Eagles rookie Wendell Smallwood ready to rumble

Wendell Smallwood walked down South Street last weekend to get pizza at Lorenzo and Sons. Fans noticed him as a member of the Eagles, and told him about their desire to win a Super Bowl. They thought it was playful banter. Smallwood stayed serious.

"No, we need to win a Super Bowl," Smallwood responded.

They didn't realize that Smallwood was one of them - an Eagles fan from Delaware who once hung on the team's fortunes. When friends remind him that he wears No. 28 like Adrian Peterson, Smallwood points out that it was Correll Buckhalter's number.

The difference, of course, is that Smallwood now has a role in the team's fortunes. A fifth-round pick out of West Virginia, Smallwood could be a contributor at running back for the Eagles. The team is thin at the position behind Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles, and Smallwood will compete with Kenjon Barner and undrafted rookies Byron Marshall and Cedric O'Neal for the No. 3 job.

In the 5-foot-10, 208-pound Smallwood, the Eagles have an explosive rushing back who led the Big 12 in rushing yards with 1,519 and the team believes he is a natural pass catcher, which is a major part of the offense for running backs.

"How fast I play, catching the ball out of the backfield, route running," Smallwood said about what he can offer the team. "I believe I'm smart, I believe I pick up on things fast."

The receiving ability was developed while playing in seven-on-seven tournaments in high school. There were no running plays, Smallwood said, so he was forced to catch. Although Smallwood had a drop in practice this week, coach Doug Pederson has cited his hands as an asset.

The explosive plays are evident in his college production. Smallwood was tied for the nation's lead with 59 carries of 10-plus yards. The other two players with 59 were Heisman Trophy winner Derrick Henry of Alabama and LSU's Leonard Fournette.

"Seeing the hole, hitting it full speed, that's what Duce said he loved about me," Smallwood said, referring to running backs coach Duce Staley.

Staley has also preached the importance of pass protection, which will be a requirement for Smallwood to see the field this season. And though Smallwood is down on the depth chart, Pederson knows the Eagles might need to use their reserves at that position. In Kansas City last season, three running backs rushed for at least 300 yards and four touchdowns. An injury to top back Jamaal Charles was the reason for the need of depth, but Mathews has played 16 games just once in a six-year career.

Other than Sproles and Mathews, only Barner has an NFL carry - and he's had only 18 since entering the league in 2013. That's why Smallwood could find his way onto the field even though he was a fifth-round pick. And it's not uncommon for a running back drafted that low to contribute. The rookie with the second most rushing yards last season went undrafted, and three in the top nine were selected on the third day of the draft.

"I'm getting adjusted to where I can actually play, pick up things, and focus on playing and not thinking about what's going to happen, how it's going to happen," Smallwood said.

He's also bonded with quarterback Carson Wentz, a fellow rookie who is his roommate during training camp. Smallwood has forced Wentz to go to sleep early, because Wentz tries to fall asleep before Smallwood starts snoring.

When Smallwood arrives at camp each morning, he sees the Eagles banners around the NovaCare Complex and remains in disbelief. It's still hard for him to fathom that he plays for the team he rooted for as a child.

That's why he welcomes the attention on South Street. He autographed a menu at Ishkabibble's. He wants Eagles fans to say hello.

"I don't want to escape this," Smallwood said. "It's surreal to me."

zberman@phillynews.com

@ZBerm www.philly.com/eaglesblog