Jack Driscoll Used NFL Connections to Get Ready in Unique Offseason

The offseason was a tough one for a number of rookies yet to cash their first NFL paychecks.

There are no ranches in Texas with top-tier home gyms at their disposal and many had to get creative if living in localities that had strict lockdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the case of Eagles rookie offensive lineman Jack Driscoll, the 145th overall pick out of Auburn, things were fine until he returned home to Connecticut when it got a little more complicated.

Driscoll’s hometown gym was indeed closed but he was lucky enough to have a family friend who was well-stocked with the weights.

“It was definitely unique,” said Driscoll during a video call on Friday about his offseason. “I was moving around a ton. ... We were lucky enough at Auburn where we had our pro day. I went back there and was planning on spending a lot of time there.

"I started there and went home to Connecticut once the whole thing broke because there was a lot of uncertainty. (The) gym I went to was closed for a little bit, so I had a family friend with a weight room in their basement."

As things started to break a little bit Driscoll got back to work in a more public setting before really ramping up with a trip to Atlanta to work with former Falcons offensive lineman Kynan Forney, a nine-year pro who started 89 games in the league before retiring in 2010.

“I’ve really been training hard and figured whenever the time comes that we have to report to Philadelphia I would be ready both mentally and physically,” said Driscoll. “Worked with Kynan Forney who played nine years (actually seven) with the Falcons and did some position work with him and he showed me stuff that helped him have a great career and kind of passed that along.”

The goal was to get in football shape - in both mind and body - for when the all-clear sounded for training camp.

“I worked to make sure when I was ready both mentally and physically and stayed in shape both lifting and running and really made sure I knew my plays because once camp starts it’s going to start full speed,” said Driscoll.

“Once the older guys [get here] you don’t want to be screwing up and having mental errors because we’re trying to show our abilities and what we can do.

"For them, if you’re messing up it shows you weren’t in your playbook enough the past three months.”

Forney wasn’t the only NFL mind Driscoll had at his disposal, though. His dad, John, played at New Hampshire and was drafted in the 12th round by the Buffalo Bills in 1989 so he's been through a rookie ramp up, albeit a more conventional one.

“My dad was very influential and has really helped me get to this point,” said Driscoll. “One thing he stresses is to take it day by day. You’re playing with the best players in the world now, so if you have a bad play or whatnot, put it behind you and keep going.

"It’s a grind, but I love football. ... He tells me to take it all on and take advantage of the opportunity.”

The belief was that the Eagles drafted Driscoll as an interior player even though he played right tackle at Auburn and that likely remains the case when you look at the depth chart, but offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland wanted to create a comfort level before putting a lot on the rookie’s plate.

“I’m just trying to learn all I can and be able to play multiple positions,” said Driscoll. “I’m playing a lot of tackle right now, but it’s up in the air. I’ll get a better idea once we start full practice.”

Driscoll earned an MBA from Auburn after transferring from UMass and is known for his smarts, something Stoutland has already noticed not only with Driscoll but his college teammate, Prince Tega Wanogho, who was drafted in the sixth round.

“From a football intelligence standpoint to a physical standpoint, they’re killing me, these Auburn guys,” said Stoutland, who used to coach at Alabama and still has quite the affinity for Nick Saban and the Crimson Tide. “You know I coached at Alabama, so they made me say ‘War Eagle’ (On Thursday).

"That killed me to say that. They got me to say it, and they’re doing a really nice job.”

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Friday on SIRIUSXM’s Tony Bruno Show with Harry Mayes, and every Tuesday and Thursday with Eytan Shander on SBNation Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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