Eagles sign undrafted free agent that the rest of the NFL forgot about during the draft
The Philadelphia Eagles had a heck of a 2023 NFL Draft, landing several players that could make an instant impact this fall. Once the draft was over, the Eagles continued adding elite talent to their roster. Philly signed an undrafted free agent after the draft that was once ranked as the No. 14 overall player […]
The Philadelphia Eagles had a heck of a 2023 NFL Draft, landing several players that could make an instant impact this fall.
Once the draft was over, the Eagles continued adding elite talent to their roster.
Philly signed an undrafted free agent after the draft that was once ranked as the No. 14 overall player in the nation as a high school recruit.
According to multiple reports, the Eagles signed Alabama cornerback Eli Ricks to an undrafted free agent deal on Saturday.
Ricks, a California native, is a former five-star recruit who initially signed with LSU out of high school.
The talented defensive back spent the first two years of his career at LSU before transferring to Alabama after the 2021 season.
Ricks totaled four interceptions as a true freshman in 2020, but he only managed one interception over the last two seasons.
The reasoning for the downtick in production, as well as not being drafted, mostly boils down to injuries. Ricks missed time with a shoulder injury in 2021 at LSU and he also missed time with a foot injury at Alabama in 2022. He suffered a concussion last season as well.
If Ricks can stay healthy, he has the ability to be a shutdown cornerback. The 6-foot-3 defensive back is a ball hawk who has elite athleticism. Ricks can play man or zone and he's great against the run, too.
It's a bit of a surprise that a team didn't take a flier on Ricks late in the draft. But it's good news for the Eagles, who might have added another starting-caliber defender to their roster.
