![](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,<svg height="439" width="780" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" version="1.1"/>)
Don’t let Josiah Scott’s size fool you, according to his former college teammates at Michigan State. The 5-foot-10, 171-pounder was a stud cornerback for the Spartans before going in the fourth round of the 2020 draft to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Scott was acquired by the Philadelphia Eagles on Tuesday in exchange for cornerback Jameson Houston and a 2023 sixth-round pick. The second-year player saw action in six games last year and made 11 tackles on 80 defensive snaps. He joins a young, inexperienced secondary in Philly where he’ll get a chance to come right in and compete for the starting slot cornerback job.
Fourth-round pick Zech McPhearson highlights the Eagles’ depth chart behind outside corners Avonte Maddox and Darius Slay. Craig James and Michael Jacquet are two other options on the inside. New head coach Nick Sirianni keeps stressing the importance of competition at every single position, too.
“Everybody on this team has got to fight every single day to get better and to compete, and competition is never a bad thing,” Sirianni told reporters. “In my mind, competition is never a bad thing. It doesn’t matter the position. It’s never a bad thing. It takes people and the cream rises to the top when you compete.”
The latest Eagles news straight to your inbox! Join the Heavy on Eagles newsletter here!
Nicknamed ‘The Gnat’ at Michigan State
Scott has been dealing with concerns over his size his entire career. At Michigan State, the Ohio native earned the nickname “The Gnat” for being a “pesky, ball-hawking defensive back.” (via Lansing State Journal). One of his college teammates, Joe Bachie, talked about his first impressions of Scott in a 2019 interview. The two men will now be reunited in Philadelphia after the Eagles stole Bachie off the New Orleans Saints practice squad last year.
“When Josiah came in here, we’re like, ‘Man he’s small,’ ” Bachie told Mike DeFabo. “’Is he going to be our guy?’ Then you see him play. You see him put the helmet on and break and make a play on the ball. You’re like, yeah, this guy is good. He’s special.”
Scott was a three-year letterwinner for the Spartans where he appeared in 30 career games at cornerback. He finished with seven interceptions and his 32 total passes defended tied for 12th place on the school’s all-time list. He also recorded 98 tackles (two for loss) with two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery before forgoing his senior season to enter the 2020 draft. He went 137th overall to Jacksonville, eight picks prior to the Eagles taking offensive tackle Jack Driscoll.
Eagles Bring Back Offensive Tackle Casey Tucker
The Eagles also announced the team was bringing back offensive tackle Casey Tucker on Tuesday. He returns to the Eagles nest for the third time after initially going undrafted in 2019. You may remember him best for being waived last year to make room for breakout receiver Travis Fulgham.
The 6-foot-6, 315-pounder is a strong, athletic big man who saw action in 39 college games during stints at Arizona State and Stanford. He was part of a Sun Devils’ offensive line that allowed just 15 sacks his senior year, plus he helped Pro Bowler Christian McCaffrey run for 2,019 yards at Stanford.
READ ALSO:
- Doug Pederson Reveals ‘Final Say’ on QB Change
- Carson Wentz Responds to Criticism
- Eagles Talk Benching Carson Wentz for Jalen Hurts
- Eagles Admit to Having Sloppy Practices
- Eagles Respond to Bombshell Blow It Up Report
