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‘It’s Time’: Rasheed Bailey Ready For Chance With Eagles

By Anthony DiBona

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Following the conclusion of the 2015 NFL Draft, the Philadelphia Eagles frantically used the phones to try and sign all of the undrafted free agents they were interested in. One name in particular stood out among the rest, Delaware Valley wide receiver Rasheed Bailey is a small school, Division III prospect with big time talent. Before the signing was even reported, current Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews tweeted a welcome message to Bailey:

As a Philadelphia native and life-long fan of the Eagles, it’s a dream come true for Bailey but he also understands and hopes that this is only the beginning. When asked about the tweet from Matthews, Bailey said “once I opened my phone and saw that he tweeted ‘welcome to the family’, I said ‘alright, let’s go, it’s time.’ So you know, it definitely made me happy and it definitely made me feel a part of the team and part of the family.”

While it’s a great moment for any prospect to finally reach their dream of being in the NFL, it’s extra special when a player gets to play for their favorite team. Eagles defensive end Vinny Curry was a life-long fan of the birds as well and he’s panned out well in Philadelphia. But could being such a die-hard fan get in the way of focusing on getting the job done on the field? Bailey doesn’t think so, as he said when asked about turning the page between being a fan and a player. “No, it’s not hard at all because I have that drive, that passion, everything that Philly is and I’m trying to bring it to this football team. And I’m excited and I’m going to wear that chip on my shoulder, coming from a small school and being a fan to now being a player. I’m going to give it everything I got every day.” Bailey said.

It’s clear that Bailey is excited about the opportunity to play for the Eagles in his hometown but he’s just as exciting to watch on the field. His Twitter handle is “ShowTimeSheed” and rightfully so because even though he’s a bit of a bigger wide receiver at 6-2, 205 pounds, he’s an explosive player that made plenty of plays at Delaware Valley. Here is a video of Bailey’s highlights during his record breaking senior season in 2014:

Bailey’s senior season was special and he finished with 80 receptions for 1,707 receiving yards and 19 touchdowns. Those numbers are impressive at any level of football, especially considering Bailey did it in just 11 games. As you can see on his highlight tape, Bailey runs impressive routes and has good speed to make plays after the catch as well. Although he likely won’t make the roster, he’ll be a player to watch for during training camp and preseason games.

Bailey could end up making the practice squad though, which may be his best option. The Eagles will likely only keep wide receivers Riley Cooper and Miles Austin around for another season so Bailey could come back in 2016 and really make a run for a final 53-man roster spot with a year in the system under his belt. It’s always fun to root for the “hometown hero” and Bailey certainly has the potential to eventually play that role in the City of Brotherly Love for his beloved birds.

Next: 2015 Eagles Projected Defensive Depth Chart

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