PHILADELPHIA — When Jordan Matthews joined Vanderbilt’s coaching staff last season, he helped install a play he brought over from his time with the Eagles, which they aptly named “Philly.”
It features a three-tight-end set and is typically meant for deep red zone situations when the defense is anticipating a run. Instead, the quarterback drops back and targets the primary tight end on a spray/slant route. When Matthews was a receiver in Philadelphia, that tight end was Zach Ertz. At Vanderbilt, it was designed for Eli Stowers.
Matthews recalled that nugget as the fates twisted over the weekend and the Eagles selected his mentee in the second round of the 2026 draft — the same round in which they took Matthews 12 years prior.
“Crazy, right? It’s hard not to say the first thought was, ‘Wow, what are the chances?'” Matthews told ESPN.
Stowers is the reigning John Mackey Award winner as the nation’s top tight end. He had 769 receiving yards and four touchdown catches last season for the Commodores en route to consensus All-America honors. He has the measurables to match his production, as his vertical jump of 45.5 inches and broad jump of 11 feet, 3 inches at the NFL combine are both the best by a tight end on record (since 2003).
Stowers also posted a 4.51-second 40-yard dash time at the combine — particularly impressive considering he wasn’t able to run in the two weeks leading up to the event because of a Grade 1 hamstring strain.
“I was like, man, I want to compete. This is a dream of mine to come out and run a 40 out here,” he said. “I bet on myself and I believe in myself.”
That showing in Indianapolis was part of the reason the Eagles selected him 54th overall.
“The guy is super talented and, athletically, he does some things that no one else can do,” said coach Nick Sirianni. “Just to be able to create mismatches with him.
“He is a tough cover, catches everything, good after the catch, speed, quickness. Really excited to have him.”
Adding to the intrigue is the fact that Stowers is new to the position. A former quarterback, he didn’t see in-game action at tight end until 2023.
Matthews can relate. He led the SEC in receptions (112) and receiving yards (1,477) his senior year at Vanderbilt before being selected 42nd by the Eagles in the 2014 draft as a receiver. He found success early, averaging 75 catches, 890 yards and six touchdowns over his first three seasons, but eventually he converted to tight end to extend what proved to be a 10-year NFL career.
Matthews played his last year in the league — for the Carolina Panthers — in 2024 and took up coaching for his alma mater this past season. Part of his role was to implement concepts into the Vanderbilt offense from his pro career. He ended up forming a tight bond with Stowers as he poured knowledge from his playing days into the promising prospect.
“Jordan has been huge, man. I love him to death. He’s a mentor in every aspect — not just in football but in life,” Stowers said.
Stowers joins a Philadelphia offense in the midst of transition. Receiver A.J. Brown is expected to be traded in the coming weeks and new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion is in the process of implementing a brand new scheme.
Matthews sees Stowers as a “natural fit” both as a complement to veteran tight end Dallas Goedert — Stowers currently operates best detached from the line of scrimmage, while Goedert can excel as an in-line tight end — and in terms of demeanor.
“Just a stoic presence, professional, will fit right in with the Jalens and DeVonta Smiths and Saquons, that kind of energy,” he said.
Matthews was thrilled when he found out Stowers was being selected by the Eagles but resisted calling him right away, wanting to give Stowers space as he went through the post-draft frenzy.
Turns out, Stowers ended up calling him. Matthews had gone to bed early that night as he prepped to run a marathon the next morning, but he knew he had to answer when he saw Stowers’ name come across his phone.
“He was like, ‘Coach, this is so crazy. I guess I’m following in your footsteps,'” Matthews recalled. “And I told him, ‘Look, whatever I did, you’re going to do twice as much.’ He is that good, man.”
The Commodores repped the “Philly” play a bunch in practice but never had the opportunity to use it in a game, Matthews said. Maybe Stowers was meant to run it in an Eagles uniform.
