Eagles rookie Isiah King earns glowing praise from his college coach

The Philadelphia Eagles added plenty of attention-grabbing names during the 2026 NFL Draft. Then they upped the ante by stacking an interesting group of undrafted rookie free agents. One of the more intriguing defensive additions played his college ball for the Idaho Vandals.

More often than not, UDFAs won't receive the same level of intrigue as players who were drafted. Isiah King is no exception, but based on the praise coming from people who know him best, the Eagles may have landed another developmental piece worth monitoring closely. Vandals head coach Thomas Ford recently spoke glowingly about King via Idaho’s official team site. He made it crystal clear that he thinks highly of the versatile defender.

"I couldn't be more excited for Isiah! He embodies what being a Vandal is all about. Watching him go through his development here has been so rewarding. Played a ton of special teams as a young player for me when I was the coordinator, and had a phenomenal senior season here in Moscow. Everyone in the building knew he was a Sunday guy, so I'm ecstatic to see him get his chance with the Eagles!"

Why Isiah King is interesting

That last part stands out. “Sunday guy.” Did you catch that? That’s football jargon that coaches don’t casually throw around. King’s path already makes him fascinating. Originally recruited as a defensive back, he eventually transitioned to linebacker at Idaho while steadily developing into one of the defense’s most productive players. By his senior season, he posted 79 tackles, nine tackles for loss, three sacks, and forced a fumble.