Tag: JaCoby Stevens

Philadelphia Eagles sign LB JaCoby Stevens to the practice squad

Former LSU safety turned linebacker JaCoby Stevens is signing to the Eagles practice squad

After battling injuries most of the summer, JaCoby Stevens is signing to the Philadelphia Eagles practice squad per Dave Zangaro.

Stevens suffered a hamstring injury that cost him valuable practice reps as well as the first two preseason games.

The former LSU linebacker logged 34 snaps against the Jets and he’ll spend the season on the practice squad working to develop.

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Eagles 53-man roster: Jordan Howard, rookie JaCoby Stevens among those released or waived

Eagles 53-man roster: Jordan Howard, rookie JaCoby Stevens among those released or waived

Even after starting the first preseason game and showing the best pass blocking prowess on the team, Jordan Howard was among the surprise roster cuts.

The Eagles also moved on from Hassan Ridgeway, Le’Raven Clark, and Richard Rodgers among others.

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Philadelphia Eagles’ projected defensive depth chart

Philadelphia Eagles’ projected defensive starters post 2021 NFL Draft

As the Eagles proceed through phase two of the offseason workout program, it’s a great time to start projecting an early look at what the offensive depth chart will look like.

With a versatile defensive tackle, a Big-12 CB, and an SEC star switching to linebacker, here’s what Philadelphia’s defense could look like at the end of training camp.

2021 NFL draft: Rookies that played high school football in Tennessee

2021 NFL draft: Breakdown of players that competed in Tennessee high school football

The 2021 NFL draft concluded with two players selected from the University of Tennessee.

Wide receiver Josh Palmer was drafted by the Los Angeles Chargers in the third round, and offensive lineman Trey Smith went to Kansas City in the sixth round.

The 2021 NFL draft had five players selected that finished their high school careers in Tennessee.

Below is a look at the drafted players who competed and finished their careers in Tennessee high school football before playing collegiately.

Eagles draft haul lands in the top-7 for best value according to The Athletic

Philadelphia Eagles draft haul lands in the top-7 for best value according to The Athletic

Depending on whom you ask, Howie Roseman either blew another draft, or the Eagles had the best weekend out of all 32 NFL teams. The feelings on the draft are mixed between fans, but the experts are telling a different story.

The Athletic recently graded the draft haul for all 32 NFL teams and thanks to Howie Roseman getting some highly-rated guys later in the process, the Eagles had the 7th best value.

The process is important and it shows that sometimes the bigger names don’t always determine the worth of your draft. The Dallas Cowboys, who many experts thought landed some of the top names in the draft, had the 28th ranked haul, landing in the bottom six for the value of their selections.

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3 things to know about new Eagles S JaCoby Stevens

Just a few things to know about former LSU safety JaCoby Stevens.

Former LSU safety Jacoby Stevens is officially off the board in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Like most of the other LSU prospects who have come off the board in this year’s draft, Stevens fell far below where we had projected him to land.

Here’s a look at three interesting facts to note about LSU’s well-respected leader:

1. Stevens has a practical mind.

Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

From a young boy to a man, Stevens has always had a good head on his shoulders.

At the young age of seven years old, JaCoby had a dream of playing college football at Vanderbilt. His father, being the transparent man he is told the young JaCoby he would not be paying for his education.

Stevens used this as motivation to find a way to the big leagues-no matter the odds posed against him.

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2021 NFL Draft: Philadelphia Eagles select safety JaCoby Stevens

Former LSU S JaCoby Stevens is headed to Philadelphia.

Former LSU safety JaCoby Stevens was one of the most versatile players within the Tigers defense, and now he becomes the fifth Tiger who finished his college career in Baton Rouge to come off the board in the 2021 NFL Draft.

With the No. 224 overall pick, the Philadelphia Eagles selected Stevens in the sixth round.

Like so many other LSU players have in this year’s draft, Stevens fell much farther than most analysts originally anticipated.

Stevens served as a leadership figure on and off the field at LSU, totaling 63 tackles (30 solo), four passes defended, three sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries in 2020.

Over three seasons in action for the Tigers, Stevens tallied 190 total tackles (102 solo), 15 passes defended, one forced fumble and four interceptions.

Stevens said after his pro day earlier this offseason that he felt he had shown a lot, specifically in reference to his athletic ability.

Stevens measured in at just over 6-foot-1 and 212 pounds on to day, with a 76 ½” wing-span and 32 ¼” arm length.

He recorded an impressive 42” vertical jump and an eye-catching 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump.

Stevens also ran a 40-yard dash of 4.50 seconds on his first attempt, recording a time of 4.51 seconds on his second attempt.

Expect him to make a difference in several ways for the Eagles as he takes the next step in his football career.

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How JaCoby Stevens can bring impact to an NFL defense

JaCoby Stevens can wear multiple hats for an NFL defense.

JaCoby Stevens was a jack-of-all-trades for the LSU Tigers. He was a do-it-all type of player who made an impact on the defense all over the field.

What type of impact could Stevens have at the NFL level?

In today’s game, versatility and reliability are two traits NFL teams cherish.

JaCoby Stevens plays at his best when he’s playing downhill football. He does an excellent job at making reads on run plays and is an aggressive, hard-hitting player. Stevens has great football instincts and plays the position as physical as an NFL team would ask for out of a player.

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Near the line of scrimmage, Stevens isn’t afraid to cover tight ends or wide receivers. He is comfortable jumping in on zone coverage or following the receivers in-route.

Former LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini utilized JaCoby Stevens in a multitude of ways last season for the Tigers. Stevens lines up as a box safety, deep safety, slot cornerback, and also linebacker. Stevens is tough enough and isn’t afraid to jump in when asked of him.

Stevens thrived in every role that was asked of him throughout his tenure at LSU.

His football attitude and play on the field is a huge plus – as is his leadership inside the locker room.

At the NFL level, a team may view Stevens strictly as a linebacker because of his size and lack of speed and shiftiness. His top speed and explosiveness aren’t elite for the safety position. Stevens lacks some of the elite athletic traits’ teams may look for, but he makes up for this with a high football IQ and instincts.

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There are examples at LSU of Stevens facing a player more talented and athletic, yet Stevens found a way to cover, beat him to the ball; and make an impactful play.

JaCoby Stevens can wear multiple hats for an NFL defense. In a lot of ways, he reminds me of recently retired New England Patriots Safety Patrick Chung. At times, Chung played multiple roles for head coach Bill Belichick. Chung would be asked to play strong safety, slot corner, and even linebacker. Sometimes, he would be asked to play all three positions on the same drive.

Chung was never the greatest athlete on the field, but he was able and willing to play various positions to help the team win.

That sounds a lot like JaCoby Stevens.

Stevens may have to wait until day two or day three to hear his name called, but it will be worth the wait.

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Looking into LSU safety JaCoby Stevens, possible fits ahead of the 2021 NFL Draft

JaCoby Stevens impressed us all with his pro day performance.

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Recruiting is one of LSU’s strong points for the football program, and Jacoby Stevens was an absolute gem for the Tigers.

Stevens was a five-star recruit ahead of taking the field in Tiger Stadium, ranked as 18th overall player in the nation and the best at his position.

As a true freshman for LSU, he played both sides of the ball splitting reps as a wide receiver and safety. As he progressed over the years, he became a prominent use on the defensive side, and was a large contribution defensively making a name for himself as a playmaker during the Tigers championship run in 2019.

Although eligible for the 2020 NFL Draft, Stevens chose to return his senior year and complete his degree before declaring the for NFL Draft in 2021. Unfortunately, his draft stock decreased during his final season with the Tigers, and he’s hopeful for a shot in the upcoming draft.

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Stevens does have a promising size for the safety position at 6-foot-1, 212 pounds, and his versatility in the box at the linebacker position is still attractive for many NFL scouts.

Teams that show a need for a larger safety or shifty linebacker include teams like the Chargers, Jets, and Eagles, but his pro day numbers could land him at being drafted in the second or third round.

There were concerns from some about Stevens’ overall athleticism ahead of pro day, but it’s safe to say he’s squashed those.

During the event, Stevens ran a 40-yard dash of 4.50 seconds on his first attempt, recording a time of 4.51 seconds on his second attempt.

He also posted an impressive 42” vertical jump and a 10-foot, 10-inch broad jump.

It will be curious to see which team Stevens lands with when the draft begins on April 29.

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What an ideal 2021 draft looks like for the Cardinals

In what could be an important draft for Arizona’s future, here are some ideal scenarios for the Cardinals.

This could be a pivotal draft for the Arizona Cardinals, one that could make or break their future.

Right now, they have the pieces in place to make it to the playoffs, but there are still holes that they need to fill. While it is true that they can still fill some holes in free agency and have cleared some recent cap space to be able to do so, they still need to have a solid draft to round everything out.

With that in mind, here are, barring any trades, an ideal seven-round scenario for Arizona (and let’s hope this turns out as well as this one):