Underrated Eagles players that could be key contributors during 2023 NFL season

Bonus: Kelee Ringo, Cornerback

With the cornerback position being led by James Bradberry and Darius Slay, the Eagles, in theory, should be all set at the position, unless there's an injury. Every NFL season is filled with surprises, though, and it is necessary to have depth behind the most talented players.

The Eagles have a lot of bodies at the corner position. Is there any chance that we might see rookie Kelee Ringo? Drafted in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, he stands at six-foot-two inches and weighs 210 pounds. He started two seasons at the University of Georgia, playing an instrumental role in consecutive College Football Playoff National Championship victories for the Bulldogs.

In addition to his size, Ringo has excellent athleticism and decent college production. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.36 seconds and showcased a vertical jump of 33.5 inches. He translated this to the field nicely, earning 31 tackles, two interceptions, and three pass breakups in 2022. He's tight in some instances, but he didn't suffer too much as a result. Opposing quarterbacks enjoyed a 63.0 passer rating when targeting him.

Despite his athletic ability and size, Ringo is not seen as a finished product. According to NFL.com's pre-draft analysis of Ringo, his "body control gets sloppy from side-shuffle technique". He also "allows coverage slippage during scrambles."

In other words, Ringo struggles with some of the subtle nuances of playing cornerback that his athletic gifts cannot compensate for, but the Eagles are uniquely positioned to allow Ringo to play to his strengths while learning how to be a better all-around cornerback. That figures to occur in a reserve role though.

Being a depth option should allow Ringo time to grow and learn. Maybe he plays a little safety. Maybe he doesn't, but his physicality and athletic ability will give the Eagles another weapon on their defense and a starter should Slay or Bradberry miss time for any reason.

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