Bleeding Green Nation
The new Kenny Gainwell?
One of my favorite things to do every offseason is to go back and compare my post-draft notes on the Eagles’ rookies with how they actually looked when they got on the field. It’s a fun blend of film study, self-evaluation, and a check on how well certain traits really translate to the NFL. I won’t be writing full scouting reports, as I did that after the draft. This series is more about reflecting on his rookie season. Did the player perform as expected? Did anything surprise me? And what do I think comes next? At the end of each article, I’ll give my updated outlook for that player in the future.
Previously: Quinyon Mitchell / Cooper DeJean / Jalyx Hunt
As always, we will begin with my post-draft thoughts. This is exactly what I said in my summary of Will Shipley, which you can find here if you want to read the whole thing!
I can’t lie about the guys I watched as I posted my thoughts here, so here were my pre-draft thoughts on Shipley based on the film I had watched then... “Shipley looks like a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ backup running back with good receiving skills, and a good feel for zone runs but no real elite traits despite good production for 3 straight years”.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Shipley, but that’s because I didn’t see him as a feature back and I wouldn’t draft backup running backs until day 3. Remember that a lot of rankings are just down to your philosophy. I like to prioritize explosive players who can excel on limited touches as backups, whereas Shipley is more of a chain mover. I wanted the Eagles to target more of a low-touch explosive back (such as Tyrone Tracey) in the 4th round, whereas I see Shipley as more of a ‘safe’ pick. I think Shipley is a solid backup, who doesn’t have any elite traits. I think Shipley (along with Kenny Gainwell) could keep the Eagles’ running game ticking along if Saquon Barkley misses any time, but I don’t think he will do anything special.
Although this wasn’t my favorite pick, there are two main reasons why I think Shipley would have appealed to the Eagles. Firstly, he is solid in the passing game, and we know that Kellen Moore likes to get his running backs involved in this. Secondly, Shipley excels in outside zone runs, which I expect to be a big part of the Eagles’ offense this year. Moore’s staple running play as an OC has been outside zone and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Barkley is also a great outside zone runner. I think Shipley is a really nice scheme fit for Moore’s offense.
However, I do not think Shipley is guaranteed to be the Eagles’ RB2 as Kenny Gainwell is a pretty solid back. I think Shipley could...
