Questions at OG But Not Center For Eagles' Offensive Lineman

PHILADELPHIA – Center is not the position Jeff Stoutland was worried about with Cam Jurgens.

“When we moved him to guard, a lot of you guys asked me this last year, I wasn’t sure if he would be able to [make the transition]…because we weren’t evaluating him for that spot,” the Eagles offensive line coach admitted.

Turns out Jurgens is just a pretty good football player and developed into a Pro Bowl alternate while waiting for his forever home as the center drafted to replace six-time All-Pro and future Hall of Famer Jason Kelce.

Replacing Kelce is a lot to ask for anyone but Stoutland has no concerns about Jurgens playing center. That’s not to say anyone can match what the popular Kelce did for the Eagles over the past 13 seasons but the belief in Philadelphia is that Jurgens will be a high-level NFL player at the position.

“Cam Jurgens was brought here two years ago for the reason of when Kelce does retire, that we have a guy who we really identified as being a top-level center, in our opinion,” Stoutland explained.

Those who’ve been around Stoutland understand the well-regarded assistant has a list of “critical factors” developed over the years that he uses to identify high-level prospects at each offensive line position.

“You guys have heard me talk about critical factors, so each position has a list of these factors,” Stoutland said. “For me, that’s everything. I’m not deviating from that. I know I’ve done this 40-something years now. All the good players that I’ve ever coached have the same things.

“I’m like why don’t you build a list of these factors and then go by that in terms of how you’re evaluating players?”

Jurgens, 24, was bursting at the seams with traits that scream top-tier center when the Eagles selected him at No. 51 overall in the 2022 draft.

“Cam just so happened to check a lot of the boxes of foot and body quickness, he’s powerful, he has great core strength, he has the ability to communicate to the core [of the offense],” Stoutland said.

And now, not only does Jurgens have a year under his belt interning under Kelce as a rookie, he’s got a season playing next to him with a front-row seat to see how one of the Eagles’ all-time greats handled things.

“It's perfect timing for him, and some may want to ask how did that help playing next to Kelce?” Stoutland asked rhetorically. “That’s the question, how great that was for him to be on the field and playing in games, hearing what Kelce is saying, and how he’s saying it, and be right there next to him.

“I think that was tremendous help.”

And the experience at guard?

"I was real impressed with the job that he did there, to be honest with you," Stoutland said. "His physicality and all that."

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