Ranking Philadelphia Eagles' Top 5 Sleepers to Watch in Camp

On Monday, we took a look at five dark-horse candidates to make the Philadelphia Eagles roster in 2015. Next, let's look at five sleepers to watch in camp—players who not only will likely make the team, but could be much bigger contributors than many are expecting.

There's a feeling these players will probably be around after cut-down day, but expectations aren't necessarily high for a variety of reasons. In many cases, these are younger players who haven't made a huge impact yet in the NFL or at all and maybe have even underwhelmed with the opportunities they've been given.

However, with a strong camp, these guys can play their way into significant roles on offense and defense, perhaps even start. The idea is not to sleep on them, because 2015 could be the year they get on the map.

Our sleepers have been ranked from one to five based on who we believe is the most likely to produce this season. Are there any other potential sleepers on the roster we may have missed?

5. WR Miles Austin

Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Eagles added Miles Austin before the draft to little fanfare, at least in part because at the time there was concern the 31-year-old wideout was being tabbed as a replacement for Jeremy Maclin. Since the club then turned around and used its first-round pick on Nelson Agholor out of USC, skepticism over Austin’s presence on the roster has diminished. Now, the two-time Pro Bowler is more like an afterthought.

That being said, it would be unwise to count the 10-year veteran out. According to Spotrac, Austin’s contract included $1 million guaranteed, which is not so much he couldn’t be cut, but enough to indicate there’s a good chance the longtime Dallas Cowboy makes the 53-man roster. Plus, there’s reason to believe there may be something left in the tank, provided he can stay healthy.

Austin recorded 47 receptions for 568 yards with two touchdowns in 12 games as a member of the Cleveland Browns last season, which is nothing special, but not bad at all when you consider the talent at quarterback there. In an uptempo offense with competent signal-callers that’s allowed most every player to enjoy career years, Austin could put up big numbers under the right circumstances.

There’s a lot of playing time to divvy between Austin, Agholor, second-year receivers Jordan Matthews and Josh Huff, plus fellow veteran Riley Cooper. However, if you listen to head coach Chip Kelly talk him up at minicamp, per Reuben Frank for CSNPhilly.com, you know Austin has a shot to carve out a role in Philadelphia’s offense this summer.

“He's a big target. He's got really, really good range. Catches the ball extremely well. Intelligent. Kind of knows the subtleties of the exact route running, kind of exactly where to maybe place his elbow to get separation in terms of pushing off the hip and things like that.

4. CB JaCorey Shepherd

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The Eagles added so much talent at cornerback this offseason, it’s difficult to see how everybody fits in. Byron Maxwell was signed to a blockbuster free-agent deal, solidifying one half of the field. Three draft picks also join veterans Nolan Carroll and Brandon Boykin—currently your projected starters—including second-round pick Eric Rowe out of Utah.

Naturally, Rowe came with the most hype coming out of the draft, but since practices began, he’s been overtaken by JaCorey Shepherd. A sixth-round selection out of Kansas, some have suggested Shepherd could be the steal of the draft, that he was only available so late to begin due to a slow time in the 40-yard dash as a result of a hamstring injury, according to Geoff Mosher for CSNPhilly.com.

Shepherd was proving he’s better than that this spring based on reports. Jeff McLane for the Philadelphia Inquirer noted that, besides Agholor, Shepherd may be the rookie who’s stood out most thus far, as he’s constantly making plays in practice.

Given the logjam at cornerback, Shepherd is going to have a difficult time seeing the field this season unless there are injuries, or so one might think. Then again, the No. 2 corner job is technically up for grabs, and while Carroll and Rowe were considered the front-runners, if Shepherd has a strong camp, he may be able to force his way into the competition.

3. TE Trey Burton

Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Trey Burton turned out to be one of the most pleasant surprises of 2014 for the Eagles, even if a lot of people didn’t realize it. The undrafted rookie out of Florida was a major contributor on special teams, racking up seven tackles, blocking a punt and scooping up another blocked punt for a touchdown.

Now that the team has released James Casey, Burton is poised to step into a bigger role in the offense as the third tight end. That’s not necessarily a huge spot—Casey produced just six receptions in two seasons in Philadelphia—but Kelly likes to use multiple tight ends, and Burton may just be dynamic enough that the package becomes more prevalent in the offense.

You see, Burton is more than just a tight end. He also played running back, wide receiver and even a little quarterback in college. Burton’s versatility was on display in a Week 6 shutout victory over the New York Giants last season, as he was called upon for five carries in the fourth quarter to help ice the contest.

Kelly loves players who perform multiple tasks, so somebody like Burton who can literally line up all over the formation must be tantalizing for the innovative head coach. Burton won’t be beating out Brent Celek or Zach Ertz for jobs anytime soon, but don’t be surprised if the second-year player makes more of the No. 3 tight end role than Casey ever did.

2. LB Travis Long

Phil Sears-USA TODAY Sports

This is actually Travis Long’s third season with the Eagles, though he’s easy to forget about considering he’s never played a down, dressed in a game or even been on the active roster. However, the day Long has an impact in an NFL game is likely coming in 2015, provided he can stay healthy.

Long joined Philadelphia as an undrafted free agent in 2013. The Washington State product had racked up 13.0 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks as a senior and had a chance to hear his name called in the draft, but a torn ACL scared teams off. He spent that season on the practice squad.

Long returned in ’14 and was set to make the 53-man roster out of camp. An outside linebacker by trade, Long began taking some snaps on the interior late in the preseason, a sign the Eagles were hoping to carve out a roster spot for the young man. Unfortunately, in the final exhibition game, he tore an ACL once again and wound up on injured reserve for the year.

Health is a concern with Long, but it’s no secret the Eagles really like the kid. And unlike last year, when the defense appeared to be absolutely stacked at outside linebacker, there is little in the way of established depth behind Connor Barwin and Brandon Graham, so the unit could use an upstart pass-rusher with something to prove. As Kelly told Mark Eckel for NJ.com, Long’s journey has been tough, but his outlook is looking up.

"Travis is playing outside right now and doing a really good job. We're really excited about him. We were excited about him last year. Obviously, he got hurt late in the preseason, but if he wasn't hurt, he would have made our team last year.

1. WR Josh Huff

Evan Habeeb/Getty Images

Josh Huff didn't join the Eagles with nearly the same hype as fellow wide receiver and member of the class of '14 Jordan Matthews despite being picked just one round later. Huff's rookie season certainly didn't do much to win anybody over, as he was responsible for almost as many miscues as he was receptions—eight.

Of course, Huff also dealt with a shoulder injury during training camp that caused him to fall behind, hurting his chances to earn playing time. And although dropped passes and fumbles stand out in some minds, the Oregon product's body of work included some glimpses of explosive potential as well—a 106-yard kick return touchdown that was the longest play in franchise history and a 44-yard catch-and-run against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15.

Huff clearly has talent. It's all about preparation and getting more opportunities. He certainly has the former down. The second-year receiver worked with Rischad Whitfield on footwork and bulking up this offseason, and Whitfield tells Tim McManus for Philadelphia Magazine that Huff is ready to go in 2015.

"Oh, god," said Whitfield. "He is shredded. Shredded. Weight-wise he is still around the same weight [between 200 and 207] but he is a lot more explosive."

Now it's just a matter of whether the opportunities will be there for Huff in a crowded receiving corps. However, if he's improved as much as Whitfield suggests, and the consistency is there this time around, Huff should definitely find himself as the third receiver in the Eagles offense at worst. This summer should tell the story.