Josh Sills was in his hotel room when he got the call.
When the undrafted offensive lineman from Oklahoma State found out he made the Eagles’ 53-man roster, he jumped around, he screamed, he laughed, he smiled.
“I was over the moon ecstatic,” he said.
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Then he called his family. And they were even more excited.
“Both my parents cried,” Sills said, “My sister cried, my brother-in-law, he was at work so he couldn’t really talk very long but I talked to him later that night. He cried. It was a pretty special day.”
Sills is one of three undrafted rookies to make the Eagles’ 53-man roster in 2022, along with safety Reed Blankenship and cornerback Josh Jobe.
The three of them beat long odds this summer to earn their roster spots.
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Like Sills, Blankenship and Jobe didn’t wait long to call their families either. They got similar responses.
“First phone call was actually my parents,” Blankenship said. “They both cried when they found out. It’s one of those things, I’m happy for myself, I’m proud, all the people around me that supported me, I didn’t do it by myself. But I enjoyed that moment for a split second but I realize I still have a lot of work to do.
“Y’all can enjoy it. I still have to go to work.”
Even Jobe, who said he expected to make the team, was thrilled when the news was official. He called it a great moment.
But now that moment is over and the real work begins.
It’s not easy making it in the NFL and it’s even harder as an undrafted player. As much as coaches like to say it doesn’t matter where players come from … it does. Draft picks get more opportunity, more chances, more room for error.
The good news for this trio is that there are plenty of examples of UDFAs who have made it big in the NFL. Heck, they have some in their own locker room.
“It’s one of those things where you just want to take advantage of those opportunities you get,” said T.J. Edwards, who was undrafted in 2019 and has become the starting MIKE linebacker a few years later.
“And also be ready because you never know when your time is going to be called to get in a game. A lot of those guys are big for us on special teams as well.”
Yes, special teams are going to be big for these guys. Because let’s face it, the chances we see much of Sills, Blankenship or Jobe on offensive or defense this season aren’t great.
Blankenship was a rare five-year starter at Middle Tennessee State so he didn’t play much on special teams in college. But he knew as a rookie in the NFL he’d be playing on special teams and he’s really embraced that challenge.
“I’m not snubbing my nose at it at all,” Blankenship said. “I love football, whatever position, whatever team it is. I love it. If they put me out there I’m going to do my best.”
Blankenship said he’s actually really enjoyed learning the technical side of playing special teams. In a way, he said it’s like playing defense. He has to know his job, use correct technique and even studies the tendencies of his opponents.
Jobe, who obviously played at a high level at Alabama, thinks playing on special teams will actually help him adjust to the faster pace of the NFL. And if he’s ever called upon to play defense, he’ll be ready for that too.
When asked about what piece of advice he would give to these three, Edwards emphasized the importance of getting everything right mentally first and knowing your assignments. He also said it’s important to never force things and just make the most of your opportunities when you get them.
“You just have to come in every day and work on your craft and work on your skills and be the best that you can possibly be,” Sills said. “I haven’t really treated it any different. Just knowing that I have to prove myself.”
All three are off to a good start.
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