Eagles hope Dillon Gordon takes development to the next level
22 June 2017 Eagles News
If there was one team that knows anything about converted players turned into lineman, it would be the Philadelphia Eagles.
At this very moment, the Eagles have three starting lineman who played other positions in college at one time. All-world LT Jason Peters was a tight end for the Arkansas Razorbacks, while RT Lane Johnson, was a tight-end/defensive/quarterback turned tackle for the Oklahoma Sooners. Last but not least, Jason Kelce was a former walk-on linebacker for the Cincinnati Bearcats.
Enter Dillion Gordon.
The second-year player out of LSU was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2015. The 6-foot-4, NOW 322-pound converted tackle, has lined up with the second team at left tackle during the offseason. While at LSU, Gordon was a 300-pound tight end for the Tigers who had surprisingly soft hands for a man of his size, however, Gordon only hauled in only 7 receptions for 96 yards, as the Tigers used him as a blocking tight end.
“That’s what we’re doing — we’re trying to figure all this out right now,” offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland told Pennlive.com last week. “We’re trying to figure out what his value to the organization is based on how he looks in these practices and what his production is.”
With Gordon’s versatility, he gives the Birds some options as a backup tackle, blocking tight end in bunch formations, or even full back allowing the Eagles’ offense to basically have six lineman on the field at the same time in certain formations.
Look for the Eagles to try and get the best out of Gordon in training camp as he could be a great depth option moving forward.