Last year's pleasant surprise at Philadelphia Eagles training camp was undrafted free agent wide receiver Darius Cooper, but who will it be in 2026?
This Eagles roster is stacked with all kinds of talent as they enter a critical season with a ton of pressure. The same position group Cooper is in is under the most pressure right now.
The departure of A.J. Brown via trade has put them in a spot where they need to succeed as a group and replace him. There's a new addition that hasn't been talked about over the last few weeks who will be able to help out more than some think once training camp gets rolling.
Erik Ezukanma is a guy to watch out for at Eagles training camp
Ezukanma was signed after OTAs concluded by the Eagles since he was a part of the United Football League (UFL), playing for the D.C. Defenders. He finished with 762 all-purpose yards and one touchdown in 10 regular season games for the Defenders, as he did it all as a receiver, runner, and special teams returner.
The Miami Dolphins selected him in the fourth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, where he played three seasons, and he then spent last year with the Jacksonville Jaguars. So far in his NFL career, he has had one catch for three yards and five rushing attempts for 22 yards.
This is going to be a challenging training camp for Ezukanma as he has a ton of competition at wide receiver. The locks so far appear to be DeVonta Smith, rookie Makai Lemon, Dontayion Wicks, and Hollywood Brown. Ezukanma will have to compete with Elijah Moore, Cooper, and Johnny Wilson for the final spot or two.
Where Ezukanma has an advantage over Moore, Cooper, and Wilson is the versatility he brings to the offense. He can be used as a runner, he's a solid wide receiver, and he was one of the top returners in the UFL last season. Having all that at his disposal is important to him being a sneaky pick to make the 53-man roster.
Ezukanma will be a massive help to an Eagles team that struggled on special teams last year in the return game. Will Shipley and A.J. Dillon struggled on kickoff return, and Ezukanma might be able to sneak onto the roster based on what he does there and on punt return.
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The next month or two will be crucial for Ezukanma, who has a lot to prove to the Eagles' coaching staff and his teammates in a short time. If there is anyone who could turn heads in training camp and surprise some with a roster spot, Ezukanma seems to be the man to get it done.
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