3 Surprise Rookies Who Could Make Eagles' 53-Man Roster

3. Kendall Milton, RB

The Eagles' running back room underwent some changes this offseason. While Kenneth Gainwell returning for his fifth season, long-time division rival Saquon Barkley is the new lead back after inking a three-year contract once free agency opened.

With the No. 1 and 2 spots on the depth chart occupied, the RB3 competition will be fought between Tyrion Davis-Price and Lew Nichols, as well as rookies Kendall Milton and Will Shipley. Having said that, I do like the odds of Milton earning a 53-man roster spot.

Milton is one of the many former Georgia players who the Eagles added in recent years. The 6-foot-1, 225-pound rusher spent his four-year NCAA career with the Bulldogs, turning 297 carries into 1,839 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns. Even though he isn't known for his pass-catching, he still averaged 9.7 receiving yards on 12 catches and even found the end zone once.

Looking at his competition, you can see why Milton could be in the 53-man roster mix. Lew Nichols didn't even play a single snap as a rookie after being drafted in the seventh round last year. Davis-Price is a former 2022 third-round selection, however, he's looking like a bust after recording just 120 rushing yards on 40 carries in two seasons with the San Francisco 49ers.

That leaves Shipley, who was drafted 127th overall by the Eagles in April, as Milton's main competition. Shipley has a promising future ahead of him and his draft status might be too much for Milton to overcome, but it's entirely possible the team rosters both backs. After all, Milton is more of a ground-and-pound rusher while Shipley excels in a pass-catching role.

If the competition brings out the best in either rookie, the Eagles' backfield will be better because of it.

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