With the 2015 NFL Draft now in the rearview mirror, all 32 teams are currently on the phone extending offers to undrafted free agents. Most undrafted players are naturally less popular than those picked during the draft, so it’s important to find a method to separate “camp bodies” from players who actually have a chance of making the active roster or practice squad. Many experts utilize SPARQ ratings, a metric created to evaluate a player’s athleticism. The Eagles have signed 16 undrafted free agents thus far. Punters are people too, obviously, but below, I analyzed each non-specialist’s college production, NFL projection, and SPARQ rating. SPARQ ratings were obtained from 3sigmaathlete.com, which is run by Zach Whitman (@zjwhitman 0n Twitter, you should definitely be following him). Players are listed in alphabetical order:
WR Rasheed Bailey, 6’2 205lbs, Delaware Valley
Plus sized receiver who played on the outside and in the slot while at Delaware Valley. Bailey shattered almost every school single season receiving record as a senior, recording 80 catches for 1707 yards and 19 touchdowns in only eleven games. Bailey is, however, limited athletically according to his SPARQ rating, which ranks 226th amongst the other wide receivers in the draft (6.4 percentile of all current NFL wide receivers).
OL Brett Boyko, 6’7 301lbs, UNLV
An extremely long player, Boyko was a four year starter at left tackle while at UNLV. He’s considered an extremely intelligent player. Projected as an NFL guard by most evaluators, Boyko’s athleticism is ranked 135th amongst the other offensive linemen in the draft (18.4 percentile of current NFL offensive linemen).
Malcolm Bunche, 6’6 320lbs, UCLA
For such a big player, Bunche moves extremely well. He projects as a tackle to most, but is considered extremely versatile and could rotate positions on the offensive line. Bunche’s athleticism ranks 53rd amongst the other offensive linemen in the draft according to SPARQ rating (54 percentile of all current NFL offensive linemen). Bunche is certainly a player to watch throughout training camp and leading up to preseason cuts.
OL Mike Coccia, 6’3 302lbs, New Hampshire
A player from Chip Kelly’s home state, Coccia was an All-American at New Hampshire this past season. He played center in college, and likely projects at the same position in the NFL. Coccia’s athleticism ranks 57th amongst other offensive linemen in the draft (51.9 percentile amongst current NFL offensive linemen). Keep an eye on Coccia leading up to the regular season.
Devante Davis, 6’3 220lbs, UNLV
In all likelihood, Davis is the Eagles’ best undrafted free agent signing. Davis has plus size for his possession, a plus catch radius, and plus hands. He has at-best average top end speed and struggles at times to separate against press coverage. His athleticism ranks 58th amongst other receivers in the draft (53.3 percentile amongst current NFL wide receivers). I gave Davis a sixth round grade in my evaluation, and I definitely expect him to compete for a spot on the Eagles’ regular season roster.
Edge Jordan DeWalt-Ondijo, 6’4 239lbs, Duke
During his final season, Dewalt-Ondijo tallied an uninspiring three tackles and one sack. There are no SPARQ stats on the edge player, but Dewalt-Ondijo ran a 4.65 in the 40 yard dash, he did 17 reps on the bench press, his broad jump was 10’4”, and he had a 35.5 inch broad jump.
TE Andrew Gleichert, 6’5 258lbs, Michigan State
In his three seasons at Michigan State, Gleichert managed only 8 catches for 69 yards and a touchdown. Known as a blocker, Gleichert’s athleticism ranks 35th amongst the other tight ends in the draft according to his SPARQ rating (17.4 percentile of current NFL tight ends).
WR John Harris, 6’2 213lbs, Texas
Harris compiled 1051 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 68 catches during his season senior at Texas, which is pretty exceptional when you consider how horrific the Longhorns’ quarterback play was. Harris’s SPARQ rating is ranked 112th amongst other receivers in the draft (31.4 percentile amongst current NFL receivers), and his 40 yard-dash time of 4.59 is somewhat uninspiring.
OL Cole Manhart, 6’6 310lbs, Nebraska-Kearney
A small school offensive lineman, Manhart reportedly projects as a center in the NFL. Manhart was a unanimous selection as an All-American during his final season in college. Athletically, Manhart’s SPARQ rating ranks 50th amongst the other offensive linemen in the draft (57.5 percentile of all current NFL offensive linemen).
DE B.J. McBryde, 6’5 292lbs, Connecticut
McBryde played sparingly during his four seasons at UConn, tallying 20 tackles and two tackles for loss in 20 career games. McBryde is athletically gifted, though, and his SPARQ rating ranks third amongst all defensive linemen in the draft (89.8 percentile of all current NFL defensive linemen). Don’t be surprised if McBryde makes a splash in camps leading up to the season.
RB Raheem Mostert, 5’11 183lbs, Purdue
During his senior season at Purdue, Mostert had 93 carries for 529 yards and three touchdowns. Like McBryde, Mostert is an elite athlete for his position. His SPARQ rating ranks 3rd amongst all running backs in the draft in athleticism (88.8 percentile of all current NFL running backs). The Eagles have decent depth at running back, but Mostert may be worthy of a spot on the practice squad.
DT Travis Raciti, 6’5 285lbs, San Jose State
An undersized defensive tackle, Raciti probably projects best as a 3-4 defensive end in the NFL. During his senior season at San Jose State, Raciti totaled 39 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss, and three sacks. Raciti’s athleticism ranks 55th amongst other defensive tackles in the draft according to SPARQ rating (32.5 percentile of all current NFL defensive tackles).
CB Denzel Rice, 6’0 190lbs, Coastal Carolina
Rice contributed to Coastal Carolina for four seasons. Last season, Rice 41 total tackles, 10 pass deflections and a blocked kick. Athletically, Rice’s SPARQ rating ranks 54 amongst the other cornerbacks in the draft (26.1 percentile of all current NFL cornerbacks). It should be noted that Rice played sparingly during his sophomore season in 2012 due to an undisclosed disciplinary issue.
TE Eric Tomlinson, 6’6 263lbs, UTEP
In four seasons at UTEP, Tomlinson totaled 59 catches for 547 yards and four touchdowns. Like Gleichert, Tomlinson is considered primarily as a blocking tight end. Tomlinson’s athleticism ranks 45th amongst the other tight ends in the draft according to his SPARQ rating (11.9 percentile amongst current NFL tight ends).
TE Justin Tukes, 6’4 259lbs, Central Florida
In four seasons at Central Florida, Tukes compiled 30 catches for 286 yards and three touchdowns. Tukes’s athleticism ranks 40th among tight ends in the draft according to his SPARQ rating (15.1 percentile amongst all current NFL tight ends).
What does it mean? While each of the Eagles’ current 16 undrafted free agent signings bring positive qualities to the table, SPARQ ratings suggest that Eagles fans should pay special attention Malcolm Bunche, Mike Coccia, Devante Davis, Cole Manhart, B.J. McBryde, and Raheem Mostert, in no order. I will continue updating this list and providing further information as needed.
Follow Sidelines and Headlines creator Ray Butler on Twitter: @RayButler
Reblogged this on Send Them Manure.
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