Eagles Do Their Homework On WR Latimer
The Eagles don’t seem to mind the draft being pushed back this year. With the annual event less than two weeks away, the coaching staff and personnel team continue to do their homework on 2014 prospects.
Most recently, Chip Kelly, Pat Shurmur and wide receivers coach Bob Bicknell stopped by to attend the workout of Indiana pass-catcher Cody Latimer:
#Eagles, who were three-deep at WR Cody Latimer’s workout today, spent 20 minutes post-workout having him run their routes. They pick No. 22
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 25, 2014
Per NFL.com’s Gil Brandt, Kelly was the only head coach in attendance.
At 6-2, 215, Latimer has a unique size/speed combination:
Keep in mind that Latimer did not work out at the combine because he was recovering from foot surgery. The numbers above are from his Pro Day, where prospects generally tend to perform better.
But there’s plenty to like about Latimer. He caught 72 balls for 1,096 yards and nine touchdowns last year. Latimer does a good job of using his size to make plays on the football, he displays excellent body control, and he’s one of the best blocking wide receivers in the class.
There are reasons, however, why I have a difficult time believing he’d garner serious consideration at No. 22. In the games I watched, Latimer was used almost exclusively on the outside. He has no experience as a returner and has not shown the versatility that Kelly seems to covet.
Having said that, perhaps one of the reasons the Eagles are doing their homework on Latimer (they also had him in for an official visit) is because they think he can be used differently at the professional level.
There’s little doubt in my mind that the Eagles like Latimer. But at this point, I’d be surprised if they saw him as a better option than guys like USC’s Marqise Lee, LSU’s Odell Beckham, Jr. and Oregon State’s Brandin Cooks.
On Monday, we’ll release our rankings of how all the top-tier (first and second round) receivers stack up as potential fits for the Eagles.