Rookie Eagles’ CB Zech McPhearson Standing Out at Eagles Camp

After the Eagles made Texas Tech cornerback Zech McPhearson their fourth-round pick back in May, general manager Howie Roseman spoke about how he believed McPhearson could have been taken at the back end of the third-round and the team thought about making a move to go and get him.

McPhearson himself said he enters the league with a bit of a chip on his shoulder.

"I'm definitely motivated no matter where I went," McPhearson said back in May after he was drafted. "I always got a chip on my shoulder. That's just the type of person I am. That motivation, that stuff comes from within. I don't need any type of stimulant. I got it going inside me, so, yeah."

So far he has been one of the bright spots during the first week of Eagles training camp.

"Yeah, Zech is doing a good job," said Eagles defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon.  "He's taking the coaching points and applying them on the field day-to-day. A lot of times, that's hard for rookies, especially out there. There is a lot going on with those guys."

McPhearson is expected to backup veteran starters Steven Nelson and Darius Slay. In the early going of camp, McPhearson has turned to Slay when the two are on the sidelines together. Gannon was asked what he would like McPhearson to take away from his time with Slay on the sidelines.

"I would say his confidence," Gannon explained. "You know, that position out there, it's a lonely world. I think that one of the best attributes that Slay has is he plays very confident and has a next-play mentality."

With Slay and the addition of Nelson, McPhearson doesn't have to step in and play right away, but adds some depth at the position in the event there is an injury. He also provides positional versatility to play both inside and outside and could end up pushing Avonte Maddox for playing time.

"I don't really constrain myself to just one thing," McPhearson explained back in May. "I take pride in being versatile and being able to do multiple things on the field whether it's inside, outside, or even back at safety."