SHADY MCCOY IS AN EAGLE

The city of Philadelphia isn't exactly on our Christmas card list right now, but they do have one more bright spot than they did yesterday: the Eagles are getting a top-flight running back in the form of Pitt's Shady McCoy, who they selected with their second-round pick, 53rd overall.

ESPN had McCoy ranked 37th overall, which means he fell below his projected spot. I would agree that 53 seemed later than anyone could've anticipated when he originally announced his intentions for the draft. He was the fourth running back taken, behind Georgia's Knowshon Moreno (Denver, 12th overall), UConn's Donald Brown (Indianapolis, 27th), and Ohio State's Beanie Wells (Arizona, 31st). He was taken ahead of well-known backs such as Iowa's Shonn Greene and Michigan State's Javon Ringer.

Luckily for Shady, he hit the jackpot in terms of a fit for his skills and a depth chart that offers little outside of Brian Westbrook. He has the opportunity to do very well as an Eagle, and it's not too far from his hometown of Harrisburg, which he probably views as another plus. And he's already been tagged as a "must-handcuff" for all you fantasy nerds out there (myself included).

Ironically, last year's 53rd overall pick is a guy who's been discussed at great length on this site, one Limas Sweed. Sweed signed a four-year contract with the Steelers that included a signing bonus of $1,560,000 and rookie-minimum salaries of $295,000 in 2008, $380,000 in 2009, $470,000 in 2010 and $595,000 in 2011. So while McCoy may not be making the same kind of scratch as Moreno will this season, it will be a pretty significant raise from the $0 he made playing football last season.

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SHADY CHANGED HIS MIND

The odds of Pitt winning the Big East in football next season just got a little big longer, as Shady McCoy apparently changed his mind and decided he wants to play in the NFL after all. An official announcement should be coming tomorrow.

This is good news and bad news for Pitt. The good news is that this is another feather in the program's cap from a draft point-of-view. McCoy will join a growing list of prominent Panthers in the league, including recent first-rounders Larry Fitzgerald, Darrelle Revis, and Jeff Otah. The bad news is that he was one of the few bright spots on offense this season for the Panthers, and no one they have on the roster is another Shady McCoy-in-waiting. He was a special talent.

The NFL draft advisory board graded McCoy as a first rounder, but as Kevin Gorman points out,in his story, running back will be a crowded position in this year's draft. Already, five underclassmen have declared, including Iowa's Shonn Green, Connecticut's Donald Brown, Ohio State's Chris Wells, Wisconsin's P.J. Hill and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno. Also in the mix among the top running backs are Michigan State's Javon Ringer and Pitt transfer Rashad Jennings, who ended up at Liberty. That's right, another Pitt guy who finished his college career at a small school is going to get picked fairly high. Maybe Baltimore can draft him so he and Joe Flacco can line up in the "What Could've Been" formation.

While I would've liked to have seen Shady stay, I understand the rationale. Sure, his stock could rise next year at Pitt. Of course, it could also fall. Or he could get hurt, which is a factor considering the fact that he fractured his leg a few years ago in high school. It's a risky proposition either way, but all we can do is wish him the best at the next level and appreciate the excitement he brought to the Pitt program while he was here.

McCoy to declare for NFL [Trib]

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