Three second-year Eagles named among NFL's most vital second-year defenders
Mastering the NFL Draft is one of the keys to ensuring the health of an elite team's roster moving forward. Just look at the Philadelphia Eagles for reference. Their young core consists of many guys they landed in various selection meetings at the end of April.
The draft has never been an exact science. Some call it a crapshoot. Sometimes, the evaluation process can lead to big swings and a few home runs. Sometimes, teams can get lucky. Jordan Mailata was taken in Round 7. Who in the heck knew he'd be this good?
Then, there are the 'sure things', though no one wants to call them that. DeVonta Smith and Jalen Carter's success at football's highest level shouldn't shock anyone who has paid attention, nor should the ascension of Quinyon Mitchell, Jalyx Hunt, and Cooper DeJean.
The latter three earned Super Bowl rings in their first seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. As we near the coming regular season, they also landed on a list naming some phenomenal second-year stars.
An Eagles trio lands on ESPN's list of important second-year NFL defenders
Seeing Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean praised for their smooth transitions to the professional level isn't shocking. They stepped right in and played like veterans who were ten years their senior.
If they had been left off ESPN's list of the 20 most important second-year defenders, it would have needed to have been thrown out. Fortunately, they earned their proper respect, as did the previously mentioned Jalyx Hunt.
"With only 321 snaps to his name, Hunt was the least active rookie to make this list. But look at the Eagles' depth chart: Josh Sweat's 775 snaps now belong to Arizona, and Brandon Graham's 311 snaps have retired."
Those were the words of Ben Solak, the writer of this one. He references Hunt coming on down the stretch and his transition from safety to edge rusher. He also mentions the young Eagle's rapid development into someone ready to replace Bryce Huff by the middle of the Eagles' season.
"Is Hunt ready for early-down responsibilities? His run defense wasn't often tested in Year 1, and he lacked the size to hold up at the point of attack. He can play his way into a three-down job, but the Eagles need him to be great in a rotational role, as they lost so many pressures from last season's Super Bowl team."
None of that is unfair to say. Most of those statements have been made by anyone who has taken the time to study Hunt's game, but if their study was thorough, they should also be willing to state the following. This young man is ready for primetime.
Mitchell and DeJean were both finalists for the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year Award. The best news about all of this is the following. They're all part of a larger unit with potential playmakers everywhere. That means none of them has to do everything. Being able to focus specifically on their jobs will ensure there will be enough big plays to go around for everyone.
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