From Big Man On Campus To Developmental Reps: Eagles Young QBs Taking Advantage Of Opportunities

One of the toughest parts of going from college star to NFL backup quarterback is the lack of reps you get at practice.

In Philadelphia, the vast majority of practice reps go to starter Jalen Hurts and backup Tanner McKee, leaving scraps for third-year veteran and former UCLA star Dorian Thompson-Robinson, and rookie Kyle McCord, a top-tier gunslinger at both Ohio State and Syracuse.

McCord, for example, set an ACC record for passing yards with the Orange last season with 4,779 yards, and now he gets just a handful of reps and a developmental period during practices.

Thompson-Robinson admitted Friday that can be problematic at first.

“If you’d have asked me my rookie year, I would’ve been hell yeah,” DTR admitted. “I think now going into Year 3, I’ve been in a bunch of situations over these past two years that have helped me settle down early. 

“That’s why it’s so fun getting to help guys like Kyle and some of the other rookies to cool down their nerves, too.”

Thompson-Robinson was acquired from Cleveland in the trade that sent 2024 Hurts backup, Kenny Pickett, to the Browns, paving the way for McKee’s step up the depth chart.

He learned from veterans like Joe Flacco and Jameis Winston while in Cleveland and found the toughest part in the transition from college to the NFL is learning how to practice like a professional.

In the case of Day 3 picks like McKee, Thompson-Robinson, and McCord, that means stepping out of the Big Man on Campus designation to a cog in the wheel where everyone was a big deal in their college days.

Veterans like Flacco and Winston helped Thompson-Robinson understand the importance of every opportunity to learn. 

“Going through my last two years, I’ve definitely had a bunch of great examples. Coming in with Joe my rookie year, he came in like midway through the year and had to pick it up real quick, so learning from him. And same thing with Jameis last year, he had a good process in the mornings and walkthroughs with [Browns offensive coordinator Ken] Dorsey back in Cleveland,” Thompson-Robinson said. 

“So I think all those things, writing it down, walking through it myself, grabbing guys in the hotel with walkthrough stuff so they know and we’re all on the same page, then taking really good notes.”