Jordan Mailata Looking to Grow from Work Against Myles Garrett

Here's a closer look at the battle the Eagles LT and Browns pass rush stud waged on the second day of joint practices

BEREA, Ohio – It’s always a treat to watch an unfiltered Jeff Stoutland work with his Eagles offensive line.

“Let’s go,” he’ll bark sometimes. “I don’t have all day.”

Or, when he sees something he likes: “I’ll buy that. I’ll buy that all day long.”

On Friday, during Day 2 of joint practices with the Cleveland Browns, he groused at Jordan Mailata as the O-line worked combo blocks against two-man rushes from the Browns’ D-line.

It was still early in practice when Stoutland bellowed, “Mailata…with a sense of urgency.”

Perhaps Mailata had Myles Garrett on his mind and wasn’t on time with his combo block.

Garrett, the first overall pick in the 2017 draft with four straight seasons of double-digit sacks, including 16 last year. He has 58.5 already in his brilliant career, and he’s still just 26.

The Browns’ stud pass rusher was back at work on Friday after missing the previous few days due to personal reasons, including Thursday’s first joint practice against Philly.

Whatever it was Mailata did to draw Stout’s fire, it seemed to snap the 6-8, 380-pound left tackle to attention and he went on to put together a solid Friday practice.

“I thought I was flying off the ball,” he said.

Mailata believes he and Garrett went 1-1 against each other when matched up.

The left tackle said Garrett got under his chin and drove him backward on the first rep. Mailata was able to maintain better leverage on the second rep.

“I said I thought I had you (after the first rep), but he was too strong with his technique,” said Mailata. “Even the one I got him, he said you just got under me and ran me. Told him he was a helluva player. He’s a great player.”

Jordan Mailata (68), Lane Johnson (to the left of Mailata), Myles Garrett (shirtless), and Wyatt Teller (to Mailata's right) meet up following Friday's practice :: Ed Kracz/SI Fan Nation Eagles Today

Mailata was disappointed Garrett did not practice on Thursday.

“I was because I know the quality player he is,” he said. “For me, it’s just another hurdle I have to jump over. Eventually, we’re going to face each other and it would’ve been a hell of a day (Thursday) just to get that experience.”

Mailata is working on becoming a great player in his own right.

Eagles pass rusher Haason Reddick said he learned just this year that Mailata had never played football until he was drafted in the seventh round back in 2018.

“He just continues to progress,” said Reddick on Friday. “…to see how far he’s come, I can only imagine how he was when he first started playing, especially on the NFL level then to see how good he is now.

“As he continues to get more experience, I feel like he’s going to continue to get better. We’re already talking about how good he is, we’ll be talking about one of the best, if not the best, as long as he continues to come into work, pays attention to details, takes to coaching, and continues to progress like he has.”

Jalen Hurts sees Mailata up close every snap since the former Australian rugby standout is charged with protecting the quarterback’s blind side.

“He's just been a guy who comes in every day and takes to coaching, said Hurts on Friday. “He's been raw early on and having Lane (Johnson) in his back pocket and coach Stout has been very beneficial for him. So, he continues to get better, get better and get better.”

Garrett certainly can help.

He and Mailata got together after practice, along with Lane Johnson and Landon Dickerson and Browns tackle Wyatt Teller. They were still on the field talking technique and whatever else, for at least a half hour after Friday’s practice ended.

“He got me on the first one,” said Mailata about their first rep together. “I asked him for that second one and he said, ‘Yeah let’s do it.’ I appreciate him trying to get me better every day. … The loss, I’ll take that and learn from it and make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Ed Kracz is the publisher of SI.com’s Fan Nation Eagles Today and co-host of the Eagles Unfiltered Podcast. Check out the latest Eagles news at www.SI.com/NFL/Eagles or www.eaglesmaven.com and please follow him on Twitter: @kracze.