3 young Eagles certain to pack some punch and move the meter in 2023
player. 54. . . . Reed Blankenship. 32
Reed Blankenship was a nice surprise that could help the Eagles in an expanded role this season.
As cool as his last name sounds, Reed Blankenship never heard it called during seven rounds of the 2022 NFL Draft, but he did get a phone call from Philly as they liked what they saw. He signed with the Birds as an undrafted free agent.
In training camp, he was the low man on the totem pole. He just continued to put in the work and became one of three rookie UDFAs to make the Eagles’ final roster. Josh Sills and Josh Jobe were the other two.
When Chauncey Gardner-Johnson went down with a lacerated kidney, Reed was the next man up. The Eagles fanbase liked what they saw.
He recorded his first career interception versus the Green Bay Packers off of the arm of future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers. He proved to be ready for the moment, compiling six tackles on the evening.
The hard-hitting safety would go on to collect 34 tackles, two pass deflections, and one interception during 10 in-game appearances. He also made his presence felt during the Eagles’ playoff run. 11 tackles, one pass deflection, one forced fumble, and a fumble recovery were the result of his first postseason run.
He also became the third undrafted rookie in franchise history to start in a playoff game. There were ups and downs as you’d expect with a rookie, but with more playing time, he’ll continue to improve. We’ll see if he snags a starting position.