No. 19

Pick by Bleeding Green Nation Limas Sweed Wide Receiver Texas

With the nineteenth overall selection in the 2008 SB Nation NFL Mock Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles have chosen Limas Sweed, wide receiver, Texas.  JasonB, who heads up SB Nation's outstanding Eagles community over at Bleeding Green Nation, made the selection and explains his thought process behind the pick:

  Coming into this mock I had three positions of need in mind. Offensive Tackle, Safety, and Wide Receiver. We could also probably use a nickel corner in the likely event Lito Sheppard got traded... but those three were my top needs. There's only one safety I'd even think about taking in round one, Kenny Phillips, and frankly he doesn't blow me away. So this really came down to OT or WR for me. I'd have loved it (and so would the Eagles) if Chris Williams dropped to us at #19, but as it turned out Jeff Otah is the best OT on the board. As far as WRs I saw Limas Sweed as the most NFL ready WR in the draft. So here were two quality players worthy of the #19 pick at two positions of need sitting on the board. In the end, my pick came down to best value and there was little doubt that it was at WR. This is a much deeper OT class than it is a WR class.

I'm not as down on the Eagles starting WRs as some are, but Sweed gives the team a type of player they don't currently have and they seriously lack depth at the position. At 6-5 and with his tremendous leaping ability,  he's a guy who McNabb can throw a ball up to and feel comfortable he'll go up and get it. Right now the Eagles have smart receivers that run good routes and can get YAC, but they lack a real physical specimen that can cause matchup problems in the red zone. Sweed has the prototypical size, he's strong, has good hands, and he plays quicker than his average timed speed. Like I said, I think he's the most NFL ready WR in the draft and could make a contribution to this team right away. If, in a couple of years, this kid develops into the #1 type of receiver I expect he can he'll be loved in this city.

Matt Miller, host of this site as well as owner of New Era Scouting, provides his analysis below:

  Jason has done a great job of explaining why he made this pick, and I fully understand it. The Eagles receivers have been solid lately, but not spectacular. The passing game has suffered since the defection of Terrell Owens. This pick will also take pressure off of Brian Westbrook to be the Eagles sole threat on offense. Sweed is an NFL ready type receiver who brings Philly a down-field threat. the only other pick would have been offensive tackle, but as Jason mentioned, Otah is a reach here and there are many good tackles that will be available in round two.

Grade: B+  ::  Limas Sweed Scouting Report - New Era Scouting :: Matt Miller's Top Five Prospects Remaining: 1.  LB Dan Connor, 2.  CB Antoine Cason, 3.  QB Brian Brohm, 4.  LB Jerod Mayo, 5.  QB Joe Flacco

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, making selection number 20, are now on the clock.  We'll have the pick from Buc 'Em at about 3PM Eastern this afternoon.