Corey Clement can play an important role for the Eagles in 2017

Undrafted free agent running back Corey Clement could end up playing a significant role for the Philadelphia Eagles as a rookie.

It was a bit of a shock to see Wisconsin running back Corey Clement go unclaimed in the 2017 NFL Draft. After rushing for 1,375 yards and 15 touchdowns as a senior, you’d think a talented back like Clement would convince one of the league’s 32 teams to take a chance on him. But unfortunately for Clement, that never ended up happening.

That is until the Philadelphia Eagles called.

Last month, the Eagles signed Clement as an undrafted free agent. Despite taking San Diego State’s Donnel Pumphrey with their fourth-round selection, the Eagles were still in need of depth at the running back position. And while Clement may have been passed over 253 times in the draft, he is more than capable of giving the Eagles what they are hoping he can provide.

And possibly much more.

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Even though he missed the majority of his junior season due to sports hernia surgery and dealt with a minor run-in with the law, Clement still managed to put together a solid college resume. In three years at Wisconsin, he ran for 3,092 yards and 36 touchdowns with an average of 5.4 yards per carry.

At just 5’10”, Clement uses his 220-pound frame to run with authority and bulldoze his way for yardage. His bruising running style is a quality no Eagles running back currently possesses. Comprised mainly of shiftier backs like Darren Sproles, Wendell Smallwood and Donnel Pumphrey, the Eagles’ backfield lacks a player who can be counted upon to win in short-yardage situations.

Insert Clement, however, and the Eagles have a rather formidable answer on the goal line, third-and-shorts and in late-game clock management.

After studying Clement’s game, it’s extremely hard to understand how such a talented player managed to go undrafted.

Just watching Clement run is enough to make you want to truck through a bring wall. He may be a tad on the short side, but he plays like the largest man on the field in this clip against a stout Michigan defense. One tackler isn’t enough to bring him down and, in this case, two apparently isn’t enough either. This run is designed to go to the inside, but Clement does a terrific job of bouncing it, getting to the edge and picking up a huge gain on first down.

While Clement is typically known for his hard, downhill running, he shows here what he is capable of when given space. With his eyes glued downfield, Clement patiently allows his hole to develop and attacks it with a nice burst of speed, resulting in a solid gain and conversion. Instead of simply giving up on the play after picking up the first down, he continues to fight for extra yardage until he is forcibly brought to the ground.

This is what the Eagles are likely hoping to see from Clement at the next level. Here, he takes the handoff and immediately attacks his running lane. Once in the open field, he is able to weave through traffic and stiff arm his pursuer into oblivion. That pursuer, by the way, is fellow Eagles rookie Nate Gerry. Clement’s breakaway speed isn’t to die for. He is eventually pushed out of bounds by his pursuers at the end of the play. But he does a good job of following his blocks, getting into the open field and picking up a huge chunk of yardage despite his 4.68 speed.

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As just about every football fan should know by now, nothing is guaranteed in the NFL. Young players need to earn their place on a roster and Clement will be no exception. Assuming he plays at the level he is capable of this summer, it’s hard to imagine the Eagles won’t give him a shot to begin the season on the active roster and play a role as the team’s short-yardage ace.

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