Georgia product and NFL rookie Smael Mondon draws similar comparison to former Eagles' key special teamer
One Philadelphia Eagles rookie that has not been talked about enough is 2025 fifth-round pick out linebacker Smael Mondon. The Georgia product enters a linebacker room with some uncertainty, giving him a chance to earn defensive snaps as a rookie, though while that is up in the air, he’s almost certain to make an immediate […]
One Philadelphia Eagles rookie that has not been talked about enough is 2025 fifth-round pick out linebacker Smael Mondon.
The Georgia product enters a linebacker room with some uncertainty, giving him a chance to earn defensive snaps as a rookie, though while that is up in the air, he’s almost certain to make an immediate impact on special teams.
In fact, Philly Voice's Jimmy Kempski sees a lot of comparison between former Eagles core special teamer Oren Burks and Mondon.
Here's what Kempski had to say about the Eagles using Mondon just like they did Burks:
He has ideal length to get into passing lanes, as well as impressive quickness and change of direction ability. He's a little different from Eagles linebackers like Nakobe Dean and Jeremiah Trotter, who are better against the run than they are against the pass. Mondon is better against the pass than he is against the run
Mondon was also often used in Georgia's defense as a QB spy, and the Eagles are going to have to deal with Jayden Daniels for the foreseeable future. Early in his career, he could carve out a role in passing down sub-packages, and is also likely to be a core special teamer.
The player Mondon reminds me of is Oren Burks. Mondon and Burks are both long and lean linebackers, and they are both fantastic athletes.Burks found a role as a core special teamer and the first linebacker off the bench in his lone season with the Eagles in 2024.
Mondon, a former five-star recruit, known primarily for his role as a starting linebacker at Georgia, didn’t see a heavy workload on special teams during his college career, though that had a lot to do with how valuable he was to the Bulldogs’ defense.
That said, like many young players at Georgia, he did contribute on special teams early in his career, particularly in his freshman season. Kirby Smart's coaching staff often uses special teams as a proving ground for younger players, and Mondon was no exception. His athleticism and physicality made him a natural fit for kickoff and punt coverage units before he transitioned into a full-time starting linebacker on defense.
While his special teams reps at Georgia weren’t extensive later in his college career, his early experience combined with his physical tools suggest he could be an asset in that phase of the game at the next level.
