Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Eagles have chosen running back Will Shipley with the 127th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. This selection was part of a trade with Houston, where Philadelphia exchanged their 123rd overall fourth-round pick for the 127th pick and an additional fifth-round pick in 2025.

Shipley expressed his commitment to working hard and earning respect from his new team. "I'm going in there and I'm going to work my butt off and do what I'm told," he stated during his initial press conference as an Eagle.

Standing at 5 feet 11 inches and weighing 206 pounds, Shipley is known for his versatility on the field. He spent three years at Clemson University, accumulating over 3,000 total yards of offense and scoring 34 touchdowns. As a key player in kick returns, he amassed 904 return yards with an average of 26.6 yards per return.

In a notable achievement, Shipley became the first Power Five player since Christian McCaffrey to surpass specific yardage milestones across rushing, receiving, and kickoff returns within three seasons. In a prior season, he achieved similar success comparable to Saquon Barkley's performance in 2017.

Clemson's Running Backs Coach C.J. Spiller praised Shipley's talents: "Will has exceptional talent that makes him special from the rest because not only can he run the rock, but he is a guy you can move all around the field."

Shortly after being drafted by the Eagles, Shipley received encouragement from Saquon Barkley: "Get ready to work." Barkley had joined Philadelphia as a free agent earlier this year.

Shipley's connection to Philadelphia extends beyond football; his brother James plays lacrosse for the University of Pennsylvania. Reflecting on his draft experience, Shipley shared his enthusiasm: "When the call came through from Philadelphia, I could not have been more ecstatic."

Eagles Head Coach Nick Sirianni highlighted Shipley's versatility and leadership qualities: "We're really excited about Will...what's made him a special player is the person that he is."

Director of Player Personnel Alan Wolking also emphasized Shipley's attributes: "He's got really underlying athletic traits...As the new kick return rule comes into effect, he's a guy that can find an expanded role in this new environment."

Shipley's college career included several accolades such as being named Honorable Mention All-ACC in 2023 and First-Team All-ACC Running Back in previous years.

###