Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard
Link copied to clipboard

As Nick Foles replaces Carson Wentz, Nate Sudfeld is Eagles' new heartbeat-away backup

He started the year on the practice squad, was promoted to the 53-man roster in early November and now is the Eagles' backup QB.

At 6-6, Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld is the same size as Nick Foles, though about 15 pounds lighter. He’s also a separated-at-birth Foles lookalike.
At 6-6, Eagles backup quarterback Nate Sudfeld is the same size as Nick Foles, though about 15 pounds lighter. He’s also a separated-at-birth Foles lookalike.Read moreYong Kim/Staff Photographer

Unless you're a draft geek or an Indiana University football fan — or googled his name in despair after Carson Wentz got hurt — you probably don't know much about the Eagles' new backup quarterback, Nate Sudfeld.

Here's a little background to help you.

— At 6-foot-6, he's the same size as Nick Foles, though about 15 pounds lighter. He's also a separated-at-birth Foles lookalike.

— Sudfeld played his college ball at Indiana. He started 26 games and finished as the school's all-time leader in touchdown passes (61) and passing yards (7,879), and was second in completions (593) and completion percentage (60.3).

— He has a relatively strong arm and decent pocket mobility, but isn't really a guy who can extend plays outside the pocket. Coming out of Indiana, scouts liked his size, arm strength, touch and ability to get the ball out on time. They didn't like his lack of overall mobility, his impatience with read progressions, his tendency to force throws into coverage, and his tendency to push the ball because of a lack of hip rotation on his throws.

— He was selected in the sixth round of the 2016 draft by the Redskins. He spent the entire '16 season on their 53-man roster, but was inactive for all 16 games.

— He was released by the Redskins this summer after the preseason and offered a spot on their practice squad, but opted to accept a practice-squad offer from the Eagles instead.

— He spent the first eight weeks of this season on the practice squad. When another team expressed interest in signing him, the Eagles promoted him to their 53-man roster as the No. 3 quarterback behind Wentz and Nick Foles. He has been inactive for all four games since being added to the 53-man roster.

— One of Nate's two older brothers, Zach, spent two seasons in the NFL (2013-14). He was a tight end with the Patriots and Jets, playing 30 games and starting five (all for the Jets).

— He served two mission trips in Uganda with Assist International, an aid organization started by his grandfather.