Philadelphia Eagles: Grayland Arnold could 2021 Brandon Boykin

While Grayland Arnold may not see the field in 2020, he could be an intriguing slot option for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021 and beyond.

Grayland Arnold probably won’t make the Philadelphia Eagles roster this fall.

I mean he could, at least in theory, if Rasul Douglas gets traded, someone starts out the season on IR, or the Eagles opt to keep six cornerbacks under the new 55 man roster, but that would take a serious confluence of events to go down.

Mind you, Arnold is a beyond intriguing prospect, a 5-foot-9 cornerback who picked off six passes as a senior and even scored a touchdown as the Baylor Bears‘ occasional punt returner. Still, it’s hard to imagine any of the Eagles’ undrafted free agent class earning a starting role in 2020, especially one with six odd players in front of him on the depth chart.

More from Philadelphia Eagles

However, 2021 is an entirely different story.

According to Over the Cap, the Eagles have 52 players under contract in 2021. Granted, 20-25 of those players are either members of the teams’ UDFA class, players signed to futures contracts or probable 2020 cap casualties, but for the sake of argument, let’s go with it. Of those 52 players, only five play cornerback, Darius Slay, Avonte Maddox, Prince Smith, Michael Jacquet, and Arnold.

Even if 2020 fourth-round pick K’Von Wallace ends up splitting his time between slot cornerback and box safety moving forward, the Eagles would only be left with one proven Pro Bowl-caliber starter, a solid enough number two starter, and three undrafted free agents under contract in 2021. That isn’t particularly good for Eagles fans hoping for a long-term solution in the defensive backfield, but it could be a great oppertunity for a young cornerback looking for a chance to make an NFL roster.

Measuring in at 5-foot-9, 184 pounds with 29-inch arms, a 120-inch broad jump, and a 7.01 second 3 cone, Arnold isn’t the biggest, fastest, or strongest cornerback on the block, but he’s a natural at the position. Whether deployed in man or zone coverage for the Bears under ex-Temple head coach Matt Rhule, Arnold’s tape shows a disciplined player willing to allow the play to develop all the while keeping his eye on the ball.

His six interceptions ranked fifth in FBS last season and is the most of any cornerback selected (or not) in the 2020 NFL Draft.

Fun fact: Arnold picked off a pass intended for Jalen Reagor in a three OT Baylor win over TCU and picked off a pass from Jalen Hurts in 2019 alone.

Had Arnold played for a team like Alabama, ran a sub-4.5 40-yard dash, or been a more sure tackler in college, maybe he would have garnered some Day 3 love from some cornerback-hungry team with a hole in the slot, but fortunately for the Eagles, that wasn’t the case. After watching his former head coach draft four defensive backs in his first season atop the Carolina Panthers‘ franchise, Arnold opted to sign with the Eagles as an undrafted free agent to compete for a roster spot.

And in theory, that idea tracks.

After suffering through a string of injuries in the first month of the 2019 regular season, the Eagles were forced to march out a defensive backfield featuring players like Craig James, Ryan Lewis, and Orlando Scandrick, all of whom had no business seeing the field in any sort of full-time capacity. Right out of the gate, Arnold would rise above that trio even if his size, speed, and body composition may make him a slot-only corner in the NFL.

Do you know who Arnold reminds me of? Ex-Eagles cornerback Brandon Boykin.

Like Boykin, Arnold is a smaller slot cornerback with experience making plays in the return game. While Boykin ultimately only played four seasons in the NFL, three with the Eagles and a fourth with the team’s cross-state rivals, the Pittsburg Steelers, that was due in large part to a degenerative hip injury that effectively ended the fourth-round pick out of Georgia‘s football career before he could even hit his prime.

Do you remember Boykin’s playoffs-sealing interception against the Dallas Cowboys in 2013? Gosh, it’s such a shame we didn’t get to see him play a decade in the NFL.

While Boykins ran his combine 40 a tenth of a second faster than Arnold, both play the game with loose hips, good body control, and a pension for picking off passes when his team really needs a game-changing play. If matched up in a favorable situation, against non-speedsters or 6-foot-5 giants on the interior, Arnold could find quality playing time as a part-time player for the Eagles in defensive sub-packages on obvious passing downs.

Alternatively, Arnold’s football instincts would make him a natural candidate to switch positions and try his hand at free safety, where the Eagles really don’t have an on-roster heir apparent for Rodney McLeod, whose contract expires at the end of the 2021 season.

But to me, Arnold is a slot cornerback, and potentially a good one at that.

Next. Graham Harrell made a mistake returning to USC. dark

Look, the 2020 NFL season is going to be a transitional year for the Philadelphia Eagles at a number of different positions. From linebacker to wide receiver, safety and cornerback, Howie Roseman, Doug Pederson, and company are going to be looking for long-term viable starters to fill roles with the team in 2021 and beyond. While a player like Sidney Jones, Cre’von Leblanc, or Nickell Robey-Coleman could certainly exceed expectations and earn a long-term deal, it’s just as likely half of the Eagles’ current defensive backfield unceremoniously hits free agency in 2021. If that’s the case, look for Arnold to be in contention for a potential spot in the slot in the not-to-distant future.

Home/Philadelphia Eagles