Eagles football is officially underway. In the Bird’s first preseason game, we saw hype pay off for players like Quez Watkins and Tyree Jackson, who have caught the eyes of coaches and reporters throughout camp. However, some more players flew under the radar in the preseason opener that we think will have the opportunity to prove themselves in the coming weeks.
1. QB “Battle”
Let’s be honest. The quarterback battle has been decided far before the preseason, and it’s obvious to all that Jalen Hurts will be the Philadelphia Eagles starting quarterback in 2021. However, there is still much to see from the QBs on the roster, and we can get a better idea of how Hurts and Flacco are looking against arguably the number one secondary in the league. Hurts had a nice outing last week, and while 3/7 passing looks weak on paper, there were two dropped balls by eagles’ receivers along with a necessary throwaway. Hurts looked calm and collected in the pocket, and accurate over the middle of the field. Flacco impressed as well, demonstrating the ability to move the second team down the field with efficiency. As the picture of the QB situation in Philly begins to clear, fans should hope to be excited by what they see against the pats.
2. Milton Williams
When Milton Williams was selected in the third round of the NFL draft, it caught the ire of many eagles fans as another case of Howie over drafting defensive line pieces and neglecting other more pressing needs. However, when you really look farther into Milton Williams as a prospect, that assumption is far from the truth. Williams profiles as an athletic freak, with athletic measurements comparable to only guys like Aaron Donald, even sharing the “undersized” criticism. We saw how this power translated a bit on Thursday, where Williams made some stellar plays against the Steelers offensive line, absolutely dominating physically. While Williams has a way to go to fully prove his rare and elite athletic traits can convert to NFL production, we saw some reason for optimism in his development. Williams will again get to prove himself against a much deeper Patriots offensive line in the coming week.
3. Zech McPhearson
Another late-round rookie makes the list, and this time it’s CB Zech McPhearson. By all accounts, Zech has had a great camp, and demonstrates his ability as the instinctive and athletic playmaker he was at Texas Tech. While Zech had a slip-up or two against the steelers, it must be remembered that he is a very raw corner who hasn’t had much experience playing in man coverage situations. With the way he’s being talked about in Eagles circles, I’d hardly be surprised if Zech continues to develop at an astonishingly fast rate, and even earn his share of snaps this coming season. If he can continue to shine in camp and come out to have an impact against the Patriots, there’s no reason to believe that the sky isn’t the limit for our young CB4.
4. Jason Huntley/Jordan Howard
RB Jason Huntley was a long shot to make the Eagles roster at the beginning of the offseason, but he’s done nothing but impress up to this point. Another player who’s been shining in camp, the former 5th round pick out of New Mexico State has been demonstrating his blazing 4.4 speed and shiftiness in both camp and our preseason opener. Our leader in yards for Thursday, Huntley made the most of his opportunities, returning a kick for 35 yards, as well as bursting for a 30-yard carry on the ground that was called back to a penalty. Huntley seems to be battling for a roster spot with veteran Jordan Howard, who has also shown flashes so far this offseason.
Being the starting running back for the first team (with Miles Sanders out) bodes extremely well for Howard, who looked to regain some juice following his lackluster 2020 campaign. Howard might have also foreshadowed what this race could be decided by when he delivered an incredible block in pass protection, a skill Huntley lacks. While the race for the spots behind Sanders and Gainwell certainly seem tilted in Howard’s favor, I believe it’s closer than some may think. These two RBs will most definitely see some more time against the pats, and how they perform is essential to fight for a spot on the roster.
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Noah Berger is a featured writer at The Birds Blitz. For more from Noah, check out his archive and read through our Eagles articles for the latest news about the Birds.
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