Respected as one of the leaders in the locker room, Avant was named the team's Ed Block Courage Award winner last season after he caught a career-high 51 passes for 573 yards and a touchdown. A five-year veteran, Avant has increased his reception total each season.
Avant does most of his damage on third downs where he has converted 45 of his career 52 third-down receptions (including playoffs) into first downs.
No receiver in the NFL had more snaps in the slot in 2010 than Avant, according to Pro Football Focus, with 622. Avant was fifth in the league in both slot receptions (49) and slot reception yardage (569). Avant was targeted 69 times in the slot (7th in the NFL) and caught 49 of those passes (71.1 percent, 5th in NFL).
While some offenses like to use shiftier, quicker receivers inside, the Eagles want physical, tough receivers in the slot. Not only is Avant good at catching balls in traffic; he is punishing as a run blocker and willing to sacrifice his body. If you don't remember, the final block in Jackson's Miracle at the New Meadowlands was Avant wiping out Giants long snapper Zak DeOssie. Avant suffered a concussion, but healed and was cleared to play in time for the following game. In fact, the durable Avant has missed just one game in the last three seasons due to injury.
Avant is never going to get the headlines that some of his teammates garner. That doesn't matter as Avant prefers to be out of the spotlight. But rest assured that at yet another position, the Eagles have one of the best of the best in the NFL.
