There hasn’t been much when it comes to Canadian players in the NFL, but history was made last Thursday at Radio City Music Hall in New York City, when offensive lineman Danny Watkins was taken with the 23rd pick of the first round by the Philadelphia Eagles. Watkins, a native of Kelowna, British Columbia, is the first Canadian to be drafted in the first round of the CFL (where he went fourth to British Columbia in 2010, but went back to school) and NFL drafts, and the Eagles may have gotten themselves a real weapon.
Watkins went to Butte College in California, where he studied to be a firefighter, but his coaches sent his game tape to some D-1 schools, and Baylor was interested. Watkins went to Waco and stepped in at left tackle for Jason Smith (NFL predictions provided by BetUs will recognize Smith as the No.2 pick in the 2009 draft, currently in St. Louis). He made the All-Big 12 first team last season, and he’s a big guy at 6’3”, 310 lbs, although he doesn’t quite have the height and length to play left tackle. But coach Andy Reid sees a lot of potential in Watkins as a guard, and it’s likely that he’ll begin the 2011 season (whenever that kicks off) for the Eagles as a starter.
The Eagles’ main goal of their next season should be to protect quarterback Michael Vick, who missed time due to injury last year and was just given the franchise tag. Philadelphia gave up 49 sacks, which was the fourth-highest total in the league, and they can’t afford (literally or figuratively) to have Vick on the sidelines, especially as they’re likely going to move backup Kevin Kolb, who wants to be a starter. Picking up Watkins in the draft was a great choice for the Eagles, and he’s a guy that the city of Philadelphia can like; a blue-collar guy, a former hockey player and volunteer firefighter who won’t back down from a challenge in the trenches. Danny Watkins is going to make a real impact in the City of Brotherly Love.
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