A report surfaced that the Philadelphia Eagles will be one of five teams to meet with Cornerback Tay Gowan during the pre-draft process virtually.

Throughout the course of the 2020 NFL season, it was quite apparent that the Birds needed another playmaker on the outside of their defense opposite of Darius Slay.

Gowan fits the mold of what first-year defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon covets in his corners, a tall physical player with smooth hips who users their strength, stature, and speed to shadow opposing pass-catchers.

“I am not sure why this is, but Tay Gowan may be the most underrated defender in the draft right now.” an NFL scout said to Inside the Iggles. “He has gone under the radar for whatever reason, and you see this type of stuff happen every year. But, I will tell you this. If he’s sitting there in the second round of the draft, the Philadelphia Eagles better sprint to the podium.”

Before playing at UCF, Gowan was listed as ESPN’s No. 9 ranked JUCO Cornerback capping off his career as a Kansas Jayhawk Community College with 6 interceptions (one pick-six) accompanied by All-Conference honors. During Gowan’s tenure as a Knight, he played in 12 of 13 games with nine starts on the outside as UCF’s top corner.

Gowan tallied 31 tackles, eight passes defended, two interceptions alongside a forced fumble, and recovery in 2019.

Although Gowan opted out of the 2020 College Football season due to COVID-19 concerns, the year off has not hindered him from being one of the top defensive backs in the class.

Versatility is an essential part of Gowan’s skillset. Gowan excels in zone coverage, but press man coverage is his specialty.

Listed at 6 foot 2, 190 pounds, Gowan has the length to compete for every play at the line of scrimmage and possesses the speed to keep up with some of the shiftier receivers.

Opposing QB’s only posted up a 44.7% passer rating when throwing in Gowan’s direction, ranked within the Top-10 of respective defensive backs in 2019.

Adding more at the talent, the cornerback position should certainly be a priority for the Birds in coming into the NFL draft.

Gowan can instantly improve an Eagles defense that ranked in the bottom half of the league in terms of points and passing yards allowed per game.

“You bring him in, line him up on the outside, and leave him alone. Let the kid make plays for you. It’s that simple for some of these players. It really is. Gowan is one of these guys that has a good football IQ and the ability to be a star. I think he took the year off for personal reasons with all this COVID stuff. Who can blame the guy? But, I think, because of it, he has been forgotten about. Still, he would be a difference-maker for the Philadelphia Eagles.“

Featured Image: James Black/Getty Images
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