When you consider the Eagles' recent draft history, maybe the biggest surprise wasn't that they took receiver Jeremy Maclin in the first round last night, but that they took anyone at all.
After trading out of the opening round two years in a row, simply getting a body from the first pick is almost a reason to celebrate. That they moved up a couple of spots to do so was even more of an indication of how highly they had Maclin rated on their own draft board.
"We had him in the first round, how's that?" said coach Andy Reid, who is loath to reveal any information, even when it no longer matters.
On some draft boards and projections, Maclin, who set several records for all-around yardage in his two seasons at Missouri, was rated as high as fifth or sixth. As he tumbled through the draft, past the midpoint of the first round, the Eagles got more and more interested.
They dangled a sixth-round pick in front of Cleveland for the benefit of moving up two places and headed off what Reid described as other teams intent on getting the same bargain in Maclin.
"A couple of teams were trying to move up to get him, and that's why we snuck up there," Reid said.
In taking Maclin, the Eagles also passed up a lot, including monstrous Oklahoma State tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who went with the next pick, and Vontae Davis, a highly rated cornerback who also fell further than expected.
What they got, however, is pretty exciting. With Maclin and DeSean Jackson together on the field, the Eagles will have the youngest, most versatile pass-catching duo in the NFL. Both players can line up in the slot position, at wideout or in the backfield. Toss in the versatility of Brian Westbrook, another multiple-position player, and the Eagles' version of the West Coast offense could morph into a run-and-shoot attack that would give opposing defensive coordinators headaches.
When the Eagles augmented the set by taking Pittsburgh running back LeSean McCoy in the second round - a player who lined up often as the "Wildcat" quarterback - the focus of this draft was much clearer.
If quarterback Donovan McNabb didn't deliver an ultimatum to the team during the off-season - get better or get me out of here - the moves made by Reid and the front office certainly make it seem that way.
