Why Gabe Hall wouldn't trade his rookie year on the practice squad

Why Gabe Hall wouldn't trade his rookie year on the practice squad originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Gabe Hall wasn't ready a year ago.

When he showed up at the NovaCare Complex as an undrafted rookie from Baylor in the spring of 2024, Hall needed time to develop and grow, time to become a player worthy of a spot on the Eagles' 53-man roster.

And after spending his entire rookie season on the Eagles' practice squad, Hall found out on Tuesday that he officially made the Eagles' roster.

The first person I called was my mom," Hall said. I was so happy. It's a thing I've been looking forward to since I was little. That moment was truly special. I'm still in disbelief right now."

Hall, 24, might have been in disbelief the day after getting the good news but he didn't make the Eagles' roster by chance. NFL teams are not in the business of handing out jobs for charity.

Hall earned his spot with his performance this summer.

And he knows there's no way he would be the player he is right now if he hadn't spent the entire 2024 season on the Eagles' practice squad.

It was a blessing that the head coach and everybody was so patient with me," Hall said. They believed in me. That was a good thing for me too. And that made me work harder, knowing that I had the coaching staff behind me. It made me come in here and work and be hungry every single day."

It was clear this summer that Hall was pushing hard for a roster spot. He was making plays daily and seemed like a totally different version of himself from his rookie training camp. In fact, defensive coordinator Vic Fangio called Hall a poster child for what practice squad is supposed to be."

What did Hall learn during his full season on the practice squad?

What it takes to be a man," Hall said. Going against the No. 1 offensive linemen in the league straight from college, it was a big step. But, you know, they trusted me. It was a big opportunity for me to grow as a player and as a man. I learned so many lessons and I would not trade it for the world. It was truly a blessing to be there."

Fangio previously said he saw Hall's confidence grow as Hall got further away from a college injury and said he saw Hall's strength improve too. Hall specifically mentioned his work in the weight room as well.

Hall did not see game action at all as a rookie after the preseason ended. He spent all of 2024 on the practice squad and was not elevated for any games.

But he got better in practice, where he worked on scout team, going against the Eagles' star-studded offensive line.

I'm doing practice squad but you're also going against the best people, in my opinion, in the world," Hall said. It was time for me to work on my craft, work on what I need to work on, while going against amazing competition."

This training camp, Hall was able to use his unique frame - he's 6-6, 295 - to his advantage. The Eagles have been working with Hall to get the most out of his length and that worked showed up at practice this summer. He was one of the most improved players on the roster.

The first big clue that Hall would be on the roster this season came when the Eagles traded Thomas Booker IV to the Raiders for cornerback Jakorian Bennett. It seemed like the Eagles would only give up Booker if they had options to replace him.

From the outside, that trade looked like a great thing for Hall. But for Hall, he was upset to lose a friend in the locker room, someone who had really helped him as a rookie in 2024.

But Hall still has plenty of close friends in the Eagles' locker room. Another one is fellow defensive tackle Byron Young, who also made the Eagles' initial 53-man roster after not playing at all in the 2024 season. For a while it looked like either Hall or Young would make the team - but the Eagles elected to keep both on their roster.

I got another year with my brother," Hall said. We're going to keep working, keep pushing."

What's next for Hall?

I'm going to continue to work hard," he said. I'm going to take my blessings as they come, wait for my name to get called and make the most of my opportunities that come in front of me."