Eli Ricks entered the NFL at the bottom.
Although the cornerback played for SEC powerhouse Alabama in 2022, the 6-2, 188-pound defensive back went undrafted. Ricks signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, yet he was fighting for his place on the club’s 53-man roster all throughout training camp.
Eagles defensive coordinator Sean Desai met with reporters Tuesday and acknowledged Ricks’ tenacity since joining the organization.
“I think he’s been humble,” said Desai. “He prepares like a pro and he’s learning, and he’s like a sponge. He just wants more and more information and he’s trying to take on all these roles and learn so many different things and he goes out there and he competes.”
When Ricks was on scout team, the 22-year-old was getting meaningful reps facing Pro Bowl receiver A.J. Brown.
Said Desai: “We watch it all. We watch our scout team guys because if you are getting developed against our offense, that’s pretty good. That’s pretty good reps that you get at all levels of the defense. We watch those guys, and our coaches watch it with them and give their coaching points off that, too. It’s part of the whole process for us.”
Competition also takes place in the meeting rooms, and Ricks’ attention to detail was noticeable.
“He’s competing in those reps and that’s how you get noticed and you get elevated,” Desai said. “In the meeting room he’s prepared, and when you get your chance, you make the best of it and he’s done a good job of that.”
Through seven games, Ricks has generated five combined tackles, a tackle for loss, and a pass breakup. According to Pro Football Reference, the Eagles have utilized Ricks on 65 defensive snaps, representing 15% of the snaps through seven games. Philadelphia has mostly used Ricks on special teams where he has played 87, or 51% of the special teams snaps.