The long snapper position gets forgotten about all too often in the NFL, but after what the Philadelphia Eagles went through in 2025, they are looking for stability there.
Philly went through two long snappers throughout the season, which is a big reason they decided to have zero players at the position heading into the 2026 NFL Draft and to bring in a rookie. Eagles special teams coach Michael Clay praised the team's new undrafted rookie long snapper, Rocco Underwood, for how he has handled things so far.
"Rocco, a couple of weeks in, he's gelled well with the veteran guys," Clay said via Sports Illustrated's John McMullen. "Athletic individual. It's nice to have that he played under Joe Houston, who had coached in the NFL, so knows the rigors of the NFL from talking to Joe. He's doing a really good job. Obviously, once the pads are on and gets an actual real rush, but he's taking it stride for stride. Him and Tyler Brown meet up everyday. I'm in there poking fun at him still. I'll rush him a couple of times, obviously he'll get rushed by far better athletes in game situation, but I think he's doing a really good job."
Rocco Underwood is the future at the Eagles' long snapper position
Over the last few years at Florida, Underwood has been one of the best and most consistent long snappers in the nation. Back in 2024, he won the Patrick Mannelly Award, given out each college football season to the nation's best long snapper. Underwood was also a second-team All-SEC selection that same year.
There will be a bit of a transition as Underwood will have to work with kicker Jake Elliott and punter/holder Braden Mann to get on the same page and make the operation work. Elliott has struggled over the last two years with making less than 80% of his field goals each season, so the operation has to be perfect from Underwood, so Elliott doesn't have that to worry about as well.
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It's too early to tell, but the Eagles seem to have a great player in Underwood who has a chance to keep his long snapper job for a long time if he plays his cards right.
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