Jeremy Reaves found his perfect fit with the Philadelphia Eagles

2018 Undrafted Free Agent Jeremy Reaves landed in an ideal situation with the Philadelphia Eagles.

The fun and games are over for the 2018 NFL Draft class. The rookies have begun settling in their new environments as Rookie Mini-Camp kicks off. Although most of the Philadelphia Eagles rookies in attendance this week weren’t drafted, some newcomers know that they have a realistic chance of making the Eagles roster.

After the draft wrapped up a few weeks back, the Eagles signed many undrafted free agents. While most of them will enter onto the team as camp bodies, a few names really stood out. One of the more prominent names was South Alabama’s, Jeremy Reaves.

The five-foot eleven-inch safety doesn’t hail from a top school in the NCAA. But a small school player means nothing to NFL scouts if the talent in the player is undeniable. For Reaves, all he needed was a shot at the Senior Bowl. It might not have helped him get drafted. But it undoubtedly helped him grab the attention of the Super Bowl Champions.

Reaves is a perfect fit for the Eagles:

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When the 2018 NFL Draft wrapped up, Jeremy Reaves had yet to find out where he would play in the NFL. Unlike all of the drafted prospects, Reaves would at least have the opportunity to pick his next team from a small list of organizations of interest. The obvious choice for the smalltown defensive back was none other than the Philadelphia Eagles.

Last season, the Eagles wrapped up their Super Bowl journey labeled as “Underdogs.” Although the team is no longer the underdog, the mentality will still stick in the heads of players all throughout the Nova Care Complex. The underdog label fits well with a guy like Jeremy Reaves. NFL scouts labeled him as an undersized defensive back who is too slow. In fact, he couldn’t even have the opportunity to showcase his skills at the NFL Combine.

Now, the hard-hitting safety is ready to overcome his underdog label and make sure that he has a spot on the Eagles final 53-man roster when the fall arrives. But Reaves isn’t alone on this journey. Because not only does he have a teammate from the same path to look up to, but he has a mentor within the organization that was actually his idol growing up.

A little mix of McLeod-Dawkins:

The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane recently had an in-depth interview with Reaves about his journey to Philadelphia. When asked about his childhood idol, Reaves couldn’t have come up with a better answer. The undersized, hard-hitting safety obviously modeled his game based on Philadelphia Eagles great, Brian Dawkins.

"“Brian Dawkins was the dude,” Reaves said. “That’s why I hit like I do. That’s why I act the way I do, dancing and jumping around. That made me a lot of who I am, watching him play.”"

Dawkins isn’t the only player that Reaves has similarities too. Eagles starting safety Rodney McLeod didn’t quite have it easy coming into the NFL either. As the 27-year-old is heading into his seventh season, some forget that just like Reaves, McLeod slid past seven rounds of the NFL Draft without a single call.

Next: 8 Veterans get invited to Rookie Mini-Camp

McLeod showed out from day one with the St. Louis Rams back in 2012. Now, Reaves can do the same as he has a wide-open opportunity to make the team. Looking at the Eagles current depth chart, the safety position is thin in depth. With all of the tools and resources around him, Reaves has a golden opportunity to find himself on the Eagles gameday roster come September. As long as he can stay in his lane, and learn from those who have a similar path, Reaves could potentially be the next Eagles standout who went undrafted.

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