Growing up just north of Philadelphia the Eagles became a Sunday staple early in my life. My family worked six days a week like many hard working families and Sunday was a day for church in the morning and the Eagles in the afternoon. That tradition has continued into my adult life and now at 33 years old my Sunday afternoons are spent with family and friends rooting for our beloved birds. Every season brings new hope for that ever coveted super bowl win and the journey for greatness begins in April with the draft. Most draft "experts" will talk about and focus on the early rounds but championships are won in the later rounds; just ask Patriot fans what a late round steal can do for a franchise. The Eagles have had their fair share of late round picks that turned out to be great players; in my opinion the top five draft steals for the Philadelphia Eagles are:
5. Trent Cole
In the fifth round of the 2005 NFL Draft With the 146th pick the Eagles selected defensive end Trent Cole from Cincinnati. I know it has only been a six year career so far for Cole but he has been a nice surprise. He has established himself as a leader of not only the defense but the team itself. With no real bookend opposite Cole, he has put up impressive numbers. Listed at 6-2 and only 236 pounds, Cole was undersized as a defensive end, maybe even undersized for a linebacker. Due to that he was projected to be a 5-6 round pick and the Eagles found a late round gem. He has totaled 57 career sacks so far, 52 have come since becoming a full time starter in 2006, that's an average of 10.5 a season. Cole's career is far from over and if he keeps up at his current pace he could establish himself as one of the best defensive ends in Eagles history.
4. Tom Brookshire
Tom Brookshier was selected in the 10th round of the 1953 draft. A defensive back out of Colorado, Brookshier makes the list because of his role in the last championship the Eagles won in 1960. Now at 33 I am way too young to have watched him, but Eagles fans in my family have told stories of Tom Brookshier and how hard he played. Brookshier turned in an outstanding rookie season in 1953 with eight interceptions. He left the team for two years while serving in the United States Air Force in 1954 and 1955 before returning to the Eagles in 1956. Brookshier was not the fastest of defensive backs for his time, but he fit the Eagles zone defense perfectly. He was also admired by Eagles fans for how hard he played and how hard he hit. Brookshier ended his career in 1961 with 20 interceptions and a championship. He was a blue collar player for a blue collar city and will always be remembered as such.
3. Seth Joyner
Seth Joyner was selected in the 8th round of the of the 1986 draft out of Texas El-Paso. He was a versatile linebacker that was often over shadowed by the outside sack masters of his era, such as Lawrence Taylor. Joyner was actually cut by Eagles Head Coach Buddy Ryan in the preseason before being brought back later in the season and being tossed into the starting lineup. In his first game he had eight solo tackles and he became entrenched as a full time starter. His most famous game was in 1991 on the big stage of Monday night football against the Houston Oilers. Playing with a fever from being sick the week leading up to the game he had 13 solo tackles, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries to go along with 2 sacks. Joyner became the vocal leader of one of the best defenses in Eagles history and was an 8th round steal.
2. Clyde Simmons
In the same season the Eagles selected Seth Joyner, they got their bookend for Reggie White with their very next pick. Clyde Simmons was an under sized defensive end at 240 pouds from a small school, Western Carolina and because of that the Eagles were able to grab him with the 233rd pick in the 9th round of the 1986 draft. Clyde Simmons was always over shadowed by Reggie White, but his stats are nothing to snub your nose at. He finished his career with the Eagles at 76.5 sacks, second to only his counterpart Reggie White in Eagles team history, his total career sacks are 121.5. He also set a single game record of 4.5 sacks against the hated Dallas Cowboys in 1991. In 1992, Simmons led the NFL with 19 sacks, two short of the Eagles single season record. Clyde Simmons never got the credit he deserved in the national sports media, but ask Eagles fans and they will tell you how great he was.
1. Harold Carmichael
No question about it, Harold Carmichael is the steal of the Eagles draft history. With the 161st pick of the 7th round of the 1971 NFL draft the Eagles selected the best wide-receiver in their history. At 6-8 and 225 pounds Carmichael was ahead of his time; he was almost impossible to defend. Carmichael was passed up by NFL franchises because of his size, the very thing that helped make him so great. He played on some pretty bad offenses which hurt his career numbers, the Eagles didn't have a winning season for 12 years until 1978. Under Coach Dick Vermeil he had his best seasons and the Eagles went to the super bowl following the 1980 season. In his career Carmichael went from the basement to the top and he was a big part of the Eagles success in the late 70's and early 80's. He finished his career with 590 receptions for 8,985 yards, a 15.2 average and 79 touchdowns, not bad for a 7th round draft pick.
The draft is a funny thing, there are no sure fire bets. A lot of first round picks will become high priced busts and a number of mid round picks will become team leaders and contribute to their franchises future success. With the 2011 draft approaching there may be a great sleeper pick in the later rounds. My only hope is that the Eagles are the ones that get a little lucky once again.
