Jason Kelce praises Eagles’ 2nd-round pick of Cam Jurgens: ‘This is my favorite player in the draft’

The Philadelphia Eagles prepare for life without Jason Kelce, taking Nebraska center Cam Jurgens with their second-round pick, one of the team’s five draft picks. Kelce has given no indication that 2022 will be his final year in the NFL, but he has flirted with retirement in recent seasons.

Should the 34-year-old Kelce decide to retire, the Eagles have his replacement lined up in Jurgens. Kelce knew Jurgens’ selection was coming, as he was the player who backed the Eagles to draft him.

“I knew we were going to take it,” Kelce said. on Bleacher Report coverage draft over the weekend. “So this is my favorite player in the draft. I’m not saying this just because we drafted him. The Eagles have been using me to assess some of the centers that come out, and all the guys that I’ve looked at like for the last two or three years, of all the guys who compare to me the most, this guy is him.

“This guy is a monster athletically. He has the best chance to make a difference at center. I really like this guy. I really like him.”

Jurgens allowed just one sack in 1,016 pass-blocking snaps in his college career at Nebraska. He also allowed just four quarterback hits and 29 runs in that span. Jurgens has played 2,066 snaps in his career at center and is expected to stay there in Philadelphia.

Now Jurgens can learn under the tutelage of offensive line guru Jeff Stoutland and Kelce for a year … maybe even longer, if Kelce wants to continue his career beyond this season.

“For the Philadelphia Eagles, for us, having an elite game at center position is important,” Eagles general manager Howie Roseman said. “We felt this kid was different than the centers that have come out in the last couple of years. We think he has a chance to be very, very good. Learning from the best ever, we thought that was a way for him to be even better.” .

The Eagles are a perfect match for Jurgens, who was already excited to work for Stoutland once the Eagles drafted him. Working with Kelce is even better.

“I watched a lot of his tapes and seeing a guy that can move like him and play as hard and as intense as him, that’s how I want to play and that’s how I want to model my game and be an athlete on the field,” he said. Jurgens. “Just because you’re an offensive lineman doesn’t mean you can’t run down the field and knock out a safety. I want to do things like him and be able to fit into his system the best I can. I’m happy to be there.”