Eagles UDFA Tracker- Thoughts On Every Move

The later in the draft you go, the lower the chance you make the Eagles roster becomes. It gets even lower from those who go undrafted and have to sign as an UDFA.

But we have seen players break through and make the team. Reed Blankenship was a UDFA, made the team his rookie season, and started games by year 2. Eli Ricks and Josh Jobe both made the team as UDFAs and saw playing time. Ricks has even stuck around, granted as a bottom-of-the-roster guy. Ben VanSumeran made it as a UDFA even more recently, and a couple of UDFAs from last season are still in the organization, even if they are not on the actual roster.

Before them, players like Hollis Thomas, TJ Edwards, Jamaal Jackson, Andre Waters, Quinten Mikell, and Herm Edwards started as undrafted free agents.

This year, with the Eagles drafting 10 players, it becomes even harder for UDFAs to break through. But they still signed a handful of players who will try to achieve their NFL dreams despite never hearing their name called. Here are some thoughts on every UDFA signed by the Eagles.

My favorite player in this UDFA class, and a guy I would have been happy with them drafting as early as the 4th round. Pierce has freakish traits. 6ft8, over 340 lbs, and some of the longest arms ever measured at the NFL combine. He also moves well for a man that massive.

Pierce fell because he is still very raw. He did not play much Football in High School, showing up to Rutgers as a 400lb walk-on. But Rutgers kicked him into shape, and after a red-shirt season, he turned into a 4-year starter who held down the fort on the left side of the Scarlet Knights' Line.

He needs some work, but there is no better place for an O-Line with freaky traits to work on his game. If anyone can get the best out of Pierce, it is Jeff Stoutland.

The Eagles invested a lot of guaranteed money into Pierce for a UDFA. That has historically not been a guarantee that someone makes the team. Doing so will be an uphill battle considering the Eagles drafted two Tackles in the 6th round, instead of him. But the money is a sign they like what they see, and want to get him into camp and see what Stoutland can do with him.

He might end up on the practice squad, where, as long as he goes unclaimed, he can get seasoning. But whether it is on the practice squad or as the last guy on the 53-man roster, I think he is the type of player the Eagles will want to hold onto.

WR is a tricky position to make for the Eagles. 3 players, AJ Brown, Devonta Smith, and Jahan Dotson. After that, there are the two 2nd year players, Ainias Smith and Johnny Wilson. Neither showed enough to lock in spots, but Eagles still like both players.

They could feasibly keep 6 WRs, but someone would have to really shine for that to happen. So, to make the roster, a WR is likely going to have to unseat one of Smith or Wilson. The best way to do that is by contributing on Special Teams. That is exactly what Morin can do.

He put up solid production in College. But more importantly, he was one of the better Punt Returners in that nation. He averaged 17 yards per return. Cooper DeJean did a good job in that role last season, but I hate using him there given how vital he is to the defense. I would much rather have a specialist in that role. If Morin shows up to camp and impresses as a return man, he could easily become the next Britian Covey. So I actually like Morin's chances to make it.

Saquon Barkley obviously has the starting job at RB locked up. Behind him the Eagles have Will Shipley and AJ Dillon. On paper, it is hard to see any rookie RB crack the team.

But I don't think Dillon is a lock to make it. He is coming off a season-ending neck injury. There is no guarantee he comes back looking like he did before the injury. He has less than $200k in guaranteed. He can be unseated by another back if his camp is underwhelming, or another back blows them away.

Johnson put up solid production in the past 3 seasons at Florida. Over 2000 yards, 21 TDs, and over 5 yards per carry. He brings the boom with a violent physical running style. Basically he looks like a younger AJ Dillon, without the neck injury baggage.

I am not saying it is likely. But I won't be shocked if Johnson, or another back, steals a spot from Dillon.

Powell is the anti-Montrell Johnson. Where Johnson brings a boom stick, Powell works in space. He is a tiny 5ft7. But he put up huge numbers in both the run and passing game. 1,334 yards, 14 TDs, and over 8 yards per carry. But it can be hard to judge a small school back on production alone.

His size limits his upside in the NFL, but small backs have made a big impact before. Just look at Darren Sproles. Powell brings a different dimension than Johnson or Dillon can. If he keeps producing, he, like Johnson, could unseat Johnson.

The size makes it slightly less likely for him. But the upside feels worth a chance in camp. Side note, what a name. Worthy of a Key And Peele sketch.

Johnson played mostly nickel corner for Oregon, but many are listing him as a safety. That might be because of how physical he played as a tackler. He racked up 45 with the Ducks last year, and it was a similar case in his 3 years at Duke.

Either at Safety or CB, it is going to be hard for Johnson to crack the team. After drafting Andrew Makuba, depth is not as much of an issue at Safety, and they already have 2024 UDFA Andre Sam waiting in the wings to try and earn a spot..

At CB depth is less of an issue. They have Keele Ringo, Eli Ricks, and Adoree Jackson to fill out the roster. They also drafted Mac McWilliams. They can use another starter caliber corner to play with DeJean and Mitchell, but that is not Johnson. If he made the team it would be as depth, and there is not much need for another depth piece in the secondary.

Like Peirce, he got a lofty guarantee for a UDFA. Again, that has historically not made players more or less likely to stick around, but it is a sign the Eagles like him enough to make sure they get him in camp.

Like with Johnson, Hook has an uphill climb to make the roster. He would have to unseat Tristain McCollum, who the Eagle liked enough to play over Sydney Brown last season. He would also have to beat out Andre Sam.

But I do find Hook more intriguing than Johnson, at least. The production at Toledo was impressive. He forced an incompletion on over 20% of the targets against him, and came away with 2 picks.

Plus, while this may not be important to his place on the team, he was very good friends with fellow Toledo alum Quinyon Mitchell.

Philly is Georgia North, but it is also becoming Toldeo East. Quinyon, Hook, Dixon, and LB Dallas Gant are all currently in the organization.

Dixon kind of reminds me of the Ben VanSumeran signing, in that he has athletic traits worth developing. Will he make the team as a linebacker? Likely not. The Eagles already have Zack Baun, Nakobe Dean, Jermiiah Trotter Jr, and drafted Smael Mondon. There is also Jihaad Campbell, who could be both an inside or outside linebacker.

But Dixon has good size, and is fast. Might be worth stashing on the practice squad to see if they can eventually find a role for him like they did with Van Sumeren.

We already talked about the uphill climb a corner has to make this roster as a UDFA. Mayes would have to really impress in camp. He is not especially strong or especially fast. He made his mark being a smart corner, but he may be outmatched by the size and speed of NFL corners.

Maybe he makes it onto the practice squad. But I would be shocked if he pushed for an actual spot.

Super productive FCS WR. 1,449 yards and 14 TDs last season. But was he someone overlooked by FBS schools, or is his production just because of weak competition?

He does have some traits that are interesting. I have obviously not watched many Tarleton State games, I don't even know if I could watch them if I wanted to. A look at his highlights shows him high-pointing a lot of balls and making catches in traffic. The highlight reels are all I have to go off here, and they are not the best way to scout a player. But there seem to be some interesting traits worth taking a shot on.

Unlike Morin, he does not have much special teams experience. Making his path to cracking the roster very difficult. He would have to really impress in camp. But if he does well enough, he could easily earn a practice squad spot. Eagles seem to like storing WRs with fun traits there.