Have the Eagles found a keeper in undrafted linebacker T.J. Edwards?

T.J. Edwards was one of the most productive linebackers in college football during his four years as a starter at the University of Wisconsin. His 366 career tackles rank second in school history, and his 10 interceptions lead all Badgers linebackers.

Ten years ago, NFL teams would have killed for that kind of production. But now, in this era of spread offenses and slants and jet sweeps and bubble screens, the emphasis is on lighter, quicker linebackers with suddenness and zoom-zoom-zoom speed, and Edwards comes up a little short in that department.

Even after dropping 15 pounds, the 4.77-second 40 that the 6-foot, 230-pounder ran at Wisconsin’s pro day didn’t win him any points with scouts.

He got the cold shoulder from NFL teams in the draft before signing as a priority free agent with the Eagles.

“I’d be lying if I said I went in [to the draft] with no expectations," said Edwards, who attended the Eagles’ rookie camp over the weekend. “I expected to be drafted. But it didn’t happen. When it didn’t, it was on to the next thing and finding a team to go to. It was fine after that."

The Eagles got in touch with Edwards’ agent in the sixth round of the draft, and told him they were interested in signing his client if he didn’t get taken.

A few other teams also expressed interest in him as a free agent, but he felt the Eagles were the best situation for him.

“I really just looked at the fit," he said. “I felt I had a good opportunity there. I felt love from the front office. Culture-wise, I think I fit in well. They have really good guys at every spot, so I think I can come in here and learn from them."

Even with the post-draft signing of veteran Zach Brown, it’s certainly understandable why Edwards might see a better roster opportunity with the Eagles than with the other teams he talked to.

Beyond Brown and Nigel Bradham, none of the linebackers on the Eagles’ roster is a lock for playing time this season.

Paul Worrilow is coming off a torn ACL. Despite making 10 starts last year, Kamu Grugier-Hill’s strength is as a core special-teamer. And B.J. Bello, Nathan Gerry and L.J. Fort have a combined six NFL starts.

Not getting drafted “definitely puts a chip on my shoulder," Edwards said. “But everybody’s got a chip on their shoulder here. You try to use it as internal motivation. But at the end of the day, you just have to work as hard as you possibly can."

Edwards joins a former Wisconsin teammate who also was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent two years ago, running back Corey Clement.

“He gave me a call as soon as he saw I signed," Edwards said. “He just told me to keep doing the things I had done at Wisconsin."

Edwards said the Eagles are getting a player who “will be focused on details, and that coaches won’t have to call out."

Edwards is used to having to prove himself. He was a quarterback at Lakes Community High School in suburban Chicago. Played in a spread offense and threw the ball a lot yet received virtually no Division I scholarship offers.

“I was throwing it on nearly every down," he said. “But I guess I might not have been that good."

He initially committed to Western Michigan as a linebacker, even though his only defensive experience in high school was a handful of snaps at safety.

A month before National Signing Day, Wisconsin entered the picture, also recruiting him as a linebacker, based on those few safety snaps and a couple of lead blocks when he was playing quarterback.

“They noticed the blocks on my junior-year film," Edwards said. “They were really just the running back cutting back. I just happened to keep running up the field and make a block for him every once in a while.

“I’m glad I threw those blocks. I got lucky. I was a low-level recruit, so they weren’t tracking me too much. But I was a good kid. Didn’t have too many off-the-field issues or anything like that. And I played with high intensity."

Edwards said he had absolutely no problem with being switched to defense. He was just happy to be getting a scholarship from a Big Ten school. Wisconsin put him at linebacker on his first day of practice as a freshman.

“I understood it," he said. “My [throwing] shoulder was getting sore anyway."