These 2 should end drought for Delaware natives in NFL draft. Why Eagles might take them

It has been three years since a player with Delaware ties was drafted by an NFL team.

That's about to change, and it will likely happen twice as Delaware natives MarShawn Lloyd and Jordan Magee should hear their name called during the three days of the NFL draft.

Either one would be an enticing pick for the Eagles in the NFL draft.

Lloyd, a running back, began his collegiate career at South Carolina before finishing last season at Southern Cal. He grew up in Middletown, but played high school football at DeMatha Catholic in Hyattsville, Maryland. His mother, NaShawn, often drove him 90 miles each way to school.

Lloyd could be taken in the third round on Friday or the fourth round on Saturday. The Eagles don't have a third-round pick, but they do have one in the fourth, at No. 120 overall.

They could be looking at someone like Lloyd as depth at running back behind Saquon Barkley. The Eagles also have Kenny Gainwell, but he'll be eligible for free agency after this season.

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Magee, a linebacker who starred at Dover High School before going on to Temple. He is expected to be taken sometime on Saturday in Rounds 4-7. And the Eagles could be looking for a linebacker later in the draft. After all, free agent Devin White was signed for only one season.

For Magee, being one of the few players with Delaware ties to get drafted means a lot.

"There aren't too many people that come out of Delaware," Magee said at the NFL scouting combine in February. "It’s just putting (young players) on my back, and letting them see that Delaware has talent, and then holding them to a high standard."

The last player with Delaware ties to be drafted was St. Georges running back Gary Brightwell, in the sixth round by the Giants in 2021.

Brightwell was the first since Caravel Academy star Darnell Savage in the first round in 2019 (No. 21 overall) by the Green Bay Packers, and University of Delaware safety Nasir Adderley in the second round by the Los Angeles Chargers.

Savage signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this spring, while Adderley retired after the 2022 season.

Other recent draftees with Delaware ties include:

• Vikings right tackle and Salesianum grad Brian O'Neill (second round, 2018).
• Cardinals defensive tackle and Hodgson/University of Delaware star Bilal Nichols (fifth round, 2018).
• Buccaneers wide receiver and Middletown grad Chris Godwin (third round, 2017).
• Former Eagles running back and Red Lion graduate Wendell Smallwood (fifth round, 2016).
• Defensive lineman and Red Lion grad Angelo Blackson (fourth round, 2015).

Magee, meanwhile, had an impressive performance at the combine, running a 4.55 in the 40-yard dash. That could help him transition to the NFL. He also has a strong special teams background. Magee led the Owls in tackles last season for the second straight season and was second in the AAC with 14 tackles for losses.

Lloyd spent his first three seasons at South Carolina, sitting out the 2020 season with a knee injury. He rushed for 573 yards, averaging 5.2 yards per carry for the Gamecocks before spending his final season at USC. Lloyd rushed for 820 yards, averaging 7.1 yards per carry.

"I’ve always been that way," Lloyd said at the combine about his elusiveness. "I’ve been able to make defenders miss. It's preparation. My coaches did a really good job teaching me and helping me know what to do when certain things happen.

"I give that up to my coaches."

For Magee and Lloyd, that work is about to pay off in the NFL.

Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.