The Eagles hit the undrafted free agent market hard by signing three cornerbacks and three offensive linemen after the draft. However, one player that stands out for me is Oklahoma’s running back, Kennedy Brooks.

Here are some of the positive notes I wrote while looking at his games:

• patient one-cut back
• incredible vision, patience helps him find openings
• not afraid to seek contact
• drags defenders for YAC
• rare to see him taken down on 1st contact

A four-star recruit out of Mansfield, Texas, Brooks racked up 3,522 yards for Mansfield High School, which was the eighth-most in Texas high school football history at the time. After redshirting at Oklahoma in 2017, Kennedy Brooks backed up future 49ers’ running back Trey Sermon. In his first collegiate season, Brooks rushed for 1,053 to Sermon’s 947 yards on 67 fewer attempts.

Kennedy Brooks also led the Big 12 that year averaging 5.29 yards after contact, finished 4th with 37 forced missed tackles, and tied for second in rushing touchdowns with 12, just behind Trey Sermon’s 13.

In 2019, Trey Sermon went down in Week 11 with a knee injury, allowing Kennedy Brooks to take over as the main guy. Despite splitting carries with Sermon and Rhamondre Stevenson, he finished 2nd on the team in carries (155), rushing yards (1,011), and touchdowns (6). Brooks trailed current Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who had 162 attempts for 1,422 yards and 20 touchdowns.

After opting out of the 2020 season due to the global pandemic, Kennedy Brooks came into his junior season ready to take on that feature back role. The third-year back went for a career-high 1,255 rushing yards averaging 6.4 yards per carry, 13 touchdowns, and zero fumbles. The bruising back finished 4th in the Big 12 with 778 yards after contact and 4th in 60 missed tackles forced.

Why didn’t Kennedy Brooks get drafted?

Brooks was never a highly-touted name coming out of the draft, listed as PFF’s 30th running back and the 311th prospect overall. The two huge weaknesses scouts point to in the Oklahoma back’s game is his lack of explosiveness when he patiently decides to make that one-cut upfield. That, combined with a mediocre 4.59 forty-yard dash, makes execs think it will be more difficult for him to turn the edge in the pros than in college.

The second biggest knock on Kennedy Brooks is his scarcity of usage in the passing game. At Oklahoma, Brooks hauled in 29 passes on 37 targets, a solid 78.4% catch rate, for 209 yards with zero touchdowns and four drops. I know Sirianni loves pass-catching backs, but Brooks has sure-hands, and his role will not be nearly similar to Miles Sanders or Kenneth Gainwell. His “explosiveness” might not be there coming out of college, but I’m willing to bet on Kennedy Brook’s weight-room worth ethic to improve that. His natural running vision, smooth cuts, and bully-running style are traits that can not be taught.

Photo Credit: JustBombsProductions, YouTube