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I have let the picks sink in, heard the arguments between selecting Jeremy Maclin and trading for Anquan Boldin, reflected on the various trades that went down, and evaluated how the draft has left the team.  And all the while, the sports pundits have hemmed and hawed, praised and degraded, voiced and spewed their opinions, none of them truly viable until the Eagles take the field in late summer.  It is at that time when we can begin to pass judgment on their decisions and how they will aid or hinder the team's success.  After all, even Freddie Mitchell looked like a halfway decent pick at the time.  I will also point out now that I was off on both of the picks, thinking they were going to go with the Georgia running back and a TE in round two, but at the moment, I'm kinda glad I'm wrong.

Their first pick was supposed to be at #21, but with Denver taking who many believe was their primary target, Knowshon Moreno, the Eagles had to turn their attention elsewhere.  For me that direction would probably have been toward Tight End Brandon Pettigrew, the Eagles however saw what they thought was a better option.  They traded the #21 pick and a sixth round pick to move up two spots and select Jeremy Maclin, wide receiver out of Missouri.  He is being compared to DeSean Jackson, only taller, and while some would say that receiver wasn't the Eagles' biggest need, he will give Donovan McNabb another target that will be a threat to take it to the house every time he touches the ball.

Arguments against the Maclin pick, outside of lack of need for that position are really not justified.  Sal Paolantonio of ESPN claimed that Maclin will have trouble finding playing time with Kevin Curtis, Jackson, and Jason Avant getting most of the snaps.  If anything, this puts everyone in a better spot.  With Jackson and Maclin on the outside, Curtis and Avant and play in the slot, where both have been very successful over the years.  Regardless, Maclin will be a better player than Avant, and will cost someone like Reggie Brown his job. In addition to being effective as a receiver, Maclin will also take some of the return duties away from Jackson and Quintin Demps.  In this regard he can be just as explosive as Jackson in terms of breaking one for a touchdown at will.  My only concern about Maclin came during a couple of interviews he gave to local Philly stations when he referred to his big play ability.  I just hope he is not getting ahead of himself before the work that needs to be done, gets done.  Fredex has already been here and we don't need a sequel.

With their second selection in the 2009 NFL Draft the Eagles addressed what they couldn't in the first round.  They selected Pitt running back LeSean McCoy with the 53^rd overall pick.  McCoy, rated as the fourth best back in the draft, luckily fell the Philly.  After losing the chance to draft Moreno, McCoy will be a nice consolation as he will be automatically slotted in as Brian Westbrook's backup.  He has some durability issues, in addition to his ability to pick up blocks, but the negatives are outweighed by the positives.  He is a guy, much like B-West, who can be a contributor to the passing game, but more importantly take some of the load off of #36.  He is too undersized to be a power back, but he has a "missability" factor that, along with Westbrook, help tire out opposing front sevens. 

McCoy is not going to be Tony Dorsett, I think that is already obvious, but he will be able to work his way into the offense and make himself an important cog as the Eagles retool the offense.  Some folks say that he might not get playing time, like Maclin, but I say hold on there sparky, he's the number two guy and he'll get his shots.  These same folks say that his inability to pick up a block will only hurt the team.  Well, that's one of the reasons they picked up Leonard Weaver.  They say that he doesn't fit the offense, and I say who's the alternative, Lorenzo Booker?  Thanks, but I'll take my chances with LeSean.  Besides, what if B-West misses a game?  Better to have McCoy as insurance than Booker as your only option.

Naysayers are few in regards to the first day of the draft and of those most would have rather traded the #21 pick for Anquan.  I'm glad they didn't.  If what is rumored to be true is true then Boldin may only have a few years left in the league.  Sure, he'll make an immediate impact, but he still won't guarantee a Super Bowl victory.  Instead the Eagles have reenergized the offense by infusing two more young skill players that will inevitably do more down the road.  Now if they can only get that Lombardi Trophy, they could claim they were right all along.