The Philadelphia Eagles entered the 2023 NFL Preseason with nine cornerbacks with a legitimate chance to make the 53-man roster.
With a logjam at the position, it’s conceivable that a few players that have performed well during training camp will have to be released. One of the players in that group, undrafted rookie Eli Ricks, did everything in his power to make sure that he put himself on the coaches’ radar this weekend.
In Saturday’s game versus the Baltimore Ravens, Ricks put up some gaudy numbers. In 12 coverage snaps, he was targeted four times and allowed just one catch for seven yards, finishing with a 0.0 passer rating allowed.
Ricks also had a pass breakup and an interception return for a touchdown on his way to earning the highest coverage grade from Pro Football Focus among all Eagles’ cornerbacks.
How Did Ricks Go Undrafted?
Ricks was the second highest-rated cornerback in his recruiting class coming out of high school but he went undrafted after transferring to Alabama.
The 6-foot-2 cover man burst onto the scene in his freshman season at LSU. He had 20 tackles, four interceptions, and two touchdowns that season, which all turned out to be career highs.
Over the next two seasons, Ricks’ stock would plummet and never recover.
Injury concerns were a major problem for Ricks during that span. An injured shoulder cost Ricks the rest of his season in 2021 and he battled various injuries in his final season at Alabama but luckily for the Eagles, he finally looks healthy for the first time in a while.
Ricks Appears Like A Lock For The Eagles’ 53-Man Roster
Ricks was fresh off of an impressive training camp but he officially put himself ahead of the pack to make the Eagles’ roster with his performance on Saturday.
The 21-year-old can tackle in open space and cover in both man and zone, which could make him a player to watch as the season moves along.
The undrafted rookie was tested early by Tyler Huntley and showed strong instincts when he forced an incompletion on a quick-out route.
Ricks played under both Nick Saban and Ed Orgeron during his time in college, so he’s shown the ability to understand different schemes and coverages.
His feel in zone coverage was evident when he read backup QB Anthony Brown’s eyes and took his interception to the house for six.
The Ravens opted to test him with another quick out to the sidelines. This time, Ricks reads the route while backpedaling and gets a great jump on the football.
With Ricks off to a strong start, he may force the coaching staff to find a way to make room for him on the Eagles depth chart.
