Will Shipley scores first touchdown in NFL preseason debut

It may only be the preseason but Will Shipley is already finding success at the next level. In the Philadelphia Eagles’ preseason showdown against the Baltimore Ravens, the rookie running back hauled in an eight-yard touchdown pass to give the Eagles a 7-3 lead.

The Eagles selected Shipley with the No. 127 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Shipley spent three seasons at Clemson, amassing 36 appearances and 27 starts. He finished his collegiate career with 2,747 yards and 31 touchdowns in the ground game.

In the 2022 campaign, Shipley became the first player in ACC history to earn first-team all-conference selections at three different positions, collecting the honor in the running back, all-purpose and specialist categories. Further, he was a finalist for the Paul Hornung Award, annually given to the nation’s most versatile player.

Will Shipley finds an opening and the @Eagles take the lead 🦅

📱: Stream #PHIvsBAL on #NFLPlus pic.twitter.com/aX9ovd8Cls

— NFL (@NFL) August 10, 2024

Now in a running back room with two-time Pro Bowler Saquon Barkley, Shipley will look to carry his success over to the next level. If his early performance on Friday is any indication, Eagles fans have a lot to look forward to.

Saquon Barkley praises Will Shipley

Barkley certainly seems excited about Shipley’s future with the franchise.

“I saw him say that (he was excited to work with me) and it’s funny, I’m a big fan of him,” Barkley said of Shipley. “I follow all the backs, I try to as much as I can, in college. I see him hurdling over guys and making big plays at Clemson. So I’m excited to have him on his team, he can help us out. For me, you know, he’s picking my brain. You know, we’re both kind of learning at the same time right now because like I said, I’m in a new playbook and a new system. 

“But just trying to be the best teammate I can for him and looking at the running back room, this is the first year I’m the oldest guy in the room. So you know, that’s definitely funny to me and I think there’s some beauty in that to see how fast your time goes in here. And when you have fun with it, time flies by.”

Barkley and Shipley have a chance to be a dynamic duo for the Eagles in the upcoming season. With a little help in the backfield, Philadelphia has a chance to go a long way. The Eagles went 11-6 last season, ultimately suffering a 32-9 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round of the NFL Playoffs.