Rising Up The Ranks

PHILADELPHIA – Although Gabe Hall and Byron Young arrived in Philadelphia last season via alternate routes to start their respective Eagles tenures, their parallels would soon become obvious.

Hall, then a promising undrafted rookie, found himself in a crowded position room but showcased enough raw athleticism to stick around for a season of development on the Eagles’ practice squad.

As for Young, he arrived as a late-August waiver claim, which essentially assured him a spot on the 53-man roster. A 2023 third-round pick of the Raiders, Young’s stay in Las Vegas was brief, appearing in just six games as a rookie. He wasn’t granted a second season, as the Raiders, perhaps hastily, went in a different direction.

At the NovaCare Complex, both defensive tackles were issued lockers in close proximity to one another, inevitably breeding familiarity, but it was the countless post-practice sessions and grueling offseason work that catalyzed the fostering of their sibling-like connection.

Miring in relative obscurity on the scout team, tasked with providing teammates looks similar to what they’d see from the weekly opposition, Hall and Young bonded.

Neither were active on game day – Young suffered a hamstring injury early on and never appeared in a game – and instead utilized the reps on the practice field to hone their craft and prime them for their next opportunity. When practice would end, and teammates would retreat to the locker room, Hall and Young would stay behind for additional work.

Eagles second-year DT Gabe Hall rose up the ranks from 2024 undrafted free agent to expected rotational player in 2025.

Looking back, Hall reflected on the benefits of spending his rookie season on the practice squad, acknowledging that tangling daily with the best offensive line in the game, fresh out of college, taught him “what it takes to be a man.”

In past conversations, Hall specifically referenced the value of repping against All-Pro left guard Landon Dickerson, one-sided as those encounters might have been. He also learned to play strong with his length. That the Eagles exhibited a considerable amount of trust and patience throughout his developmental phase wasn’t lost on Hall.

Young focused on watching other players and becoming more consistent. He also emphasized hand usage, particularly as it pertains to using his core on impact when striking or facing a double team, as well as increasing his play strength.

“And to see the way that the coaches are all so organized and on top of every, small thing, it taught me a lot,” Young said. “And it prepared me even more so for this upcoming year.”

During the offseason, the pair worked every day with Patrick McDowell, who in the 2022 offseason shifted from being a member of the strength and conditioning staff into his current role of player development assistant/scout.

While McDowell’s contributions are only evident behind the scenes, and though he’s unknown to most on the outside, McDowell has a prominent hand in the Eagles’ developmental program.

“He helped tremendously,” Young said. “He was a guy who I did most of my offseason work with. Him, Gabe, Ty Robinson … we came in and we worked every, single day. We worked hard every, single day. And he’s the one who really got me into the core stuff, you know, making sure your core is strong enough, so that when you get bumped, you can brace and you don’t move. Everything starts from your core, and that’s what he really taught me.”

Similar circumstances and a likeminded approach to the daily grind was what initially brought the two defensive linemen together, but the inherent connection furthered their friendship that extended beyond the practice fields.

“One of my best friends,” Hall said. “We always hang out together. If I have free time, I’m probably hanging out with him. That’s my brother, to me. So, we always would hang out. Me and him, always working hard.

“This whole offseason, we was all working. You need somebody to push you, the days you’re tired, you’re achy, we’d be like, ‘Nah, come on. You know what we trying to get to.’ That’s my brother.”

In addition to developing on the field, Young added how the forged bond aided him through adversity from a mental perspective, enabling him to be the same person every day that he prides himself on being. Further illustrating their close-knit nature, Young referred to a tragic and trying moment in his life that manifested earlier this offseason.

“My dad passed over the offseason and I was up here by myself,” he explained. “And [Hall] was the only person who I felt comfortable going to, and being with him, and crying on his shoulder. And, you know, that’s something that I feel like a lot of guys might struggle with, but he and I have that friendship to the point to where, we can connect with each other on a deeper level than a lot of guys might just think as teammates. I would say he’s a brother to me, and it goes past football.”

The passing occurred March 30, said Young, who happened to be visiting home the day before to see his father. Young, who was only home for a week, acknowledged the emotional strain before recalling his father’s directives.

“I know if he was here, he would have told me, ‘All right, you can cry a little bit, but go ahead and go back to work,’” he said. “Because that’s the kind of man he was and that’s kind of what I try to carry every, single day. Just be the same person every, single day, no matter what happened yesterday.”

When the Eagles traded Thomas Booker IV, a valued interior depth piece, to the Raiders earlier this month, they netted a player of need in cornerback Jakorian Bennett, but the move also signaled a vote of confidence in Hall, who’d emerged from the depths in his second training camp.

In fact, barring something unforeseen, it appeared the 24-year-old had all but punched his ticket onto the Eagles’ 53-man roster. At 6-foot-6, 295 pounds, Hall always carried appealed to align anywhere across the defensive line, but it was likely his developing power at the point of attack and better overall grasp on the intricacies of his role that instilled confidence in their decision.

Young flashed earlier in camp before a groin injury temporarily derailed his progress. But Young, a man of strong faith, has never been one to question anything that happens. While there were uncontrollable variables at play – such as, how many defensive tackles could the Eagles afford to keep on the active roster? – the Alabama product was aware that he still had time to work his way back and showcase his skill set, easing his mind as much as the organization’s trust and belief in his abilities.

Also working in Young’s favor is that the 24-year-old offers an ability to play the nose, a role previously occupied by Booker.

In the end, the Eagles retained both players on the 53-man roster, aligning with both their philosophical approach of building through the trenches and emphasis placed on player development. Sure, their paths to the 53 may have been marred with the occasional detour, but their stories are merely two of the examples found throughout the roster that underscore the importance of player development and patience.

And this time, Hall and Young will get to experience the regular season from a different perspective, playing alongside one another.

“I got another year with my brother,” Hall said, sporting a wide grin. “So, it just feels amazing. We’re gonna keep working, we’re gonna keep pushing.”

– Andrew DiCecco (@AndrewDiCecco) is a Staff Reporter/Content Producer for InsideTheBirds.com