One of my favorite things to do every offseason is to go back and compare my post-draft notes on the Eagles’ rookies with how they actually looked when they got on the field. It’s a fun blend of film study, self-evaluation, and a check on how well certain traits really translate to the NFL. I won’t be writing full scouting reports, as I did that after the draft. This series is more about reflecting on his rookie season. Did the player perform as expected? Did anything surprise me? And what do I think comes next? At the end of each article, I’ll give my updated outlook for that player in the future.

Previously: Quinyon Mitchell / Cooper DeJean / Jalyx Hunt

As always, we will begin with my post-draft thoughts. This is exactly what I said in my summary of Will Shipley, which you can find here if you want to read the whole thing!

I can’t lie about the guys I watched as I posted my thoughts here, so here were my pre-draft thoughts on Shipley based on the film I had watched then… “Shipley looks like a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ backup running back with good receiving skills, and a good feel for zone runs but no real elite traits despite good production for 3 straight years”.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of Shipley, but that’s because I didn’t see him as a feature back and I wouldn’t draft backup running backs until day 3. Remember that a lot of rankings are just down to your philosophy. I like to prioritize explosive players who can excel on limited touches as backups, whereas Shipley is more of a chain mover. I wanted the Eagles to target more of a low-touch explosive back (such as Tyrone Tracey) in the 4th round, whereas I see Shipley as more of a ‘safe’ pick. I think Shipley is a solid backup, who doesn’t have any elite traits. I think Shipley (along with Kenny Gainwell) could keep the Eagles’ running game ticking along if Saquon Barkley misses any time, but I don’t think he will do anything special.

Although this wasn’t my favorite pick, there are two main reasons why I think Shipley would have appealed to the Eagles. Firstly, he is solid in the passing game, and we know that Kellen Moore likes to get his running backs involved in this. Secondly, Shipley excels in outside zone runs, which I expect to be a big part of the Eagles’ offense this year. Moore’s staple running play as an OC has been outside zone and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Barkley is also a great outside zone runner. I think Shipley is a really nice scheme fit for Moore’s offense.

However, I do not think Shipley is guaranteed to be the Eagles’ RB2 as Kenny Gainwell is a pretty solid back. I think Shipley could end up as the Eagles’ RB3 this season who could also play on special teams. Whatever happens with Shipley, if he wants to be a successful option, he simply must clean up the fumbles and take better care of the football. Whatever your thoughts on Shipley, you can’t have backup running backs who give away the football.

Things I Expected

Looking back at my pre-draft notes, I feel I had a pretty clear read on the type of player Shipley would be in his rookie year. Before the draft, I wrote:

“Shipley looks like a ‘jack of all trades, master of none’ backup running back with good receiving skills, and a good feel for zone runs but no real elite traits despite good production for 3 straight years.”

That really sums up his role this season. He wasn’t flashy as a rookie, having only 30 carries for 82 yards in the regular season. However, he did what was asked of him. It wasn’t his fault that Saquon Barkley had one of the greatest seasons of all time at running back!

I also had a strong feeling Kenny Gainwell would keep his RB2 role, which proved correct (although very unpopular at the time).

“I do not think Shipley is guaranteed to be the Eagles’ RB2 as Kenny Gainwell is a pretty solid back.”

Gainwell had 342 snaps last year, whereas Shipley had only 75. It was pretty clear that the Eagles preferred Gainwell over Shipley last year.

Listen, when you get something unlikely correct, you have to mention it. I can’t not mention Tyrone Tracey here, can I?

“I wanted the Eagles to target more of a low-touch explosive back (such as Tyrone Tracey) in the 4th round, whereas I see Shipley as more of a ‘safe’ pick.”

Tracey ended up going a round later to the Giants and had a breakout season. While Shipley was a steady depth option, Tracey brought that explosive playmaking ability I was hoping the Eagles might add.

This isn’t a knock on Shipley, but I just had to mention that. Moving on…

Finally, I felt confident that Shipley’s fit in Kellen Moore’s offense was a major factor in the pick:

“Shipley excels in outside zone runs, which I expect to be a big part of the Eagles’ offense this year. Moore’s staple running play as an OC has been outside zone and I don’t think it’s any coincidence that Barkley is also a great outside zone runner.”

Shipley didn’t play a great deal, but when he did play, I think he looked a pretty natural fit. The offense didn’t need to change. He looked comfortable running whatever the Eagles asked him to do.

Things That Surprised Me

The biggest surprise is how little Shipley contributed in the passing game. I highlighted his receiving as a strength in my pre-draft notes:

“Firstly, he is solid in the passing game, and we know that Kellen Moore likes to get his running backs involved in this.”

Shipley finished the season with only 4 receptions. I thought this might be one of the primary ways he’d make his mark early, but it never happened. Shipley was only on the field for 34 passing plays all season long, so the Eagles just simply didn’t trust him over Gainwell to play on these downs. I still think he has the potential to do it, though.

I don’t think anything else surprised me from my post-draft summary!

Questions I Still Have

Can Shipley carve out a consistent role in the passing game? His college tape suggested this was a strength, but 4 catches all year is not what I expected. The Eagles liked to give Barkley a rest on 3rd down last year, so Shipley is the heavy favorite to take over this workload.

Can he prove he can pass protect? This one goes hand-in-hand with the point above. If Shipley can’t pass protect, he won’t get on the field. It’s that simple!

Will he beat out AJ Dillon? More on this later…

The Future

Heading into the season, I see touches behind Saquon as a true battle between AJ Dillon and Will Shipley. If Dillon stays healthy, I expect him to take the majority of early-down carries and short-yardage situations. His physical style complements Barkley’s explosiveness, and that gives him the edge in those grinding, tough-yard scenarios when you want to rest Barkley. I think as a pure runner (if healthy) then Dillon is better.

However, Shipley feels like the clear favorite on passing downs if the Eagles want to ease Barkley’s workload. Barkley is too valuable to wear down and he is coming off a season where he had a ridiculous workload. That opens the door for Shipley to carve out a meaningful role, especially in two-minute drills and third-down situations where his receiving ability should help him. However, he simply must prove he can pass protect, or I don’t think he will get on the field.

I don’t see Shipley turning into an explosive, highlight-reel back. I didn’t pre-draft and I still don’t now. He’s more of a steady, reliable presence who can keep the offense ticking when Barkley isn’t on the field. That’s what the Eagles knew when they drafted him, and I get it. I wasn’t high on Shipley pre-draft as you can tell, but that was purely my philosophy around the position. It wasn’t a criticism of Shipley. With Barkley, Jalen Hurts, and A.J. Brown already providing the fireworks, having a dependable, low-risk running back two is perfectly fine. I would have gone in a different direction, but I get the process.

The Eagles could have fought harder to keep Kenny Gainwell if they didn’t believe Shipley could handle this role. If he holds onto the ball and proves he can pass protect, I think Shipley will earn trust quickly and play an important role this upcoming season. He just needs to be dependable so Barkley can get a rest.

Thank you for reading! I’d love to hear your thoughts, so feel free to comment below and ask any questions. If you enjoyed this piece, you can find more of my work and podcast here.