Real Life Rocky

So the Eagles signed a real life Rocky, LB Rocky Boiman late of the Indy Colts and out of Notre Dame. AT 6'4", 236 Boiman, like just about all the current Eagle LBs, is a tweener. Not necessarily big enough to play the middle (though undersized Omar Gaither acquitted himself nicely there last year) and or with the requisite speed and size to play the outside spots.

He did start at strongside LB for the Colts last year after the starter went down, so that's encouraging. And it's hard to believe that Boiman will now be the most experienced professional in the Eagles LB corps (seven years). And the Colts coaches have a proven ability to develop LBs such as Marcus Washington, Gary Brackett, Rob Morris, etc.

What's more discouraging is that he's a linebacker and he's from Notre Dame. The Eagles have not had much success with Golden Domer LBs (and it pains me to say that as I'm a huge Fighting Irish fan). Scott Kowalski, Tyreo Harrison are just two of the ND LBs that have not panned out for the Eagles. Interestingly, I was reviewing the Eagles recent draft history. The Rhodes and Reid's eras have shown a proclivity for taking players out of South Bend (whether that is a wise or good thing is a matter for debate since that time span has coincided with a dropoff in Notre Dame success a cause not unrelated to the quality of high school talent they've been recruiting, but I digress).

Here's the thing. The Eagles nearly have always selected Notre Dame defensive players: Victor Abiamiri, Bobby Taylor, Allen Rossum (DB), the two aforementioned LBs. You'd have to go back all the way to 1992 and Tony Brooks to find a ND offensive player the Eagles selected. It's kind of remarkable given how much Andy Reid loves linemen and it is the one position that ND has consistently excelled at producing over the past two decades, guys like Jeff Faine, Mike Gandy, Luke Pettigout, and Aaron Taylor.

Here's hoping the Eagles Rocky has as much fight in him as the fictional Rocky