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Eagles rookie JJ Arcega-Whiteside and his guardian angels

PHILADELPHIA -- When the camera cut to Stanford Cardinal wide receiver JJ Arcega-Whiteside during the 2019 NFL draft, he was sitting on the couch hip-to-hip with his mother, Valorie, in their South Carolina home, friends and family all around them.

Valorie intended to burst off the couch and break into a celebratory dance when her boy was selected. But when the call came from the Philadelphia Eagles in the second round that Friday night in April, JJ unexpectedly broke down -- so his mom did, too.

"There's been a few times I've seen JJ cry.