Recapping training camp for Eagles' 2024 draft picks

Even in this day and age, training camp is still a grind. Especially for rookies.

The Eagles just wrapped up their 2024 training camp after 16 total practices so it’s time to take a look back at the summer for their draft class.

In recent years, the Eagles haven’t gotten major contributions from their rookies but that might change this season. At least a few of their draft picks had really strong summers.

Let’s take a look:

Round 1-22: Quinyon Mitchell, CB, Toledo

The plan for Mitchell this summer was really smooth. He began his first NFL training camp working with the second team as both an outside and nickel corner but the Eagles slowly began to work him in with the starters. His first reps with the first team came as the extra defensive back in the dime package on Day 3 and his workload with the starters ramped up from there.

On Day 4, Mitchell was the first nickel cornerback on the field. He took over for Avonte Maddox, who began camp as the incumbent starter. Eventually, Maddox was needed to play safety so the transition was even smoother. For most of training camp, Mitchell played nickel cornerback with the first-team defense but still got some extra reps with the second team outside. Nickel corner is a new position for Mitchell but the Eagles saw some signs in the spring that he might be able to handle it and they were right. Toward the end of camp, Mitchell was the Eagles’ top outside corner opposite Darius Slay in the base package and bumped inside on nickel downs. That seems to be his role for Week 1, which puts a lot on his plate. And it also means Mitchell won’t leave the field.

The thing that impressed me most about Mitchell all summer was his competitiveness. He relished the opportunities to go against A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith and trash-talked them along the way. He didn’t win every rep against two of the best receivers in the NFL but he battled and didn’t back down. And after the final day of camp when Nick Sirianni set up some 1-on-1 situations, he asked the whole team who wanted Brown — Mitchell was the first guy to raise his hand. That tells you just about all you need to know.

Round 2-40: Cooper DeJean, DB, Iowa

The Eagles are still really excited about DeJean’s future but the versatile defensive back from Iowa missed most of training camp with a hamstring injury he suffered during the offseason. DeJean began the summer on the Non-Football Injury list and missed the first 11 days of practice. He returned on Day 12 (the joint practice in New England) as a limited participant and ramped up from there.

Over the last few practices of the summer, DeJean mostly played nickel corner with the second-team defense and didn’t look too rusty. In fact, he’s had a couple nice hits on Britain Covey and Will Shipley at the catch point (although both held on to the football). After suffering an injury that ended his 2023 season at Iowa early, DeJean is looking forward to playing in the third and final preseason game on Saturday at the Linc. He really missed the physical aspect of football and wants to actually hit somebody in full pads before his rookie season begins.

So what kind of role can we expect for DeJean? Early in the season, DeJean is likely going to be a backup on defense and a big contributor on special teams. But his role on defense could grow as the season goes on. His first chance to get on the field will likely be in the dime package — a role I expect to go to Maddox early in the season. But eventually there’s a chance DeJean could overtake the nickel cornerback spot if there’s some instability with Isaiah Rodgers or Kelee Ringo at outside corner. If the Eagles are rolling, maybe it’s less likely DeJean sees the field. But it seems possible that Mitchell ends up as the best option on the outside and DeJean could end up as the nickel

Round 3-94: Jalyx Hunt, OLB, Houston Christian

Because of his relative inexperience, expectations were clearly tempered for Hunt entering his rookie training camp but he easily exceeded them. Hunt flashed athleticism and play-making ability all summer and looked nowhere near as raw as many expected. He showed some juice as a pass rusher off the edge but also looks smooth when asked to drop into coverage. It seems like his safety background gives him an edge in that department.

Hunt has also embraced a big role on special teams. He loves flying down the field on those units and knows that’s an area where he’ll need to make his mark as a rookie because there might not be a ton of snaps for him on defense. Hunt is behind at least Bryce Huff, Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham and Nolan Smith on the edge. But he has shown enough this summer to at least earn some playing time.

Hunt actually missed the last day of training camp practice with an oblique injury but he said it’s nothing serious. All summer, Hunt has been the subject of my Surviving Camp series. If you want to know more about his story and his journey in training camp, you can find that here:

Surviving Camp with Jalyx Hunt, Part 3: Making his mark in preseason

Round 4-127: Will Shipley, RB, Clemson

Entering his rookie season, Shipley is clearly behind Saquon Barkley and Kenny Gainwell in the pecking order. But he looked competent enough to earn some playing time this season.

The area where Shipley has looked best is as a receiver out of the backfield. He has smooth hands and catches the ball like a natural receiver. Of course, both Barkley and Gainwell can catch the ball too so it might not be super easy to carve out that kind of role. I have actually been impressed by Shipley’s burst through the hole. While I’d agree that’s not his best attribute, when there’s a hole, he does hit it hard. And I’ll give Shipley credit for improving as a pass blocker throughout the summer. Early in camp, the linebackers were giving him absolute fits but then he had a great blitz pickup in the first preseason game and got better in practices.

We also saw Shipley work a lot as a kick returner. The Eagles have been using two return men and it would make sense to use running backs for this new play. The blocking ends up looking like a run play so Shipley has a chance to show up on kick returns.

Round 5-152: Ainias Smith, WR, Texas A&M

It was a really rough start in training camp for Smith. Honestly, his struggles lasted most of the summer and it took a long time before he pulled himself out of it. For most of training camp, Smith just looked like he didn’t belong, like the NFL game was too big and too fast for him. He dropped too many passes and muffed punts and even when he got the ball in his hands, he didn’t look explosive. Of course, Smith was coming off a stress fracture entering spring camp but his play early in the summer seemed like way more than rust.

Sirianni gave Smith some chances to build his confidence. One really backfired on Day 11 when he put Smith in a 1-on-1 situation against safety Andre’ Sam with the entire team watching. Smith struggled to gain separation and then dropped the pass in a drill set up for offensive success.

The good news? The last two days of training camp were Smith’s best of the summer. Maybe it started when he caught a game-winning 2-point conversion on a rub route in the preseason game against the Patriots. In the final practice of the summer, Smith had his best performance overall. He had to fully extend and make a fingertip grab on a pass from Tanner McKee in the middle of the field. It was an impressive catch that the rookie simply wouldn’t have made earlier in the summer. Because he was a fifth-round pick and because he came on strong at the end, Smith still has a good shot to make the 53-man roster but his role might be minimal.

Round 5-155: Jeremiah Trotter Jr., LB, Clemson

The one thing we heard about Trotter coming out of college was about his instincts. Those definitely showed up all summer. Trotter is just a football player and he took the first step over the last few weeks to step out of the shadow of his father in a city where the Axe Man was a Pro Bowler.

Trotter Jr. might not be the biggest or the fastest player but he always seems to be in the right spot. He has a high football IQ, which showed in practice and in the first couple of preseason games.

For most of the summer, the top two linebackers to start each day were Devin White and Zack Baun. Nakobe Dean was clearly the next guy up and has a chance to start. But Trotter worked his way into the expansive rotation. He got plenty of first-team reps this summer. Although he isn’t expected to be a starter in Year 1, there is a route for playing time on defense. If those guys above him struggle, Trotter showed enough that he should get an opportunity. If not, he’ll still be on the roster and will contribute on special teams.

Round 5-172: Trevor Keegan, OG, Michigan

Keegan got hurt on the second-to-last day of training camp and missed the final day with a hip injury. He also had a shoulder injury earlier in camp. But aside from the injuries, Keegan looked the part. From Day 1, Keegan was the second-team left guard and he kept that role all summer aside from a few first-team reps after Landon Dickerson got hurt on Day 5.

It’s worth noting that Keegan was a left guard in college and that’s the only position he played this summer. During the spring, there was talk about Keegan’s potential to be a versatile backup but we didn’t get to see that over the last few weeks. The good news is that Keegan looked like a solid player at left guard and he plays with a bit of a mean streak, which you like in an offensive lineman.

Keegan should be on the roster as a backup in Year 1. But if he doesn’t offer much position flexibility there’s a chance he might not always be active on game days.

Round 6-185: Johnny Wilson, WR, Florida State

There was a ton of intrigue entering camp about the 6-foot-6, 228-pound receiver and Wilson definitely turned some heads. Parris Campbell began the summer as the Eagles’ WR3 but then suffered a groin injury on Day 8 and missed five full practices. During that stretch, Wilson began to really get a lot of the first-team reps with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. It’s not like Wilson was making spectacular play after spectacular play but he looked good. He was catching the balls that came his way and showed good athleticism for a guy of his size.

The other important element of Wilson’s game is that he was able to play inside and outside. That could be key for the WR3 in this offense because Kellen Moore wants his receivers to line up everywhere. The big advantage to that in camp was getting Smith in the slot. And if Smith is in the slot in 11 personnel, then the third receiver has to line up out wide. When Wilson lined up inside, he gave the offense a big target and a different body type than most defenses are used to at that position.

Wilson suffered a concussion in the joint practice agains the Patriots and missed the rest of training camp in the NFL’s concussion protocol. It’s fair to point out that Wilson came back to Earth a bit before the injury. But he still put together a solid training camp for a sixth-round pick and did enough to earn a roster spot. If the Eagles don’t add another receiver, he might actually carve out a role on offense in Year 1.

Round 6-190: Dylan McMahon, C, NC State

The last time the Eagles drafted a center in the sixth round, it worked out pretty well. We’re not ready to call McMahon the next Jason Kelce but he quietly put together a strong first training camp as the third-team center. McMahon got some reps with the second team but that job belonged to Matt Hennessy to start camp and Brett Toth to end it. During team reps, McMahon looked the part and he really impressed during OL-DL 1-on-1s, where he had to face some tough challenges against bigger defensive tackles.

Based on what we saw from McMahon, I expected him to take over as the backup center at some point this summer and that never really happened. So I’m curious to see what the roster construction looks like and whether or not McMahon will be the backup center when the season starts. Even though sixth-round picks aren’t guaranteed roster spots, McMahon appeared to earned one with his play.

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