How Tampa trainer Yo Murphy helped engineer Eagles’ DeVonta Smith and Josh Sweat breakout performances

Over the past three summers, it’s became typical practice for Josh Sweat to arrive for his 6 a.m. workouts with teammate DeVonta Smith already sprawled on the ground inside the Tampa-based House of Athlete Performance Center.

Smith, the Eagles’ receiver who is off to a booming career start after being selected No. 10 pick in the 2021 NFL draft, is first to pull up, promptly at 5 a.m., for his training sessions. But Sweat always is next with the duo sharing the same performance coach in former NFL receiver Yo Murphy.

“Both of these guys have it in them, they are elite athletes,” Murphy said in a phone interview this week. “It’s not like I’m sprinkling pixy dust.”

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Murphy, who also regularly trains Phillies outfielder Kyle Schwarber, has established a deep rapport with Sweat and Smith.

Sweat has trained with Murphy every offseason since the Eagles drafted him out of Florida State in 2018. At the time, fans and pundits criticized the Howie Roseman-initiated pick; Sweat was considered a medical concern after he sustained multiple injuries earlier in his career, including a torn ACL, MCL and PCL, along with a dislocated kneecap. But more than six years later, Sweat has debunked that label.

Since 2019, Sweat leads the Eagles with 31 1/2 sacks, including a career-best 11 sacks last season.

Sweat has registered sacks in both of the Eagles games this season, and he ranks second in the NFL with six quarterback hits. During the team’s Week 2 victory over the Minnesota Vikings, Sweat registered a strip sack on Kirk Cousins that swung momentum toward the Eagles in the second half.

Sweat, 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, credits Murphy for his physical development and transformation.

“He’s the only guy I’ve really ever trusted,” Sweat said. “I know I can always go there and he’ll take care of me.”

According to Murphy, unlocking Sweat’s strength was the key to hitting his ceiling as an athlete. He also trains Sweat with conditioning workouts and movements that are typically reserved for wide receivers and defensive backs.

Murphy detailed Sweat’s offseason training program: “The big thing about Josh was getting stronger in full range of motion. Because he’s hyper mobile, he’s got this crazy mobility in a lot of his joints. What we focus on is total body strength and strength through all ranges.

“I always train Josh like an athlete. I train Josh more like a receiver than a D-lineman. Focusing on ultra acceleration, understanding glute activation and how that force should be expressed. The only thing we’ve done is help fortify his body is with a lot of lateral flexion work.”

As a prominent edge rusher, Sweat relies on an assortment of moves to finesse his way past opposing offensive linemen. In addition to Murphy, Sweat also trains with his brother, Justin, who assists him with the majority of his on-field pass-rush techniques. During last week’s game, Sweat executed a picture-perfect long-arm move that left Vikings tackle Olisaemeka Udoh on his backside.

Sweat’s money move, though, is being able to bend and slip underneath massive offensive tackles from the edge. With Murphy’s guidance, Sweat has gained an understanding of how much power his lower legs can withstand while staying upright and parallel to the field.

“A lot of these guys who can bend like Josh, they’ll get injured when they get into that bend with having immense pressure on them, like an offensive tackle pushing him down to the ground,” Murphy said. “We’ve worked on a ton of different strength in that lunge position. And then within his movement work, he does the same — maybe not volume — but same focus as my receivers on the field. We really focus on acceleration, really trying to get three steps into the ground as fast as he possibly can. That’s his entire focus.”

In Smith’s case, Murphy has trained him since he won the 2020 Heisman Trophy during his final season at Alabama. This past summer, Murphy’s concentration was strengthening Smith’s ankle mobility through proprioception and stability exercises.

Smith’s main concern was learning how to prepare his body for game-time situations, like landing from an unexpected angle or encountering an opposing tackler. During the Eagles’ playoff run to Super Bowl LVII, Smith sustained an ankle sprain that required him to rehab through the early parts of the offseason.

“With that ankle [injury], we tried to work more mobility, and then stability in his knee,” Murphy said. “For his size, Smitty is strong. He’s put together in a way that a guy that 200 pounds is. He’s very strong and he’s got power. So trying to train both of those qualities equally.”

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Smith’s weekly routine consisted of maximum strength workouts between Monday and Wednesday, then power and speed sessions on Thursday and Friday.

“It just seems like Smitty’s body really adapts well to that,” Murphy said. “His ability to use the power in both of his hands, so he attacks at the point of catch.”

The Eagles have struck gold with Smith, who set the franchise rookie record for receiving yards (916) in 2021 and as a second-year player broke the franchise record with his 95 receptions in a single season. Perhaps equally important, Smith has been reliable and available. He’s yet to miss a single game, appearing in 40 potential career games.

Through the first two weeks of the season, Smith has a team-best 11 catches for 178 yards and two touchdowns.

This upcoming Monday, the Eagles (2-0) will visit Smith and Sweat’s offseason home as they travel to play the the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-0) in a primetime Week 3 matchup. Murphy is expected to be in the stands at Raymond James Stadium to show support.

“I’ve got to be able to withstand contact,” Smith said. “Being able to be powerful through contact. This is a violent sport that we play. So being able to protect myself and issue out the contact at the same time. I know in my training, Yo has my best interest, and we are always ready to work.”

The Eagles visit the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night. Join Eagles beat reporters Olivia Reiner and EJ Smith as they dissect the hottest story lines surrounding the team on Gameday Central, live from Tampa, Fla.