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Eagles newcomers 26: Can draft pick Cole Wisniewski make a Reed Blankenship-type run at a safety job? Plus, running back Elijah Mitchell brings experience to the backfield.
Eagles newcomers 26: Can draft pick Cole Wisniewski make a Reed Blankenship-type run at a safety job? With Eagles training camp drawing nearer, The Inquirer is taking a closer look at the more than three dozen new faces who are expected to report along with the rest of the team on July 28.
Wisniewski enters his first NFL training camp with a lot of football under his belt.
He spent six years in college, five at North Dakota State and last year at Texas Tech, where he helped the Red Raiders win the Big 12 title and reach the College Football Playoff.Wisniewski, largely a linebacker at NDSU, had 78 tackles and was an All-Big 12 honorable mention in addition to being a semifinalist for comeback player of the year after missing 2024 with a foot injury.
Wisniewski is a big safety at 6-foot-3.
Theres some Reed Blankenship in his game.
While Wisniewski was a seventh-round pick, Blankenship went undrafted.They were similarly rated as average athletes who make up for that with good tackling instincts.
Whether a 2026 draft choice, a veteran addition, or a rookie free-agent hopeful, were telling you more about each players potential role this season.Were rolling out two players per day in a mostly unscientific order that balances offense and defense, bigger names with mysteries, and locks with longer shots to be chosen for the 53-man roster.slated to play safety when the Eagles are in base.
In nickel or other packages, which the Eagles are in the vast majority of the time, Mukuba will need a partner with DeJean playing nickel.That spot is Marcus Epps right now, with Michael Carter II and others, including Wisniewski, next in line.
Can Wisniewski beat out Andre Sam and J.T.
Gray for a roster spot? Will undrafted free agent Kapena Gushiken make a charge?Wisniewski may have a leg up on his competition as a draft pick, but the Eagles havent shied away from cutting a late-round pick, if necessary.
Wisniewski was a multisport athlete at Sparta High School in Wisconsin.In addition to football, he lettered in basketball, track, and cheer.
No, he wasnt a cheerleader, buts system during Eagles rookie camp.Im just really excited to learn the ins and outs and how he operates.
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Being able to come to the source is awesome.
, having been in the NFL since 2021, when the 49ers selected him in the sixth round.
Mitchell rushed for nearly 1,000 yards as a rookie before combining for 560 yards in his next two seasons.A knee injury cut his 2022 season short, and he hasnt had a carry in a regular season game since 2023.
Mitchells 2024 season then was derailed by a hamstring injury.
He signed in 2025 with Kansas City and made one appearance before being released in December.
Mitchell is a long shot to make the team out of camp.The Eagles are pretty set at the position with Barkley at the top of the depth chart and Tank Bigsby as a lock to be his backup.
The No.
3 spot is up for grabs, but it likely will be Will Shipley or Dameon Pierce.
The Eagles seem most likely to keep three running backs on the initial 53-man roster, but a fourth is possible.If they go heavy in the backfield, Mitchell could have a chance of pushing for a spot.
Mitchell has a career yards per carry of 4.7 yards.
Thats slightly higher than Barkley and Christian McCaffrey at 4.6 and would rank tied for 12th among active players with Miles Sanders.
Speed has never been the issue with Mitchell, who ran a 4.32 40-yard dash at his college pro day in 2021.Staying healthy has been.when asked about missing the 2024 season.Just having the love for football and not being able to compete against the best really weighed on me a lot.
Im hungrier than ever, and Im ready to roll.