With the NFL Draft now behind us, the Philadelphia Eagles have revealed their class of UDFA signings for 2024. Howie Roseman mentioned after the Draft that this would be a smaller group than we’re used to seeing, but that doesn’t meant hidden gems can’t be found.
Here’s all you need to know about this year’s group now that the signings have been confirmed.
Eagles reveal 7 UDFA signings
McCallan Castles, TE, Tennessee
At 6’5, 252 lbs, Castles put up 1,226 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns during his collegiate career. His RAS score is pretty impressive, although he does seem to lack bulk and power which might need to change at the NFL level. With that said, he appears to have some pace to him which could be handy on those deeper routes.
Castles held his own in the SEC last year, catching 5 touchdowns. NFL Draft Buzz provided a scout report which highlights some concerns with drops and a player who has all the makings of a great receiving tight end but has yet to find his stride putting it all together on a consistent basis. He could be a fun project to keep an eye on.
Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor
Hall comes in at 6’6, 291 lbs, which is a little lighter than what the Eagles would likely ideally want in a DT in their new scheme. However, he flashed at the Senior Bowl, an event that Howie and the Birds hold in high regard, and that’s bound to have played a role in this signing.
Hall spent his entire collegiate career at Baylor and ended his campaign with 12.5 sacks and 16.5 TFL in five years.
Bleacher Report’s scouting report on Hall states that he’s fairly raw in terms of technique and despite having a few pass-rushing moves up his sleeve, hasn’t quite got the fundamentals yet to become a consistent pass-rushing threat.
Gottlieb Ayedze, OT, Maryland
Having spent time at both tackle spots, Ayedze is an agile tackle who l stands at 6’4, 308 lbs. He may be better suited to guard after turning heads with some impressive combine drills but lacking the ideal size for a tackle at the NFL level.
If the Eagles can work with him over a couple of years, there’s no reason he couldn’t be a servicable backup guard. NFL.com had him graded as a day-3 selection, so there could be some value on a player who has proven his pass-blocking prowess but just lacks the power and size to take that to the NFL.
Anim Dankwah, OT, Howard
A small-school sleeper who comes in at 6’8, 353 lbs, Dankwah is highly reminiscent of Jordan Mailata in terms of build. He doesn’t have the explosiveness and agility that the franchise LT did when he first arrived and that might limit his ceiling on the outside, and his size might be simply too large to project as a guard.
If Jeff Stoutland can work his magic and rework his technique to make up for his lack of short-area quickness, they might have a Diamond in the rough here given just how powerful he is.
Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia
Would it really be an Eagles Draft class without a Georgia Bulldog? Milton joins a backfield where depth is no longer a priority, so finding his footing early will be important. The 6’1, 225 lbs, rusher is someone that never really broke out during his collegiate career, but flashed raw explosiveness and assertiveness when he was given opportunities.
Working behind someone like Saquon Barkley is going to do wonders for a running back who has the build to be an effective downhill back at the next level but could do with really refining his instincts away from the spotlight.
Andre Sam, S, LSU
The Eagles do seem to have an affinity for low-risk safeties out of LSU and Andre Sam is the latest name to fill that void. At 26-years-old, he’s not got the lifespan of most rookies in this class, he’s a player that has played WR/CB/S at the collegiate level in what has been a very interesting career.
Despite limited time at Safety, he still amassed 80 tackles during his lone season at LSU as well as 3 interceptions. The Eagles might well view him as a developmental chess piece.
Laekin Vakalahi
A player signed through the NFL’s international player program, Vakalahi is only 21-years-old and like Eagles LT Jordan Mailata before him, has no football experience prior to making the jump. However, he stands at 6’5, 318 lbs so it’s easy to see where this is going.
He’s somewhat of a mystery and we don’t really know much about his sporting history, but I’m sure all will be made clear soon. Jeff Stoutland, do your thing!
AP Photo/Matt Slocum
