April 29, 2024
During the 2024 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles made nine draft picks. After it was over, Howie Roseman said that the team added seven additional undrafted free agents. So far, six have been reported. As a disclaimer, while reports of UDFA signings are usually correct, there are occasions in which a player is initially reported to have signed with one team, but instead they end up with another.
The chart below shows a snapshot of the Eagles' reported signings, and their rankings/grades via Dane Brugler of The Athletic and Lance Zierlein of NFL.com. We'll update this if/when more reported signings trickle in.
Player | Brugler | Zierlein |
Gabe Hall, DT, Baylor | DT10 (4th round) | DT17 (Round 4-5) |
Gottlieb Ayedze, OG, Maryland | OG15 (Round 5-6) | OG13 (Round 5-6) |
Kendall Milton, RB, Georgia | RB26 (Priority FA) | RB18 (Round 6) |
Anim Dankwah, OT, Howard | OT26 (Round 7-PFA) | OT28 (Round 7-PFA) |
McCallan Castles, TE, Tennessee | TE19 (Priority FA) | TE13 (Round 6-7) |
Andre' Sam, S, LSU | S25 (Priority FA) | S23 (Priority FA) |
A look at each prospect:
Hall was a player I didn't didn't know much about earlier this offseason, but he was a standout during Senior Bowl practices. Push-pull move here:
Baylor’s Gabe Hall has looked like one of the best IDLs at the Senior Bowl. Wins here with a push-pull. pic.twitter.com/pQKihdHvb6
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) January 31, 2024
Swim move here:
Baylor’s Gabe Hall showcasing why he’s one of the most intriguing D-linemen at the Senior Bowl this year. Long and athletic. Lightning fast club-swim here. pic.twitter.com/FOJffXKFBF
— Bobby Football (@Rob__Paul) January 30, 2024
He is a tall, lean defensive tackle at 6'6, 291, with an 84" wingspan.
Hall has some pass rush talent and some intriguing traits, but was a liability at times for Baylor against the run. Still, it's a surprise that he didn't get drafted.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Ayedze played LT for four years at Frostburg State (MD), before transferring to Maryland in 2023, where he mostly played RT. At 6'4 with 33" arms, his home in the NFL will likely be at guard. Ayedze is an undersized lineman who ran a fast 40.
He is a developmental prospect who the Eagles could try to groom as a backup guard/tackle.
Source: Matt Zenitz
Milton is a big, one-cut-and-go sledgehammer-type back who runs through contact and usually falls forward.
His career rushing stats:
Kendall Milton | Rush | Yards | YPC | TD |
2020 | 35 | 193 | 5.5 | 0 |
2021 | 56 | 264 | 4.7 | 1 |
2022 | 85 | 592 | 7.0 | 8 |
2023 | 121 | 790 | 6.5 | 14 |
One out of every 8.6 of Milton's carries in 2023 resulted in a touchdown. He also finished off his college career on a hot streak, rushing 64 times for 495 yards (7.7 YPC) and 9 TDs in Georgia's final five games in 2023. He wasn't much of a threat as a receiver out of the backfield at Georgia, as he had just 12 career receptions.
At running back, the Eagles have Saquon Barkley, Kenny Gainwell, and Will Shipley, who are all locks to make the roster. Otherwise, if the Eagles keep four running backs, Milton will compete with guys like Tyrion Davis-Price, Lew Nichols, and any further additions for a roster spot.
Source: Jordan Schultz
Dankwah is a mammoth offensive tackle at 6'8, 353:
I'll let Zierlein do the heavy lifting here:
Decorated left tackle with extremely rare size, mass and length. Dankwah is a human wall with the ability to grind and drive opponents off their turf once he's centered up and has his legs driving. He moves with adequate initial quickness but will struggle to redirect his weight to make blocks on the move or to recover against quick inside rush counters. Dankwah is too tall to play guard and might not have the lateral quickness to protect the passer at an acceptable level. However, size and power matter to NFL teams, and there is enough on tape for a general manager to invest a late-round pick in him.
Dankwah is probably a multi-year project likely to spend the 2024 season on the practice squad.
McCallan initially enrolled at Cal in 2018, but entered the transfer portal during the 2019 season. He transferred to UC Davis, and then to Tennessee in 2023. In 2023, Castles had 22 catches for 283 yards and 5 TDs. His most productive season was in 2021 at UC Davis, when he had 27 catches for 387 yards and 4 TDs. There are a bunch of broken tackles in this highlight reel:
34 is a weird number for a tight end, but I digress.
The Eagles currently have four tight ends on their roster — Dallas Goedert, C.J. Uzomah, Grant Calcaterra, and Albert Okwuegbunam. Only Goedert has ever really done anything for the Eagles, so there is some opportunity for an undrafted rookie tight end to make the roster with a good camp.
Source: Jeremy Fowler
Sam is a 25-year-old prospect who originally enrolled at McNeese State in 2017, transferred to Marshall in 2022, and then to LSU in 2023. He had 85 tackles and 3 INTs for LSU in 2023, and got a Combine invite.
Sam is undersized, but he can thump.
Source: Tom Pelissero
Last year, one undrafted free agent — CB Eli Ricks — made the initial 53-man roster out of training camp. LB Ben VanSumeren and S Mekhi Garner eventually got added as well. A quick list of the Eagles' undrafted rookie free agents who made the initial 53-man roster out of camp:
2023 (1): CB Eli Ricks
2022 (3): S Reed Blankenship, CB Josh Jobe, OL Josh Sills
2021 (1): TE Jack Stoll
2020 (0): None
2019 (2): LB T.J. Edwards, OL Nate Herbig
2018 (1): DT Bruce Hector
2017 (1): RB Corey Clement
2016 (4): WR Paul Turner, OT Dillon Gordon, DT Destiny Vaeao, CB C.J. Smith
2015 (1): CB Denzel Rice
2014 (2): TE Trey Burton, K Cody Parkey
2013 (3): OL Matt Tobin, DT Damion Square, LB Jake Knott
2012 (2): RB Chris Polk, WR Damaris Johnson
That would be an average of 1.8 per season. The only season over the last 12 years that no undrafted rookie free agents made the Eagles' initial 53-man roster was in 2020, when COVID complicated that offseason.
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