Getty Former Utah WR Britain Covey was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted rookie free agent.
The Philadelphia Eagles quietly wrapped up their abbreviated OTAs last week. The team kept it light – no 11-on-11 drills, short practices – but that didn’t stop a few young players from rising to the top.
One guy turning heads in early June was Britain Covey. The undrafted kid out of Utah is vying for a spot at wide receiver, with dual-threat potential as a kick returner. The 5-foot-8, 170-pounder was thought to be a long shot to make the team but he’s been catching the eye of some influential veterans this summer. Starting tight end Dallas Goedert immediately name-dropped Covey when asked for some summer standouts.
“Golly, Britain Covey. He’s got a lot of potential. He’s a good player,” Goedert told reporters. “He’s really smart in his route running. Other guys? I mean, he was the one who probably stood out the most. Jalen [Hurts] looks really good, just our whole offense as a whole. You know, we got a lot of good players. We got good people at the positions we need and I think it sets us up to put us in a good position at the start of the year.”
Dallas Goedert on which players stood out at OTAs: WR Britain Covey and QB Jalen Hurts, added: “just our whole offense.” He sees a lot of weapons on that side of the ball. #Eagles #FlyEaglesFly
Eagles special teams coordinator Michael Clay tried to pump the brakes a bit on Covey. He has been trying out different guys at returner while tracking everyone’s catches and drops. Yes, the rookie did some nice things at OTAs, but he’s far from a lock to be taking kicks in 2022.
“You have to go through everything,” Clay said. “You have to see the live balls and everything, and not taking anything away from Britain, he had a very good career at Utah, but this is a little bit different in the NFL, so he still has to get used to that. He has to get used to guys running in his face right there.”
The Eagles are signing Utah WR Britain Covey❗️
He’s a KR/PR, as you can see❗️
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Covey Describes ‘Chaotic’ Draft Process
Philadelphia signed Covey to a three-year deal after claiming him as an undrafted rookie free agent. The process was “chaotic,” according to Covey who first heard from the Eagles at the end of the fifth round. He had to make a decision in the middle of the sixth round on whether to accept Philly’s offer or wait it out.
“They called my agent. They only had five picks. And it was just chaos from there,” Covey told the Deseret News. “They gave me a timetable to basically decide by this point in the sixth round.”
Quez Watkins and Britain Covey flashing the footwork
One reason why Covey was willing to jump was due to a pre-draft visit with the Eagles’ coaching staff. He liked what he heard from them, especially from quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson. He’s a legend at Utah, the winningest quarterback in program history.
“I just realized that I really wanted to be there,” Covey said.
Kenneth Gainwell Primed for Breakout Season?
CBS Sports sees big things on the horizon for Kenneth Gainwell this season. The second-year back out of Memphis made the most of his limited opportunities in 2021: 291 rushing yards on 68 carries, plus another 253 receiving yards on 33 catches. Gainwell finished his rookie campaign with six total touchdowns.
Patrik Walker thinks Gainwell could turn into a breakout star in 2022, especially if Miles Sanders continues to accumulate injuries. He could eventually turn into the feature back in Philly:
If you’re an Eagles fan, you have to like what you saw from Gainwell as a rookie. He showed ability not just on handoffs but particularly as a receiver out of the backfield. He set a solid foundation for himself that Nick Sirianni will look to build upon in 2022, and that could eventually make Gainwell the feature back in Philly, especially if Miles Sanders continues to battle durability issues.
Kenny Gainwell
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Eagles Star Calls Out Surprising Rookie Playmaker at OTAs