Eagles Add OL Help in Round 6

PHILADELPHIA (973espn.com) - The Eagles added some help for the offensive line in the sixth round of the NFL Draft by selecting massive TCU offensive tackle Matt Pryor, a former college teammate of Halapoulivaati Vaitai.

Pryor, 6-foot-7 and 338 pounds, has experience playing both guard and tackle with the Horned Frogs but his frame screams right tackle at the professional level.

"I feel comfortable at both,." Pryor said during a conference call. "I have the strength to play guard and I have the arm length to stay out on the edge. Really, it’s all about whatever is going to help the team. I don’t have a preference."

The Eagles have one of the top O-Lines in the NFL with Jason Peters set to return from a torn ACL at left tackle with All-Pro Lane Johnson handling the right side and Vaitai serving as the game-day swing tackle. Taylor Hart was also brought back to the offseason roster at OT.

Inside Brandon Brooks is coming off a Pro Bowl selection at right guard while Stefen Wisniewski solidified the LG spot. Chance Warmack and Isaac Seumalo sre the veteran reserves.

"I played with V for, I believe, three years with the Horned Frogs. When I was a freshman, he would help me out," Pryor said when discussing his relationship Vaitai. "You know, being a freshman in college and making that transition. Especially with coming from California and moving to a new state. I actually just got off the phone with him about 30 minutes ago and we talked about where I’m going to live in Philly, how great the city is and how great the program is over there."

The comfort of having a familiar face around should also make the daily grind a little easier for Pryor.

"I think it’s great. It’s kind of like college," Pryor explained. "You’re coming to a new team and you kind of feel isolated. I have a buddy who plays for the Vikings {tackle Aviante Collins] and he told me your rookie year is really hard because you’re new to the whole situation. I think having somebody there who I know already is going to help me transition into it easier.”

One issue with Pryor has been weight-management as he was once nearly 400 pounds, although he seems to have conquered it a bit.

"I’m about 335 [pounds] right now," Pryor said. "My heaviest, I came in my freshman year at maybe 380. Year by year, I’ve started cutting weight slowly. My sophomore year I was down to about 360. Recently, after my senior year when I was training for my pro day was when I got down to 328."

-John McMullen covers the Eagles and the NFL for 973espn.com. You can reach him at jmcmullen44@gmail.com or on Twitter @JFMcMullen