Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports
The 7th round draft pick also talks Stanford connections.
The Eagles took defensive end/linebacker Casey Toohill out of Stanford in the seventh round of the 2020 NFL Draft. Toohill spoke with reporters on Saturday evening about his connection with Zach Ertz and JJ Arcega-Whiteside, and also confirmed he expects to play more end than linebacker.
Here’s what the incoming rookie had to say:
“I had a decent amount of contact with the Eagles. Obviously, there’s a strong Standford connection.”
Toohill noted that he met with the Eagles at the East-West Shrine game, and there’s plenty of familiarity with other Stanford alums Zach Ertz, JJ Arcega-Whiteside, and Nate Herbig. JJAW was one of his good friends and they were in the same class, and he’s excited to learn from Ertz. He went on to say that it’s good to have that familiarity and foundation as he transitions to the NFL.
When Toohill met with the team, and spoke with them leading up to the draft, he said that they discussed their idea for how he’d fit on their team. Later, he explained that the he expects to play more defensive end than off-ball linebacker, but he’s happy to play wherever they need him, including special teams.
“You’re going to get an athletic, versatile player who is going to give it his all every play.”
He was a stand-up rusher at Stanford and was asked about transitioning to a down rusher. Toohill admitted there will be a lot of adjustment for scheme and the speed of the NFL, but he wants to learn as much as he can quickly, and put his best foot forward.
“At Stanford, I put my hand in the ground a decent amount, as well”
Toohill was asked if he was upset to get drafted in the 7th round rather than be able to make his choice as an undrafted free agent. He quickly shot that down and said he was “stoked” to be drafted at all, and he loves the Eagles organization and the city of Philadelphia. The DE said the draft pick was the culmination of a lot of hard work, but just the beginning of what he wants to accomplish.
In terms of how academics translates to football, Toohill explained that, “Football is a mental game. People might not think that stereotypically”. How he prepares for football games was similar to how he prepared for class work, and paying attention to details and study habits overlap.
As far as community service goes, Toohill said that homelessness is pretty interesting for him. He hasn’t decided exactly how he wants to serve the community in Philadelphia but it’s something he’s looking forward to.
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