It's Mother's Day. It's not a day for bickering. And certainly not a day to emphasize the tough, physical nature of the NFL.
But when the Eagles drafted Nate Allen with the 37th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, some fans groaned because of his tackling ability.
The team captain and second-team All-Big East honoree started 39 straight games, racked up 224 tackles and snared nine interceptions.
| Video Player : Nate Allen College Highlights |
For whatever reason, though, there's this label that his tackling leaves something to be desired. General manager Howie Roseman certainly doesn't get it.
"We love Nate Allen. Great ball skills. Great athlete," Roseman said. "People are knocking him a little bit, he's a tough guy. He's a really good wrap-up tackler. We don't see any of that. I think people are really going to like Nate Allen."
What gives?
Even his college highlight video compiled by the NFL, which you can view to the right, cited Allen as solid against both the run and the pass. The Eagles certainly believe so as he lined up at strong safety during the post-draft mini-camp. However, he didn't take part in team drills because of a quad injury suffered at the Combine.
Of course, Allen will give fans a chance to debunk this myth about his play in person at training camp. But a quick YouTube search provided the highlight below as well.
-- Posted by Chris McPherson, 12:00 p.m., May 9*
