Philadelphia Eagles underdog cornerback Eli Ricks ended Thursday’s training camp practice on a high note in front of 50,000 fans at the Linc.
Ricks intercepted backup quarterback Kenny Pickett in an end-of-game situation to shut down practice.
That play marked the first interception of Eagles training camp, which also means Jalen Hurts has thrown zero picks so far.
While it’s just practice, any big play this summer will help Ricks as he is considered a guy on the roster bubble with 12 cornerbacks currently competing for a roster spot.
Ricks, a former 2023 undrafted free agent out of Alabama, played in 16 games last fall and showed that he can play inside and outside cornerback. He also brings special teams value.
As a rookie, Ricks logged 301 snaps on defense, and another 212 on special teams
Ricks was the only UDFA to make the Eagles’ initial 53-man roster out of training camp last year. And he made it seem worth it here and there but he struggled to stay consistent, especially toward the end of the season when things fell apart for the Birds.
There’s a chance that Year 2 could be a big jump for him but making the roster this time isn’t going to be easy.
Now, Ricks is competing against rookie corner Quinyon Mitchell, who has made the transition to the NFL look like a piece of cake. The Eagles also have Isaiah Rodgers back from his season-long suspension and are very pleased with what they’ve seen from him.
Additionally, fellow second-year cornerback Kelee Ringo has taken a big stride in his game and has been a favorite working with the first-team defense.
There is still a month of camp left for the cornerback battle to continue, but Ricks definitely earned himself a brownie point or two for logging the first interception of the summer.
