On a few occasions back in training camp, Nick Sirianni ended practice by calling out a pair of names and letting players go one-on-one in front of the entire team.
It might have been a pass-rushing rep or a pass route between receiver and defensive back. On one occasion, linebacker Ben VanSumeren was allowed to revisit his fullback roots and do battle against undrafted rookie safety Andre Sam' in the passing game.
VanSumeren dipped his shoulder inside before breaking outside creating significant separation from Sam' as their teammates erupted watching a route that would have made DeVonta Smith proud. Backup quarterback Kenny Pickett was unable to finish the rep with an off-target throw but that didn't stop the jaws from drooping at VanSumeren's athletic ability.
"I'm used to it,” VanSumeren smiled when asked about his route-running. “I got it in my body but I'm a linebacker."
Except when he's not a LB.
VanSumeren began his college career at Michigan as a fullback after excelling in high school at Garber, Mich. High School as a RB and receiver, leading the county in receiving three times and also rushing for over 1,000 yards. He even threw it for 279 yards and four touchdowns as a triple threat.
And the Eagles' even lined up BVS at fullback for the first time against Tampa Bay this past Sunday.
His main role for now, though, is what Michael Clay described as the "heartbeat" of his coverage units on special teams.
"Ben had two tackles last game on punt coverage. He is the heartbeat for us," the Eagles' special teams coordinator said.
That's a long way from being an undrafted longshot last season to where VanSumeren wasn't even sweating out the initial cut to 53 this past summer.
"He made it down to the last day and then got cut," Clay told Eagles on SI when discussing VanSumeren's ascent in the organization. "We were able to get him on practice squad. Then you see a lot from his practice squad tape going against our guys on the look-rush team so to say on punt. Just his movement, it's hard to find a guy that can run like he can and is physical."
Athleticism is VanSumeren's calling card, running a 4.45 coming out of Michigan State at 231 pounds with a 42.5 vertical leap and a broad jump of nearly 11 feet.
"When he had the opportunity to come in he jumped in. In the Dallas game [in 2023] here at home, put him in a new spot and did well there," Clay said. "Then being able to play a few more games, made his first tackle against Kansas City. It's that confidence factor that I can do it in the NFL."
The athleticsm is enhanced by a high-football IQ and a desire to learn.
"He's really taken this level," said Clay. "He meets with [Special Teams Assistant] Tyler Brown every Friday and Saturday and watches six to seven plays of the opposing team or good plays from around the league. He is a student of the game. He always asks questions. ‘What are we doing here? Why are we doing this?’ It's always a pleasure when you have to a guy like that on your special teams unit."
From Year 1 to Year 2, VanSumeren went from roster hopeful to the "heartbeat" of special teams. Currently, he is second on the team with 81 special teams reps with work on kickoff return, kickoff coverage, punt return, punt coverage, and field-goal block.
The next step is linebacker and don't bet against VanSumeren carving out a role there down the line if the Eagles continue to struggle at that position.
“The more that I see NFL offenses and I sit in the meeting room and get these reps, the quicker I get with all these reads and stuff,” VanSumeren said this summer. “And I think as far as developing and advancing, I feel like pretty much in most things that I do, I do it much quicker than others.
“I feel like I've really picked it up.”
