A kid from Crystal Lake, Illinois who became a team captain of the national champion Michigan Wolverines happened to have a DeSean Jackson Eagles’ No. 10 jersey lying around the house when Philadelphia selected him with the 172nd overall pick in the 2024 draft.
Keegan, a 37-game starter at Michigan who was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2022 before finishing his college career by earning second-team conference honors in the run to the Natty, was savvy enough to retrieve the jersey that he got in elementary school and put it on for his first video conference call with local reporters.
Somehow it still fit even though Keegan has grown into a 6-foot-6, 310-pound road-grading, pin-and-pull expert in Jim Harbaugh’s impressive gap running scheme that lifted Michigan to No. 1 status.
“I’m pretty sure it’s like a double (extra-large),” Keegan said. “I was a pretty big kid back in the day.”
“It’s a little snug though,” he laughed.
If that wasn’t enough to ingratiate Keegan into the passion of Eagles fans the viral video of him shirtless while shotgunning a beer during the parade through Ann Arbor to celebrate the Wolverines’ championship conjured up thoughts of future Hall of Fame center Jason Kelce, the most popular Philadelphia player of the modern generation who retired this offseason.
“I keep seeing this tweet of me with my shirt off chugging a beer saying I’ll fit in perfectly [with the Eagles],” Keegan smiled. “I’m just excited.”
On the field, Keegan is a bit of an old-school bully who likes to push defensive linemen around and he’s excited to be part of the tush-push quarterback sneak that’s become a cause celebre around the NFL.
“As a fan, before I got drafted here, the tush push, the physicality, and the nastiness that the unit plays with is something I liked to embark on in my game while I was in college,” Keegan said. “…I love setting the tone in the run game. I love the first short yardage, being able to blow the guy off the ball, the tush push, I’m excited for it.”
“I can’t wait to practice it and do it with the guys.”
Keegan spent all his time at Michigan on the left side with 36 of his 37 starts as the left guard and the other sliding out to left tackle. The Eagles have stars at those two positions in Landon Dickerson and Jordan Mailata and there’s more uncertainty at right guard where second-year player Tyler Steen is penciled in after starting just one game as a rookie.
The Eagles wanted to add meaningful competition for that job early in the draft. The board fell in a different direction, leaving an opportunity for veteran Matt Hennessy, who was once an ascending player in Atlanta before injuries derailed the last two seasons. Some have speculated the recently signed Mekhi Becton, a natural tackle, could factor in as well.
Don’t sleep on Keegan, however.
It’s never easy for a Day 3 pick to hit the ground running and the more likely starting point for Keegan is a depth piece to help replace free agent losses Jack Driscoll and Sua Opeta.
That said the proven college producer has the temperament offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland will love and learning from perhaps the most well-regarded OL coach in the NFL and between talented young center Cam Jurgens and All-Pro right tackle Lane Johnson would aid anyone in elevating their game.
“I told him, ‘I love the way you guys play, I feel like I fit the identity of your team,’” Keegan said of his first meetings with Stoutland at the Senior Bowl and the scouting combine.
That fit is almost eerie.
