Leonard to become an Eagle
From the Inquirer, can you imagine LJ and Leonard on the same team
Big back is high on fans' wish list
It's not a priority for the Eagles, but the late rounds of the draft should offer them some interesting options.
By Bob Brookover
Inquirer Staff Writer
The NFL draft is just three days away and, predictably, there's a segment of Eagles fans hoping, wishing and begging that their favorite team will use one of its picks to take that "big running back."
Forget the fact that the Eagles ranked a respectable 11th in the league in rushing yards despite having the sixth-fewest rushing attempts in the league last season. (Note to Andy Reid, just in case he forgets to run the football next season: The five teams that had fewer rushing attempts than the Eagles - Oakland, Cleveland, Miami, Detroit and Tampa Bay - were a combined 19-61).
The Eagles' total rushing yards for the season weren't nearly as impressive as their rushing yards per play. Even without that "big running back," the Eagles managed to average 4.8 yards per rushing play. Only Atlanta (5.5), San Diego (4.9), Jacksonville (5.0), and San Francisco (5.0) did better.
The Eagles also ranked fifth in the league at converting third-down rushing attempts for first downs when they needed fewer than 3 yards, which, in theory, is the role best suited for the "big running back." The Eagles, when running the ball, converted 54.4 percent of the time on third and less than 3 yards, according to figures compiled by Stats.
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The later rounds, however, should offer some interesting options at running back for the Eagles, who certainly could use help there, particularly if they really are going to commit to the run even more in 2007. It probably would be advantageous to Westbrook's continued good health if the Eagles stopped making him leap tall buildings to get into the end zone as he did in games late last season.
As well as Buckhalter played, he was not a goal-line back. Neither are Moats, Tapeh, or anyone else on the roster, including 350-pound center Nick Cole.
Penn State's Tony Hunt, on the other hand, has the size (6-foot-11/2, 233 pounds) and quickness to be that "big back" who could help the Eagles.
"I like him," Heckert said. "He's not that flashy at all, but he's big and he's tough and he's productive."
Being from Penn State, he'd also be an enormously popular pick among most Eagles fans. Ditto for Brian Leonard, the Rutgers running back who has a good chance of being a first-day pick.
"He's a big back that can run," Heckert said. "He's not a pounder, but he's probably more elusive than Hunt. He's a better jack-of-all trades. I think he's a running back, but he can play fullback."
Leonard, 6-2 and 226 pounds could be taken as high as the third round.
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