Education Of Eagles Rookies Continues, While Cooper DeJean's Stalls With Injury

The team's second-round draft pick is missing valuable time as Quinyon Mitchell, Will Shipley adjust to first NFL camp.

Eagles rookie Cooper DeJean is missing valuable training camp practices while rehabbing a hamstring injury. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

PHILADELPHIA – It doesn’t hit me until seeing how fast-paced these Eagles training camp practices are, how every rookie gets significant reps and even gets some first-team work, exactly how much Cooper DeJean is missing by sitting out with a hamstring injury.

The initial prognosis was three weeks, which means the rookie-second round pick has another two weeks to take mental reps. It just isn’t the same, not after watching what is happening on the practice fields.

It's not his fault he's hurt, but it is damaging to his short-term hope of making an early impact. Maybe, if DeJean can get back sooner rather than later, he can make it to the one joint practice of summer, at the New England Patriots’ training facility on Aug. 13.

That will probably be too soon. The likelihood is he probably returns at some point before the final preseason game on Aug. 24. Would that, plus another two weeks of training, be enough to get him to the starting line in Brazil on Sept. 6?

Time will tell.

“He's been taking it good,” said fellow rookie Quinyon Mitchell. “Been taking care of the body, gaining mental reps. When he comes back, he's gonna be ready.”

Eagles rookie Quinyon Mitchell takes the field for practice during training camp. / Ed Kracz/Eagles on SI

Mitchell and DeJean were the Eagles’ back-to-back picks in April, with Mitchell coming at No. 22 and general manager Howie Roseman trading picks 50 and 53 to get up to No. 40 with NFC East division rival the Washington Commanders, totake DeJean. Washington used the Eagles' picks to grab Michigan cornerback Mike Sainristil and Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott.

Meanwhile, the education of the Eagles’ rookies is proceeding without DeJean. Frst-year players quickly realize there is no more class to attend and that the game has now become a business.

“It's more of a grind,” said Mitchell when asked about an NFL camp vs. his camps at Toledo. “Practice, meeting, films, walkthroughs. I'm staying here all day and just grinding. …No school, no bookwork, everything is just football.”

Fourth-round running back Will Shipley was asked the same question about the differences between NFL camp and Clemson.

“It’s similar but so different as well,” he said. “I would say Clemson 100 percent prepared me for the NFL and what comes with it, but it’s also a lot different in terms of the mental aspect, I would say. You’re not here for long. You’re out for an hour-and-a-half, hour-45 tops, and you’re getting your work in that you need, but you’re also taking care of your body, being cognizant of that.

“Off the field, in the film room, that’s a huge part of the NFL. Everybody’s physical capabilities are very similar so to be able to go out there, know what you’re doing, and being able to play full speed based on how prepared you are is where I’ve seen probably the biggest difference and it’s something I’m continuing to get better at.”

More NFL: Eagles Training Camp: Five Disappointments So Far