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PHILADELPHIA − It's no accident that the Eagles drafted two players late in the NFL Draft whose fathers were long-tenured NFL players and former first-round picks.
And really, the path to the Eagles for Drew Kendall and Myles Hinton is similar in many ways, but also quite different.
Kendall, a center, was drafted in the fifth round, No. 168 overall out of Boston College, while Hinton, a tackle, was taken in the sixth round, at No. 191 overall, out of Michigan after beginning his career at Stanford.
Kendall's father, Pete, was a first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1996, and spent 13 seasons in the NFL with five teams. Hinton's father, Chris, was a first-round pick of the Colts in 1983, taken No. 4 overall. He, too, had a 13-year career, and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.
Typically, late-round picks, especially on the offensive line, are considered projects who may or may not work out. The Eagles also selected Texas tackle Cameron Williams in the sixth-round, No. 207 overall.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is banking on Kendall and Hinton's heritage to give them a better chance of succeeding.
"They have critical factors that we can really work with and develop," Roseman said on April 26, when they were drafted. "And obviously they have things to work on. That's why they were drafted where they were. But when you get guys with critical factors, with the coaching staff we have, I'll take our chances with that."
As for Kendall (6-foot-4, 308 pounds) and Hinton (6-7, 323), the main difference is that Kendall has fond memories of standing on the sidelines as a 7-year-old at FedEx Field watching his father play for Washington late in his career.
Hinton doesn't have that background. He was born well after his father retired in 1995.
Hinton said on May 2 as the Eagles began a rookie minicamp that he had no idea his dad was as accomplished a player as he was.
"I didn’t really know how good he was until I was like 13 years old," Hinton said with a laugh. "He didn’t talk about it much, but once I started really getting into football and playing O-line for real ... is when I understood her was THAT guy.
"I started doing research on him, watching YouTube videos on him and what not. It was crazy."
Before that, Hinton said his father would tell him very little about his career. In fact, when Hinton was a kid, he once asked his father why he had a big scar on his leg.
"He said he got bit by an alligator that he was wrestling," Hinton said with a laugh.
JERSEY TIME: Philadelphia Eagles draft picks 2025 jersey numbers revealed
EAGLES PICK PRANKED: Like Shedeur Sanders, this Eagles draft pick was victim of prank calls during NFL Draft
It wasn't until later when Hinton learned Chris Hinton broke his leg playing football and had surgery.
All of that, Hinton said, was meant to show that his father wasn't going to force him into playing football. But once Hinton said he discovered that's what he wanted to do, his father helped him whenever he was asked.
Hinton started out his collegiate career at Stanford before transferring to Michigan in 2023. He started five games for the Wolverines that season on their way to the national championship. Hinton became a full-time starter for Michigan last season.
Kendall, meanwhile, emulated his father, saying he learned about what it takes to be a pro.
What was the biggest thing he learned from his father, who played 13 seasons, and logged 189 games (188 as a starter)?
"I’d say take care of your body," Kendall said. "He played for 13 seasons. That doesn’t happen on accident. He was a pro, taking care of his body, making sure he was ready to go every Sunday and for every practice. So just staying on top of that."
But Kendall emulated another player more so than his father in legendary Eagles center Jason Kelce, who wrapped up a 13-year career of his own in 2023 after being selected to 7 Pro Bowls and 6 All-Pro teams.
"That was my favorite tape to watch, my favorite center to watch," Kendall said about Kelce. "So I’m very familiar. He did amazing, incredible things here ... I loved the way he pulled. He got out in space and really attacked the second level. He got on the second level really fast, and really stressed the linebackers.
"In my lifetime, probably the most influential center that has played in the National Football League."
Celebrate the Eagles' Super Bowl win with our new book
Kendall knows he has a long way to go to have the same success as Kelce. In fact, he might follow a similar path as the center who replaced Kelce in Cam Jurgens.
Jurgens moved to right guard in 2023 and got the chance to play next to Kelce. Kendall said there has been talk about him moving to guard as well. The Eagles have an opening at right guard, and there will be competition with Tyler Steen and Kenyon Green, whom the Eagles traded for in March.
After Kelce retired, Jurgens, drafted in the second round in 2022, replaced him and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
Kendall said he was a guard in high school before his coaches at Boston College had him move to center. And Roseman was especially effusive in how well Kendall picked it up.
"You talk about somebody who's just made to play in the NFL," Roseman said about Kendall. "Obviously his dad was a first-round pick. It's hard to find. It is a center-deficient league. There are not a lot of centers on draft boards.
"It is not a natural trait to snap the ball, and so not every offense lineman can do that."
Kendall has his father to thank for that, just like Hinton does with his father.
"He tested me hard," Hinton said. "He told me about his career and how coaches would ride him. He was saying that you have to stick it out."
That could be the case with Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Then Hinton was asked if he sees any similarities between his game and his father's.
"For sure," Hinton said. "He was super strong and explosive, and I’m the same way − out there mauling."
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles’ championship season in “Flying High,” a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What Eagles draft picks learned from NFL star fathers, Jason Kelce
Continue reading...
And really, the path to the Eagles for Drew Kendall and Myles Hinton is similar in many ways, but also quite different.
Kendall, a center, was drafted in the fifth round, No. 168 overall out of Boston College, while Hinton, a tackle, was taken in the sixth round, at No. 191 overall, out of Michigan after beginning his career at Stanford.
Kendall's father, Pete, was a first-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks in 1996, and spent 13 seasons in the NFL with five teams. Hinton's father, Chris, was a first-round pick of the Colts in 1983, taken No. 4 overall. He, too, had a 13-year career, and was selected to the Pro Bowl seven times.
Typically, late-round picks, especially on the offensive line, are considered projects who may or may not work out. The Eagles also selected Texas tackle Cameron Williams in the sixth-round, No. 207 overall.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman is banking on Kendall and Hinton's heritage to give them a better chance of succeeding.
"They have critical factors that we can really work with and develop," Roseman said on April 26, when they were drafted. "And obviously they have things to work on. That's why they were drafted where they were. But when you get guys with critical factors, with the coaching staff we have, I'll take our chances with that."
As for Kendall (6-foot-4, 308 pounds) and Hinton (6-7, 323), the main difference is that Kendall has fond memories of standing on the sidelines as a 7-year-old at FedEx Field watching his father play for Washington late in his career.
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Hinton doesn't have that background. He was born well after his father retired in 1995.
Hinton said on May 2 as the Eagles began a rookie minicamp that he had no idea his dad was as accomplished a player as he was.
"I didn’t really know how good he was until I was like 13 years old," Hinton said with a laugh. "He didn’t talk about it much, but once I started really getting into football and playing O-line for real ... is when I understood her was THAT guy.
"I started doing research on him, watching YouTube videos on him and what not. It was crazy."
Before that, Hinton said his father would tell him very little about his career. In fact, when Hinton was a kid, he once asked his father why he had a big scar on his leg.
"He said he got bit by an alligator that he was wrestling," Hinton said with a laugh.
JERSEY TIME: Philadelphia Eagles draft picks 2025 jersey numbers revealed
EAGLES PICK PRANKED: Like Shedeur Sanders, this Eagles draft pick was victim of prank calls during NFL Draft
It wasn't until later when Hinton learned Chris Hinton broke his leg playing football and had surgery.
All of that, Hinton said, was meant to show that his father wasn't going to force him into playing football. But once Hinton said he discovered that's what he wanted to do, his father helped him whenever he was asked.
Hinton started out his collegiate career at Stanford before transferring to Michigan in 2023. He started five games for the Wolverines that season on their way to the national championship. Hinton became a full-time starter for Michigan last season.
You must be registered for see images attach
Kendall, meanwhile, emulated his father, saying he learned about what it takes to be a pro.
What was the biggest thing he learned from his father, who played 13 seasons, and logged 189 games (188 as a starter)?
"I’d say take care of your body," Kendall said. "He played for 13 seasons. That doesn’t happen on accident. He was a pro, taking care of his body, making sure he was ready to go every Sunday and for every practice. So just staying on top of that."
But Kendall emulated another player more so than his father in legendary Eagles center Jason Kelce, who wrapped up a 13-year career of his own in 2023 after being selected to 7 Pro Bowls and 6 All-Pro teams.
"That was my favorite tape to watch, my favorite center to watch," Kendall said about Kelce. "So I’m very familiar. He did amazing, incredible things here ... I loved the way he pulled. He got out in space and really attacked the second level. He got on the second level really fast, and really stressed the linebackers.
"In my lifetime, probably the most influential center that has played in the National Football League."
Celebrate the Eagles' Super Bowl win with our new book
Kendall knows he has a long way to go to have the same success as Kelce. In fact, he might follow a similar path as the center who replaced Kelce in Cam Jurgens.
Jurgens moved to right guard in 2023 and got the chance to play next to Kelce. Kendall said there has been talk about him moving to guard as well. The Eagles have an opening at right guard, and there will be competition with Tyler Steen and Kenyon Green, whom the Eagles traded for in March.
After Kelce retired, Jurgens, drafted in the second round in 2022, replaced him and was selected to the Pro Bowl.
Kendall said he was a guard in high school before his coaches at Boston College had him move to center. And Roseman was especially effusive in how well Kendall picked it up.
"You talk about somebody who's just made to play in the NFL," Roseman said about Kendall. "Obviously his dad was a first-round pick. It's hard to find. It is a center-deficient league. There are not a lot of centers on draft boards.
"It is not a natural trait to snap the ball, and so not every offense lineman can do that."
Kendall has his father to thank for that, just like Hinton does with his father.
"He tested me hard," Hinton said. "He told me about his career and how coaches would ride him. He was saying that you have to stick it out."
That could be the case with Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland. Then Hinton was asked if he sees any similarities between his game and his father's.
"For sure," Hinton said. "He was super strong and explosive, and I’m the same way − out there mauling."
Contact Martin Frank at [email protected]. Follow on X @Mfranknfl. Read his coverage of the Eagles’ championship season in “Flying High,” a new hardcover coffee-table book from Delaware Online/The News Journal. Details at Fly.ChampsBook.com
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: What Eagles draft picks learned from NFL star fathers, Jason Kelce
Continue reading...
