Former Florida State Defensive End Listed Among Most Underrated Players In The NFL
The NFL season is getting closer with every passing day and it won't be long until teams cut down their rosters to the 53-man limit on August 29.
The Philadelphia Eagles are looking to bounce back in 2023 after coming up just short of a Super Bowl in a loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. With quarterback Jalen Hurts and a large portion of last year's roster back in place, the Eagles are primed to be a contender once again.
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Philadelphia had one of the best defenses in the league, in large part due to limiting opponents to an NFL-best 179.8 passing yards per game. The Eagles were able to harass offenses with a variety of pass-rushers, including four players who finished with 11 or more sacks; defensive end Josh Sweat, defensive end Brandon Graham, defensive tackle Javon Hargrave, and outside linebacker Haasan Reddick.
Sweat is coming off a breakout campaign where he developed into a full-time starter for the Eagles. He wasn't recognized with a Pro Bowl appearance despite recording a career-high 48 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, one forced fumble, one pass deflection, and one interception that he returned 42 yards for a touchdown.
Despite the snub, Sweat is earning himself a little love on the national radar. The 33rd Team's Ross Tucker named the 26-year-old among his ten most underrated players across the league.
New Orleans' Cam Jordan, Philadelhpai's Dallas Goedert, Carolina's Frankie Luvu, Mnnesota's Kirk Cousins, Pittsburgh's Isaac Seumalo, Cleveland's Martin Emerson, New England's Deatrich Wise, and Tampa Bay's Mike Evans and Ryan Jensen made Tucker's list.
Sweat is expected to play a sizable role for Philadelphia yet again this season. He's shown the ability to improve each season in the NFL and there is still plenty of untapped potential remaining in his game. Sweat has totaled 153 tackles, 38 tackles for loss, 28.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, eight pass deflections, and an interception in 71 appearances, with 32 starts. He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2021.
The Virginia native was the top recruit in the 2015 class prior to a devastating knee injury that required reconstructive surgery. Sweat went on to appear in 12 games during his first season at Florida State under former head coach Jimbo Fisher, making a swift return from a dislocated knee and torn ACL.
Sweat made plenty of flashes during his time in Tallahassee but it was clear that he was still finding his footing after the injury. He recorded 138 tackles, 29 tackles for loss, 14.5 sacks, one forced fumble, three fumble recoveries, six pass deflections, and an interception in three years with the Seminoles.
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