Get to know Philly’s new running back.
The Philadelphia Eagles added to their backfield by selecting Will Shipley in the 2024 NFL Draft. In order to learn even more about Philly’s new running back, I reached out to SB Nation’s Clemson blog: Shakin The Southland. Tigers writer Ryan Kantor was kind enough to answer my questions.
1) Can you recap his college career?
Will Shipley was a five-star prospect out of suburban Charlotte that came to Clemson just as Travis Etienne was departing. Unfortunately, his first year at Clemson coincided with the start of what has become a three-year scourge of poor offense. He played under three offensive coordinators and two running back coaches including CJ Spiller as a rookie position coach. Despite going to a power program, he didn’t have the most ideal set-up.
That said, he made his mark as a true freshman rushing for 739 yards in 10 games. As a sophomore he upped his game and tallied 1,182 yards on 5.6 YPC with an impressive 15 touchdowns. He established himself as a fan favorite and outspoken team leader. He didn’t have the insane acceleration that Travis Etienne had, but nobody played with more fight and intensity. Two plays from his sophomore season stand out in my mind. My favorite play of his career was his goal line touchdown at Wake Forest he earned by sheer force of will (3:47 mark below). The other was when he jumped over a hapless Louisville defender and split two others for a long touchdown (7:05):
His junior season this past year didn’t really build on that success though. He dropped from 1,182 to 827 (he played two fewer games) and from 5.6 to 5.0 YPC. He lost two fumbles, which doesn’t sound awful, but they were both in goal line situations in games Clemson lost close. He was injured and didn’t play against Notre Dame and that’s when Clemson’s running game really took off with RB Phil Mafah. Upon his return, the duo split carries.
His Clemson career concluded in the Gator Bowl against Kentucky. He had a tremendous 60-yard kickoff return that set Clemson up for a go-ahead field goal. He injured his knee on the return and it looked pretty bad. Thankfully, nothing was torn and he was medically OK to participate in pro day and still get picked by the Eagles.
2) What are his strengths?
His ability to navigate traffic and burst through tiny openings is a strength. His versatility as a pass catcher and special teams return man give him multiple ways to help the Eagles. He’s an outspoken team leader who has an extremely intense drive to win.
3) What are his weaknesses?
Shipley ran an impressive 4.39 (93rd-percentile) 40-yard dash at Pro Day so perhaps he made himself faster with concentrated training, but he never really showed true break-away speed with pads on in a game. He certainly isn’t slow, but Clemson’s offense really needed explosive plays this past year and he seldom provided that.
He also isn’t a big bruiser running back that can pound through the scrum at the goal line and as mentioned, had some ball security issues this season. He earned very solid PFF grades as a runner (76.2) and as a receiver (73.7), but struggled in pass blocking (25.2).
4) Are you surprised where he was drafted? Higher or lower than expected? Just right?
Prior to the draft I wrote “expect Shipley to be a mid-round draft pick.” You can’t get more mid-round than the fourth round. I think it is a reasonable pick at this stage in the draft.
5) How do you see his NFL career playing out?
I don’t think Shipley has top-flight starter upside, but he can be a useful player in a limited offensive role catching the ball out of the backfield, getting a few touches on the ground, and perhaps contributing on special teams. Given where he was taken in the draft, if he does that, you’ll feel good about the value of the pick.
6) Anything to know about him off the field?
Will Shipley is intense. He is a vocal leader and filled that vacuum pretty quickly upon joining a team that just lost QB Trevor Lawrence. He needs to get a bit more mature and control it – yelling at coaches and his quarterback during a game is a bad look – but there’s no doubt he wants to win.
Apart from football, he is a man of faith and a generous person. He was named to the Allstate AFCA Good Works team for raising $10,000 for a Children’s Hospital in his hometown of Charlotte. He also donated some of his own money in a similar amount to support women’s sports at Clemson. Overall, he is a pretty likable guy with upside to provide significant contributions even if not as a top-level starter. We’re certainly rooting for the new Clemson duo (Shipley and Jeremiah Trotter Jr.) in Philadelphia.
Lastly, if you like to learn about the next crop of NFL stars before they enter the draft, I’d greatly appreciate anyone who would subscribe to my YouTube channel. Also be sure to check us out over at ShakintheSouthland.com.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login