth round pick, and selecting Utah defensive back Eric Row. What's your reaction? Two one five, three, three nine six seven nine. Let's take a phone call. Let's go down to tamp

and talk to Henry Henry. Good evening, sir, Kay are you not here Henry? So we will not have Henry Henry give us a call back. Two three nine, six seven zero nine. We had a chance to catch up with Eric Row at the combine and as every player at the press conference, meets the media, answers the hard questions. You'll be impressed. Eric Row from the Combine in Indianapolis. No, nothing like that. Just whatever the team needs. I don't know what they need like within their scheme wise, but

they need me a safety. I'm there. Do you get to know where we all much has come back? Uh? He does come back and Uh he's talked to us as a team a couple of times. So I heard a couple of his speeches. What is the guy like Hamilt's success? Was it mean for guys like you a position? It means that they developed a good safety at our school. Uh. He's really intelligent. Yeah, I mean I can hear it when he talks. I'm sure he's football savvy. That's just

a credit to Utah. Mike Mapple Cindy thought you were a good fit for the Ravens. Have you had a formal with him or is it coming out of them? I don't think I have a formal within. No, I do, Actually I do. So it's coming up tomorrow. It's a team that you like, have any feeling for it all? As far as would that be a good fit for you, I mean, I don't know. I've really thought of that. You're classified as you go from the corner and as safety. Indus draft to talk to senior both first practice they

had to practice some of the safety. Can you talk about how being able to play both positions, how that makes you a more valuable asset than some of the other they guys just just being as I don't know to say, from on the roster and a corner goes down, I'm at safety. I mean they can always move me down there to fill in that position, or you know, vice versa. So I feel like I have that added value of I could play both spots at any given time.

And you played both the Utah you said corners and preference. Why do you prefer the corner position? I feel like I have more success at corner, just playmaking wise, and I love the challenge of it. Going one on one of the receivers, Keith and Guild, a guy who came out last year. He was another one. Something said safety, Something said, corner. Have you gotten to talk to him? And I talked him right now? And then I think the last time I talked to him was like in December.

He asked me how I was doing and what bowl game we're going to and all that. So you pretty much said corners your preference. I made a pretty much leaving it open and kind of get in where you feel in. Yeah, corning my preference. But it's still all right. If I get picked up by a team, they need to say, you know, man, I'm at safety, then from a corner. I mean they need a corner. Then I have a corner mindset, so I can just switch it either way. I know you played at USAW before my time.

I was early in high school, and I know that he's another long corner that came out. I played for the Dolphins, now for the Chiefs. How did you big guy guys play the position? Just through So the past season I played a couple in I had played a couple of nickel, I mean playing inside. If we went four three and they saw I had like potential just the way I moved my feet and flipped my hips, and so when Keith got drafted and they wanted to replicate that, so they moved there in the springtime. Fool

about that. And it's a nice challenge, for sure. I can't you gonna get burned appreciate the challenge. I don't know just really the competition of you know, just actually going out there and like just seeing a whole another view, uh, the way the game is played from seeing the whole field and just one half of it. I mean, I mean it was tough though, but just the challenge of changing my whole perception of the game. Is their point where you would love their game when you will you

didn't do this? Uh really during fall camp going against dress a lot, I mean who I got beat several times by him. But after like towards the end, I started getting a lot better at it. And then when it came to season, you know, once it really clicked in my head like I can do it, you know, I started playing out. I just prefer corner of a safety just because I feel like it's more of a challenge, uh going out on the island and covering the manament or even a zone. Uh, but I just feel like

more of a challenge, and I just love challenges. I mean, just this past season, I've been playing corner all the way up, starting that corner every game until USC that week flipped right back to safety. Had switched my home mindset, give checks and calls, played safety that first half of that game second half went back to corner. I mean, I can just change mindset's pretty fast, I do. I

watched them on YouTube at hit one on once. I'm talking to get over when you're giving up a big play when you were allowed, it's pretty Uh, it's pretty tough. But I learned that if you don't get over, they're gonna keep attacking you. So you want to get to dig yourself a hole. I learned that about the second game of my season in corner. I gotta tacked a couple of times and they kept coming at me. Soon the next game, I realized, all right, if I get beat,

got shake it off. But they're gonna keep coming. What's the trip to shaking golf build care so much about winning. People fix plays. It's hard. Hard to get up. Yeah, I mean it's hard, but I don't know. I found a way to just milly all right. It's over, like making another like making go to next play. So often a corner safety thing is about speed. They all, you know, teams, if they think you're in corner for it wouldn't be a safety. You don't have enough because that's when you're

looking to prove here the speed. Yeah, yeah, I guess I don't know why. I don't know how to think I'm slow. I don't know what shows it. But I mean, there's no point in talking about it's gotta go out there improve it. I say, like in the fourth for us, I think that's right. Oh what is your six foot and two or five? Does it mean anything that corners get aid more than shakey? Actually, I reallyn't know that. I really didn't know that, So I don't know you

know how to answer that? Outside? Uh, when I press getting a hand on quick because I got longer arms, I can reach out there to him faster, stopping inside rabs, slants, and then just with down the field speed, I feel like I can open up and open up and stride with the receiver. So I mean I feel like I

had those to my advantage scheme. WI feels a fit for you one more than another town pressman team press man team, just because you talk that was basically our defense a lot of press man, So it is something I'm used to. You were all district basketball player high school? Yeah, small forward? Were you jam and which mean jamming? Tell me about that little game you're trying to work out? The schedules fun about the little cat into the hand.

I mean it's pretty fun. Like once I get a hand to the chest, I mean, it just feels good. It hit a ride on target and Washington go back a little bit after that, it's basically over. Uh. I mean there's a couple of times. I mean I want to give a couple of good receivers that that that know how to use their hands too. So it's kind of like going back and forth. And that's Eric Row

from the Combine his press conference in Indianapolis. Very well spoken, poised again, very much as we talked about like Nelson alcohol, You're right, once upon a time, the Eagles draft and another Eagle, another Eric for the secondary. His name was Eric Allen Right, and he came out of Arozota State

and had a great, great Eagles career. Let's hope. I was just looking at the notes from the media packet and the last time the Eagles had the twentieth pick in the draft, they selected Mike Quick in nineteen trying to it's good karma. Yeah, let's go over to the fan cave as bow Wolf and Greg Cosell have a film breakdown of Eagles quarterback safety Eric row all Right let's take a look now, Greg at some of the things that Eric Row will be asked to do in

this Eagles defense. And for the Eagles, press man very very common, and when when it comes to that, disruption is the name of the game. Let's talk about a play here. We've got Bradley Fletcher up against Jason Avant at the bottom, and you will see what that disruption can lead to. Yeah, and the Eagles bow like to play a lot of what we call man free coverage, man to man across the board with a single high safety,

and they put their corners in press position. And when you play press, it's all around, all about disrupting the timing of the route and then the throw. Here's a perfect example. As you let it go, you're going to see here really tight press man coverage. Here, Fletcher gets its hands on Jason Navan right there, and all of a sudden, Evan's not at the depth that the quarterback expected. They disrupted the timing of the route concept and you

see what happens. Timing obviously, it's such an important part of the passing game. So Cam Newton expecting Jason Van to be ten yards deep, He's only eight yards deep. Bradley Fletcher gets the pick six. All right, let's move on now two the Packers, and we've got Carry Williams at the bottom of the screen. Another timing play here, more disruption pressing at the line. Yeah, right down here at the bottom of the screen. You're going to see that.

And this is going to be a blitz and it's going to be that man free concept again, which is very prevalent for the Eagles. And you'll see right now, Aaron Rodgers takes the snap. He looks to that route that Carry Williams is covering. It's a quick slant, but it's disrupted. Rodgers did not feel comfortable taking a snap. He saw the disruption. He turned and threw it away because the pressure was in his face and he had nowhere else to go. But it all started with the

press man coverage, the physical press man coverage. That's absolutely right. Let's move on down to Jacksonville Kerry Williams again, this time at the top of the screen. You'll see the disruption this time on a screen. This is really interesting as we look up here because this is a bubble screen, which is becoming very prevalent also in the NFL and again you see a single high safety, so you see

the press man coverage. And this is a great, great play because rarely do you see these kinds of plays disrupted by corners. The ball is almost always caught, but he does such a good job playing tight press man that the block can't get to him, so therefore he's able to break up the throw. That is really good. So when you hear that the Eagles want players with length and be able to press, what does the length

help with. Well, the length help just being able to get your hands on the guy, while the length helps in a variety of areas because usually taller players have longer arms number one and number two. It allows them as you get plays down the field, which we're going to see right here. By the way, this is a great example because if you're longer, if you have more length to your body, you're able to break up passes

better than someone who's two or three inches shorter. And here we're going to see a great example at the top of the screen. And if you let this run as we clear it, you're going to see that this becomes true man coverage with absolutely no help and the nature of the play if you freeze it right here. Look what you get this is man. There's no safety. The safety has moved to the other side of the field because of the nature of this play action actually

run action. Look, so this is what we almost call zero man with no safety help. And here you're going to see a really good job by the corner. That's Carry Williams staying with Dez Bryant. So the Eagles ask their corners to play this way pretty consistently. That is the number one mandate in order to play corner for the Philadelphia Eagles is you must be able to effectively execute press man cover and in a division with Dez

Bryant Odell Beckham to Sean Jackson. You can see why the Eagles would make the move to trade up to get some help in the second. One more point, there's two kinds of press man. This physical press man, as you indicated, where you put your hands on the receiver, and there's what we call mirror or shadow press man, where you sort of let the receiver declare his route and then you react to that. Eric Row is very

very good at that. So obviously we're speculating just a little bit that Eric Row will go to the outside for this Eagles team. Possible he'll start at safety, but if he is a cornerback, he will be asked to do those press man things for this Eagles defense. Back to you guys now in the Exfinity studio, Thank you very much from the Fancave. Let's take a phone call here, go to Mecca, to New Mexico and talk to James, who joins us on Eagles Draft Central, presented by Dietson Watson. James,

Hello there, how you doing good? I like to think I do, but I was wondering what all the fans think if the heat starts over Earl Wolf. If the case is, if he is at safety, Wolf is coming off a Thanks very much for the call. Earl Wolf is coming off a knee surgery, microfracture surgery. I think that for Earl it's really difficult to come back from

that from that injury. He's had some problems physically. I guess the way I look at safety, and I do think there's a possibility that Rowe plays a safety position. Is it Biggers? Is it Watson ed Reynolds from Stanford last year? Does he kind of jump up here in year number two? I think it's a very wide open picture next to Malcolm Jenkins. Yeah, I would agree with you. I wouldn't quite write Earl Wolf out. Remember as a rookie he had some very very promising appearances and then

he was beset by a bunch of injuries. But he knows going into this training camp that his job is very much on the line. So it will be up to the former North Carolina State star to put forth a really good effort and not only make this team, but try to win a starting spot. So that is the coverage. Cheers. He would take a look at the safety situation for the Eagles. Reynolds, Pasinski and Marigos primarily are special teams players. We think Jalen Watkins will get

looks there and possibly E. J. Biggers as well. And the most recent Eagle here that is Eric Row from the University of Uta and certainly an impressive first two picks for the Eagles. We take a break here Eagles Draft Central Dave Spidero, Merrill Reese and we'll be back in just one moment. Welcome back to Eagles Draft Central, presented by Diets and Watson, Dave Spidero, Merrill Reese. We now bring in Tony Pauline, one of our draft insiders from Draft Insiders dot Net up in New York City.

Your reaction, Tony to what the Eagles didn't round number two? Yeah, this is the guy that a lot of us thought they were going to take in round number one, Eric Row. So you know, in a lot of ways, they've got first round value midway through the second round. That's the bigger, more physical, little corner that they want. You've heard coach Kelly talk a couple of times about how he likes more players. Rose got terrific football intelligence. He's very coachable,

guy who's got a high upside. Maybe some bumps in the road along the way, but someone I think, you know, you can start off the nickel packages and can really develop into a starting cornerback, even play some safety. Is there a better position for him, Tony? I mean, it's great to a versatility, but sometimes you have players who you say can play both positions and they're really not outstanding in one of those positions. Is he outstanding in one, in both or neither? No, I'd say he's a better

cornerback than he is a safety. I'm not gonna sit here and tell you he's an outstanding cornerback. If he was an outstanding cornerback, he would have been selected in the first round. But he's a good cornerback. He's got a high upside. He could also play safety, even special teams if you need. Tony, if he did play safety, what kind of a tackler is he? I know, we know that they want them to be a press cover guy, but also we've seen too many safeties who don't tackle well.

He does. He'll lay it on the line. He'll come up, wrap up, square into the ball handlers, and drew out through tackles. He's not going to shy away from contact. He's not one of those guys. So, Tony, how would you assess what the Eagles have done here? With Nelson Agilar in round number one and then taking into account to trade giving up two fifth round picks, getting back a sixth round pick, and taking Eric Row. How do you look at the Eagles through two picks? Yeah, combined,

you gotta like it. I was not that high on the agal Or pick because I didn't feel he was a mid first round choice, But when you look at both of them together, basically what they did was they got two players of first round talents and gave up a couple of fifth round picks Farms. But I think all Groldy did very well and Tony. We are looking a little bit ahead here to pick number eighty four

for the Eagles, and we're thinking offensive line. What does the group look like offensive line wise, particularly interior offensive line in the third round. In the third round, you know that there's still some good guys on the board. I mean A J. Cannon, South Carolina has slid down, Ali marpt of Hobart's still there. If he's available in

the third round, I think that'd be a terrific pick. Really, a Chip Kelly type of lineman, Trey Jackson a Florida States still available, So you know they may get lucky like they did with Eric Row in the second round and be able to get a highly rated Garden round three. Would anybody take a chance on like Oh Columns at this point, No, I doubt it. I think he's gonna

go undrafted. I know that the reports are out there that if he's not selected by tonight, neither the second or third round, he's gonna opt for the twenty sixteen draft. I just don't see a team taking a chance you know, there's too much risk, there's too much unknown. You know, if you take him and somehow he's implicated, you know, you've got a public relations disaster on your hand. There's just too much and there's too many other good players there.

All right, Tony Pauline me, thank you so much for joining us here on Eagles Draft Central. Thanks so much, Tony. We'll talk to you a little later on Merrill, we have some other business to take her. By the way, Cowboy's taking Randy Gregory in round number two. Time now to me the Eagles second round draft pick from the University of Utah defensive back Eric Rowe. We welcome him in on the phone here at Eagles Draft Central, presented by Diets and Watson, Dave Spidero, and the Voice of

the Eagles, Merrill Reese. Eric, Congratulations, how are you feeling tonight? Oh? Good, excited? Great. I don't even know how to explained. Has it been just a whirlwind for you? I mean, not only these last couple of nights, but the whole process leading up to draft weekend? Yeah, it was. It's been long. How do you even know how much it really goes into the draft pods? Well, now, you know. Now, I know, but man, it's fair. But it's been a whirlwind. Though.

Let's talk about you as a football player, and I know you've answered the question many times cornerback or safety or both or it doesn't matter, both doesn't matter. I mean whatever, help the team out, get it the playoffs. You know, I'm on board. Eric. What kind of contact have you had with the the Eagles people coach Kelly? Uh? Sorry question, I said, what kind of a contact have you had with the Eagles? Have you met their people?

Have you been here? Oh? Yeah, I mean coach I kind of afforded like combined Senior Bowl, was kind of kind of general talked to the coach, you know, just like every other team. And then uh, I went on a pro day, so if Kelly came out to the pro day to see me, and I was like, oh wow, you know, and then they divided on the team visit. And I guess take fell in love with me, Erica. Let's talk about your football career and and just I mean I'm talking all the way from the time you

first started. When did you when did you really really kind of fall in love with the game of football? I mean, I feel like love with the game, says I've been playing stalag seven. I mean so really it was. I always loved the game, but you know, just growing up playing it, especially in taxes, it was just a normal thing to me every day, you know, I mean every season, So it wasn't like one year, like, Man,

I love it. I mean I would love it if I was a little Was there a time when you like that you can remember that you thought, hey, I got a shot to play here in the NFL? Uh fast season? Eric. Was there an NFL player, a corner or a safety who you looked up to, who was almost a hero to you growing up? I saw watched the coach a lot, and I saw Bob standings I did, and I just love the way he hit. I mean he would he would hit so hard he take himself out the game. I don't like back in early two thousands.

I mean, I love watching him. It's really interesting how the game has changed, and for a defensive back, you've had to change your game with these rules. Um obviously making a little safer for plays. Has that been a challenge for you to to kind of adapt your game along with the way the game itself has evolved? Uh? Hitting wise, No, because I was never the one that aimed for the helmet. I was aimed for like the body side or like the leg, so that that part

really hasn't changed. M And really I was I was when I made a move to corner. I was never too gravy at the start anyway. So the pies, I think I only had two tis last season. I mean other than that, I mean, I was never too grabby, So I mean, I I mean the rule change really hasn't affected me, like personally the way I played. So I mean, I I don't know like if I adapted

or not. Eric from a technique standpoint, you really seem to make a very very quick adjustment moving from safety to cornerback at Utah was there a lot of them. It's just that every defensive back works, uh kind of in isolation and works on the technique of single coverage and and getting up to the live of strimmage and playing press. Yeah, I mean that's I mean, that was a huge invacis like moving a corner. It was not so much schematic wise, I mean it was it was

to me fairly simple. It was more emphasis on your man technique. It was every day so even after practice, I work on my you know, my press technique and my off technique, just because I know our coording that he loved to play a lot of man and like the league corners out out by himself. So I mean it was a huge emphasis. It was just to tell us a little about your your hobbies, your in forst what did you major in a Utah? Did you finish

your college degree? Work? Hobbies? I love playing basketball, I mean I grew up I think I think I love basketball a little more than football kind of growing up. But then uh, kind of when I got to high school, it's when I really started loving like loving football like kind of more. But I love playing basketball, you know, golf when I can, h just kind of outside for its just to get away from the games. And But as far as school wise, I graduated with a business

administration degree and twenty fourteen in December. So pretty proud about that. Congratulations. That's very difficult to do. Tough for you to obviously wasn't. But how difficult was it to manage the demands of academia and the demands of a very rigorous football schedule. H Man, it was tough because I know in the spring and summer of two fourteen, that's when I really had to I really had to pack it down and really take a lot of classes to graduate by the fall. I just saw I wouldn't

have classes left over in the spring of fifteen. But it was it was nice, you know, I'd have class at seven thirty in the morning and my last coast in at nine am at night, and that trying to try trying to work out they up stakes the playbook. I mean, it was tough. But we caught up with you at the Senior Bowl and our last question to you was who was the different, most difficult receiver you played against? And you said, Nelson Aguilar, Who is your

new teammate? Can you give us a scouting report on Nelson? I mean, like I told every other scout coach in the NFTEL ME, I think first, I think he was the best teamer in fact twelve from a standpoint of I didn't get the match up with him like man to man because I was a safety that game, but just trying to tackle him, he was fifty crappy explose to like probably mostly supposed to receiver, I you know, kind of seeing like personally just the way he plays

the game, it would just, you know, something different. Well, we are so happy to have you here in Philadelphia. The fans are happy to have you here. The Eagles, of course thrilled to have you. Eric Rowe. Thanks so much for joining us on Eagles Draft Central. Enjoy your evening and get ready to come to Philadelphia and get to work. Thank you very much. Eric Rowe, second round

draft pick for the Philadelphia Eagles. Good guy and he's upscited. Yeah, and we're all excited to have him as a Philadelphia Eagle. The Eagles have the eighty fourth pick in this draft. That is a third round selection, so when they turn in their card, we think at eighty four or could be seventy nine or eighty nine or whatever it is. Will come back live with Eagles Draft Central, presented by Diets and Watson. So until then, from Merril Reese on

Dave Spidero, stay with us. We've got you covered in the social world, got you covered in the digital world. Everything about the Eagles in this twenty fifteen draft