Posted May 8th, 2023 | 3 Comments »The Eagles did something interesting when they drafted Tyler Steen in the third round recently. They announced him as a guard.
That’s not sloppiness. That’s not an accident. They want to use Steen at OG. In the rookie mini-camp, he played RG, a spot that happens to be an open competition. Cam Jurgens is leading the way for now, but his background is at center. He did practice at guard last year so the team has gotten a chance to get a feel for him playing there. Still, they want competition for the spot.
Steen started at RT for Vanderbilt in 2019. He then shifted to LT for 2020 and 2021. Steen transferred to Alabama for 2022 and was the blind-side protector for Bryce Young, the top pick in the draft. He’s played both sides, but always outside.
Steen went to the Senior Bowl when his season was over and was in for a bit of a surprise. Check out this story from Dave Zangaro:
…Steen arrived in Mobile, Alabama, for the Senior Bowl this winter and was playing a lot more guard than he anticipated.
“I don’t think he was entirely pleased with some of the guard stuff,” Senior Bowl executive director Jim Nagy said on a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “He made that known and someone came to me. I could just see him the first day and he’s kind of wearing it on his face.”
Nagy just asked Steen to trust him. Steen did.
And the next day, after going through a bunch of interviews with teams the previous night, Steen found Nagy to tell him he was right. Every team he spoke with told him how good it was to see him at guard. Steen realized how much the added versatility boosted his draft status.
The Eagles were one of those teams that wanted to see him at guard.
“Yeah, really valuable,” Eagles GM Howie Roseman said. “You get to see him in the SEC playing tackle, and him going from (Vanderbilt) to Alabama I think was a huge growth, and playing left tackle for the University of Alabama, obviously that’s a high-profile position. There have been a lot of NFL players play that position, and you watch him play tackle and he’s had success there.
“Then he moved at the Senior Bowl, he played guard. You could see him moving people off the ball, you could see his athleticism in space.”
Steen had a good showing at the Senior Bowl, playing a variety of positions.
I re-watched the Senior Bowl game. Steen played LG for most of his snaps and looked good. He used his arms to lock onto rushers and showed the strength to control them. He was able to get some movement in the run game. He came off the ball well and got up to the second level on some runs. He didn’t always make clean contact, but was athletic enough to get the LBs blocked.
I thought Steen was smart about who to block. Things are different at G than T. There is more traffic, but less space. He showed good awareness and handled the switch well. Steen gave up a couple of pressures on the final drive of the game. They were in a 2-minute offense and he got beat by quick moves from good DTs.
For a guy playing the position for the first time and doing so against good competition, Steen handled himself well. You can see how talented he is.
*****
Steen is 6-6, 321. The Eagles like to take chances on big OL.
- Halapoulivaati Vaitai – 6-6, 325
- Matt Pryor – 6-7, 332
- Jordan Mailata – 6-8, 360
- Landon Dickerson – 6-6, 333
He has the bulk to play inside, but also has good enough footwork to play OT. He did 31 reps at the Combine and you see that upper body strength on tape. He is powerful. Steen is a good athlete for G or T.
He doesn’t have ideal arm length, at just 32.75 inches. That’s good enough to start at OT, but isn’t an issue at all at OG.
You can see Steen pull from LG here and block on the move.
We’ve seen Dickerson and Isaac Seumalo do that a lot. Steen looked natural for a guy adjusting to a new position.
We know the Eagles like versatile OL. Steen can start anywhere but center. The Eagles are having him focus on RG for now because that position doesn’t have a returning starter. Steen will likely be cross-trained at OT, but they will have him play RG as much as possible.
If Steen is able to beat out Jurgens for the spot, the Eagles would have Jack Driscoll as the backup OT, Sua Opeta as the backup OG and Jurgens as the backup C. That would allow those players to focus on positions in their training.
There is obviously risk in drafting a LT and moving him to RG. The Eagles see this as a calculated risk. Steen has the size, strength, athleticism and skill to be a good starting OG in the NFL. He lacks experience, but it helps that he has the best teacher in the league, a Mr. Jeff Stoutland.
Steen has played right and left sides so moving won’t be overwhelming to him like it was to Andre Dillard early on. Steen’s father is a retired marine so I’m guessing he can handle tough coaching from Stoutland. Steen initially went to Vanderbilt so I’m guessing he’s smart and can handle the mental challenges of life in the NFL.
If Steen does work out, the Eagles could have an outstanding young core of Mailata-Dickerson-Jurgens-Steen. They’ll go looking for the RT of the future next April. The best way for Jalen Hurts to earn his mega-deal is to keep him healthy and give him time to make plays. Adding a player like Steen will help Hurts to keep making plays.
*****
If you want more Steen, here you go.
*****
If you want less Chachere, here you go.
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Posted May 7th, 2023 | 5 Comments »The Eagles made their list of UDFA signings official on Friday. It was the same group we expected. In the past, players would negotiate with multiple teams and even sometimes make multiple commitments. That made for confusion. Things seem better controlled now. Let’s take another look at the UDFAs with some additional thoughts.
LB Ben VanSumeren
WR Joseph Ngata
OL Trevor Reid
CB Mekhi Garner
CB Eli Ricks
WR Jadon Haselwood
TE Brady Russell
OL Chim Okorafor
P Tyler Zentner
LB Ben VanSumeren – Michigan State – 6-2, 231
Went to Michigan as a RB and left Michigan State as a LB. Probably the first guy to pull that off. Only started 10 games in his college LB career, but he is a special athlete with a lot of potential. Has outstanding agility. More than a few DBs would like his ability to change directions so smoothly and quickly. Can fly when he’s in the open field. Ran 4.45 at his Pro Day and you see that on tape. Can be a physical player. Is comfortable playing in traffic and fighting off blockers.
The downside with VanSumeren is that he’s not instinctive at a position where instincts are important. You need to know where the ball is going to be. Some of that is film study, but part of it is feel. The other issue is tackling. VanSumeren attacks his target aggressively, but tackling doesn’t look natural to him. It seems like he’s thinking about it as he does it (wrap up, drive through the runner and put him down with authority).
I watched VanSumeren in the Shrine Game and thought he looked good. He’s got the potential to be a starting LB in the NFL. I think he’s got a good shot to win a roster spot, but I don’t think he’d push for playing time this year. Reed Blankenship had 49 starts coming into the NFL and that experience helped him to be ready to play. VanSumeren has the athleticism, size and raw ability to play in the NFL, but he will need work to clean up a few issues in his game.
WR Jadon Haselwood – Arkansas – 6-2, 215
Interesting prospect who could push for a roster spot. Played at Oklahoma in an Air Raid offense until he transferred to Arkansas and played in their run-based offense. Led OU in receiving in 2021 and Arkanas in 2022. Beyond the numbers, has value because of his versatility. Can play in the slot or outside. Sometimes would line up in the backfield and either take a hand-off or go out on a route. Caught 121 career passes.
Ran 4.55 at his Pro Day, which is solid for his size, but you don’t see that speed on tape. More quick than fast. Had a 3-cone time of 6.98 and you do see that quickness and agility. Those are important traits for someone who lives in the slot. Haselwood has good RAC ability. Can be elusive and get by the initial defender. Just lacks the burst to create big plays. More of a chain-mover than playmaker.
Showed signs of physicality in college, but he’s an inconsistent blocker and doesn’t seek out contact. If you’re looking for Zach Pascal, the ability is there, but will need to play with an edge more consistently. Could push for a roster spot if he’ll embrace blocking and playing on STs.
WR Joseph Ngata – Clemson – 6-3, 217
If you’re going to take a chance on a big receiver, find someone from Clemson. They’ve put more than a few into the NFL. Ngata caught 88 passes in his CU career and has a solid combination of size and speed (4.54). You put on the tape and see him make some tough catches. He is big and physical. He plays to his size. You see NFL potential.
Unfortunately there are issues as well. He does not have good body control, which I feel is the most important trait for a WR. Ngata rounds his cuts, which can work in the ACC, but will not work in the NFL. Receivers need to make hard cuts in order to get separation. Ngata struggled to get separation in college. Some of this can be developed with good coaching in the NFL, but I think Ngata’s lack of ideal agility will limit him. Uphill battle to make the roster.
OL Trevor Reid – Louisville – 6-4, 311
When a 2-year starter at LT for a power 5 team has a great Pro Day showing and still goes undrafted, you know there are some issues. Reid started 24 games for UL, all at LT. Played in the Shrine Game after the season and was LT there. Gifted athlete. You see that on tape and at his Pro Day. Has 34 5/8 inch arms, which is the kind of length you want at OT. There is a lot to like about Reid.
Reid didn’t play football until high school so he is still learning. He’s put on 70 pounds since then so he’s had to adjust to playing as a bigger body. He was able to maintain his athleticism and that’s why the NFL is interested. Reid is agile, but doesn’t have smooth footwork. He plays too fast overall. Jeff Stoutland will need to slow him down and get him more technique-oriented. There are times when Reid looks natural in pass pro. You will also see him look good coming off the ball and blocking a LB up the field on a run. Reminds me a bit of LeRaven Clark, who was a backup for the Eagles.
Reid’s immediate future will be determined by how he takes to Stoutland’s coaching. If he is a great student, I could see room for Reid on the roster. I think the practice squad is a lot more likely. Reid will need time to learn and develop.
CB Mekhi Garner – LSU – 6-2, 212
Transferred from Louisiana to LSU for his senior season and had a solid year. Finished his college career with 26 PDs and 3 INTs. Has the size you want in a corner and is a physical player. The problem is movement ability. Ran 4.55 at the Combine, which is the bare minimum for a corner. Posted solid agility numbers, but you don’t see quick feet on game tape. Sometimes will get caught flat-footed as receivers make moves/cuts. Good hitter. Inconsistent tackler. Not shy, but needs to wrap-up more consistently.
I can see why the Eagles have interest. Garner is a big, long corner who is comfortable playing off. I think that’s where he is at his best. Let him keep his eyes in the backfield and then break on the ball. Some have speculated he could play safety and I agree that makes some sense. The Eagles are keeping him at corner for now. That’s the more premium position so you see what he does there before moving him. I like him as a scheme fit, but raw talent is an issue.
CB Eli Ricks – Alabama – 6-2, 188
Wild career. Elite recruit coming out of high school who went to LSU. Then had 4 INTs as a freshman and looked on his way to greatness. Dealt with some injuries in 2021 and then transferred to Bama for 2022. Played in 10 games but only started 5. It is important to note that he played more as the season went along. That shows trust from the coaches and also that Ricks stayed focused and kept working.
Ricks ran 4.55 at his Pro Day. His 3-cone time was 7.44, which is dreadful for a DB. His game tape shows a player with quick feet and good agility. Maybe he was chugging beers with Landon Dickerson before the drill. In a case like this, focus on the tape. You see a player who can press and stick with receivers. He has good length. Willing tackler.
Josh Jobe came to the Eagles last year as a UDFA corner from Bama. He was able to make the team and contribute on STs. Ricks has legit NFL talent for the coaches to work with. Watch his LSU highlights and he’ll remind you of James Bradberry with his length, ball skills and nose for the ball. You can see why the Eagles had interest in him. Ricks is a project, but the natural talent is there.
TE Brady Russell – Colorado – 6-3, 247
32-game starter who caught 78 passes for 799 yards in his career. Has good RAC ability, but isn’t special athletically. Good effort as an in-line blocker. Doesn’t always win, but will battle. Does a solid job of blocking on the move.
Older player. Will turn 25 in August. Ran 4.79 and did 21 reps. Longshot, but could be a good practice player. Plays hard and does have some ability.
OL Chim Okorafor – Benedictine (KS) – 6-6, 315
From the Eagles website:
He played two seasons of basketball at Cal Poly Pomona, then transferred to Riverside City Community College in 2019, Missouri Southern in 2020, and Pitt State after that. He landed in Kansas at Benedictine for the 2022 season, playing three games.
That’s an unusual background. Was physically dominant at the levels he played at. Just destroyed the guys he went against. Has 34 7/8 inch arms. His size, length and natural ability make him an interesting project.
I think his basketball background has helped him have good feet for a big guy. Nothing special athletically. Major uphill battle because of the upgrade in competition, but has raw tools worth trying to develop. Has potential at both G and T.
P Tyler Zentner – Kansas State – 6-2, 199
Served as punter, kicker and kickoff specialist for KSU. Averaged 43.4 yards per punt for his career. That number was 44.5 for 2022. Never had a punt blocked in his career. 57 of 127 career punts were downed inside the 20. Had 39 career punts of 50 or more yards. Made all 11 FGs in 2022, with a long of 53 yards.
I don’t know enough about kicking to offer any kind of expertise. Here are some thoughts from the guys at Puntalytics.
In 2022 Zentner finished with an overall pEPA of 0.15, good for 22nd in the FBS and 5th among draft-eligible punters (behind MSU’s Bryce Baringer, Rutgers’ Adam Korsak, Miami’s Lou Hedley, and Oklahoma’s Michael Turk). Zenter posted an open-field score of 0.18 (5th), and a pin-deep score of 0.09 (3rd, ahead of Turk and Baringer).
The bottom line: Zentner’s highs are outrageously high, but his lows are worrisome. He will need to improve his consistency, and add a few yards to his baseline punt without sacrificing hangtime or placement. He will also need to improve his sideline control, as NFL returners will be less forgiving of down the middle punts. He definitely has a shot, and to us he was the best UDFA bet in the 2023 class.
Should be good competition for Arryn Siposs.
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