In the NFL, the "top college players" get drafted first and are rewarded with the larger rookie contracts. But so often in the league, it’s subsequent contracts that more accurately defines a player’s value. Two of the Eagles’ recent acquisitions - quarterback Chase Daniel and safety Rodney McLeod - began their NFL careers as undrafted free agents, but both elected to push themselves to their limits rather than sulk after going undrafted and now have multi-year contracts with the Eagles as a result.
While Daniel and McLeod went undrafted, two other names from the Eagles’ list of 2016 free agent acquisitions also came into the league with a chip on their shoulder despite being selected in the draft.