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A lot has been made about Chip Kelly's penchant for acquiring not only former Oregon Ducks players, but his Pac-12 bias as a whole. Last year, former Bleeding Green Nation writer Mike Kaye (sounds a little weird, huh?) took a look at which college teams had the strongest representation on Philadelphia's roster. The Eagles have gone through a lot of change this offseason, so now is a good time to update the list.
Below is a list of colleges with more than one alum on the Eagles roster:
| School | Numbers of players | Players |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 8 | Kiko Alonso, Brandon Bair, Kenjon Barner, Taylor Hart, Josh Huff, Wade Keliikipi, Jeff Maehl, Walter Thurmond |
| Florida | 4 | Trey Burton, Riley Cooper, Tim Tebow, Jaylen Watkins |
| USC | 4 | Nelson Agholor, Matt Barkley, Kevin Graf, Mark Sanchez |
| Cincinnati | 3 | Connor Barwin, Brent Celek, Jason Kelce |
| Oklahoma | 3 | Sam Bradford, Lane Johnson, DeMarco Murray |
| Texas | 3 | Emmanuel Acho, John Harris, Jordan Hicks |
| Florida A&M | 2 | Brandon Hepburn, Frank Mays |
| Fresno State | 2 | Seyi Ajirotutu, Ryan Mathews |
| Iowa | 2 | Matt Tobin, Julian Vandervelde |
| Kansas State | 2 | Randall Evans, Darren Sproles |
| LSU | 2 | Donnie Jones, Bennie Logan |
| Michigan | 2 | Brandon Graham, David Molk |
| Purdue | 2 | Dennis Kelly, Raheem Mostert |
| Stanford | 2 | Zach Ertz, Ed Reynolds |
| UNLV | 2 | Brett Boyko, Devante Davis |
| Wisconsin | 2 | Beau Allen, Chris Maragos |
Schools added to the list: Florida A&M, Fresno State, Kansas State, Oklahoma, Purdue, UNLV
Schools dropped from the list: Alabama, Missouri, Virginia Tech, Vanderbilt
Thoughts:
• Oregon obviously stands out at the top. Unlike past years where most Duck players have been filler on the 90-man roster, however, a decent amount have a chance to make the cut this season. Kiko Alonso, Josh Huff, and Walter Thurmond are locks. Brandon Bair made the team last year and could do so again. Taylor Hart is pushing for a roster spot. Kenjon Barner and Wade Keliikipi could appear on the practice squad for another season. Jeff Maehl has made the Eagles' roster the past two years but I think the position is too deep for him to stick around this time.
• Howie Roseman may have lost his general manager position, but the Florida alum saw the Gators' influence on the roster grow with the addition of Tim Tebow. Consolation prize?
• The addition of first round pick wide receiver Nelson Agholor elevated USC into a tie for second with Florida.
• Cincinnati took a hit with the loss of Trent Cole (and Blake Annen). Alabama dropped off the list due to the Eagles releasing Evan Mathis.
• Oklahoma made a big leap forward due to some of the Eagles' biggest offseason additions: Sam Bradford and DeMarco Murray.
• Part of the reason why Seyi Ajirotutu signed with the Eagles is because Ryan Mathews, his former college roommate, recruited him to Philly. They're representing Fresno State.
• UNLV is a new addition thanks to two undrafted free agents: Brett Boyko and Devante Davis. Of the two, I would say it's more likely Boyko could earn a roster spot.
• Florida A&M is probably the most random school to show up. Brandon Hepburn was on the practice squad last season. Frank Mays spent time on Philadelphia's 90-man roster last season as a UDFA before being cut and later re-signed back earlier this offseason.