Philadelphia Eagles: Don’t count out Adrian Killins just yet

The Philadelphia Eagles had one very specific need heading into the 2020 NFL offseason: Speed.

They drafted the most athletic quarterback in the class, a pair of ultra-athletic linebackers with questionable on-field experience, and not one, not two, but three speedy wide receivers with a history of spreading the field at the NCAA level.

Heck, even the team’s prized free agent acquisition, Javon Hargrave, had a reputation for being one of the more athletic nose tackles in the league, which translated fairly well over to Jim Schwartz’s attacking wide-9 scheme.

But of all the players who joined the ranks of your friendly neighborhood Philadelphia Eagles in 2020, none boasted more pure, natural speed, visceral speed than Adrien Killins, a 5-foot-8, 164 pound running back out of UCF know affectionately known around those parts as “the fastest man in college football.”

Was Killins a gimmicky player? Most definitely. He was used as more of a do-it-all offensive weapon than a traditional between-the-tackles rusher by Josh Heupel and company, but that didn’t stop the young Knight from amassing 3,323 all-purpose offensive yards and 33 touchdowns in 51 games of action or generating interest from Howie Roseman following the 2020 NFL Draft.

While Killins’ rookie season left something to be desired, as he only appeared in one game and saw the field for eight offensive snaps, that doesn’t mean his chances of sticking around at the NFL level are donezo. If anything, the man boasting the most unique hairstyle on the Philadelphia Eagles may just check enough boxes to keep Nick Sirianni intrigued as the spring turns to summer and eventually fall.

Adrian Killins might be versatile enough to stick with the Philadelphia Eagles.

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What’s the best ability in the NFL? Availability.

What’s the second-best ability in the NFL? Versatility.

If you’re a bottom-of-the-roster sort of guy, you’d better be willing to play special teams. If you’re a reserve offensive lineman, you’d better be willing to learn how to play multiple positions or risk not being active on game days. Heck, in 2020, the Philadelphia Eagles even expected their second-string quarterback to take a few largely fruitless snaps at wildcat quarterback/wide receiver in any given game despite it having no provable success.

Malcolm Jenkins made a name for himself playing basically every position across the defensive side of the ball, from edge rusher to free safety as per PFF (subscription required), and he led the team in defensive snaps in every season since he initially came to town in 2014.

Alright, cool; if you want to stick around and prolong an NFL career, wearing as many hats as possible is a pretty safe way to stay in the good favors of a coaching staff. But would you like to know what else will help to keep a player kicking around in the NFL long-term? Being really good at one aspect of the game.

For Adrian Killins, that’s playing fast.

At UCF, Killins was a threat to take it to the house any time he touched the football. He possessed a unique ability to breeze past his initial defender and break into the sound level with a shifty gusto Philly fans haven’t seen around these parts since Darren Sproles rocked a jersey in the 40s.

Considering he wasn’t graced with the “muscle hampster” frame of his teammate Boston Scott, Killins will never be the type of running back who records double-digit carries in any given game – a feat Scott has accomplished five times in 29 games – he can still make waves and plays in a hybrid wide receiver/running back role a la former Chip Kelly players like Kenjon Barner, De’Anthony Thomas, and LaMichael James.

It’s no wonder Killins has been running drills at wide receiver during his initial run with the team this preseason; if anything, the decision is smart.

I mean, think about it, is there any world where Killins beats out Miles Sanders, Boston Scott, Kenneth Gainwell, Kerryon Johnson, and Jordan Howard for at most four running back spots? Probably not. But could he beat out, say Quez Watkins and/or JJ Arcega-Whiteside for the Eagles’ sixth wide receiver spot? That feels a whole lot more attainable, especially if he can provide additional versatility as a running back.

Factor in his experience returning kicks at UCF and as a punt returner in practice last season, and there’s a chance Killins could lead the Eagles in touches this preseason, assuming, of course, the NFL actually holds preseason games this year. If that happens, it’ll be incredibly hard for Killins not to at least end up on the practice squad this fall, which has historically been a pretty good way to see the field once injuries start to crop up.

Look, if we’re being realistic, Adrian Killins’ chances of making the Philadelphia Eagles falls into the “questionable” category. It’s not quite “doubtful” or downright “out” to the level of the 90th man on a 90 man roster, but let’s just say, if you decide to buy a number 46 jersey, you’d better hope Howie Roseman decides to re-sign Trey Burton this summer, as you’ll likely regret the purchase by September. With that being said, I really like Killins’ game and hope he can figure out a way to translate it to the Pro level, as he was a beast at UCF and could once again provide some pop as a speedy swiss army knife coming off the bench.