Jordan Hicks is still rock-solid, still flying under the radar

Jordan Hicks isn't easy to overlook. The ubiquitous middle linebacker manages to stand out at least once a practice. His first 24 games in the NFL felt the same way.

And yet, aside from the broken hand he showed up at training camp with, Hicks has been a relative afterthought this summer. The Eagles' cornerback situation, for obvious reasons, has often been the main topic of discussion.

"OK, what are we going to start with  —  corners?" defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz joked as he took the podium following Sunday's workout.

Understandably, with Ronald Darby playing in his first Eagles practice, the first eight questions of Schwartz's news conference were about the new cornerback.

"I'm watching all 11 guys on defense," Schwartz said. "You guys are only watching one."

[First impressions of Ronald Darby with starting defense]

Even if all eyes were trained specifically on Darby, it would be difficult to miss Hicks.

"He's just a guy that's always around the football," Schwartz said.

But the third-year linebacker doesn't attract the attention —  both locally and nationally  —  that the Eagles believe he deserves. There's something to be said for drifting under the radar. Hicks has reached a level where he is far down on the list of concerns heading into the 2017 season.

He was arguably the Eagles' best player on defense last season  — certainly, their most consistent  —  and among NFL linebackers he was perhaps the most effective in coverage. Hicks led all at his position with five interceptions and his 11 pass breakups were tied for most among linebackers.

To put Hicks' cover numbers in perspective, he had five more interceptions and one fewer pass breakup than Darby.

"I take pride in making plays, whether it's in the run game or the pass game," Hicks said Sunday. "But I think I've just got a feel for route concepts, being able to see [quarterbacks'] eyes, and having the necessary instincts."

Hicks didn't garner a sniff of leaguewide recognition at the end of the season, however. His statistics were impressive in 2016  —  he also notched a sack, a fumble recovery, and four tackles for losses  —  and they have been for both of his seasons. His 11 turnovers in his first 24 games are the most for a linebacker since the Steelers' Jack Ham in 1971-72.

"To me, it's all about respect. It's a matter of do the guys around the league see your name as one of those guys," Hicks said. "Obviously, I haven't done it. It's just one of those things, you can't take it personally. All you can do it work to get to that point."

[Eagles practice observations]

The 25-year-old said that his offseason goal was to get stronger so that he would be more effective fending off blockers in the running game. Hicks wasn't nearly a liability, but he sometimes struggled to shed second-level blocks. He wasn't the only defender to play poorly in last October's loss to the Redskins, but a significant number of Washington's 230 yards on the ground came on rushes up the middle.

"Last year, I was coming off my [pectoral injury] and I really couldn't bench much," Hicks said. "I was nervous to push it too much, too fast. A lot of guys have either a re-tear or the opposite one tears. … So going into the season I wasn't as strong as I have been, quite frankly."

Hicks said he couldn't lift for two weeks after hand surgery this summer. He broke the fifth metacarpal  —  a bone near the knuckle of his little finger  —  when he slipped near a pool on his honeymoon. But he said he entered camp bigger  — at 239 pounds, nine pounds heavier than he ended last season  —  and stronger, and not at the expense of his athleticism.

It has been evident for weeks. Just in the last two practices alone, Hicks has flashed speed and power in a variety of ways. On Saturday, he nearly intercepted Carson Wentz when he seemingly leaped out of nowhere near the line. That same day, he delivered pad-popping hits on rookies Mack Hollins and Donnel Pumphrey.

And on Sunday, he left Darren Sproles, one of the better blocking running backs in the NFL, in the dust during pass-rushing drills.

"We're at a disadvantage in those drills," Sproles said, "but he can be quick with you or he can move you with a bull rush. He's just a great all-around player."

Hicks is also one of the unquestioned leaders on defense. It comes with the territory. He's Schwartz's mouthpiece on the field and he must align the front seven. But the players listen to Hicks beyond the calls because his football IQ is off the charts.

"That's why the best middle backers are usually smart guys," center Jason Kelce said.

Fellow linebacker Nigel Bradham said that Hicks' confidence in calling the defense, after a year of learning Schwartz's system, has only grown. It's a part of the job that is unheralded  — like Hicks, who enters the pivotal third season that often decides if the Eagles will offer one of their draft picks a long-term extension.

"To be very honest with you, I'm really not worried about it," Hicks said of a contract. "If it happens, it happens. If not, it's out of my control. As long as I'm doing what I need to do on the field, everything will work out. Football has to be first."