'Small and Special' Adrian Killins Taps Into Darren Sproles

PHILADELPHIA - The Eagles are trying to tap into something with Adrian Killins, the undersized, undrafted speedster out of Central Florida.

Through the opening two weeks of padded practices, the 5-foot-8, 177-pound Daytona Beach native has been used at running back, split out wide as a receiver, and as a returner, a hybrid in the mold of Darren Sproles, the long-time NFL star who is now getting his feet wet in Philadelphia's personnel department and helping the coaching staff with the runners and returners during camp.

"I’ve known about Darren Sproles as long as I’ve been alive," the 22-year-old Killins joked. "I’m 22 years old. He’s got some age on me, of course, but I’m a young buck to him, but just solely throughout the NFL draft process Duce was talking to me and all the other people in the Eagles organization, and then coach Duce told me he was going to get me on the phone with Darren Sproles.

"When I finally got the chance to talk to him on the phone, it was a dream come true, just hearing his voice and just to know that what he sees in me and what I’m capable of doing, it was great to just let him feel me out and give me some pointers on the game."

A three-time Pro Bowl selection and a member of the NFL's 2010s All-Decade Team, Sproles spent 16 years (actually 15) in the league confounding defenses despite his diminutive size at 5-6, 185.

Just about every undersized back around the league looks at Sproles as the template for success and Killins, along with Boston Scott, has the opportunity to sit under the learning tree every day.

"Being undersized, you get overlooked a lot, and you have to play the game different when you’re undersized," Killins said. "You can’t take too many hits, and you have to be very smart. Having (Sproles) here throughout training camp has been awesome because he tells me something new each and every day."

Running backs coach Duce Staley understands that Sproles is closer to the exception than the rule and Staley has been down this hybrid path recently with Donnel Pumphrey, a super-productive player in college at San Diego State who flamed out as a 2017 fourth-round pick.

"I strongly believe if you’re small and special, you have to be both. If you’re small, you better be special. If you are both, boom, you have a chance," said Staley. "You just can’t be small and not special. Usually, those guys don’t make it. I put (Killins) in that category of being small and special. Look at his highlight film of some of the things he did at Central Florida is unbelievable."

Killins is arguably the fastest player on a team that added a track team in Jalen Reagor, John Hightower, and Quez Watkins to DeSean Jackson.

"There are always guys that want to challenge me and think they’re faster than me, but I held the crown all four years at UCF, being the fastest player on the team," Killins said. "And here at the Philadelphia Eagles, I feel like I’m the fastest player on the team as well."

August is a time for evaluation and trying different things. Killins has been pretty productive in red-zone work in surprise rushes up the middle. On things like jet sweeps and orbit motions, he's already got the target on his back from Jim Schwartz's defense.

Minor injuries to Miles Sanders and Scott have allowed Killins to get more reps with the first-and second-team units and the rookie is trying to get the most out of them as possible. Already his role is growing as the offensive coaching staff tries to determine if the organization has uncovered a unique modern hybrid.

"During the offseason, I was strictly in the running back room, so I got a tight grasp of the running back position, learning all the plays and the protections and whatnot," Killins said. "... And then getting into training camp they wanted to see what I could do out wide at slot receiver and whatnot. Learning running back and slot receiver is tough, but the more I’m available to do a lot of things on the field for this organization the more I’ll be able to get on the field and show what I can do."

Doug Pederson has been impressed.

"Obviously, he's getting a lot more reps because with Miles being out right now and then Boston being limited in practice," the coach said. "... But (Killins) has really come in - I'll tell you, I've been impressed from the standpoint of his knowledge and understanding.

"We've made him a running back. We've made him a receiver. We've put him in some tough situations. He's handled it extremely well, and he does a nice job as a receiver in that receiving role out of the backfield. He's got really good speed and quickness that is definitely, for a guy his size, beneficial."

While it's unlikely Killins will be a major part of the offense in 2020, an expanded practice squad should enable the Eagles to keep Killins in an attempt to develop him further and what better place to learn that in Philadelphia with Sproles?

"Just having him on the field, and just having him around on the field and in the film room is awesome because he did it for 16 years when people told him he couldn’t," Killins said of Sproles. "He proved people wrong and he’s an awesome guy to be around, and he’s even a better person off the field."

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 SportsMap Radio. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

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