New Eagles linebacker Kyzir White signed his contract and met with the media on Tuesday. Here are the biggest takeaways from the interview session.
1. Kyzir White is coming to play for the 'hometown team'
Just like Haason Reddick, another free-agent addition at linebacker, White has ties to the Philadelphia area. He played his high school ball in Emmaus, Pennsylvania, and went to Eagles Training Camp at Lehigh University in the 2010s to see Michael Vick, LeSean McCoy, and DeSean Jackson in action.
"I'm from an hour up the road, so I got family here with me. Just the hometown team and I'm just excited overall. I feel like this is a good opportunity for me," the 26-year-old White said.
In fact, the first game that White ever attended was one for the record books. It was the Snow Bowl in 2013 when McCoy set a single-game franchise rushing record with 217 yards.
"That made me want to play for the Eagles," White said of the team's performance in eight inches of powder. "Just to be here, it's crazy. You know, life comes full circle. I'm blessed to be here."
2. White's college experience at safety helps in today's NFL
"I would have never imagined I'd be a linebacker a day in my life," White said, reflecting on his time at West Virginia.
As he got bigger – he's now 6-foot-2, 218 pounds – White knew coming out of college that he'd transition to linebacker in the NFL.
"I think it helped me being a safety previously just athleticism wise. I can play the ball good. I feel like I've played good man coverage on tight ends. That safety background definitely makes it a little easier for me, in my opinion, for linebacker," White said. "I'm glad I'm playing linebacker now. I actually like it more than safety because I'm more in the mix and I feel like I use my speed and athleticism to my advantage."
3. Patience worked in free agency for White
At the NFL Annual Meeting, General Manager Howie Roseman indicated that he was pleasantly surprised that the team was able to work out a deal with White, who had a career-high 144 tackles last season for the Chargers. For White, it was about finding the perfect situation and the Eagles provided that.
"I wanted to be patient. I didn't want to just rush on the first thing that came my way," White said. "They say patience is a virtue and the Eagles came about and now I'm here, so I feel like everything worked as it was supposed to."
4. White thinks he's a 'perfect fit' for the culture
When asked for a self-scouting report, White provided the following that will resonate with Eagles fans.
"I'm a relentless player, high energy guy," White said. "I play with a lot of passion and heart. I ain't the biggest, strongest, or fastest, but I feel like I play with a lot of heart and toughness, grit. That's everything Philadelphia is made of, so I feel like I'm the perfect fit."
5. White likes the pieces on the Eagles' offense
The Chargers played the Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field last season, so White got a first-hand look at the players he'll compete against in the spring and summer.
"I think Jalen Hurts is a real good quarterback. He was fast. I remember last year I was coming on blitzes a few times trying to catch him. He could move," White said. "I like the running back Miles (Sanders), real good. There's a lot of pieces on offense that I'm excited about."
