The Philadelphia Eagles are set to conclude their first week of training camp with live hitting on Friday, but a few players are already ahead of the curve and are playing their way into Doug Pederson's plans for Week 1. Pederson named five Eagles players who have stood out to him in Eagles camp, three of which are expected to contribute in the team's revamped offense this year.
Here's a look at the five.
Jalen Reagor, WR
Reagor has been impressive since the Eagles have put the pads on this week, showcasing the electric ability that made the Eagles choose him over Justin Jefferson in the draft. The Eagles have lined Reagor up at the "X" on the first-team offense as Alshon Jeffery is on the PUP list and J.J. Arcega-Whiteside is nursing an injury.
The athleticism Reagor provides is off the charts, which makes his debut for the team even more exciting. Philadelphia believes it has an explosive playmaker in Reagor, one that will spread the field immediately in Week 1.
John Hightower, WR
Hightower was one of the top deep-ball receivers in the draft and the Eagles somehow landed him in the fifth round. Hightower beat Darius Slay on a few occasions in practice and is creating a huge amount of separation from the cornerbacks -- an excellent sign he can make plays in a regular season game.
Of course, corners are not as physical in a camp practice, but Hightower is playing his way into a prominent role among the Eagles wide receiver unit for Week 1. He may not be standing on the sidelines long.
Quez Watkins, WR
The Eagles' sixth-round pick has been targeted a bit in the early practices by Carson Wentz and Jalen Hurts and is finding ways to get the football in his hands. Watkins is showing a strong sense of confidence, even though Slay has shown him how aggressive defensive backs in the NFL are on quite a few occasions.
Watkins is someone to watch in the coming weeks to see if he can improve his spot in the rotation.
Michael Jacquet, DB
An undrafted defensive back from Louisiana-Lafayette, Jacquet was one of the highest-paid undrafted free agent signings by the team. Pederson said Thursday Jacquet has "done some really, really nice things for us" and he's earning an opportunity up the depth chart while Sidney Jones is nursing an injury.
Jack Driscoll, T
Driscoll, a fourth-round pick, is solidifying the depth the Eagles have at tackle -- which was a relative unknown heading into camp. The physical practice will be telling if Driscoll is ready to enter a game at a moment's notice, but he's caught the eye of Pederson.
"He's a very athletic guy. He's smart. He's a smart player. He details his work," Pederson said. "He understands -- he's a guy that when you -- and this is -- I'm kind of speaking for Stout [Eagles offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland] just a little bit, but he takes great notes, asks great questions in the meetings, and then that translates to the field, and you see that carry over to the field.
"He's a hard worker. He's a pro, and he's a young player, but you can already see those traits in him to becoming a really good offensive lineman in this league."
Driscoll can move inside and play guard, showcasing his versatility on the line. The Eagles need depth on the offensive line, which Driscoll is providing at this time.
