NFL Draft TE Prospect Eli Stowers: Good Vibe From Meeting With Eagles, TEs Coach Ryan Mahaffey

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What's going on, everyone?

Welcome into a special edition of the Checko Daily, Andrew Checko here, Eagles Beat reporter

for InsideTheBirds.com.

It's a special edition because today I'm joined by one of the premier prospects in the

2020-26 NFL Draft, the 2025 John McEward winner, former Vanderbilt tight-end Eli Stowers

who's kind enough to spend some time talking with me about his journey.

Eli, thanks for jumping on.

Yeah, of course, thanks for having me.

So I have to ask you because there are so many demands with this process.

What has this draft process been like for you and how have you gone about navigating?

Yeah, I mean, it's been a blessing for me and it's been cool to kind of go through

this whole process.

Just looking back on it, it's something that I dreamed of going through as a kid and

watching the comment on TV and we even went to a couple of pro days as a kid just to watch

guys work out and so to be trying for this whole thing and be able to talk to teams and

all this kind of stuff, it's been a blessing and I'm just kind of soaking it all in.

Staying prepared, trusting in my faith in God and continuing to just put my head down

to work and then we'll see what happens in April.

Have you found yourself leaning on anyone in particular for guidance through the process?

I mean, I always lean on my faith, like I said, like I'm always talking to God, praying

to Him and kind of getting guidance there, but in terms of in people in my life, like

I'd say, my dad kind of went through this process back in the day and so I talked to

him a lot, just every day about what's going on, what's changing, anything like that throughout

the day and just other people that I've been through it, there's a lot of people in

my corner and thankfully I have a good support system and so being able to talk to people

that have experienced going through this stuff, it's been good for me.

Were you always someone of strong faithy life?

Yeah, I was born and raised in a Christian household and I'm very thankful that my parents

raised me and my sister in the church, we grew up going to church and reading the word

together praying and I think it kind of became more my own, it was more of my parents'

faith growing up, you know, kind of just, my parents raised us that way and that's just

all I knew, eventually it became more my own faith towards into high school and going

into college and I'd learned some things, you know, about the faith that started diving

deeper into it getting more into the word and it became even more important to me than

it already was so.

You mentioned your parents, you come from a decorated background of athletes in your family,

so I have to give you an opportunity here to kind of outline all the athletes that

have come before you.

Yeah, sure, so like I said, my dad, he went through this process back in 94, he went to

the calm mind, he played safety in New Mexico State, he had a short time in the league and

then played in NFL Europe when they had that going on over in Germany for the Ryan

Fire and then he got straight into coaching after that and then my mom, she was a former

semi-pro Beach volleyball player, she played that all the way up into like her thirties

and became a volleyball coach after that as well.

Then my sister is probably the best athlete in the family, she plays volleyball at Texas

A&M this past year, she was all American, national championship, national championship MVP,

she had a crazy story, started out at Baylor's now at Texas A&M but yeah, she's the best

player in the country so.

So let's go back to the beginning and you had an accomplished career as a quarterback

coming out of high school, I believe you were a four-star recruit, you end up committing

to Texas A&M where the Aggies looking at you at any other position or any other schools

looking at you as anything other than a quarterback.

Now coming out of high school, I was looked at as a quarterback and that's really all I

was.

I think when I got to A&M and I started dealing with the shoulder injury, that first year

I was doing some other things, I was kind of working some kind of hybrid tight end receiver,

really more of a receiver than because I was a lot smaller and doing like working some

routes and stuff because I couldn't throw the ball because my labor was torn.

So I was doing some other stuff just to try to, you know, try something out, I was doing

special teams but, you know, I was still in the quarterback room and I got served on my

shoulder, went back to quarterback but coming out of high school, no, I was completely recruited

as a quarterback by every schools.

So then you spent two years at Texas A&M and then you transferred to New Mexico State

and it's there that you're a quarterback but you also begin the conversion to tight end.

So what sparked that movie life?

Yeah, so like I said, I mentioned the injury but after that injury, I was never really

the same throwing the ball, even after I got the surgery.

I couldn't, I couldn't spend it like I used to be able to, I couldn't put Lacion and

like I used to be able to and so when I got to New Mexico State, I was still playing

the quarterback.

Me and Diego were competing when I first got there and eventually Diego won the starting

job and after that I went into Coach Beck's office and I said Coach, I know I have the

ability, I know I can help the team in some way.

I just want to get on the field and help out, I don't care if that's on another position

of offense on special teams on defense, I don't do anything.

And so that's when he suggested moving the tight end and by that point, I had gone through

the stuff on my shoulder and the throwing thing by that point for almost three years.

So I think that was one of those things that God was trying to force me into that and

I wasn't wanting to in the first having many years and by that point I had a lot of peace

with it when I went into Coach Beck's office and so honestly it was a blessing in disguise

man.

God works in those ways sometimes and so I'm really thankful for it.

Going from quarterback to tight end, what were for you Eli, what was your initial sticking

point or challenge that you sort of had to you had to get past?

Yeah, I mean honestly it was the newest thing to me was the blocking.

So like the running the routes and the catching of all and learning the scheme and you know

all that kind of stuff, it came more natural to me because I was a pretty good athlete

and so but the blocking thing was something that was brand new and never had blocked.

I was a quarterback in my whole life literally since I started playing football and so I had

never blocked anybody.

I think that's the thing that took the most learning and I think over these last two

years I've gotten a whole lot better and I'm thankful for my coaches and you know I've

been watching a ton of film on pro guys you know it's all it's blocking is about will

and technique and you know I have the will I want to be the best tight end that I can

be and then from that point it's just learning the technique and understanding how to block

and I think I'm taking a lot of strides and I can continue to get better at it so.

Who are some of those players in the program that pro game that you've been watching in

terms of the blocking acumen?

Yeah in terms of the blocking aspect I mean the guy that's that kind of every I feel like

all tight ends watch is George Kittle and I think that because George Kittle I watch

George Kittle specifically because he is elite at everything that tight end does you

know he's not just a blocking tight end or a passcage in tight end he does all of it at

an elite level and that's you know that's the point that I want to try to get to like

I play the position of tight end and we run we run routes we catch balls and we also block

and so if you want to be in the lead tight end and a fail you got to be a lead at all

those and he's the highest level of that and so you know I watch a lot of him and just

you know kind of understand the mindset of being a tight end and like when you watch him

play football whatever he's doing you can tell he loves he loves blocking he loves catching

balls all that kind of stuff so you know I get a lot of inspiration from him.

Now watching your career Vanderbilt it's very evidence if you follow along that you've

made improvements you've made strides in blocking and you talked about that at the combine

but how specifically have you gone about really refining that area of your game?

Yeah so when I got to Vanderbilt I was like brand new to the position when I was in

New Mexico state I was kind of I was doing like some I was in the quarterback room the whole

year but I was you know they throw me out there to run routes every now and then but but

when I got to Vanilla brand new to really the full-time tight end position and so I was

just learning from my coach flas and coach Lee Pagas are there are two tight end coaches

there and there were day would just give us a bunch of you know drills to do and you

know give us film to watch you know you know just don't understand how to get better at it

because at the end of the day it's all reps it's all technique all muscle memory and so you

know as a tight end group we go out and we hit this lead you know every other morning during the

summer you know we would work on our literally just hitting nothing work on your first step

get your second step in the ground you know striking a pad just putting where your hands are

going to be you know driving your feet on contact you know in space you know coming to balance

and you know being able to still gain ground all that kind of stuff just just a bunch of drills

that you do in every single aspect of blocking and you just have to work at it so that's what I was

doing is that something that you've really placed an emphasis on really in the past couple of months

as well yeah I mean I it's not just the blocking because you know at the end of the day I'm newer

to the position in every aspect now I think they're running the routes and I guess they're running

routes and catching balls came a little more natural but at the end of the day like there's

there's nuances to running routes and attacking the ball that you have to work at as well so

I wouldn't say it's just the blocking like I'm working on every single aspect of my game trying

to get to the point where you know I can be the best tight and I can be for whatever team takes me so

coming from the quarterback position you probably have a unique vantage point in running routes

because you know exactly the depths and things like that do you feel that help ease your transition

in terms of route running? Yeah 100 percent I think it's just because you know understanding the game

from from a quarterback perspective in the passing game especially it just helps you be on

on the same page with your quarterback and so you know seeing coverage is the same way you know

it's a little different when you're actually seeing the coverage from running the route rather

than the backfield but then that just took reps but like you know from that point it's just

being a quarterback's friend understanding coverage is understanding where does the you know

the open spots are in zone stuff like that and I think it does what how it definitely helps me

just build chemistry with my quarterback so he said something interesting at the combine at the

podium he said you know coming from quarterback I understand the game at a higher level than most

tight ends and you've alluded to some of that now but could you expand a little bit on that what you

met? Yeah I think that not in a sense of like like I understand it better than anyone but I

understand it in a way that like from a from a from a quarterback's perspective and so

you know just kind of seeing coverage is in the same way and you know under understanding like

the entire aspect of the football of the game of football because that's what you have to know

as a quarterback you have to know what everyone does on offense whatever one does on defense you know

how to anticipate what the defense is going to do how you know what you do within the concept works

within the entire concept and the block is key and everything and so I think that was just something

that I had learned you know from a young age and continue to learn more about it as a quarterback

and going to A&M and to Mexico State so that's that's really what I meant by that but you're a part

of a lot of success at Vanderbilt what's your perspective of being a key part of that turnaround?

I mean it's a lot that was a blessing just to be able to go there and be at a school as

amazing as Vanderbilt like I don't think people really understand just how amazing that school is

because they kind of view it from a sense of like the the former you know how is viewed as

as an athletic pro really as a football program in general and I think that people don't understand

like that in terms of like a SEC school in the middle of an amazing city with the best academics

the best people you know the best athletic director head coach here coaches in general you know

fans like everything like it was just a blessing to be here and to be able to be a part of a turnaround

like that you know it was just like I said like a huge stain over and over again but it was really

just a blessing you know that God kind of made that happen and for for me to be a part of that so

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21 and up what compelled you Eli to return for the 2025 25 seed yeah I mean at the end of that

season we had we had a decent season that year we went seven and six we won a bowl game and

but I just felt like there was there was more in the tank and then we you know we had people

coming back Diego got his extra year back are all of our coaches stay the same like I just felt

like there was more in the tank and I wanted to be a part of you know a season like we had last

year because we all knew it was possible we knew we had the talent we knew we had the people

the work ethic everything we decided to put it together and I want to be a part of that and

and then also just just helped me in a sense of giving me another year of experience and being

able to grow as it tied in for when I go to the next level so I'm sure you have this off the top

of your head but what's one game that you feel best captures your receiving ability and your

explosiveness and what's one game that anyone should look at that highlights your blocking problems

I'd say probably Auburn from my receiving and then Auburn from this year and then Tennessee for

the blocking and you mentioned Diego and he was one of the more electric players to watch last season

what was what was it like being a teammate of his and do you have any any memorable stories from

from playing with him I mean just in terms of like what does it like to be a teammate you just

watch what he does on film you know like having a quarterback like that like you can you can see not

only how good of a player he is but like how his personality is on the field you know you you'll

see him throw a ball or hand a ball off and Diego's running 30 yards down the field to meet the

guy and pick him up you know I mean that's just not that's not something that you normally see from

quarterback you know and so it's like just being able to to play with a guy that you know really

cares about his teammates is going to work you know as hard as as a human possibly can that loves

the game football you know I mean like I said you watching on film he was the best player in college

football last year he really was and you know I think that that any teams that you know pass up on him

or or missing out because he's done nothing but show that he can win and literally at every single

place he's gone he's won games and so you know I mean you know I really in terms of like stories and

stuff that's really all you need to know about the kid in terms of you know how he's going to be

able to help an NFL team he will help the team win games no matter you know who takes him so

and your words Eli what makes you the top title in this draft class?

I would say that you know I bring I bring a you know a unique blend of like athleticism in the

size and you know I've been available the last three years I haven't missed a game in the last

you know three years that I've played in college and you know and just having that quarterback

background in terms of like you know understand of the game and then you're also going to get

someone who is going to put their head down and work and understand that you know to that they

can never be satisfied that I can never be satisfied with anything or where I where I'm at in my

process but continuing to get better and put my head down and work and listen to my coaches and

want to be the best player that I can be from my team so and because you're so new to the position

at least this is the way that I view it you have another level you're just scratching the surface

of what you're able to do and you're coming into your own would you agree?

Yeah 100% and I think that's why I'm like so so focused on like soaking up information and learning

watching so much film like it was something that when I moved to this position it was something new

and honestly it was a breath of fresh air like being able to learn and continuing to get better and

grow that process and continuing to like you know like I say get better it's it's it's an amazing

feeling so I want to continue to just you know soak up as much information as I can to learn so

when you're not playing football what do you what do you like to do? What are some of your hobbies?

well me I just got engaged recently so I hang out with my fiance a lot hang out with my you know

my boys my teammates I play guitar I started playing a guitar about four years ago so I'm pretty

decent by now I started picking up golf this year so I'm terrible with that but hopefully I can

get good at that we'll see well congratulations on the engagement that's awesome and who are some

guitar players that you that you like to kind of follow along with? Yeah so I kind of like a lot

of blue stuff actually so I didn't you know I listened to Stevie Ray Vaughan John Mayer is an

incredible guitar player I listen to him a lot Eddie Van Halen's a great too so you know try to

learn all their stuff they're really hard to play but have you played any tried any eruption yet

try to play any I can get the tapping part down a little bit but the rest of the stuff is yeah

it's ridiculous wow that's impressive you're gonna have to put out a video or something about that

that's I've never never seen anybody try that but because this is an Eagles podcast I have to ask

have you met with the Eagles I did I had a I had a formal interview with the Eagles at the

common did you have a chance to talk to tight ends coach Ryan Mahaffey at all yes I did yes sir

what are your impressions of Ryan I think he was you know in in the meeting he was really respectful

and you know I could tell he lust for ball and he wants to be able to you know help his players

just be the best they can be and I could just get that vibe from him speaking with him for 20

minutes you know and so you know I think he's he's a really great coach and you know I'd be a

blessing to play for him so do you know anything about throw it out to you? Not much but you know I

know that that's where the the Rocky statue is so have you decided whether or not you're going

to attend the draft I probably won't be attending the draft I'll do some like a party or something at

home but no cool what what are the next four weeks gonna be like for you what do you have on top

yeah so I got a couple visits that stuff to go to and then from that point it says you know meetings

like zoom calls or you know phone calls or anything like that with teams and then just continue to try

and be ready for for rookie minicamp when that happens so that's awesome I really appreciate it

and I wish you all the best Eli thanks for taking some time to chat with me about your your journey

and we'll see where it takes you man yes sir thanks so much absolutely well that's gonna do it for

this edition of the check-out daily for Eli Stowers I'm Andrew to check out and I'll catch you all

on the next one

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