PHILADELPHIA — Things don’t seem to have gone as planned for Daeshon Hall in his brief, brief NFL career.
The Carolina Panthers traded up to select him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft after a solid four-year career at Texas A&M. He joined a defensive line room in Carolina that featured decorated veteran Julius Peppers, and he was in position to learn from one of the best.
But after he played nine snaps in the 2017 season opener, Hall injured his knee and needed surgery. He didn’t play again in 2017. And he hasn’t played yet in 2018 after he was part of final roster cuts for the Panthers.
Now, he’s in Philadelphia with the Eagles, one of the newest faces on a team clinging to playoff hopes and in need of depth along the defensive line. It might not be how Hall planned it, but it’s where he finds himself less than two seasons into his professional career.
“As you know, everybody's journey is different,” Hall said this week. “My journey's clearly different from other guys, and my journey's not over.”
The Eagles needed a defensive end after rookie Josh Sweat went on injured reserve following an ankle injury against the Dallas Cowboys. So the Eagles signed Hall off the Houston Texans practice squad.
He’s an intriguing prospect. The 23-year-old is listed at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds. He was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2013, and he turned in a solid four-year career at Texas A&M with 162 tackles, 36.5 tackles for loss, 16 sacks, four forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, and an interception in four seasons.
But it’s a quick turnaround to be able to contribute in defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz’s system just days after signing. Hall is confident he can pick things up well.
“It's just a 4-3 attacking defense, just like the Panthers, just like my college, so I'm back comfortable,” Hall said.
“It's up to the coaches, but I feel like I'm a pretty smart guy and I can pick up the plays pretty quickly, so this is all up to the coaching staff, and I'll be waiting when my name's called.”
The Eagles have a dire need at defensive end. Their top three healthy defensive ends — Brandon Graham, Michael Bennett and Chris Long — are all 30 or older and played significant snaps against the Cowboys. Second-year pro Derek Barnett was the team’s first-round pick in 2017, the same draft as Hall, but he’s done for the season after shoulder surgery. Sweat, a fourth-round pick in April, was far down the depth chart, but he’s losing the chance for reps.
Hall is young enough that he could provide an infusion of talent to a position group that has a need. It will be interesting to see how much time Hall gets in the final three games of the season and if he sticks around. He’d like to.
“I love Philly, I love the opportunity, and I'm just going to keep working from here,” Hall said.
Hall entered the NFL 20 months ago. He has one game, nine snaps and a knee injury to show for it. But he doesn’t want to fold. He knows his journey is unique, and Philadelphia is another step on it. It could be one where he sticks, too.
“Just keep pushing,” Hall said. “I'm not a quitter. I'm never going to be a quitter, so until I can't play anymore, that's when I'll stop playing. But if it's up to me, I'm going to keep playing, playing hard.”
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