4 Who Might Find Themselves on Philadelphia Eagles Practice Squad in 2015

Unfortunately, the Philadelphia Eagles will eventually have to cut their roster down from 90 to 53 players, and there will be some difficult decisions when the time comes in September.

The good news, in some cases, is that some athletes will clear waivers and make the practice squad.

Predicting who will be on the practice squad isn't easy, especially this time of year, but we're giving it a shot. Generally, it's a young player with upside, somebody who is likely to clear waivers, and in some cases, somebody who could step up to the 53-man roster and at least contribute on special teams if the need arises.

We'll take a crack at predicting four of the 11 who will wind up on the scout team—only five, keeping in mind that the Eagles will likely scoop up some players from around the league after cuts.

Brian Mihalik

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When the Eagles used their seventh-round pick on Brian Mihalik in May, the assumption right away was that the club would likely attempt to stash him on the practice squad.

For starters, Philadelphia is incredibly deep along the defensive line. Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan,Cedric Thornton, Beau Allen and Vinny Curry are all locks to make the 53-man roster, and in addition to Mihalik, Taylor Hart, Brandon Bair and Travis Raciti are among the players battling for, at most, two spots.

Mihalik himself is incredibly raw and essentially learning a new position. The Boston College product recorded just 16.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks in four seasons as an amateur. However, he's making the move from 4-3 interior lineman to 3-4 defensive end, where his size (6'9", 302 lbs) might eventually make him a monster.

He won't be ready to make a huge impact in 2015, though, so the best-case scenario is that the Eagles will be able to stash Mihalik on the practice squad for a season and allow him time to develop.

Jerome Couplin

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Many would like to see Jerome Couplin crack the 53-man roster, as he is a fan favorite of sorts due to his natural size and athleticism. The question is whether he's ready.

When the Eagles scooped up Couplin off the Detroit Lions practice squad in December, it was largely due to his raw potential.

The William & Mary product possesses unbelievable measurables for a defensive back. According to Geoff Mosher of CSN Philly, Couplin is 6'2", 215 pounds with 4.5 speed, a 41.5-inch vertical and an incredible 81-inch wingspan.

Yet it remains unclear exactly what position Couplin is even best suited for in the NFL: cornerback or safety. Plus, the Eagles just drafted three defensive backs this offseason and signed two more in free agency, so there's much more competition for those jobs.

If Couplin is going to make the roster, it will likely be because he can contribute on special teams. However, it wouldn't be surprising if the Birds tried to clear him for the practice squad for one more season instead.

Raheem Mostert

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The Eagles have the deepest fleet of running backs in the NFL, hands down, and if the club chooses to carry four, Matthew Tucker will likely be the fourth.

That means Raheem Mostert's chances of making the roster are close to zero.

That being said, there's a reason the Eagles brought the Purdue ball-carrier aboard, and it wasn't his work rushing with the football. In fact, Mostert was seldom used on offense in college, touching the ball 155 times from scrimmage over four seasons.

What the Eagles saw in Mostert was his special teams ability. He registered 88 kick returns in college, returning two for touchdowns. Mostert's CBS Sports scouting report called him a special teams "standout."

Mostert sounds like a player the Eagles could attempt to coach up for a few years and eventually bring on as a reserve back who primarily contributes on special teams. If that is indeed the case, his odds of making the practice squad aren't too shabby.

Rasheed Bailey

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There aren't many prospects on Philadelphia's roster more intriguing than Rasheed Bailey, which is saying something for an undrafted free agent. Of course, when you rack up 80 receptions for 1,707 yards and 19 touchdowns your senior season, expectations tend to be pretty high.

In Bailey's case, that's not entirely true, as he posted those numbers at little-known Delaware Valley. However, even against Division III competition, those are huge stats—in fact, he led all players in yards and scores.

Regardless, Bailey is unlikely to see the field much as a rookie receiver, particularly in the Eagles' relatively deep corps of pass-catchers. To even make the roster, he'll have to be a solid special teams contributor, an area that is an even bigger unknown in Bailey's game.

Still, there may be too much talent here to simply boot Bailey to the street at the conclusion of training camp. With a year or two of seasoning on the practice squad, this kid could pick up the offense and eventually start putting up numbers in the NFL.