PHILADELPHIA — In the Philadelphia Eagles’ locker room, a succession of stalls along one wall includes spaces for the high-profile stars DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin and Steve Smith. Owen Schmitt takes his place in the middle.

The contrast between the brand-name players and Schmitt, a bearded, barrel-chested fullback, is striking.

The Eagles have molded what many in this city believe to be a Super Bowl contender because of the dynamism of Michael Vick, the shiftiness of LeSean McCoy and the speed of Jackson, Maclin and Smith. Schmitt, whose locker is stocked with a West Virginia University sweatshirt and a military-style rucksack, is the exception in an offense full of flash. But he has served as a protector and defender for the Eagles’ most talented players.

“They brought me in to balance everything out,” Schmitt joked.

Last September, the Eagles signed Schmitt after the All-Pro Leonard Weaver sustained a season-ending knee injury. Until that point, Schmitt had been best known in the N.F.L. for bloodying his forehead in a pregame celebration.