This piece continues our series of grading the Eagles' draft picks over the last 40 years. To check out our previous installment on defensive ends, read it here. Tomorrow: the linebackers.
The Eagles have had some spectacular misses over the years drafting defensive tackles.
Anybody seen Bruce Walker lately?
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But they’ve also drafted two Hall of Fame-caliber interior defensive linemen since 1980, a Pro Bowler and another long-term starter.
In the second installment of our look at how the Eagles have drafted at each position, we grade every premium-round defensive tackle the Eagles have selected since 1980. Here's a look at their hits and misses:
1st-round picks
Fletcher Cox (12th pick in 2012): Just named to the all-decade team after making his fifth Pro Bowl in a row. A few more and he’s headed to Canton.
NFL
Grade: A-plus
Brodrick Bunkley (14th pick in 2006): Bunkley was a functional starter in his three years as a starter for the Eagles – 2007 through 2009 – but as the 14th pick you’re looking for a heck of a lot more.
Grade: D-plus
Mike Patterson (31st pick in 2005): Hard-working and consistent interior lineman who started for most of the 2005 through 2011 seasons. Was never great but always showed up and gave everything he had.
Grade: B
Corey Simon (6th pick in 2000): Very good but very short career. Simon was a beast as a run stuffer and averaged 6 ½ sacks from 2000 through 2004, 6th-most among all NFL defensive tackles, and made a Pro Bowl in 2003. But his last productive year was 2004, when he was only 27.
Grade: B
Leonard Renfro (24th pick in 1993): One of the worst players in NFL history. Started two games as a rookie with catastrophic results and was out of the league a year later.
Grade: F-quadruple minus.
Jerome Brown (9th pick in 1987): Astonishing talent who was only 27 when he died in a car crash in Florida. He packed a lot into his five seasons – 29 ½ sacks, some monstrous run stuffing, two Pro Bowls and two all-pros. He would have been a Hall of Famer.
Grade: A-plus
2nd-round picks
Trevor Laws (47th pick in 2008): Massive disappointment as a top-50 pick. Laws started two games in his career and was out of the league at 26.
Grade: F
Bruce Walker (37th pick in 1994): He was a top-40 pick and didn’t even make it through his rookie training camp. One of the worst second-round draft picks in NFL history. The only Eagles' 2nd-round pick in the last 48 years to never play for the Eagles.
Grade: F-minus-minus-minus-minus-minus-minus-minus-minus
3rd-round picks
Bennie Logan (67th pick in 2013): Serviceable player who started 51 games in four years with the Eagles. Decent against the run.
Grade: C
Tommy Jeter (75th pick in 1992): Made no impact in three years as a backup defensive tackle. Had 16 career tackles and a sack. Was 25 when Eagles released him.
Grade: F
Final Grades
1st round: B-minus (2.6 GPA)
2nd round: F (0.0 GPA)
3rd round: D (1.0 GPA)
Overall: C-minus (1.7 GPA)
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