The Eagles appear to have really top depth at running back for the 2008 season.  Brian Westbrook will be the main man in the running attack again this season for the Eagles.  Westbrook is a great receiver out of the backfield and he is surprisingly strong as he can handle the heavy work between the tackles.  Westbrook  played in 15 games (all starts) last season for the Eagles and he has carried the ball 278 times for 1,333 yards (4.8 ypc) with 7 TD runs.  He also caught 90 passes for 771 yards (8.6 avg) with 5 TD grabs.  All Westbrook has to do is stay healthy to have another very solid season for the Eagles in 2008.  Westbrook has now played in 85 games (64 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 1,014 times for 4,785 yards (4.7 ypc) with 27 TD runs.  He also has caught 347 passes for 3,207 yards (9.2 avg) with 23 TD grabs.

Correll Buckhalter finally stayed healthy in 2007 and he was effective.  The Eagles have their fingers crossed that he will be able to stay healthy again in 2008.  Buckhalter played in 14 games (2 starts) for the Eagles this season and he carried the ball 62 times for 313 yards (5.0 ypc) with 4 TD runs.  He also caught 12 passes for 87 yards (7.3 avg).  Buckhalter has missed a lot of time due to health problems in his NFL career so he likely has a lot left in the tank.  He has now played in 60 games (14 starts) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 400 times for 1,786 yards (4.5 ypc) with 16 TD runs.  He also caught 59 passes for 606 yards (10.3 avg) with 2 TD grabs.

2nd year running back Tony Hunt will have to fight to keep his NFL job as he didn’t do much as a rookie in 2007.  Hunt played in 8 games (0 starts) for the Eagles last year and he carried the ball 10 times for 16 yards (1.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He is a strong runner between the tackles but he doesn’t have enough speed to get around the corner.

The Eagles acquired RB Lorenzo Booker on draft day this April and he will have a good chance to win the #3 RB job this year.  He played in 7 games (1 start) for the Dolphins this season and he carried the ball 28 times for 125 yards (4.5 ypc).  He also caught 28 passes for 237 yards (8.5 avg) for the Fins.  Look for Booker to catch a lot of passes that Westbrook used to as the Eagles will try to keep him in one piece.

Ryan Moats will have a fight on his hands to make the Eagles’ roster.  He did not carry the ball last season for the Eagles.  Moats has now played in 15 games (1 start) in his NFL career and he has carried the ball 77 times for 347 yards (4.5 ypc) with 3 TD runs.  He also has caught 4 passes for 7 yards (1.8 avg).

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  A

It almost seems that every off season their are rumors that the Eagles are going to trade Donovan McNabb but he keeps coming back.  That’s a good thing for the Eagles as McNabb is still one of the best QBs in the league.  He still has a good arm and he can still run when he has to.  McNabb played in 14 games (all starts) last season for the Eagles and he completed 291 of 473 passes (61.5%) for 3,324 yards with 19 TD passes and only 7 interceptions (89.9 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 50 times for 236 yards (4.7 ypc).  The Eagles should try to stretch the field a little more and McNabb should have a good season as long as he gets time to throw the ball.  McNabb has now played in 118 games (112 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 2,189 of 3,732 passes (58.7%) for 25,404 yards with 171 TD passes and 79 interceptions (85.8 QB Rating).  He also has carried the ball 497 times for 2,962 yards (6.0 ypc) with 24 TD runs. 

McNabb’s eventual successor was drafted in the 2nd round last year.  Kevin Kolb has a strong arm but he has a lot to learn before he’s ready to play in the NFL after playing in the shotgun in college.  Kolb played in 1 game (0 starts) last season for the Eagles and he didn’t attempt a pass while running the ball 3 times for -2 yards (-0.7 ypc).  Kolb is likely the future for the Eagles but they don’t need to start that now because they would likely be a pretty poor team if something happens to McNabb.

A.J. Feeley will battle Kolb for the backup job.  He has a good arm but he often tries to fit the ball into tight spaces that he should be avoiding.  Feeley played in 3 games (2 starts) last season for the Eagles and he completed 59 of 103 passes (57.3%) for 681 yards with 5 TD passes and 8 interceptions (61.2 QB Rating).  He also carried the ball 7 times for 23 yards (3.3 ypc).  Feeley is still a decent backup but the Eagles hope he’s not needed in 2008.  Feeley has now played in 23 games (15 starts) in his NFL career and he has completed 372 of 665 passes (55,9%) for 4,070 yards with 27 TD passes and 29 interceptions (69.6 QB Rating).  He has also carried the ball 34 times for 45 yards (1.3 ypc) with 1 TD run.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE 2008 SEASON:  B

King Dunlap is a massive man at 6’8″, 310 pounds but he doesn’t play a big man’s game.  He’s quick in setting up to pass block but he lacks a punch in the running game.  He got benched last season at Auburn for not playing hard.  Andy Reid will need to be all over Dunlap as he has the potential to start in the NFL but he might not have the desire to reach his full potential.  Dunlap played in 47 games (20 starts) in his career at Auburn.  This was a good pick this late in the draft for the Eagles as they can simply cut him loose if he comes to Training Camp lazy.

Andy Studebaker dominated at little Wheaton College but he will have to adjust to a gigantic leap in competition level.  Studebaker only played in 5 games last season due to injury at Wheaton but he finished with 6.5 tackles for a loss and 5 sacks.  He is 6’3″, 251 pounds and he’s pretty fast for his size.  The Eagles likely drafted him with special teams in mind as he will likely take some time to adjust to the speed of the NFL game.

Joe Mays played at tiny North Dakota State but he dominated there.  Mays played in 43 games (31 starts) at North Dakota State and he finished with 285 tackles, had 11 sacks, 29.5 tackles for a loss, batted down 11 passes, forced 4 fumbles and he intercepted 3 passes.  Mays is on the short side at 5’11″, but he has some sand in his shoes as he weighs 245 pounds.  The Eagles drafted him to play special teams but he could develop into a decent backup linebacker down the road.

Mike Gibson was a tackle in college but he will likely move inside to guard in the pros.  That’s because he has trouble handling speed players off the edge.  Gibson is a nasty blocker in the running game as he plays until the final whistle.  Gibson is 6’3″, 302 pounds but he’s very slow (5.3 40) which sometimes causes him to miss moving targets.  Gibson played in 25 games (21 starts) at California.  Gibson has a nice upside as was a good pick for the Eagles.

Jack Ikegwuonu will miss his rookie season after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ACL.  The Eagles will be content to wait for Ikegwuonu who has a pretty good safety in college.  He excels in zone coverage but he isn’t the best man to man defender around.  He played in 39 games (30 starts) at Wisconsin and he finished with 91 tackles, broke up 34 passes and had 6 interceptions.  The Eagles are hoping that Ikegwuonu will develop into a starting player down the road for them.

Quintin Demps might not have great measurables but he’s a just a good football player.  Demps stands at 5’11″, 203 pounds but he’s just a titch slow (4.55 40).  Still, Demps is a all out hustle machine making big plays on the ball in the passing game.  Demps played in 47 games (46 starts) at UTEP and he finished with 275 tackles, broke up 41 passes, had 17 interceptions, forced 4 fumbles and recovered 5 fumbles.  Demps is not the greatest tackler in the running game and he will need to improve in that area if he is to start for the Eagles down the road.  He should be a backup this season at safety and he will likely be an outstanding special teams player.

Mike McGlynn is a power player as he is a good run defender who likes to pack a good wallop.  He has problems with speed rushers so the Eagles will need to give him some help at times.  McGlynn will likely play more at guard than anywhere else but he can handle any position on the line.  He is 6’4″, 309 pounds but he’s not the fastest guy around (5.2 40).  McGlynn played in 47 games (42 starts) at Pittsburgh.  McGlynn projects as a backup this season and a possible starter down the road for the Eagles.

Bryan Smith was a dominator at DE for McNeese State last season but he will likely need to covert to outside linebacker because of his lack of size.  Smith is 6’2″, 226 pounds and he runs a 4.68 40 which is quick for a man his size.  Smith played in 33 games (29 starts) at McNeese State and he finished up with 187 tackles, had 56.5 tackles for a loss, had 31 sacks, forced 9 fumbles and he recovered 7 fumbles.  Look for Smith to be a backup linebacker this season as he learns a new position but he will likely be a standout on special teams for the Eagles this year.