Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
‘Crazy fast’ Maddox aims to be useful against Panthers
PHILADELPHIA >> For those who haven’t seen the tattoo, it runs from right to left across the upper torso of Avonte Maddox in almost two-inch letters.
It reads “DETROIT” and it’s the hometown of the Eagles’ rookie defensive back. Or as the fourth-round draft pick out of Pitt likes to say, “The D.”
The 5-foot-9, 180-pound Maddox isn’t the biggest fellow from Detroit. But you’re going to have to do an Ancestry.com search to find a football player who plays as quickly as Maddox, the guy Eagles veteran safety Chris Maragos calls “crazy fast.”
The latest proof came when Maddox sprinted from the far hashmark to the other side of the field to take the knees out from under Saquon Barkley, the 230-pound Giants running back with crazy speed. Barkley had a full head of steam and was just 18 yards from the end zone. He got 46 yards.
The tackle saved a touchdown and knocked the wind out of the Giants, who settled for a field goal and trailed 7-3.
“It saved us four points and that’s what a free safety should do, suck up all those runs that escape the front,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz said. “That’s one of the things we liked about him, his range. He’s tough. He’s not the biggest guy in the world but he plays big. He’s a pretty sure tackler and we saw all those things in the last game.”
Barkley scored on a 50yard sprint later in the second half, Maddox having moved inside to play the slot when Sidney Jones pulled a hamstring. Rasul Douglas, who isn’t exactly a slowpoke, was among the Eagles who just couldn’t catch up to Barkley. Douglas stepped in at safety in place of Maddox.
That lineup could continue this week when the Eagles oppose the Carolina Panthers Sunday at Lincoln Financial Field. Maddox, at least on paper, allows the Eagles to match up with running back Christian McCaffrey, the most productive offensive player for the Panthers.
Maddox didn’t need to think when asked if he was a cornerback or a safety.
“I’m a DB,” he said. “It’s challenging and I’m up for anything. It’s fun. You come out here and if you’re able to learn more positions and learn more things on the field it makes the game easier because you know what everyone else is doing.”
When Schwartz puts in the game plan this week, he knows he can count on Maddox, who has one interception. Maddox can play three positions. He stepped in at safety when Rodney McLeod tore up a knee.
It would surprise no one if Maddox wound up shadowing McCaffrey, who leads the Panthers in receptions and rushing yardage and has some of the best hands in pro football.
McCaffrey (5-11, 205) clocked a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash at the scouting combine, Maddox a 4.39. The duo is a perfect example of little guys who make big plays.
“It’s still football,” Maddox said. “You have to be able to tackle and you have to be able to cover at the DB position. So you bring guys in here that are able to tackle. In this defense you have to be able to tackle at corner and you have to be able to tackle at nickel or safety.”
Douglas, who stands 6-2 and change, shrugs when he hears that size can be major advantage at safety.
“I mean, Rodney McLeod is not a big guy,” Douglas said. “Earl Thomas is not a big guy. It’s not like you’ve got to be a certain size, a certain height or weight to be back there. You’ve just got to have good eyes, good technique and be bad. And I think Avonte fits all the categories. You can’t really hit back there, so it’s not like you really need a big guy back there. Especially at free safety.”
Maddox grew up watching safety Tyrann Mathieu (5-9, 190), who is now with the Houston Texans. Panthers safety Mike Adams (511, 205), a product of Delaware, is anything but a giant.
“You don’t have to be the biggest guy,” Eagles safety Malcolm Jenkins said. “You just have to get him down. We’re not looking for guys to punish people. Half the time you can’t do it anyway in this game. So, as long as you’re efficient ... and Avonte is a willing and able tackler.”