3 Fun facts about Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon

This is quite a roster, huh? When the top concern might be answering the question about who the punt returner will be, you have to feel good about things. How about another hand for Howie Roseman? Heading into the most recent Philadelphia Eagles offseason, the concerns were the same as they always are.

Who’s the other outside cornerback? Why does it always feel like this team needs safeties, wide receivers, and linebackers? It wouldn’t be a bad idea if some depth was added at edge rusher and in the running back room.

In terms of that tailback issue, it seemed there was a plan. Give a final shot to Jason Huntley to see what he has. Add Kennedy Brooks after the NFL Draft. Let those two duke it out for the opportunity to man that fourth spot on the running backs depth chart.

In the end, Brooks landed on the practice squad, Huntley wound up with the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Philly added their fourth tailback after the San Francisco 49ers waived Trey Sermon on August 31st. It appears that Howie’s patience was rewarded yet again.

Here are three fun facts about new Philadelphia Eagles running back Trey Sermon.

Most guys would have relished the opportunity to play college ball for one of the traditional power programs. Trey Sermon has played for two. That’s one of several similarities he shares with the Philadelphia Eagles’ QB1, Jalen Hurts.

Trey Sermon is a former collegiate teammate of two fellow Eagles on offense.

In 2019, Hurts began a new journey, arriving in Norman, Oklahoma after being a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide for three seasons. Trey Sermon was on the Sooners roster that year as was rookie Eagles tight end Grant Calcaterra.

Trey would enter the transfer portal following the 2019 season, following an injury-shortened season. The Sooners’ dreams of hoisting a College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy ended thanks to the LSU Tigers, perhaps the greatest football team ever assembled.

No disrespect is intended to the 2001 Miami Hurricanes.

Believe it or not, Kennedy Brooks might be the top reason he left Oklahoma.

There’s no way to gauge what may have been had Sermon stayed in Norman, but he wanted to go somewhere he was needed. Keep two things in mind. Jalen Hurts led all of the Sooners’ rushers in 2019 with 1,298 yards and 20 rushing touchdowns. Their second-leading rusher, Kennedy Brooks, was the top tailback on the depth chart one year later.

Sermon left Norman for Columbus, Ohio as the Buckeyes needed help with J.K. Dobbins having left for the NFL and Master Teague III and Marcus Crowley dealing with injuries.

How ironic is it that Sermon eventually now owns a spot on the Philadelphia Eagles’ 53-man roster that Brooks fought so hard to win for himself?

Don’t dismiss him as simply being a short-yardage or goal-line tailback.

There are theories about the 49ers’ decision to move on from Sermon. Some say he’s strictly a ‘north-and-south runner’, and Kyle Shanahan preferred a shiftier option, but before you dismiss this young man as a workhorse that can churn out yards late if the Eagles have a lead or as a guy needed to pick up tough yards in the red zone or on third down, know this. Sermon sees himself as an every-down back.

Only time will tell if the tape backs up the proclamation, but here’s what we can say immediately. He notched 486 yards and three touchdowns on 48 career receptions at the NCAA level, and though he wasn’t asked to catch passes in the Bay Area, we know the ability is there. He also blocks well.

Despite being a bigger-bodied back at six-foot-tall and 215 pounds, he’s shown the ability to run patiently and wait for holes to develop. Stay tuned. Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, and Kenneth Gainwell precede him on the depth chart. They’ll get their touches, but Sermon could see substantial time on the field in reserve duty as well.