Philadelphia Eagles draft buzz: Sitting with Shane Simpson

Over the last few years, Miles Sanders (who will be entering his third NFL season in 2021) has been one of the few positives for the Philadelphia Eagles. A legit threat to opposing defenses, Sanders has been a big-play machine since being drafted by Philly in 2019. Blessed with a unique combination of speed and agility, he’s capable of scoring from anywhere on the field.

He can’t carry the load on his own though. The National Football League has gone away from the bell cow back and now leans on the committee approach in so many offenses. The one thing that all Eagles fans can agree on is their favorite team was a lot better when they had a multi-faceted backfield.

Philadelphia Eagles fans, meet this Virginia running back.

With all of that being said, please welcome the University of Virginia running back, Shane Simpson, to the conversation. He’s a five-foot-eleven and 205-pound runner that also has a skill set similar to Sanders. With the agility to make defenders miss and the sneaky break-away speed to go the distance anywhere on the field.

A career 1,000-yard rusher Simpson may not be a statistical monster, but he possesses the tools to be a star in his own right. He has great balance and although he’s only 200 pounds, he never shies away from contact. What stands out most when studying the Eaton, Pennsylvania native is his football IQ. He always seems to understand what the defense is throwing at him.

We at ITI had the opportunity to sit down with the Virginia product and ask him how he could help an NFL team as well as what he brings to an NFL locker room. Here’s what he had to say:

"I will start with my locker room presence. I feel like I am a team-first guy and (I) really have always been like that. I am a guy that cares about his teammates and the guys around me. I am a person that my team as a whole can lean on, be it on the field on behind the scenes."

As the conversation continued, Simpson told us how he could help the Philadephia Eagles. Here’s some of that portion of the conversation.

"You know, I have been a guy that has kind of gone under-the-radar, but I know, as far as a skill, I can be a big-play guy. I know, for any NFL team I go to, I will be a hard worker and a guy that is always working to be better at my craft. I am team first so I am going to do what my team needs me to do, be it play special teams returning kicks, or whatever they need. I Know all I need is a real opportunity and I am going to shine, I am going to prove my worth, and that I belong on the NFL level."

Here’s a scout’s take that will interest Philadelphia Eagles fans.

Before sitting down with Simpson, we at ITI spoke briefly with a scouting source and asked his opinion on the Cavalier running back. While he did not want to be named he did have this to say:

"I think if Shane Simpson had more opportunities to touch the ball, (we’re talking) about him as (being) one of the better backs this year. Despite that, he has a skill set that can help an NFL team like the Eagles. He has a little bit of Miles Sanders in his style, but at the same time, he is his own guy. He can help in a few aspects for the offense, the run game obviously, the passing game both as a receiver or a blocker."

The Philadelphia Eagles would be wise to keep an eye on a prospect with Simpson’s tools and skill set. It isn’t every day that you find a running back with his speed and agility, as well as the football smarts he is blessed with. While he may not be a huge name in the 2021 NFL Draft, he is a name that the Philadelphia Eagles need to familiarize themselves with.