The Philadelphia Eagles, fresh off a Super Bowl LIX victory, approached the NFL Draft with a clear focus on stacking their defense. While they addressed several critical needs, notably absent was an early-round cornerback selection to replace the loss of Darius Slay and Isaiah Rodgers.
As a result, the Eagles are set to lean on their existing depth at cornerback, potentially giving third-year defender Kelee Ringo a larger role in the lineup.
In fact, ESPN calls Ringo a "name to know" heading into the 2025 NFL season:
The reigning Super Bowl champions used the draft to address immediate needs in their defense, which was left bare by free agent departures. But they didn't draft a cornerback until Round 5, leaving room for Ringo, a 2023 fourth-round pick, to win the starting job opposite rookie star Quinyon Mitchell. Ringo has played fewer than 400 defensive snaps in his two seasons as a pro, but he's just turning 23 this summer -- the same age as some rookies. He has elite athletic traits to boot. If Ringo is ready for his moment, the Eagles' defense looks adequately and rapidly retooled for another postseason push.
Ringo spent most of his rookie season in 2023 finding his footing with the Eagles. He didn’t see much action on defense, mainly contributing on special teams and getting occasional snaps in the secondary.
Still, he showed glimpses of the speed and physical tools that made him a standout at Georgia. In 2024, Ringo stepped into a bigger role as injuries and roster changes opened up opportunities. He got more playing time, started a few games, and held his own against solid competition. While he’s still developing, Ringo made noticeable progress in year two and is starting to look like someone who could stick as a key piece in Philly’s secondary.
Over his first two seasons, Ringo has accumulated 36 total tackles (29 solo), one sack, three pass deflections, one interception, and one forced fumble.
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