How Philadelphia Eagles Rookies Powered Super Bowl Run

Pro Football Focus’ Bradley Locker ranked each team’s 2024 rookie class by their production last season, with the Eagles’ near the top of the list, coming in at fifth in the league.

“The Eagles completely renovated their secondary,” Locker writes for PFF . “With their first two picks in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, each of whom generated 0.55 WAR or better. While the pair of rookie cornerbacks did the heavy lifting, don’t discount edge defender  Jalyx Hunt, who turned in a 69.0 PFF overall grade on 343 defensive snaps. Hunt, Johnny Wilson and Jeremiah Trotter Jr. all secured a 75.3 PFF special teams grade or higher, too.”

As Locker points out, Eagles rookies contributed 4,557 snaps while adding 1.20 Wins Above Replacement, clearly making a significant impact.

In the Super Bowl, alone, DeJean returned an interception for a touchdown, Hunt posted half a sack of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, in a critical juncture of the game, and it is difficult to envision Philadelphia even reaching Super Sunday had it not been for Mitchell’s dominance in the secondary throughout his rookie season.

The depth across the Eagles’ roster sets the stage for general manager Howie Roseman to both continue fortifying both lines of scrimmage–arguably Philadelphia’s strength and backbone to success or truly select the best player on the board, regardless of position, throughout the upcoming draft.