One day after he was bypassed in the NFL draft, Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate appears to have found an intriguing landing spot.
Tate has signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles, he tweeted Sunday afternoon.
“The last time I had green in my jersey, I played for the Inglewood Jets," Tate tweeted. He later added, "Honored to get a chance to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL," tagging the Eagles and posting an image of himself in a Philly uniform.
The last time I had green in my jersey I played for the Inglewood Jets
— Khalil Tate (@KhalilTate323) April 26, 2020
Honored to get a chance to pursue my dream of playing in the NFL. @Philadelphia Eagles let’s work! #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/5DvflOndgd
— Khalil Tate (@KhalilTate323) April 26, 2020
Tate had a wildly inconsistent career at Arizona. He emerged as one of the best players in the country in 2017 but struggled to build on that campaign the next two seasons while dealing with injuries and adjusting to a new coaching staff.
The Eagles are an interesting potential employer for Tate for a variety of reasons.
First, they spent their second-round draft pick on dual-threat Oklahoma quarterback Jalen Hurts, even though they have an established, in-his-prime starter in Carson Wentz.
Second, Tate’s mentor, Donovan McNabb, spent the bulk of his career playing for the Eagles. McNabb trained Tate during the run-up to the draft.
Third, the Eagles placed a premium on speed during the draft, selecting multiple players whose 40-yard dash times ranked in the 90th percentile or higher for their positions. Philadelphia also traded for receiver and former track standout Marquise Goodwin.
We’ll have more on Tate’s signing later today.
