5 Questions Facing Philadelphia Eagles Rookies in 2015
Organized team activities, or OTAs as they are commonly referred to, are underway all across the NFL right now, but regardless, the Philadelphia Eagles' are shrouded in mystery. The media will only get their first glimpse of offseason workouts on Thursday, which means unlike with many other teams, we're not in a position to provide proper progress reports on rookies or anybody else.
That being said, we're well aware of the expectations being placed upon many of the Birds' six draft picks and the questions they must answer en route to defining their roles with the team this season. Ahead, we investigate what some of the club's most talked about rookies must do to live up to the hype and genuninely help the club in 2015.
Can Nelson Agholor Replace Jeremy Maclin's Production?
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Needless to say, expectations are going to be high for Nelson Agholor right out of the gate. Some, such as ESPN draft expert Todd McShay in a SportsCenter interview (via Chris McPherson of PhiladelphiaEagles.com), have even gone so far as to predict the 20th overall pick will win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
In a perfect world, Agholor's question would be, "How big of a role will he have in the offense his rookie year?" Instead, we're asking whether he can fill the shoes of a Pro Bowl wide receiver in the form of Jeremy Maclin.
Fortunately, the job of replacing Maclin shouldn't fall on Agholor alone. The Eagles invested second- and third-round picks in Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff in 2014, and Matthews in particular has already proven he can contribute at this level.
Yet the feeling is Agholor will be in the starting lineup from day one. He was one of the most productive receivers in college football last season, finishing in the top 10 in the nation with 104 receptions (seventh), 1,313 yards (ninth) and 12 touchdowns (tied for seventh).
Add in the fact that the USC product is already going the extra mile, arriving early at the team facility every morning, according to Geoff Mosher for CSNPhilly.com, and this appears to be somebody poised to make an immediate impact.
Replacing Maclin? He would need to be in the neighborhood of 80 catches, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns to do it. Of course, if he does manage that, Rookie of the Year doesn't sound like a stretch at all.
Will Eric Rowe Win the Starting Cornerback Job?
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Based on what head coach Chip Kelly told the members of the media (via PhiladelphiaEagles.com), we know second-round pick Eric Rowe will begin his NFL journey at cornerback. The pertinent question now shifts to whether the first-year defensive back can win a starting job.
On one hand, the position isn't exactly nailed down. Byron Maxwell was brought in on a huge free-agent contract to lock down one-half of the field, but the other side is still up for grabs. Walter Thurmond was also signed to compete for a spot, along with holdovers Brandon Boykin and Nolan Carroll.
Except Thurmond is about as unreliable as they come, suiting up for just 27 of a possible 71 regular-season and playoff games over the past four years. Meanwhile, neither Boykin nor Carroll were able to beat out Bradley Fletcher for the role of No. 2 corner in 2014, which is telling in itself.
That would seem to leave the door open for Rowe to start, but it's not that simple. The Utah product isn't necessarily going to be ready for that as a rookie. In fact, NFL.com scouting reports, per Mike Mayock and Lance Zierlein, suggest Rowe may be better suited to play safety at this level, period.
According to their reports, he spent three years playing free safety. That obviously is a potential barrier to being a starting cornerback.
For what it's worth, Kelly seems to believe in Rowe's ability to play cornerback. That still doesn't mean the kid is going to start. He'll have to earn his job this summer at training camp.
Can JaCorey Shepherd or Randall Evans Make an Immediate Impact?
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In addition to Rowe, the Eagles spent a pair of sixth-round selections on cornerbacks JaCorey Shepherd out of Kansas and Randall Evans out of Kansas State. Ordinarily, teams aren't counting on contributions from sixth-round picks. Then again, Philadelphia's situation in the secondary is far from ordinary.
The Birds' defensive backfield has been in a state of disrepair for years, as evidenced by the club finishing 32nd and 31st against the pass the past two seasons. There's still some doubt at corner, and one of the defense's safety jobs is totally up for grabs.
Is it possible either Shepherd or Evans or perhaps even both contribute as rookies? Sure, why not? It may be merely a matter of figuring out where they fit in.
It may turn out Shepherd or Evans is more NFL-ready than Rowe and a better option to start than any veteran for No. 2 corner. Boykin spent the past two seasons as the slot corner, but Ian Rapoport for NFL.com (via NFL.com's Dan Hanzus) reported the nickelback was on the trade block in April.
As noted, there's starting safety work available as well, and Kelly noted Evans in particular has experience playing all over the secondary.
When you're talking about a secondary that's been as bad as Philly's for as long as it has, there's no reason to discount any option. Shepherd and Evans may be late-round picks, but either could easily wind up with serious playing time in 2015.
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Will Brian Mihalik Crack the 53-Man Roster?
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Generally speaking, seventh-round picks have an uphill battle to earn roster spots to begin with. That may be especially true in the case of Brian Mihalik, Philadelphia's seventh this year.
Mihalik wasn't chosen based on what he did on the field for Boston College, not with 16.0 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks over four seasons. He was brought in based on the pure potential of his size—6'9", 302 pounds. Kelly talked about that and getting Mihalik out of a 4-3 defense and into a 3-4 alignment where he may be a better fit, per PhiladelphiaEagles.com.
"I think [DE] Brian [Mihalik] has got a skill set that ‑‑ it's kind of when you look at it, one of those guys when you spit things through and you just say, height, weight, speed, kind of off the charts. He's six-foot-nine, he weighs 300 pounds, he's a 34‑inch vertical jump, he ran 4.88 and he's a productive player.
He just played wide defensive end in a 4‑3 defense. He hasn't been a two‑gap player, but we feel with the physical skill set he has that we can convert him to a four technique.
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That doesn't mean Mihalik will be ready to contribute as a rookie. In fact, given the depth of the Eagles' defensive line, it's probably unlikely.
Fletcher Cox, Bennie Logan, Cedric Thornton, Vinny Curry and Beau Allen are all but assured roster spots. That leaves maybe two openings, which belonged to 2014 fifth-round pick Taylor Hart and capable veteran Brandon Bair last season. That doesn't even make mention of the rest of the competition.
Chances are Mihalik does not make the team this season, and the Eagles will hope to stash him on the practice squad. Then again, teams carry 90 players this time of year for a reason, so it might not be fair to say Mihalik has no shot at all.
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