Right Away?

“If the Birds do stay at 19, Heckert said, he still feels they could get a player who can contribute right away - something that didn't happen last year, when the Eagles traded out of the first round, then drafted quarterback Kevin Kolb and defensive end Victor Abiamiri in the second,” reports Les Bowen.

Really, Heckert thinks they could draft a player who can contribute right away? Could contribute, or will contribute. Let me fresh Mr. Heckert’s memory about recent Eagles drafts and #1 picks. Hint: they don’t contribute right away.

Not even Donovan McNabb contributed right away. Remember Doug Pederson? Of the Eagles’ #1 picks under Andy Reid, only Corey Simon played significantly in his rookie year. I will give them Shawn Andrews, who started the season opener but broke his leg in that game and was lost for the season. Other than that? Mike Patterson didn't start but did have 3.5 sacks and was in the mix for tackles.

Freddie Mitchell, Lito Sheppard, Jerome McDougle, Brodrick Bunkley, Kevin Kolb. None of these first selections (Kolb was technically a second round pick but the Eagles first pick of last year’s draft) played meaningful minutes in their rookie years.

So if Heckert thinks they can get a player to step in right away, well, more power to him. I’m just not holding my breath since history suggests they will draft a lineman and he will not play much if at all in 2008.