Eagles hire new linebackers coach under DC Desai

 

The Eagles have a new linebackers coach and they didn’t have to go far to find him.

On Thursday, the Eagles hired Temple defensive coordinator D.J. Eliot.

Eliot will work under defensive coordinator Sean Desai, who was hired by the Eagles to replace Jonathan Gannon last week while at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis.

Eliot is replacing former linebackers coach Nick Rallis, who joined Gannon as the defensive coordinator in Arizona.

While the 46-year-old Eliot spent just one season as the DC and outside linebackers coach at Temple but has a long history of coaching in the college ranks.

Eliot began his career as a graduate assistant at Wyoming in 1999 but has moved around a lot to Houston, Miami, Texas State, Tulsa, Rice, Florida State, Kentucky, Colorado, Kansas and finally to Temple.

Eliot has been a defensive coordinator at his last four stops in Kentucky, Colorado, Kansas and Temple. While at Kansas, Eliot coached Eagles 2022 sixth-round pick Kyron Johnson. He also coached third-round pick Davion Taylor while at Colorado.

An Oklahoma native, Eliot played linebacker at at Wyoming before graduating in 1999 and joining the coaching staff.

In Philadelphia, Eliot will take over a position in flux. Both starters from the 2022 season -- T.J. Edwards and Kyzir White -- are pending free agents and could be leaving. The Eagles used a third-round pick on Nakobe Dean last year but the rookie from Georgia barely played on defense. But the Eagles are still bullish on Dean, who could be a starter in 2023.

The only other known candidate for the linebackers job was Matt Patricia, whose name was floated by a Boston reporter.

The last known opening on the Eagles’ coaching staff is at the defensive backs coach position. Former DBs coach Dennard Wilson parted ways with the team after being passed over for the DC job and has since landed with the Baltimore Ravens.

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/eagles-hire-dj-eliot-their-new-linebackers-coach

Can't say I know anything about him but I like that he's got DC experience.