PHILADELPHIA -- When the Eagles first-team defense took the field during Tuesday's mandatory minicamp, there was a surprising face lining up at one of the outside cornerback positions.

Sure, Nolan Carroll took reps during Wednesday's session with the first team. However, Eric Rowe was used sparingly with the top unit. As was Ron Brooks, who had been playing out the outside with the starting defense opposite fellow former Buffalo Bill Leodis McKelvin.

The surprising face was rookie out of LSU Jalen Mills.

Mills, chosen in the seventh-round after his draft stock plummeted because of an alleged assault on a woman in Louisiana, not only lined up with the Eagles starters but looked like he belonged.

"I think of guys like [CB] Jalen Mills and [S] Blake Countess in the back end," Pederson said Thursday when asked which rookie other than first-round pick and No. 2 overall choice Carson Wentz stood out this spring. "I love Jalen's competitiveness. I love the aggression that he has playing that position and he doesn't back down from any of our veteran receivers or tight ends or any of the guys that you normally might see on a normal basis might do that.

"He's challenging guys. He's got great quickness and transition in and out of breaks; smart kid; eager to learn. Those are things that really have stood out with me."

Tuesday's session indoors really was Mills' coming out party. The rookie defensive back broke up at least three passes and showed an ability to not only run stride for stride with the top receivers in camp but to recover and still make a play on the ball on the rare occasions he was beat over the top.

"I like Jalen," Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews said following Thursday's final practice of the offseason. "I feel like he's extremely competitive and I like his mindset. This is a good rookie class. They all come in, they don't talk a lot, they go about their work and you can tell they want to learn. Jalen's not afraid. He'll get right up in my face whenever we're working plays. If he wants to be physical, he's going to be physical. He won't back down.

"After some practices, he'll pull me aside and ask about getting extra releases. He shows that willingness to work is also there. I like him a lot. I think he's actually going to play a lot for us."

Mills was originally listed as a safety coming out of LSU, but has been working almost exclusively at cornerback this spring.

"The coaches tell me that they love me at cornerback," Mills explained. "That's what it's looking like."

Versatile enough to play both safety and cornerback, Mills isn't short on confidence in his own ability to standout in a crowded defensive back's room. Mills was so consistently solid during this minicamp that it wouldn't seem outrageous for him to supplant Rowe on the depth chart, but it is still far too early to make any sort of judgement in terms of position battles.

Still, Mills emerged a more confident football player following Thursday's practice than when he arrived at One NovaCare Way last month and in his opinion, a better football player as well.

"Just from me leaning the playbook, going against the receivers that we have here and being in the secondary and these guys just helping me progress," Mills said Thursday. "I feel like I've gotten 100 times better."

Matt Lombardo may be reached at MDLombardo@yahoo.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattLombardo975. Find NJ.com Eagles on Facebook.