Not many rookies in recent years have created as much excitement among Eagles fans like the hype that is surrounding K'Von Wallace.
He plays safety. He went to Clemson. He has had a personal relationship with Brian Dawkins for years.
He talks, at just 22-years old, like a player that was programed to work Philly fans into a frenzy.
"I'm a guy that likes competition. Wherever the competition is, that is where I wanna be," Wallace said when asked where he likes to play. "If it is a quarterback that bombs it, I like being the high safety. If it is a running team, I like to be in the box. If it is a slot guy that is a dominate receiver, I like to be in man coverage on him. Wherever the competition is, thats where I go."
Yes, he has yet to take a snap at an NFL practice, yet alone in a game. We all know that.
The doesn't change the fact that it is hard to walk away from a conversation with Wallace and not only feel like he has a chance to be something really special for the Eagles, but also wonder how in the world he fell to the fourth round.
Wallace, 5-foot-11, 206 pounds, comes into the NFL with an extremely impressive resume. He was a team captain on a two-time national champion. He lined up all over the field at Clemson, spending time at both safety spots, at nickel cornerback and playing a linebacker-type role as well at times.
Wallace consistently playing so many roles on defense shows not only that the coaches trusted him, but that he was able to get the job done going despite playing against some of the best competition in college football.
"If you watch every game, especially every game from last year, you'll see I was following the best players, I was following the most competition and I was excelling very, very well at doing so," Wallace said. "Anywhere you can put me to go out and compete, that is going to bring out the best in me, and that will help me best help the defense."
How the Eagles use Wallace will be interesting to see. It is possible he ends up at either safety position, but so far this offseason, the role the Eagles have been teaching him seems to very similar to the one Jenkins played.
"They have me in the box right now, reading runs and playing close coverage, eyes on the quarterback, checking the slot sometimes or the tight ends," Wallace said. "We don't know what it will be like when we get to camp, but that is what it is right now."
If that is where the Eagles keep Wallace, that means he will be heading into training camp with plenty of competition in front of him to get on the field. The Eagles seem excited about Jalen Mills' transition from cornerback to safety, and the team made signing safety Will Parks a priority this offseason. Both will likely be penciled in ahead of Wallace on the depth chart at the start of camp.
One of the reasons Wallace likely did fall to the fourth-round, according to the scouting reports on him coming out of Clemson, was that he isn't viewed as an elite-level athlete for the position. Wallace has been working hard this offseason to prove those scouts wrong.
"My day-to-day is basically — wake up in the morning, eat some breakfast, go work out for two hours. After that, shower, chill then I have another workout later in the day. Shower, eat again, go to sleep. That is what I have been doing for the last two months," Wallace said. "I have been in Clemson training. I have a trainer out here. I have a chef out here as well that has been providing me meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner. And I have just been getting after it. I take my job very seriously. I take being a professional very serious. Everything that I do is going to be for my family, the fans, and all the people that are counting on me to do well. I am going to do everything I can to make sure I am in the best shape of my life and can preform at the highest level."
What really stands out about Wallace is that he seems to have the attitude and leadership qualities that defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz loves. One thing that has been clear during the four years Schwartz has been the Eagles defensive coordinator is that he likes to play his guys. If Schwartz trusts you, and you bring the kind of attitude he likes, you will find your way onto the field.
A team captain at Clemson, Wallace oozes the kind of attitude Schwartz looks for in his players, and it is easy to seem him eventually becoming a leader in the Eagles' secondary room.
"It takes the grind, first off. It is hard to be a leader if you don't grind for it. I am not even talking grinding to be a leader, but grinding for your sport and your brothers next to you. It is a different level of respect when a guy is laying it all on the line for his teammates, and not only is he laying it all on the line for his teammates, but he is encouraging others to do so. It is hard to be a leader when you are not putting your work in, it is hard to be a leader when you are doing more talking than you are action," Wallace said of what he thinks makes a leader. "Most leaders, great leaders, put more work in than anybody. No matter if the lights on, lights off. No matter if it nutrition, sleep. A great leader does everything the right way. No matter if anybody is looking. They never cut corners. They never short-cut anything. They are very passionate about what they do, and they are love what they do. That is what has helped me excel and become one of the leaders for the Clemson Tigers, is that I put the work in. I really, really went to work, put my head down and grind, and the respect from my teammates and peers came with it."
Next up for Wallace? Earn the respect of his teammates in Philadelphia — and suit up for a fanbase that is ecstatic to see him play.
"Just go in there and make sure they know who K'Von Wallace is. I have a chip on my shoulder. Always have, always will be," Wallace said of his goals for next season. "I put in a lot of work. I honestly, truly believe that God bless those who really grind and really put the work in, and are fully committed to their craft. That is why I believe I excelled so well in my senior year. I never cut corners, I never did anything out of the ordinary, I stayed consistent with who I was on/off the field, and if I continue to take that same mindset on the next level, I'll have the same results."
You can follow Eliot Shorr-Parks on Twitter at @EliotShorrParks or email him at esp@94wip.com!
