Philadelphia Eagles: Chip Kelly Focusing On Freaks

Usually pre-draft visits are meaningless to fans because they don’t really reveal who their team is truly interested in. That isn’t the story with the Philadelphia Eagles and head coach Chip Kelly.

Six of the seven prospects the Eagles drafted in 2014 visited the NovaCare Complex prior to the draft, according to Bleeding Green Nation’s Brandon Lee Gowton. Wide receiver Josh Huff was the only player that didn’t visit Philadelphia and that’s likely because he spent time in Oregon with Kelly as his head coach. That being said, fans and the media keep a close eye on which prospects visit the Eagles because it appears to be pretty telling.

This year, 19 of their 30 official visits have been reported. There are a variety of prospects that have or will visit the birds, varying from projected first round picks to players that will likely go at the end of day three or undrafted. But what stands out most is the athleticism of the prospects visiting the team this year.

It wouldn’t be crazy to say Kelly is bringing the freak show to Philadelphia with some of these prospects. Whether it’s their size, ability on the field or the numbers they’ve put up at the combine or pro days, these guys are freaks…in a good way. Here are some of the prospects that have or will visit the Eagles that could fall into that category:

All of these prospects either possess above average size for their position or posted impressive numbers at the combine or their pro day. But it’s not like Kelly and the birds are just focusing on the numbers, these are talented players on the field as well. Each of them fill a need on the roster and could help the team right away.

Kelly has become famous for his phrase “bigger people beat up little people.” Now that he has complete control of the team, it’s clear he has a vision of getting bigger everywhere that he possibly can. This off-season, Philadelphia has signed players that are known for their size, length and physicality. That may shock people who unfairly think Kelly is all about speed. He’s talked time and time again about being physical on both offense and defense.

Although the Eagles’ selection of linebacker Marcus Smith in last year’s draft may have some people skeptical about drafting freakish athletes, they’re not all the same. Philadelphia understood Smith would be a project when they selected him, maybe not to the extent he has been, but that’s a different story. You can’t group all of these so-called “workout warriors” together. Chiefs defensive tackle Dontari Poe was a late riser that shot up draft boards after an impressive combine, but he’s now become a two-time Pro Bowler.

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Breshad Perriman and Chris Conley are just two of the many wide receivers the Eagles have brought in for official visits. But they bring an athleticism to the table that the others may not. They may not be as talented as the other prospects, yet they possess measurables that you just can’t teach. Both prospects failed to put up impressive numbers in college but that was likely do to the lack of talent surrounding them or their offensive system.

Then there are the big boys like Terry Poole who may be known more for his belly thrust at the combine than his play on the field. But Poole is no slouch. He surprised many with his 40-yard dash time at the combine, especially for his size. Poole is likely going to be a late day three pick in the draft but with his athleticism and versatility, he could be a solid developmental prospect for the Eagles’ offensive line. The other big boys are edge rushers like Owamagbe Odighizuwa, Obum Gwacham and Danielle Hunter. Each of them has insane size and athleticism for their position. None of them have reached even close to their potential and that’s what is so intriguing.

Lastly, there are the defensive backs that the Eagles have brought in to Philadelphia. That’s likely the biggest need on the team right now and all three of the prospects listed in the chart are likely first or second round picks that fit the bill for what the Eagles look for on the back-end of their defense. Byron Jones might be the best athlete in the entire 2015 NFL draft class, but he’s one heck of a player as well. As is Eric Rowe, who’s a personal favorite of mine because of his physicality and three years of experience as a starting safety as well. Jalen Collins is a solid athlete as well but his length and speed make him really stand out on tape and in the “underwear olympics.”

It’s becoming clear that Kelly and the Eagles want to fill their roster with athletes that are physical, versatile and possess quite a bit of upside. Whether that is the right way to build the roster has yet to be seen. But one thing is for sure, expect to see some freakish draft prospects donning midnight green next season.

Next: Eagles: Projecting Chip Kelly's Draft Rankings At WR

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