20 things to know about new Eagle Javon Hargrave
Hargrave has gone from humble beginnings to becoming one of the NFL's highest rated defensive tackles.
Checking in with 20 tidbits about new Eagles defensive tackle Javon Hargrave.
1. Received a 21st Century welcome to the nest from Carson Wentz who tweeted, Hargrave and Fletcher Cox “in the trenches is a scary thing.”
2. The Eagles defense ranked 15th in points allowed, 19th in passing yards, and third in rushing yards. They were also 21st in quarterback hurry percentage, which is why Hargrave is here.
3. His Twitter handle is @Jay_MostWanted. On Instagram at grave_digger97. Hargrave. Gravedigger. Get it?
4. Born in Salisbury, N.C. and schooled in the tiny town of Spencer (pop. 3,241). Runs a summertime football camp at his high school, North Rowan.
5. Was also a terrific basketball player in high school, helping North Rowan go from 7-17 his sophomore year to state champions as a senior.
6. Was named Black College Pro Football Pro Player of the Year by the NFLPA in February. It’s sort of the NFL MVP among players who attended HBCU’s. Hargrave went to South Carolina State.
7. Other notable NFL players from SCSU include Deacon Jones, Marion Motley, Harry Carson and Donnie Shell.
8. Average annual value of Hargrave’s first contract after the Steelers selected him in the third round in 2016: $778,564. Guaranteed money he will receive from the three-year deal he signed with the Eagles: $26 million.
9. The Eagles hold the option for that third year, which is worth another $13 million.
10. Just before Christmas, Hargrave donated bicycles for all 111 students at Essie Mae Kiser Foxx Charter School in East Spencer, N.C.
11. “He chose bikes,” his assistant, Angelica McClure told the Salisbury (N.C.) Post, “because he felt like it would have a bigger impact and hopefully get kids back outside.”
12. Hargrave is ranked eighth among interior linemen by Pro Football Focus. Fletcher Cox is fourth.
13. Hargrave has missed one game in his four-year career. He had a concussion late in his rookie season.
14. Has 14.5 sacks in his career, plus another on Tom Brady in the Steelers’ 2016 AFC Championship Game loss. Had six sacks in a 2014 game against 13th-ranked Bethune-Cookman while at South Carolina State to tie the FCS (Division I-AA) record.
15. “That one game changed my life — it really did,” Hargrave told his local paper after that season. “Since that game, lots of scouts have come around to watch me. That game was the spark for a lot of good things that have happened to me.”
(Bonus item) Now here’s something I didn’t know: The I-AA record (since 2000) for most sacks in a season was set in 2005 by Cal Poly’s Chris Gocong, who played for the Eagles from 2007-09.
16. The Eagles were one of only four teams to attend Hargrave’s pro day at South Carolina State. Cincinnati, Tennessee and Pittsburgh, which wound up drafting him, were the others.
» Read more: Our beat writers weigh in on the signing of Javon Hargrave
17. The Eagles picked Isaac Seumalo at No. 79, ten spots ahead of where the Steelers drafted him.
18. Scored the only touchdown of his NFL career in his rookie year on a fumble by then-Browns quarterback Josh McCown.
19. Spent his draft night in 2016 at a bowling alley in Charlotte with family members. Word spread that he was a potential draft pick, but he wasn’t taken until the 26th pick of the third round, sometime after 10 o’clock. Nerves were frazzled by that point.
20. “They made a PA announcement that he’d been drafted, and then the whole bowling alley just erupted,” his father Tim told the Salisbury paper. “We were all crying like babies and people were running up to us to congratulate and hug Javon. It was a beautiful moment.”