Even with his college days at both LSU and Alabama behind him, Eli Ricks was eager for another test.
The Philadelphia Eagles cornerback heard that the Indianapolis Colts would be playing their starters in Thursday night’s preseason finale and was pumped.
“Our coaches told us (Wednesday night) that they played their starters in the preseason games, and I had seen them on film, but Nick confirmed that, so I knew that coming into the game and I knew I would be in a lot earlier,” said the undrafted free agent.
“So, I really wanted to see how I fared against a starting group, and I feel like I did pretty good. I hope to get more of that in the future, but (Thursday) was a great, great night, especially with the other two preseason games leading into this. It was a great build-up.”
A great build-up to perhaps a roster spot, though that won’t be known until sometime over the next few days.
He was the toughest cut on my final 53-man roster, especially after he seemed to play well against Indy receivers Michael Pittman and Alec Pierce.
Ricks was credited with three tackles and one pass defended while Pierce was held without a catch on three targets and Pittman had two receptions on five targets. Not all the targets came with Ricks in coverage, though.
He also delivered a nice block on Devon Allen’s 73-yard kickoff to open the game and, of course, there was his pick-six in the preseason opener.
Now comes the wait to see if he made the team.
“We have meetings on Saturday,” he said. “After that just waiting around and seeing. I’ve done all I could to prove why I should be on this 53, so I won’t have any regrets whatever the decision is. …It would mean everything to be here. I’m trying to do everything I can to show why I should be here.”
Ricks said he learned a lot about himself after going undrafted.
“This has been a very hard experience for me,” he said. “I’m usually the first guy called on ever since I’ve played football. Now it’s totally the opposite and I have to prove my spot to be here. That’s really all my focus has been, just shifting my mindset and I grew a lot as a person from that.
“Showing how to be supportive of my other teammates when I’m not out there, stuff like that, so it’s been a real growing experience. Then mentally, football-wise, it’s probably been the best since I started playing football. I feel so natural out there, I feel so calm, and I’m really good with this playbook, so I feel great.”
Ricks credited the veterans at his position, Darius Slay, James Bradberry, and Avonte Maddox.
“That was the first thing I told my agent and my parents is that there’s no hate from the older guys,” he said. “These older guys are really good vets that really want to help everybody. I’m not even asking them stuff half of the time; they’re just telling me stuff.
“So, real good group. Everybody wants to see everybody win and that’s helped me a lot as a player as well.”
Ed Kracz covers the Philadelphia Eagles for SI's EaglesToday.
Please follow him and our Eagles coverage on Twitter at @kracze.
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