Eagles Coach Calls Out ‘Freak Athlete’ for Special Teams Role

Getty Justin Fields could earn a similar extension to Jalen Hurts if he can mirror his 2022 breakout.

The Philadelphia Eagles fully intend to use first-round pick Nolan Smith as a pass rusher. Let’s get that out in the open to start the conversation. He is insanely gifted in the athletic gene department, with his 4.39-second 40 and 41.5-inch vertical.

Calling Smith a freak athlete is not an understatement. The 6-foot-2, 238-pounder has rightfully drawn comparisons to Hasson Reddick for those reasons. He is expected to eat quarterbacks for lunch in the NFL. But, special-teams coordinator Michael Clay noted that Smith blocked a few punts in college, including a big one for Georgia that resulted in a safety against Missouri. There is a chance the Eagles throw him on special teams.

“You see Nolan Smith blocked a few punts in Georgia. He’s an athlete, a freak athlete that you could use,” Clay told reporters on May 11. “Sydney Brown did a heck of a job in terms of his career at Illinois. Him and Devin Witherspoon were their gunners, and having the opportunity for those guys coming in with their speed and the prowess of playing some special teams, coming in, I think it’s only going to make this team better because competition usually breeds the greatness in everything. Having guys come in, whether they’re young, second-year guys, I think it’s going to be beneficial for our team going forward.”

Brown, as Clay pointed out, was an absolute stud on special teams at Illinois. He flashed his 4.47-second 40 speed as a gunner on punt returns and consistently made plays, like slapping the ball out. He is a certified playmaker in all three phases.

Nolan Smith Attends Von Miller Pass Rush Summit

Nolan Smith has made no bones about his admiration for Von Miller. He has studied the perennial Pro Bowler with great intention, trying to mimic and perfect his patented “ghost move.” So, it shouldn’t surprise anyone to hear that Smith recently attended the Von Miller Pass Rush Summit in Las Vegas. He was there to learn and punish any dummy bags in his way.

Smith told Chris Long that he is playing his rookie year with a chip on his shoulder. He was projected to go as high as No. 10 in the draft, then fell all the way down to No. 30. He’s ready to show people what they missed.

“A lot of things stick in my head but, you know, that’s why I’m here because I always had a chip on my shoulder,” Smith told “The Green Light” podcast, via Philly Sports Network. “Sometimes I put it on myself and sometimes it’s an actual chip but this time it’s an actual chip. I don’t want to talk about it. I just want to play football.”

Training Camp Battles: Safety Position

The biggest battle at Eagles camp might be at the safety position. Reed Blankenship and Terrell Edmunds got the first-team reps at OTAs, but watch out for stiff competition from rookie Sydney Brown once the pads come on. He was flying all over the field and looked hungry to steal a job. Pro Football Focus called out a battle for the starting safety spot, adding that Brown has a real opportunity to snake the job from Edmunds.

Trevor Sikkema wrote: “Edmunds never quite lived up to his draft pedigree as a first-rounder and has graded below 70.0 in four of his five seasons as a pro. Brown is a third-rounder who picked off six passes and broke up six more in a box role this past season.”