
May 03, 2025
The Philadelphia Eagles conducted a rookie camp on Friday. Media were allowed to watch the first 20 or so minutes of it before they kicked us out, but I have some notes from the day nevertheless.
Let's start with drafted rookie numbers:
LB Jihaad Cambell (30): Terrible number just generally speaking, but also for a linebacker, in my opinion. It works for Campbell, maybe, because he did wear 30 for a bit at Bama, but he might be moving into another number whenever an opportunity to do so opens up.
S Andrew Mukuba (24): 24 is a great DB number. Mukuba takes it over from James Bradberry.
iDL Ty Robinson (95): This feels like a perfect number for a rotational iDL who can play multiple positions.
CB Mac McWilliams (22): McWilliams scores a low 20s number as a fifth-round pick. Kelee Ringo is now wearing 7.
LB Smael Mondon (42): Mondon takes Oren Burks' old number. I typically wouldn't think 42 was a good number, but I thought it worked for Burks last year, and I think it'll work for a long, skinny linebacker like Mondon.
C Drew Kendall (66): Kendall wore 66 in college, and his dad wore 66 when he played in the NFL.
QB Kyle McCord (19): There aren't many low numbers to choose from, but I think 19 works for McCord.
OT Myles Hinton (78): Hinton wore 78 in college, and his dad wore 78 when he played in the NFL.
OT Cameron Williams (73): Solid OL number.
EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland (93): I think this is the only number that doesn't really fit. I picture a big dude in 93, and Powell-Ryland is an undersized edge. He should be in the 50s, but none of those numbers are available. He should trade with iDL Thomas Booker (59).
You're welcome for this important analysis.
We also spoke with eight of the rookie draft picks. Campbell and Mukuba were not made available, because 🤷♂️. A quick blurb from each guy that we did get:
iDL Ty Robinson: After Robinson was selected by the Eagles, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule told him that he was going to the best organization in the NFL.
CB Mac McWilliams: In our Eagles draft grades, we noted that in his final college season McWilliams competed against seven wide receivers who were selected in the 2025 NFL draft, including Travis Hunter (2nd overall), Tetairoa McMillan (8th overall), Jayden Higgins (34th overall), and Jaylin Noel (74th overall). When asked how he thought he played against those guys, McWilliams said he thought he did "great."
LB Smael Mondon: Mondon is of course the newest Georgia Bulldog to join the team. Trivia: Who was the first former Georgia teammate Mondon called after he got drafted? (Answer at the end of this article.)
C Drew Kendall: Kendall only played center at Boston College, but the Eagles list him as a C/G on their website. Kendall said he played guard in high school and had to learn center in college. My guess is that he'll cross-train at both spots as a rookie.
QB Kyle McCord: McCord revealed that he got a scholarship offer from Boston College when he was in eighth grade.
OT Myles Hinton: Hinton's major in college was marine biology, so he talked a bit about that, noting that he loves fish. This prompted The Inquirer's Jeff Neiberg to ask, "When did you fall in love with fish, and why?" In a vacuum with no context at all, that's one of the funniest questions I've ever heard in a media session.
OT Cameron Williams: Williams thought he was going to be picked in the second or third round. He went in the sixth. When asked what parts of his game needed to be cleaned up, I was impressed that he gave three specific answers. He said footwork, pad level, and punching. Usually, guys will just say they have to work on "everything."
EDGE Antwaun Powell-Ryland: Powell-Ryland mentioned that he had some interactions with Virginia Tech legend and all-time NFL sack leader Bruce Smith. He didn't mention this during his interview session with us, but Smith once told him to "never waste a rush."
• I watched Kyle McCord make some short throws. Slants, 10-yard ins, etc., with no defense on the field. He throws with some zip, and everything I saw was on target. I'm not putting him in the Hall of Fame, but there have been quarterbacks in Eagles camps of yesteryear who have come in with some hype or draft pick status — Clayton Thorson and Carson Strong come to mind — who you could immediately tell were not good. McCord has already cleared the very low "better than Clayton Thorson" bar for me.
The offensive line looked like this:
LT: Myles Hinton
LG: Laekin Vakalahi
C: Drew Kendall
RG: Hollin Pierce
RT: Cameron Williams
Pierce was a notable undrafted free agent signing who played LT and RT at Rutgers. I still think he'll work out at OT when the full team practices together, but he was at guard at rookie camp.
• When we published the Eagles' eight reported undrafted free agent signings last Sunday, there was one player who slipped under the radar. That was WR Darius Cooper from Tarleton State. The Eagles list him at 5'11, 210. In 2024, Cooper had 76 catches for 1450 yards (19.1 YPC) and 16 TDs. He ran a 4.49 at his pro day.
• When scanning the Eagles' list of tryout players, the one name that stood out to me was P Kai Kroeger, a player I profiled back in 2023 in our prospects series. Kroeger ran an abnormal number of fake punts during his college career. He was a career 7/10 passer for 205 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, lol. I don't know who made this video, so my apologies for the lack of credit:
Kroeger also had a 47.8 punting average for South Carolina in 2024. I'm kinda shocked nobody at least signed this guy as an undrafted free agent.
To be clear, Braden Mann helped stabilize the Eagles' punting position after a couple of awful years from Arryn Siposs, so I don't think his job is in danger, but Kroeger's presence as a tryout guy is at least noteworthy.
*Mondon called Nakobe Dean first.
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