The Philadelphia Eagles are now just a few days away from kickstarting their 2022 campaign. While all eyes are understandably on Jalen Hurts and a bevy of stars, there is an incredibly strong rookie class that will be looking to make an impact in 2022. Here is all you need to know about what may turn out to be one of the most important Eagles draft classes in recent memory.
Eagles Rookies
Jordan Davis | DT | #90
A first-round pick out of Georgia, Davis is one player you physically won’t be able to look past. At 6’6, 336 lbs, he’s a monstrous defensive tackle who has been mauling opposing linemen all offseason long, drawing praise at every turn. He may not be a starter right away, but it won’t take long for Davis to make an impact in this defense and when he does, it’s going to be absolutely seismic.
Cam Jurgens | C | #51
We probably won’t see much of Jurgens this year unless he’s called into action due to an injury crisis. He was handpicked by Jason Kelce to be the heir to the future Hall of Famer’s throne and will spend 2022 learning from one of the most athletic, and very best centers to ever do it.
Nakobe Dean | LB | #17
Many regard Dean as the steal of the NFL Draft. He slipped and slid down the rankings despite many assuming he’d go in the first round, with injury being the reason for his stock plummeting. When the third round came to pass, enough was enough for Howie Roseman, who didn’t hesitate in picking one of the most decorated linebackers in the entire class, with full confidence he’d be ready to go in week one.
That appears to still be the case. Dean made his presence known in preseason, took first-team reps in camp, and didn’t look like a player in jeopardy of missing his rookie campaign. If he can stay healthy, he could absolutely become the heart and soul of Gannon’s defense.
Kyron Johnson | LB | #58
The drafting of Kyron Johnson went largely under the radar for two reasons: 1) A.J Brown and a flurry of star acquisitions 2) Nakobe Dean and Kyzir White headline the new-look linebacker corps.
With that said, look for Johnson to carve a role out on special teams and as someone who can tear through offensive lines in the run game. He led Kansas last year in TFL with 8.5 tackles and sacks (6). The Eagles have an explosive weapon on their hands who would benefit greatly from the tutelage of Haason Reddick.
Grant Calcaterra | TE | #81
The Eagles lack any real depth at tight end behind Dallas Goedert, giving Calcaterra a prime chance to push for that TE2 spot. He has chemistry with Jalen Hurts during a brief overlap at Oklahoma. He may have only caught 5 passes for 79 yards while being on the same offense as the electric QB, but that’s an average of 15.8 yards per catch.
He may not see a ton of snaps initially, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Calcaterra’s athleticism be used in 12-personnel looks where defenses aren’t really going to account for a tight end who can motion outside or wreak havoc down the seam like he can.
Undrafted free agents
Josh Sills | G | #61
Perhaps the most surprising addition to the 53-man roster was 24-year-old Josh Sills. He’s one of the older rookies in his class, but possesses a huge frame at 6’5, 322 lbs. We all know what Jeff Stoutland is able to do with raw talent and a freakish frame, so just sit back, and let the wizard work his magic.
Sills played 110 snaps throughout the preseason to really make his case and was pretty solid in his efforts at left guard. The Eagles crave versatility run-blocking prowess and Sills ticks both boxes. He won’t see much action at all due to the strength of the O-Line, but could well be a very valuable depth piece down the line.
Reed Blankenship | S | #32
The former Blue Rider came into the secondary as Middle Tennessee’s all-time leading tackler. A former team captain, Blankenship is very reminiscent of a Marcus Epps-type player and while Chauncey Gardner-Johnson adds some star power to the safety position, depth is still light and there could well be some defensive snaps on the table for Blankenship in 202.
Josh Jobe | CB | #38
Along with Mario Goodrich, Jobe was one of the few undrafted gems to fall through the cracks and be swept up by Howie Roseman. A shorter corner who plays larger than his frame, he’s a physical corner who is pure nasty in the run game and makes his living at the beginning of the route. He’ll likely be a special teams ace early due to the starting trio of Slay, Bradberry and Maddox putting a glass ceiling over his head, but he can learn a lot from three of the best in the league.
Photo by Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire
