If first impressions count for a lot regarding perception, then the Eagles first-round pick, quarterback Carson Wentz, hit a home run.
Wentz, fresh into Philadelphia with his new No. 11 jersey in hand, was introduced to the media on Friday afternoon. The player the Eagles hope turns into their franchise quarterback said all of the right things.
"I’m very thankful. I’ve got to thank Mr. Lurie, Mr. Roseman, coach Pederson, the whole organization really, for giving me an opportunity," Wentz said. "Last night was crazy surreal for me. To finally be here and hear my named called it was unbelievable. I’m excited to be here today and real antsy to go to work."
This was a long-awaited move for the Eagles, who have for some time wanted to move up in the first round to draft their quarterback of the future. With former quarterback Doug Pederson in place as head coach, and his coaching staff filled with former quarterbacks, the Eagles have the personnel in place to mold a prospect the right way.
Wentz is ready to soak in the knowledge that the new Eagles coaching staff possesses and eager to learn.
"He seems awesome. He seems like a real player’s coach," Wentz said of Pederson. "With him and coach [Frank] Reich and coach [John] DeFilippo, a lot of quarterback minds that I’m just going to try to soak up as much information as quickly as I can. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to come in and learn from these guys."
Wentz even joked that the time off from playing, particularly without having a playbook to study, has made him feel lost.
"I’m not sure when I’m getting it, but once I do, I’ll be diving in right away," Wentz said. "Through this process, I’ve made a couple jokes that I’m going crazy without a playbook. I’m fired up to get a playbook and dive right in."
Wentz's time in Philadelphia has been brief, just a visit from a few weeks ago and his arrival into the city on Friday. But Wentz has been molded already to handle the environment and expectations that Philadelphia will hold for him and the team he will someday be leading.
"It’s how I’m wired. If I’m not the best at something, it kind of ticks me off and I want to work my tail off to be the best," Wentz said. "It’s also my upbringing. My parents, my older brother always pushed me. I just hate losing.
"Everyone has just been telling me about how passionate everybody is. They’re passionate here, they hate losing, I’m like, 'I fit right in.' That’s the general consensus I keep getting from the Philadelphia area. Tough love is part of it."
Wentz compared the city of Philadelphia to the environment he came to know while at North Dakota State. The qualities were very similar and though the Philadelphia Eagles fan base will be much larger and at times tough to deal with, Wentz ensures that he's built just as tough and well aware the adjustments that he has to make on and off the field.
"We have a lot of crazy, passionate fans in Fargo. I think that passion is something that will be ten-fold here in Philadelphia," Wentz said. "I think that prepared me well. They have high expectations for the team in Fargo and I know the expectations are high here as well."
Similarly, Wentz's time at North Dakota State has also prepared his game on the field with a pro-style that is rarely seen in college football. Being responsible for so much on the field in a place with high expectations has only prepared him further to shoulder more as he grows and develops into an NFL quarterback.
"It helped me tremendously. I think the transition will be a lot smoother than most would think," Wentz said. "At North Dakota State, I was in charge of a lot of things at the line of scrimmage, play-action pass, audibles, you name it, and I think that helped me tremendously. Obviously things get more complicated and complex, and I’m aware of that, but I think I’ll be able to run with it and learn quickly."
The day that Carson Wentz steps onto the field as a starter remains to be seen. It may be one or two seasons away, just like his time at North Dakota State, which saw him start in only his junior and senior seasons. That said, Wentz doesn't seem to be phased by an uncertain future, just motivated to be ready when his time comes.
"As a competitor, you want to be out there. But I understand there’s a lot to that," Wentz said. "I’m going to come in and learn. For one, that’s not for me to decide. I’m just going to compete my tail and when coach feels fit for me to go out there, I’ll go out there and hopefully do well."
Kevin Durso is managing editor for Eagledelphia. Follow him on Twitter @Kevin_Durso.
