Greg Rousseau's Ceiling Could Fit a 'Transitioning' Team

The Miami edge rusher has superstar potential and could interest the Eagles at No. 12 in the draft

PHILADELPHIA - If past is prologue we have a pretty good indication of where the Eagles might be looking now that they've dropped to No. 12 in the 2021 NFL Draft.

And that's why you should keep the name of Miami-Florida edge rusher Gregory Rousseau handy.

Among the usual suspects, you can simply eliminate quarterback and move down the Eagles' valuation list.

What's that you ask?

Well, the foundational DNA of the modern Eagles' regime can be traced back to Andy Reid in 1999.

Over the years Reid’s initial head-coaching interview with Jeffrey Lurie, Joe Banner and company has been discussed with the now certain future Hall of Fame coach impressing that he would need two offensive tackles, a quarterback, two pass rushers, and two corners for success. 

From there, he would figure the rest out.

Since that time, the Eagles have only had four top-10 selections, where they were until moving down in a trade with the Miami Dolphins that also got them back in business in the fourth round this year and far more importantly, another first-round selection in the 2022 draft.

The top 10 selections in the past were either at quarterback (Donovan McNabb in 1999 and Carson Wentz in 2016), the defensive line (Corey Simon in 2000), or the offensive line (Lane Johnson in 2013). The caveat to Johnson was Chip Kelly, who would have preferred disaster-in-waiting Dion Jordan — but that’s still an edge rusher.

Four picks in over two decades could be written off, but if you peel the onion back another layer and look at the Eagles post-1999 history in the top half of the draft the preferences appear clearer. 

Start with DE Jerome McDougle at No. 15 in 2003, OL Shaun Andrews at No. 16 in 2004, DT Brodrick Bunkley at No. 14 in 2006, DE Brandon Graham at No. 13 in 2010, DT Fletcher Cox at No. 12 in 2012, and finish with DE Derek Barnett at No. 14 in 2017.

That sample size is not insignificant especially when paired with what Reid said all those years ago.

Now that you know the QBs are not in play and Jalen Hurts will be given 2021 to prove he belongs, start with the offensive and defensive line, and perhaps the cornerbacks.

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At just 20-years old, and with only one real season on film, Rousseau is perhaps the most tantalizing option the Eagles could choose with the 12th selection.

After an excellent pro day on Monday, when Rousseau ran a 4.74 in the 40 and flashed impressive explosiveness with a 9-7 broad jump, all at 6-foot-7 and 266 pounds with a freaky 83-inch wingspan, there is some momentum for Rousseau climbing into the top 10 despite staying idle in 2020 due to COVID-19.

Rewind to the 2019 season and you'll see the potential that sets Rousseau apart. He was the ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year and a second-team All-American as a redshirt freshman with 15. 5 sacks just one behind Chase Young, the Washington Football Team star who was the No. 2 overall pick in 2020.

"It was awesome," Rousseau said of being back on campus after opting out due to COVID-19 in 2020. "It’s a blessing to be back here at my school. ... And so I had a lot of fun. I feel like I left some things out there. I could have done better. But there’s always room for improvement. I’m going to just get back to work in these next few weeks."

While away from the competition with the Hurricanes, Rousseau shifted toward refining his raw skills with an eye on the next level. To do that he enlisted the help of former Atlanta Falcons star pass-rusher Chuck Smith, who is considered one of the best personal tutors for edge players in the industry.

"My focal point was just to get better at everything, from my get-off to my hands, my explosiveness," he said. "Just working on everything football-related so I could get to my best when I get to whatever team picks me up."

Whatever team ultimately does get into the Rousseau business will have done their due diligence on why the Miami-area native decided to sit out, something that was at least partially fueled by his mother's job as a nurse who saw the devastation the virus could cause.

"It was crazy," he said. "The time I opted out, into the July-August time period, the uncertainty surrounding the season. So I talked about it with my family. Talked to the coaches and it was just like in my best interest to opt-out."

Rousseau missed the camaraderie of being with his teammates but also noted that in some ways working on his own without worrying about the next opponent might have helped the ultimate goal, which is the NFL.

"It was tough at times sitting back and watching and not playing, being like removed from the game for a year," he said. "It’s definitely a lot more boring than being with the team and going on plane rides and bus rides and stuff. So really, I miss my guys a lot, for sure."

The trade-off was being able to drill down on the fundamentals with Smith in Pensacola.

"I feel I got a lot better just working every single day at up in Pensacola," said Rousseau. "Just being dedicated, being diligent about everything, focusing on my flexibility, focus on a lot of D-line stuff, and just getting ready for the next level and I feel like I made the most out of my opportunity."

As for the lack of film, Rousseau is focusing on the 15.5 sacks and 19.5 tackles for loss he showed in a small sample size.

"I don’t have a lot of film, but I feel like I showed a lot in the time that I did play, my redshirt freshman year," he said. "I feel like I proved a lot."

The next level in Philadelphia would mean learning how to be a pro from one of the best - Brandon Graham - and joining a group that also includes Derek Barnett and Josh Sweat but needs a replacement for veteran Vinny Curry, who recently signed with the New York Jets.

"I’m a very versatile athlete and I fit into a lot of schemes and I’m just going to be somebody who’s hard-working from Day 1," Rousseau said. "I’m ready to get to the next level."

John McMullen contributes Eagles coverage for SI.com's EagleMaven and is the NFL Insider for JAKIB Media. You can listen to John every Monday and Thursday on The Middle with Eytan Shander, Harry Mayes, former Eagles OT Barrett Brooks streaming live on both PhillyVoice.com and SportsMap Radio. John is also the host of his own show "Extending the Play" on AM1490 in South Jersey. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s EagleMaven. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.

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