Eagles' Tobin made it here the hard way
From a football perspective, things have never come easily for Eagles third-year offensive lineman Matt Tobin, who entered both college and now the NFL with zero fanfare.
From a football perspective, things have never come easily for Eagles third-year offensive lineman Matt Tobin, who entered both college and now the NFL with zero fanfare.
Tobin was a walk-on, 230-pound lineman at the University of Iowa, who never saw the field his first two years and paid his own tuition until his redshirt junior season.
"I paid for three years and got three semesters worth of scholarship," Tobin said earlier this week.
As an undrafted rookie free agent in 2013, Tobin appeared in one game for the Eagles that season. He made seven starts last year and is expected to make his second start of the season for the Eagles in Sunday's 1 p.m. game at Lincoln Financial Field against the New Orleans Saints.
And even last week when he earned his first start of the year at right guard following a season-ending foot injury to Andrew Gardner, Tobin had to make an almost immediate adjustment. He shifted from right guard to left tackle after Jason Peters suffered a quadriceps injury and lasted just six plays during the Eagles' 23-20 loss to Washington Redskins at FedEx Field.
"People say it's a hard road, but I don't know anything different," Tobin said. "I don't know about getting a scholarship, getting drafted."
Yet the 6-foot-6, 290-pound Tobin knows plenty about persevering.
Football is one of the few professions where somebody with his dimensions can be categorized as being on the smallish side.
"I think he is a little bit undersized at the tackle position, and at guard he is a little too lean for some of the systems, but since he has been here with us, he has been a very solid player and we have enjoyed having him here," Eagles center Jason Kelce said.
Tobin had plenty of reps at tackle in the preseason and during the offseason, but getting thrown into the fire during a game is a different story.
"Since I played all preseason at left tackle I was ready, but it caught me off guard in the beginning," said Tobin, who last year started five games at left guard and two at right guard.
Tobin was praised for adapting on the fly against the Redskins.
"He competed when he was out there, and that's the one thing you'll get out of Matt, is he'll fight when he's in there," Eagles coach Chip Kelly said.
Added Kelce: "He played well at left tackle. "He had a couple of [tough] plays but we all have a couple of plays."
This week it's likely that Tobin will start at right guard. Peters insists he will play this week after returning as a full practice participant on Thursday and Friday. Right tackle Lane Johnson, who has been hobbled with a knee and ankle injury, also says he is ready to go.
Still Tobin says he will be prepared this week to play either guard or tackle. This type of versatility has earned him a place, first in college, where he played both positions, and now the NFL.
"Tobin is kind of like a Swiss army knife, he is a guy who can pretty much play any position," Johnson said. ". . . He is a versatile guy, very smart and works his tail off and there is a lot of positively coming from him."
Notes. Three Eagles are listed out for Sunday's game - linebacker Kiko Alonso (knee), defensive end Brandon Bair (groin) and linebacker Mychal Kendricks (hamstring). Peters is listed as questionable. Eagles listed as probable are Johnson, Allen Barbre (groin), defensive end Taylor Hart (shoulder), safety Chris Maragos (quadriceps), cornerback Byron Maxwell (quadriceps) and defensive end Cedric Thornton (hand).
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