Eagles Search for Speed Included Linebackers

There is no truth to the rumors that Howie Roseman and Andy Weidl are the next up to be added to the “Fast and the Furious” franchise but it is fair to say that the Eagles’ brass became obsessed with speed in the aftermath of a disappointing playoff loss to Seattle back in January.

It's obvious at the receiver group, where the Eagles went from plodders to sprinters in a three-day span.

Speed, however, was craved at another need position and that was at linebacker where Philadelphia dived into the pool twice with third-round pick Davion Taylor and sixth-rounder Shaun Bradley, a South Jersey native, and Temple product.

Taylor and Bradley happened to be two of the five fastest linebackers who ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis,

The talent added was important for LB coach Ken Flajole as his room entered the process with little when it comes to proven commodities.

Converted safety Nate Gerry is penciled in as one of the two-three-down linebackers and the Eagles are hopeful 2019 undrafted free agent T.J. Edwards can take the next step and will look to see what free agent signing Jatavis Brown brings.

Also around are special-teams stalwarts Duke Riley and Alex Singleton but without Nigel Bradham and Kamu Grugier Hill to lean on, new blood was needed.

It starts with the 6-foot-1, 229-pound Taylor, an amazing athlete who is very raw due to a late start in football.

It’s not often the Seventh Day Adventist Church comes up in NFL scouting reports but religion is a big part of Taylor’s story.

The speedy Colorado linebacker could hear the sounds of his local Friday night lights from his bedroom in Mississippi but wasn’t allowed to participate due to the strict observation on that church’s sabbath, which runs from Friday evening until Sunday morning.

“I could open my window or the back door and hear the crowd, hear the PA announcer,” said Taylor during his introductory video conference call after being drafted.

Taylor was able to play basketball and run track earlier in the week and he even practiced with the football team but playing was a non-starter. The exception was one game that kicked off before sundown.

“I was raised my whole life (as a Seventh Day Adventist), so I knew it was coming up and I wasn’t going to be able to play,’’ said Taylor. “It hurt not being able to play but I watched my older brother go through the same thing. So I didn’t really pester my mother that much.

“… The deal was once I turned 18, it would be my decision.’’

The rocket took off from there. The linebacker with 4.4 sprinter speed lapped the field of young men who had the significant advantage of a head start. First a two-year starter at Colorado and then a third-round pick in the NFL draft.

The canvas is blank but you can see what Flajole and Jim Schwartz envision: a versatile coverage LB who can shadow backs, tight ends, and even the occasional slot receiver. Taylor is so fast many teams projected him to safety and another Philadelphia theme - the so-called positionless player - could also be in play.

“This guy is one of the fastest, most explosive players in the draft,’’ said Roseman. “He’s got some raw to his game, which was why he was there in the third round.

“But he’s also got some rocket ship to him. He can find the ball. He can play in space. It’s a space game. He has the physical ability to cover the slot, to cover tight ends, cover backs. Those kind of guys are hard to find.’’

And that’s why the Eagles took a stab at another one on Day 3.

That's where Shaun Bradley comes in, the former South Jersey high-school star at Rancocas Valley who made the short trip across the Ben Franklin Bridge to Temple.

Now it’s an even shorter trip down Broad Street from north to south.

"I'm really excited,” said Bradley. “I've grown to love the Linc (Lincoln Financial Field) and the Philly area in general, even the fans as well. I know all the dips and the crevices in the field. I know everything. I'm going to be ready to go.”

Bradley also is well aware of the opportunity placed in front of him even as a late-round pick.

“When I was in Arizona training, I had - one of my coaches was out there. He was talking about it as well once they released Nigel Bradham. They were talking (about how) they need linebackers,” said Bradley.

At 6-1, 235 pounds, Bradley is more instinctive than Taylor at this point and was the fifth-fastest LB at the combine so it’s not like he’s projected to be a liability in coverage.

“I relied a lot on my speed and I'm a physical player. I like to tackle. I love contact,” said Bradley. “I don't shy away from any of that. I think that's something that's going to help me a lot, not being afraid of that, to make that play or run down or whatever.

“I'm eager to learn and better myself in all aspects of my game. Whatever I need to do to help, I'm ready to do it.”

John McMullen covers the Eagles for SI.com and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every day on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, Every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio, and every weekday on ESPN 97.3 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen