Ranking the 25 Best Eagles: Javon Hargrave Bull Rushes to No. 12
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Javon Hargrave proved to be one of the best interior pass rushers In the NFL last season, a performance good enough to earn him the No. 12 spot on Eagles Today's list of the 25 best Eagles players.
The process behind the list started with Eagles Today site publisher Ed Kracz and staff writer John McMullen putting together their top 25 lists independent of each other’s and then assigning point values, with 25 points awarded to the player ranked first on each list, 24 to the player ranked second, and so on, with one point going to the player that was put 25th.
The highest ranking from either reporter broke any ties in the balloting.
Hargrave finished with 25 votes overall and finished No. 11 on McMullen's list. Kracz was the tougher grader in this instance, putting the veteran at No. 16.
Entering a contract season at the age of 29, Hargrave is going to need to show improvement when it comes to run support before the Eagles think about doubling down on the three-year, $39 million deal the South Carolina State product got in 2020 to traverse the state from west to east after developing with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Hargrave and fellow veteran Fletcher Cox, 31, remain the lead players on the inside of Jonathan Gannon's defensive line for right now but the Eagles have wisely invested in the future as well over the past two drafts with Milton Williams (third round in 2021) and Jordan Davis (No. 13 overall in 2022).
In addition to Hargrave embarking on that contract year, Howie Roseman reset Cox’s previously overleveraged deal meaning neither of those veteran DTs is guaranteed to be in Philadelphia in 2023.
Hargrave figures to be an interesting decision for the Eagles because he is coming off a career season from a pass-rushing perspective, something that earned the seventh-year pro his first Pro Bowl honor and a Pro Football Focus grade of No. 2 in that part of the game behind only LA Rams superstar Aaron Donald.
Run support was a different story, however, and one of the major reasons the massive 340-pound Davis was so interesting to the Eagles. Hargrave was No. 131 out of 136 DTs against the run, according to PFF.
“I love being in Philly,” Hargrave said this spring. “I feel like this is my better years as a pro. Of course, I love being in Philly."
The plan at DT seems sound on paper with Davis handing the zero- and one-technique looks that don't come as naturally to Hargrave and Cox, who can both settle into three-, 4i-, or 5-technique looks.
“Man I love playing everywhere on the defensive line,” Hargrave said before lighting up over three-technique. “Of course, I love three but I love nose, too. It really doesn’t matter where I play just where I can help the team.”
When Donald is the only player you're looking up at in one particular phase it's incumbent for Gannon and IDL coach Tracy Rocker to use Hargrave in that role as much as possible.
The presence of Davis should make that a lot easier to do.
For Hargrave, though, a projected role is secondary to his goal of improving as a player.
“I think it’s just always growing and getting better,” he said. “I had one of my better seasons last year. It’s just trying to be even better this year. I think that’s just the goal going into every year, just being the best player I can be for the team.”
THE COUNTDOWN SO FAR
No. 25 – Jack Driscoll
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No. 24 – Derek Barnett
Ranking the 25 Best Eagles: Derek Barnett Sneaks in at No. 24
No. 23 – Kyzir White
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No. 22 - Quez Watkins
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No. 21 – Jake Elliott
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No. 20 – Isaac Seumalo
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No. 19 – James Bradberry
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No. 18 - Jordan Davis
Ranking the 25 Best Eagles: Jordan Davis Checks in at No. 18
No. 17 - T.J. Edwards
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No. 16 - Miles Sanders
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No. 15 - Landon Dickerson
Ranking the 25 Best Eagles: Healthy Season Lands Landon Dickerson at No. 15
No. 14 - Avonte Maddox
Ranking the 25 Best Eagles: Avonte Maddox has No. 14 ...
No. 13 - Jalen Hurts
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No. 12 - Javon Hargrave
-John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's Eagles Today and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John, alongside legendary sports-talk host Jody McDonald every morning from 8-10 on ‘Birds 365,” streaming live on YouTube. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen
