A few young defensive backs would do the Philadelphia Eagles some good.
It’s more than obvious that the Philadelphia Eagles‘ defensive backfield may be one of the roster’s biggest issues. After trading for Darius Slay, the Eagles’ front office seemed to be resting on its hopes that the combination of rookie prospects and so-so veterans, would fix the issues that this team had in the secondary
Well, you all saw what happened. Fast forward, and here we are, stuck with a pile of questions and no true answers in sight. The Birds need to find young talented prospects across the board, but they definitely need help at corner if they’re serious about competing with good offenses moving forward.
Whether it’s through the 2021 NFL Draft or in free agency, the Philadelphia Eagles need to land productive prospects with a versatile skill set. We at ITI have scoured the college football landscape to find said players that can help, and we may have found one in the Beehive State. With that being said, welcome former Utah State corner D.J. Williams to the conversation.
Here are a few notes and a quote for Philadelphia Eagles fans to ponder.
Williams is a five-foot-nine, 180-pound product, with some of the quickest feet, some of the best ball skills you’ll find in an under-the-radar talent. Blessed with the true skill set to play both inside and on the outside, he has the footwork to play in a crowd and flourish against the best of the best. What stands out in watching his film is he never seems to take false steps in coverage and never falls for any shenanigans.
We at ITI reached out to a scouting source and asked him what his take on the under-the-radar prospect was. He asked to not be named, but this is what he had to say:
"Yeah, I think D.J. was a victim of all this COVID-19 craziness. I think, in a normal year, he lands on someone’s roster and he flourishes big time. He isn’t a big guy but plays like he is. he can play on an island and take away a wideout, but to me, he lives in the middle of the field and takes away the slot. He is aggressive in the run game and always seems to look for contact. You like that in a guy his size. You like to see (that) he isn’t afraid to mix it up in the run game and mix it up on the outside. He is fast. Like fast! He has some speed that you just can’t teach. I think as long as things start getting a bit more normal he should get a chance to get on a roster. If I am being honest since we are talking about your beloved Eagles, he is already better than most of the guys they have on that roster, respectfully."
A true student of the game the Utah State corner has the football IQ coaches covet, along with the skill set to be a real upgrade for someone’s roster.
He has the great feet you want on a cornerback and the quick-twitch you hope for in a defensive-back. The Philadelphia Eagles need to land a talented corner in the 2021 NFL Draft but even before then, the opportunity to land a great player sits in free-agency.