This time eleven months ago, Jordan Mailata was a relatively unknown backup tackle with a bucket full of potential. Fast forward to the present day and not only is he coming off of a campaign in which he started 10 games, turning heads in each of them, but he’s also in the best shape of his lie as far as his Head Coach is concerned.
“I think Jordan came back in phenomenal shape.” Nick Sirianni told reporters on Saturday evening. He had a target weight that he was trying to come back at and he came back at that weight. He came back lighter, he came back more fit and it’s showing out there….
…I’ve only known him for a short time but he said to me, and the strength staff have said, he is in the best shape of his life.”
Still only 24-years-old, it’s hard to believe that the Aussie only started playing the sport of Football three years ago. In that time, he’s gone from a seventh-round pick, to someone who could very easily become the team’s starting left tackle for years to come, provided he continues to develop at the incredible rate he has been.
Jordan Mailata played a total of 733 offensive snaps during the 2020 season with 502 of them being pass-blocking snaps. Out of those, the Aussie allowed a total of 32 pressures. He was graded as a top 15 tackle by PFF from week 11 and on. While he did allow 7 sacks last year, he only allowed a sack after every 71st snap. He averaged giving up pressure on every 16th.
As far as carrying that momentum into camp goes, Mailata has matched up well against Josh Sweat so far, drawing praise from plenty of reporters in attendance, while his competitor, Andre Dillard, has been a little less convincing against Derek Barnett.
“He’s just a big man that can move like a little man, right.” Sirianni continued. And so I’m really, really happy with the way and happy for Jordan that he came back in the shape that he did because, you know, that’s the key, right, going against those athletes that he’s going against on the other side on the defensive line.”
As things stand, Mailata might well have the upper-hand when it comes to the left tackle battle. If he’s taken yet another step forward in his growth, that’s a scary prospect. He was very impressive last year and was one of the only Eagles to provide a glimmer of hope in an otherwise dismal season. If he’s in even better shape now, then look out NFL defensive ends.
Photo by Kyle Ross/Icon Sportswire
