3 studs the Philadelphia Eagles could have drafted in 2005
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. LB. San Diego State University. 78. player. 28. Kirk Morrison
Kirk Morrison would have given the Eagles a tackling machine and a weapon at the defense’s second level.
Had the Eagles taken Frank Gore at the end of Round 2, passed on Matt McCoy, and waited until the third round to draft their linebacker, they could have taken Kirk Morrison out of San Diego State. He was chosen by the Oakland Raiders at the 77th overall selection, one spot after the Eagles had taken Ryan Moats.
Philly’s tailback appeared in 15 regular-season games over two seasons and ran for 347 yards and three touchdowns on 77 career attempts. McCoy spent three seasons in Philly. He played in 26 regular-season games and notched 72 tackles and two sacks. Morrison appeared in 112 games during his career and collected 734 tackles.
Let’s be serious. What are we debating here? You can see where this is headed, right?
The day Morrison stepped on an NFL field, it was clear he was already a more polished version of what the Eagles hoped McCoy would become. The Eagles had veterans Jeremiah Trotter and Dhani Jones on the roster at the linebacker position, but Kirk could have stepped in and been a difference-maker almost immediately.
Morrison collected 193 tackles, one sack, two interceptions, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, and one fumble returned for a touchdown during his first two seasons in the NFL. He would have given Philly a tackling machine and probably would have done so for five seasons or more.
In addition to his aforementioned 734 career tackles, he tallied seven interceptions, 21 pass breakups, six forced fumbles, and six sacks. Had he done that in the City of Brotherly Love, that would have arguably made him one of the franchise’s best third-round draft choices of the last quarter century.
Again, it’s water under the bridge now. Then again, with each draft, thoughts like these cross the. mind.
