Eagles' Draft Possibilities -- the Indiana Connection

For what it's worth. . .

I think that there could be a serious Indiana connnection in the first two rounds of the Eagles' draft. Somehow, I think that the Birds will trade down in the first round and still take James Hardy, a big WR from Indiana. True, he's not the first WR on the board, but he's up there, and he's 6'5" tall and better than Hank Baskett. Need a WR to cause match-up problems for the defense? Hardy is your guy.

What they'll get for the trade down and Lito Sheppard (if traded) is anyone's guess. That could pull in an extra second-round pick, but I also think that with their current second-round pick the Birds will take Tracy Porter, a CB from Indiana who also is -- yes -- a gifted kick returner. Put him in a competition with J.R. Reed, and you'll have depth and quality, two things you haven't had for quite some time.

In the third round, the Birds can focus on the offensive or defensive lines, as is typically their wont.

I do think the Eagles know they need to upgrade at WR (hence the off-season interest in both Randy Moss and Chad Johnson) and at kick-returning (despite Andy Reed's professed confidence in Reno Mahe at the return game). You never have enough good cover guys, and you win in the trenches. The Birds seem pretty much set at linebacker and wouldn't appear to draft an RB or QB with even a mid-round pick (given that they took Kevin Kolb and Tony Hunt last year). So, look for draft picks at WR, OL and DL, primarily, on Saturday.

And look out for two guys from Indiana, particularly.