PHILADELPHIA -- All eyes will be on the Philadelphia Eagles' rookies when practice is open to the media on Thursday afternoon. It wouldn't be a bad idea if at least a few eyes were trained on last year's rookies, as well.

The Eagles' class of 2014 wasn't especially impressive. Second-round draft pick Jordan Matthews had a fine season, establishing himself as the slot receiver and a threat in the red zone. Seventh-rounder Beau Allen logged some playing time as a backup defensive tackle. Undrafted Trey Burton contributed on special teams and showed promise as a versatile offensive player.

Marcus Smith, the Eagles' first-round pick in 2014, will aim to earn a starting spot at outside linebacker. AP Photo/Michael Perez

Other than that, the Eagles' 2014 rookies were largely invisible. They spent the offseason working on their games and their bodies for what figures to be their final shot to distinguish themselves with the Eagles.

One thing working against them: They were the final draft class assembled by general manager Howie Roseman. Now that coach Chip Kelly is calling the shots in personnel matters, there is no one personally invested in the players Roseman brought in. So these players will have to do the job on their own, with no one lobbying for them.

Marcus Smith has reportedly added some weight and will try to earn a spot at outside linebacker. There is opportunity there. Trent Cole was released. Brandon Graham was signed to a new contract and will likely replace Cole in the starting lineup. That leaves an opening for the primary backup role.

Travis Long and Bryan Braman will be competing for the job. But Smith, the first-round draft pick from Louisville, should get every chance to prove he was a good choice. Last season, Smith barely played and was most remembered for getting beat for a long touchdown pass by San Francisco's Frank Gore. This year, Smith has a clean slate and an open field ahead of him.

Third-round pick Josh Huff injured his shoulder during the preseason and was inactive early in the regular season. That's a tough time for a rookie to miss. Huff was hurt just when rookies begin to get comfortable and establish their role on the team. By the time the season is underway, the coaching staff is focused on the weekly picture, getting ready for each game.

Huff wound up playing in 12 games. He caught eight passes for 98 yards. He returned a kickoff 107 yards for a touchdown. With the departure of Jeremy Maclin and the drafting of Nelson Agholor, the Eagles' receiving corps is in a state of flux. Huff should have an opportunity to claim a bigger role this summer.

There is some doubt which position Jaylen Watkins will play. The fourth-round pick got significant playing time in just one game last season, and that was at cornerback. He reportedly added some weight so he could compete for a job at safety this season. That will probably prove to be a good move, since the Eagles added three potential cornerbacks in this year's draft.

In the fifth round last year, the Eagles took Oregon defensive end Taylor Hart. He made the 53-man roster last summer and stayed on it for the entire season. That meant he was on the inactive list for all 16 games.

Listed at 6-foot-6, 281 pounds, Hart reportedly added some weight to his frame. He will try to crack a young, promising front seven with additional competition from this year's seventh-round pick, Brian Mihalik.

Ed Reynolds, a safety from Stanford, was drafted later in the fifth round. Reynolds missed last year's May and June practices because his college class hadn't graduated yet. Kelly cited that whenever he was asked about Reynolds, who spent the regular season on the practice squad. But with the Eagles' needs at safety, it wasn't very promising that they kept bringing players in ahead of Reynolds.

On the positive side, from Reynolds' point of view, the Eagles' need for a safety remains just as strong. So he will get a chance without having to miss any practice time this year.