To mount a legitimate Super Bowl title defense in 2025, the Philadelphia Eagles will likely need unexpected, breakout performances from players already on their roster. In 2024, such contributions came from unlikely sources. Offensive guard Mekhi Becton, a former first-round pick discarded by the New York Jets, emerged as a reliable starter. Rookie cornerback Cooper DeJean took over the nickel role midseason and soared to new heights, culminating in a touchdown return off an interception against Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes in Super Bowl LIX.
Perhaps the most surprising star of 2024 was inside linebacker Zack Baun. Signed to a one-year, $1.6 million free agent deal in March 2024 after switching from edge rusher, Baun earned NFL All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors. His stellar season led to a lucrative three-year, $51 million contract with the Eagles on March 5, 2025, proving that a low-risk signing can yield massive rewards.
Could third-year cornerback Kelee Ringo be the next Zack Baun for the Eagles in 2025? Sheil Kapadia of The Ringer thinks so. On the June 18 episode of The Ringer NFL Show, while discussing NFC East grades, Kapadia predicted Ringo could step into the starting role left vacant by veteran Darius Slay, who signed a one-year, $10 million deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers on March 12. “You gotta hope one of them is the next Zack Baun,” Kapadia said. “Maybe it’s Kelee Ringo.”
A Champion’s Pedigree
Winning is in Kelee Ringo’s DNA. Throughout his football career, every team he’s played for has claimed a championship. At Saguaro High School in Arizona, Ringo won a state title, earning recognition as the nation’s top-rated cornerback recruit in 2020. At Georgia, he captured two College Football Playoff national championships in 2021 and 2022, earning All-SEC honors. His defining moment came in the 2022 CFP National Championship Game against Alabama, where he sealed the victory with a 79-yard interception return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Over his final two college seasons, the Bulldogs posted an astonishing 29-1 record.
Selected by the Eagles in the fourth round (No. 105 overall) of the 2023 NFL Draft, Ringo has appeared in every regular season and playoff game over the past two years, starting five. His contributions helped the Eagles secure a Super Bowl title in 2024, adding a fourth championship ring to his collection in just six seasons since his junior year of high school.
A Golden Opportunity
Ringo is currently listed above free agent signee Adoree Jackson on the Eagles’ depth chart, positioning him as the starter opposite Quinyon Mitchell at outside cornerback. As Eagles Wire’s Geoffrey A. Knox wrote on June 16, “This coming offseason represents Kelee’s best chance to win a starting job since his arrival. He’s had to wait behind Slay and (Isaiah) Rodgers, but Vic Fangio and his defensive coaches will provide him with ample opportunity to win a starter’s role. Nothing will be handed to him, and he knows that. … For Kelee, this coming training camp is as much about competition as it is cooperation.”
Kelee Ringo’s pick-six is one of the greatest moments in @GeorgiaFootball history 🏆
Now, he’s @Eagles bound 😤 pic.twitter.com/lWhiyzjFIr
— SEC Network (@SECNetwork) April 29, 2023
Under defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, Ringo has a chance to prove he can handle a starting role. His athleticism, instincts, and championship experience make him a prime candidate to break out in 2025. If he follows in Baun’s footsteps, Ringo could transform from a fourth-round draft pick into a cornerstone of the Eagles’ defense—and potentially earn a contract mirroring Baun’s $51 million deal.
As the Eagles aim to defend their Super Bowl crown, all eyes will be on Ringo to see if he can deliver the kind of unexpected, game-changing performance that defined their 2024 season. If history is any indication, this young cornerback is ready to rise to the challenge and add another chapter to his championship legacy.