Saquon Barkley loves Will Shipley.
That's maybe the most important thing to know about the Philadelphia Eagles' backup running back. It tells you all you need to know.
When Shipley scored a late touchdown last season, Barkley came sprinting all the way down the sideline with a big smile on his face to celebrate.
And with Kenneth Gainwell now in Pittsburgh, Shipley appears to be Barkley's direct backup.
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Who is Will Shipley?
Will Shipley is the Philadelphia Eagles' backup running back to superstar Saquon Barkley.
He's from North Carolina and was the No. 2 RB in his recruiting class.
Shipley went to Clemson for college football despite also being a five-star lacrosse recruit.
At Clemson, Shipley was a first-team All-American in 2022.
He went to the Eagles in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft.
As a rookie, Shipley ran 30 times for 82 yards and caught four passes for 35 yards. He also had 173 return yards.
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Saquon Barkley on Will Shipley
Here's a bit of what Barkley said before the season about Shipley:
“He's a really good back. Great hands, great feet, can run routes... Smart, he always was smart. I hate to say this, but he's probably the smartest back in the room. It kinda pisses me off how smart he is."
Barkley also likes having a younger back in the room.
"He keeps me young, I guess you can say,” Barkley said. “You gotta always find somebody to go out there and compete with. Whether it's in OTAs, drills, you want guys to go out and perform at a high level -- and that's what he does.”
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