Eagles rookie Tyler Steen explains why he’s clicking with Jeff Stoutland
Whenever the Eagles draft an offensive lineman, its always fun to ask them about their early impressions of Jeff Stoutland.
The Eagles longest-tenured coach Stoutland has been the Eagles offensive line coach since 2013 has a big personality and an unmistakable passion for coaching offensive linemen. Its infectious.
But it can take some getting used to.
Yeah, Coach Stoutland is definitely a different dude, third-round rookie Tyler Steen through a grin last week.
Different type of O-line coach. But hes a great teacher. Thats kind of like what you can tell right away. Hes really detailed and you can tell he really cares about his job and helping people. Its exciting to be in a room like that, where you got an O-line coach who has been going it for a while and has coached a lot of really good players. Im really excited about that.
Theres really no questioning Stoutlands success in the NFL. Hes turned average offensive linemen into good ones, good ones into greats and greats into Hall of Fame caliber players. He has a tremendous reputation in Philadelphia and across the NFL.
Its hard to imagine any other position coach in the league having as much sway when it comes to personnel as Stoutland has in Philly. The Eagles listen to him and Stout has earned the benefit of the doubt.
Stoutlands newest pupil is Steen, whom the Eagles drafted early in the third round out of Alabama. Stoutland and Steen are just beginning to build their relationship and learn how each other operates. But Steen thinks hes figured out what makes Stoutland like a player.
I feel like he likes people that want to learn and ask questions, Steen answered. Thats kind of what Ive weve only talked two days. Just being around him, he likes when people want to get better and things like that. Thats what I would say.
While Steen finished up his career at Alabama in 2022, he didnt know about Stoutlands history with the Crimson Tide until he made his top-30 visit to Philly a few weeks ago. Stoutland coached at Alabama from 2011-12 before making the jump to the NFL and still has connections on the Alabama staff, including head coach Nick Saban.
And before going to Alabama, Stoutland coached the University of Miami and sent his kids to St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Thats the powerhouse program Steen was with during in his senior season of high school. So Steen and Stoutland have had plenty of ways to connect; though ought to make Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni happy.
The 22-year-old Steen played tackle at Vanderbilt and Alabama but might project best as a guard in the NFL. Part of that evaluation is his arm length (32 3/4), but Steen also has a build that fits at guard. And he showed at the Senior Bowl that he has the ability to play the position.
Notably, as rookie camp kicked off on Friday, Steen lined up at right guard. Thats notable because hell likely get a chance to compete for that starting job with 2022 second-round pick Cam Jurgens. Last years starter at right guard, Isaac Seumalo, left for Pittsburgh as a free agent.
Im not sure, Steen said about playing guard. Im really just trying to come in and find ways to contribute, find ways to learn every day and find ways to get better every day.
During a brief press conference on Friday, Steen kept talking about getting better. Thats not abnormal for a football player in such a setting but after a while it was hard to avoid, especially with a rookie saying it.
Has Steen always had that growth mindset?
Ive always thought of myself as a competitor, a high-level competitor, he explained. Ive always wanted to beat people, whether its 1-on-1 or as a team. The only way to do that is to get better. As far as competing and knowing that when I get the opportunity to compete and I want to win, I know that I can start getting better.
Its easy to see why Stoutland likes him.
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