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At only one NFL training to his credit, offensive midfielder Miles Sanders was already convinced that he would get on well with his coach Duce Staley.
Here's how he knew:
"[Staley] was very difficult for me, "said Sanders. "Wants the best of me."
On Friday, the first day of the Eagles' three-day rookie mini-camp, Sanders said Staley's focus was on finishing the games. Practices can be long, players can be tired at the end, but Sanders must finish strong. It was something he was ready to focus on for the second day.
Even during the practice portion of the practice, only minutes after the first session, Staley was seen giving one-on-one instructions to Sanders and criticizing his form as a runner and returning. Sanders admitted he had to get used to Staley's coaching style, but that should not be too difficult. He said his high school defenseman's coach and Penn State's two coaches – Ja'Juan Seider and Charles Huff – were also very hard on him.
Entering the NFL, the 22-year-old, who had just been transformed, was waiting for nothing less.
It's going to be good. I liked being criticized very loudly. I do not like to be comfortable. I said that [before]. He is very critical of what we do. It focuses on the little things such as finishing games when receiving the ball, focusing on the steps, training, just knowing what we need to do and just being a professional.
Sanders understood all this on the first day.
Staley, who played for the Sanders and Eagles hometown Steelers, has coached the Eagles halfbacks since 2013. In the first two years of Staley as a BR coach, LeSean McCoy experienced seasons at the Pro Bowl and was unquestionably the best back of the NFL. But in the years following Shady's trade and before Sanders' selection by the Eagles, the Eagles had only invested two draft picks: they took Wendell Smallwood in the fifth round in 2016 and Donnel Pumphrey in the fourth round of 2017.
Using a second-round pick on Sanders is the biggest project investment the Eagles have made since they took Shady at the same No. 53 pick 10 years ago. While Staley had "an assistant head coach" added to his title last season, it seems likely that his best chance to progress in the coaching world could be elsewhere. To make Sanders a great player could be his feat before continuing.
But maybe we take a little bit of advance on ourselves.
After all, we are only a few recruiting practices. Veterans will not join OTA recruits until May 21st.
"It's a great opportunity for Miles," said head coach Doug Pederson. "No. 1, to start and really start to understand, I think our game book and terminology." The footwork may be different from what he's used to doing. talented and we are excited to bring him here.
"Duce Staley will be working with these guys every day, as we did in Phase Two. Once we leave the rookie camp next week, we will always finish phase two and we will have our recruits with us and we will spend more time with them next week. This will be valuable for those who lead to OTAs. "
In Philadelphia, Sanders will join a semifinal room including Jordan Howard, Corey Clement, Smallwood and Boston Scott. He thinks that they all have complementary skills.
Sanders met Howard on Thursday. If anyone prevents the rookie from entering the field this season, it will be Howard, for whom the Eagles have traded earlier this season. As Howard is new to the Eagles locker room, he told Sanders that everyone was really laid back and taking care of his job.
In the two weeks between the draft and the Eagles rookie camp, Sanders was back in Pittsburgh to train. On Friday, while he was standing in front of his locker – occupied by Golden Tate last season – Sanders said the moment was still "surreal".
"It did not hit me," said Sanders, "until I got here and had my helmet, for example," Dang, I was really drafted by the Eagles from Philadelphia. "
Yes, it really happened. And his career in Philadelphia is well advanced.
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