PHILADELPHIA -- Jahan Dotson didn't shy away from the moment. That's not how Dotson was taught, nor how the former first-round pick reacts to adversity.
He's past the days of handling things differently. This is an older Dotson -- one who isn't satisfied with just being a first-round pick.
"I know the type of player I am," a confident Dotson said at his locker after the Eagles' 20-13 victory over the Giants on Sunday. "I know I can make plays. Whenever my opportunity is called upon, I know I'm ready for it."
Dotson wasn't the No. 3 wide receiver on a day the Eagles rested their starters. He finally had an opportunity to be the No. 1 receiver, a rare chance for him since he entered the NFL. Dotson was targeted a season-high 11 times, finishing with seven catches for 94 yards to lead the Eagles.
The Eagles gave up a lot for Dotson in August, a third-round pick and two seventh-round picks to be exact. Philadelphia did get a fifth-round pick back along with Dotson, but that's a lot of draft capital for a player that had just 12 catches for 122 yards going into the season finale -- and just one target over the last three games.
Being the No. 3 wide receiver isn't easy in the Eagles offense, not with playmakers like A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, Saquon Barkley, and Dallas Goedert on the same roster. There only is one ball, and not enough targets to feed Dotson's appetite.
In previous years, Dotson would have handled things a different way.
"Just staying patient has been a thing that I learned coming up through time," Dotson said. "College I had to wait my turn. This year I'm doing the same thing. It's not nothing new to me. You gotta stay true to yourself and keep working on your craft.
"That's what I try to do every single day. I got a lot of guys around me to help me keep getting better. It's easy for me. Whenever my opportunity is called upon, go get it."
Dotson had the third-highest yardage total in a game (94) and tied for the second-most receptions he's had in a game (seven). Outside the Eagles locker room, it was a performance few saw coming.
"We've had a lot of faith in Jahan since the moment he got here," said Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni. "There is a reason why we traded for him. So, I've got a lot of faith in him and the player he is. Now, he has to share targets with some other guys that are really outstanding players. That's just the way it goes sometimes.
"It gives you a lot of faith that he was able to contribute today and do the thing he is capable of today."
Dotson admitted the biggest thing he learned this season was how to handle the mental aspect of his game. Not getting consistent targets is tough for any receiver, especially one who was a first-round pick just two years ago.
Players drafted as high as Dotson are usually game changers, not role players. Dotson learned from his days at Penn State what it was like to not get targets and put things in perspective.
He had a different way of handling a situation like that back then. The signs of maturity definitely showed through Dotson's performance on the field.
"For the first time in my life I felt I wasn't the guy. I wasn't the one on third down they were calling on to make the play," Dotson said. "I didn't really know how to deal with it then. Going through that process really helped me today and to be ready for my opportunities when they come. Being ready for the moment, no matter when it is.
"If you don't get one, on to the next game. I feel I learned a great amount from dealing with that in school. I feel like I'm in a great place right now."
