What They’re Saying: Draft Roundup

With the draft less than three weeks away, here’s what the national media are saying related to the Eagles and the No. 4 pick:

NFL Films Executive Producer Greg Cosell sees this quarterback class different than most.

Cosell made waves when he labeled USC’s Matt Barkley a third- or fourth-round talent. He then called Syracuse’s Ryan Nassib a better prospect than West Virginia’s Geno Smith. After hundreds of hours of tape-watching, Cosell continues to see the signal-caller hierarchy in a different light than the masses.

Cosell on Friday said he would “rather have” N.C. State’s Mike Glennon than Smith.

“I would argue that, in my opinion, Glennon could (go) late in the first round and I wouldn’t have a problem with that at all,” Cosell told NFL Network’s ‘Path to the Draft’ on Friday. “As I talked about his attributes, I think he has probably — of the quarterbacks in this class — more of the attributes that you look for than maybe any other quarterback in this class.”

Chris Mortensen joined Mike Missanelli Friday and gave some insight into the Smith-Eagles dynamic:

“I know the Eagles had a really good private session with him. And I know when they showed him a tape of one of his worst games he handled it well and had the right answers, even if he didn’t make the right decisions on that. He certainly impressed.

“Would I be shocked if they take Geno? No. Do I know that they are going to take Geno? No, I don’t.”

Later in the interview, Mortensen predicted that the Eagles draft Ziggy Ansah. 

Sal Paolantonio thinks Eric Fisher is the pick at No. 4 if the tackle is available.

“Eric Fisher is without a doubt my top player in the draft. Can’t miss with Eric Fisher. He’ll be productive, mature, intelligent, an absolute starter for 10 years at the tackle position. He will anchor your offensive line for a half a generation.”

Sal rolled out his top 5, which consisted of Fisher, Chance Warmack, Sharrif Floyd, Tavon Austin and Dion Jordan, assuming his shoulder is OK.

Mike Mayock now has Fisher ranked ahead of Luke Joeckel.

“This is no way an indictment of Luke Joeckel, I think he’s going to be an All-Pro three years from now,” Mayock told NFL Network’s “Path to the Draft” on Friday. “It’s more an indication of my belief that there’s just a little bit more upside with Eric Fisher. He’s a little bit longer, I think he has better feet and he’s a little bit more athletic.”

Todd McShay had the Eagles selecting Fisher at No. 4, but in his most recent mock-up changed the pick to Star Lotulelei.

You may have noticed that the Eagles are working out or setting up visits with every prospect under the sun. Dan Graziano tries to make sense of it all.

 The last time the Eagles had a pick this high, they used it on Donovan McNabb. Largely because of the way that pick worked out, the Eagles aren’t used to picking in the top five, and their hope is that it’ll be a very long time before they have to again. To that end, the Eagles need to make as certain as possible that they find a franchise building-block type of player at No. 4. And while certainty with regard to draft picks is unattainable, they need to be thinking less about immediate need and raw potential and more about reliability. They need someone with low “bust” potential. That’s why I kind of doubt they’ll take Smith, the West Virginia quarterback, at No. 4. The book on Smith is that he has the tools to be a franchise guy but that he was inconsistent in college from game to game and has too much “bad tape.” Someone like that feels more risky than the Eagles need to be at No. 4, in my personal opinion. Which is, I believe, what you come here to read.

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