One day after being bypassed in the NFL draft, Arizona Wildcats quarterback Khalil Tate found an intriguing landing spot.
Tate has signed as an undrafted free agent with the Philadelphia Eagles, he tweeted Sunday afternoon.
βThe last time I had green in my jersey, I played for the Inglewood Jets," Tate wrote. 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.
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 several 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, Tateβs 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.
Fourth, the Eagles listed Tate as a wide receiver when they announced the signing later Sunday afternoon.
Theyβve had success turning college quarterbacks into pro wideouts in the recent past: In 2017, the Eagles signed undrafted Houston QB Greg Ward Jr. By last season, he was part of their receiver rotation.
Arizona quarterback Khalil Tate, left, looks for a receiver as Oregon's Troy Dye closes in during the fourth quarter of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Nov. 16, 2019, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Chris Pietsch)
The Eaglesβ exact plans for Tate are unclear, but his skill set offers multiple possibilities. Tate possesses a powerful arm and breakaway speed in the open field. He threw for 6,318 yards and 57 touchdowns during his UA career. As a sophomore in β17, Tate rushed for 1,411 yards β the most by a quarterback in Pac-12 history.
Tate entered the β18 season in the conversation for the Heisman Trophy. But his game never reached that level under first-year coach Kevin Sumlin and offensive coordinator Noel Mazzone. Tate missed time because of an ankle injury and rushed for only 224 yards. He did throw a career-high 26 touchdown passes with only eight interceptions.
Tate returned for his senior season aiming to improve as a player and boost his draft stock. He appeared to be headed in that direction after passing for a career-high 404 yards and three touchdowns in a road victory over Colorado on Oct 5. But Tate struggled the following week against Washington and was pulled late in the game. He would share time with freshman Grant Gunnell for most of the rest of the season.
Tate threw a career-high three interceptions in his collegiate finale against Arizona State. He finished his senior year with 14 touchdown passes and 11 picks. Tate rushed for more than 100 yards three times, a mark he reached six times in a row in 2017.
Although he appeared to regress as a quarterback, Tate entered the offseason determined to prove he could play the position. He trained regularly with McNabb, who starred for the Eagles from 1999-2009. Tate had hoped to display his improved skills at Arizonaβs pro day on March 17, but the event was canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
βLooking forward to the things (Tate) will bring to (the) Eagles,β McNabb tweeted Sunday. βHappy for this young man. Heβs put in great work this offseason.β
Hurts possesses similar athletic traits but was much more consistent in college and enters the NFL with a sterling reputation as a locker-room leader. Tateβs maturity and makeup might have contributed to his going undrafted.
The Eagles could use Hurts in a manner similar to how the New Orleans Saints have deployed Taysom Hill in recent seasons β as a part-time quarterback, rusher and receiver. Whether they envision a similar role for Tate remains to be seen, although listing him as a receiver suggests otherwise.
Tate told the Star in January that heβd be willing to play a Hill-like role for an NFL team. Tate never fully committed to the idea of changing positions altogether, however, and that also might have hurt his stock.
The Eagles reached out to Arizona last week to inquire about Tate and ended up signing him. He became the third UA player to sign as undrafted free agent, joining tailback J.J. Taylor (Patriots) and cornerback Jace Whittaker (Cardinals). Former Arizona safety Will Parks signed with the Eagles earlier in the offseason after spending his first four pro seasons with the Denver Broncos.
