Philadelphia Eagles: UDFA Grayland Arnold is 100% going to be a stud
By David Esser
UDFA Grayland Arnold getting a favorable jersey number bodes well for his Philadelphia Eagles playing career.
The Philadelphia Eagles officially released the jersey numbers for all of their undrafted rookie free agent signings, and thanks to a little detective work by Brandon Lee Gowton of Bleeding Green Nation, we got a first look at which player got which number. One name in particular stood out from the rest.
22 year old Grayland Arnold was awarded the #33, and while this may seem like a completely meaningless bit of information (it totally could be), it does give us just one more clue into just how highly the Eagles coaching staff views the former Baylor DB.
Even prior to me overanalyzing his jersey number, there was quite a bi of hype surrounding Arnold’s addition to the roster. The Eagles front office reportedly had a “draftable grade” on him heading into the 2020 NFL draft, and awarded him with the fourth biggest Eagles UDFA contract (Arnold was also the highest paid UDFA DB the Eagles signed, tied with Michael Jacquet).
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Almost immediately after signing him, the Eagles moved Arnold over to safety, which is a tad bit interesting considering the team’s obvious lack of depth at cornerback. However, word began quickly spreading around that the Eagles potentially view Arnold as Rodney McLeod’s replacement later down the road.
McLeod just recently inked a new two-year contract, but having his replacement waiting in the wings, learning the system for the next two seasons before being ready to start himself, is a favorable situation to be in for Philadelphia.
According to CBS Sports, Arnold was actually the Eagles best overall undrafted free agent signing:
“He has an innate ability to be in the right place at the right time and shows good athleticism. His career may begin on special teams but Arnold has lasting power.”
Arnold played four years of college football at Baylor University, operating primarily as a slot corner. He capped off his collegiate career with six interceptions in his final year, a team-leading stat that almost surely caught the eye of the Eagles. At 5-10 187lbs, he has the build to make the switch over to Free Safety, and has been working all offseason long with notable footwork trainer Rischad Whitfield.
While it may seem silly, Arnold landing the number 33 is actually pretty significant for his stock going forward. If he were to make the main roster, he wouldn’t have to change numbers at all, signaling that the team at least thinks he could sneak onto the 53 man. Guys like WR Manasseh Bailey on the other hand (#8), would have to find a completely new jersey number if they were ever to be activated on game day.
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Arnold’s stock is rising, and while he still has a lot to learn in terms of NFL game speed and playing free safety, he’s definitely a name worth watching. The Eagles have had a lot of success in the UDFA market in the past, and Arnold is a prime candidate to be the next one who pops.