Whatever buzz there was that Philadelphia Eagles running back Will Shipley might be on the outside looking in with the roster this fall seems to have been shouted down by a standout offseason from the Clemson product.
Sports Illustrated’s Jeff Kerr singled Shipley out as 1 of just a handful of Eagles who helped themselves the most during OTAs and mandatory minicamp.
“If Shipley was in danger of making the roster heading into the spring, that may not be the case anymore,” Kerr wrote. “Shipley is the clear frontrunner for the RB3 job, as he’s ahead of Dameon Pierce and Elijah Mitchell for that spot. Not only has Shipley been impressive in catching the ball this spring, but the Eagles are featuring him in the passing game with the ones and twos. The Eagles also need a kick returner, and Shipley is still the primary option for that as well. Shipley doesn’t have a large role on this team because Saquon Barkley and Tank Bigsby are ahead of him — but he has a role on this team.”
Shipley, a 2024 4th-round pick, is headed into the 3rd season of his 4-year, $4.7 million rookie contract. While he has just 222 yards of total offense, his impact is being felt on special teams and in other places, where he’s racked up 1,122 all-purpose yards and was Philadelphia’s primary kick returner in 2025.
Shipley’s Starring Moment Came in Super Bowl Run
Regular-season stats don’t tell the story of Shipley’s time with the Eagles to this point.
When the Eagles needed him most in the previous 2 years, he was ready and had a star turn in their run to a Super Bowl win following the 2024 season. While he doesn’t have a regular-season touchdown — yet — he did score a touchdown in the NFC Championship Game win over the Washington Commanders.
“Most NFL rookies don’t get the opportunity to make an impact in the NFC Championship Game,” Philadelphia Sports Nation’s Michael Thomas Leibrandt wrote. “Rookie running back Will Shipley, after forcing a fumble and helping to provide the Eagles with excellent field position on Special Teams, broke free for a 57-yard run in the fourth quarter. When he was tackled on the six-yard line, there was little question who would punch the ball in for paydirt two plays later.”
Incredibly Bad Timing at All Times for Shipley
The fact that Shipley isn’t already a bigger star seems like a lot of bad luck on his part.
Shipley was the nation’s No. 2-rated running back recruit for the Class of 2021, but didn’t even get to play his senior season of high school football because of the pandemic.
He enrolled at Clemson in January 2021 — right around the start of the NIL era and boom of the transfer portal — and right around when Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney openly disavowed both, then watched his program get left in the dust.
After making the playoffs 6 consecutive seasons before Shipley joined the team, Clemson missed the playoffs each of his 3 seasons there.
Shipley still had over 1,000 all-purpose yards each of his 3 seasons and scored 33 total touchdowns. He left school with one season of eligibility remaining and solidified his draft stock by running a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the NFL scouting combine.
Talented Eagles RB Called ‘Clear Frontrunner’ in Roster Battle