ESPN: DE Josh Sweat is Philadelphia Eagles’ Most Underrated Player

When the Philadelphia Eagles selected defensive end Josh Sweat in the fourth-round of the 2018 NFL Draft, they were hoping they found a mid-round diamond in the rough.

He was a talented edge rusher who fell to the fourth-round because of multiple knee injuries.

The 25-year-old has been dealing with injuries involving his ACL, MCL, and PCL since high school, forcing him to practice just one day per week in college at Florida State.

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ESPN posted a list made by Football Outsiders Friday of every team’s most underrated player, and Sweat was selected to represent the Eagles.

Who led the Eagles in hurries last year? Was it Fletcher Cox, Derek Barnett or Javon Hargrave? No. It was fourth-year edge Josh Sweat, with 25 hurries and a team-high 7.5 sacks. Sweat's three-year extension with Philadelphia will see him never have a cap hit above $6.1 million until 2024.

Sweat is entering his fifth year with Philadelphia and signed a three-year, $40 million extension to remain with the Eagles in Sept. of last season.

He’s had his share of injuries during his time in Philadelphia, one forced him to miss the team's Wild Card game with Tampa Bay last season when he underwent surgery for a "life-threatening" situation.

Sweat posted 45 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and a forced fumble in 13 starts during the 2021 season.

The Eagles added another edge rusher in free agency to pair with Sweat, Haason Reddick.  The duo could form a formidable pass rush for Jonathan Gannon's defense.

Meanwhile, even with Haason Reddick onboard, Sweat might already be the most powerful edge on the team. There are edge players as good and as young as the 25-year-old Sweat, but you can count them on one hand and they probably weren't drafted in the fourth round.

Adding Reddick could unlock more opportunities for Sweat to get to the quarterback this season, which could set him up for his best season in an Eagles uniform to date.