The best story of the spring for the Eagles’ was their young cornerbacks.
Isaiah Rodgers, 26, came off a 500-day layoff looking like he hasn't missed a shift. Second-year standout Kelee Ringo doesn’t turn 22 until later this month and has everything you need to be a difference-making outside option.
And rookies Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean were as advertised, looking like potential plug-and-play options if Vic Fangio has to play that card on Sept. 6 in Sao Paulo, Brazil against an explosive Green Bay offense with a host of talented young receivers.
Every reaction has an equal and opposite reaction and the ascent of those four CBs means others have started a descent, none more so than Eli Ricks, a 22-year-old second-year player.
Dating back to college, Ricks’ career has been a roller-coaster. A five-star recruit who originally chose LSU at the college level, Ricks looked the part early with four interceptions and two touchdowns as a freshman.
Things slowed from there but a transfer to Alabama for his final college season had the hype train rolling again with the Crimson Tide-tint.
If you look up early takes on the 2023 draft before the college season you’ll find Ricks’ name as a first-round staple with even some top-10 predictions.
Ricks didn’t have a great season with Alabama, though, and ran a disappointing 4.6 40-yard dash in the pre-draft process, underwhelming for an NFL corner and something that sent Ricks from Day 1 hopeful a scant six months prior to priority undrafted free agent.
The Eagles bit understanding what Ricks’ 6-foot-2 frame and 32 ⅜-inch arms meant if the light went off.
A preseason pick-six in Baltimore earned Ricks a spot on the initial 53-man roster based on the belief he’d be more likely to be claimed off waivers than fellow UDFA Mekhi Garner, a better special-teams player who outplayed Ricks for most of training camp.
The Eagles still love Ricks’ natural coverage skills and he beat the more-hyped Ringo to the field last season but the latter came on late and has now turned into a threat to be a Week 1 starter if Mitchell isn't quite ready as the No. 22 overall pick.
Ricks, meanwhile, is a bubble player with the bolstered Eagles’ depth.
With a strong summer, Howie Roseman will surely find a spot for Ricks again because of his upside but being a game-day player probably isn’t going to cut it for veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio.
Ricks needs to flash more consistency at training camp or he will be filing a change of address form.
