PHILADELPHIA -- Broad Street is safe from Jordan Matthews and vice versa.

“If we didn’t have fences around here,” Eagles offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur said, “he would run into the street. Once he catches the ball, he just sets his hair on fire and runs.”

Matthews has received a lot of attention in his first NFL training camp. The second-round pick from Vanderbilt really does approach every practice snap as if a game is riding on his performance. Every ball he catches, he takes to the end zone -- or at least far enough down field to break a sweat.

“I think the guys really appreciate it,” Matthews said. “At first, everybody’s trying to feel you out. Nobody played in college with me here except for Carey [Spear, the rookie kicker]. So when I catch the ball and run all the way, Carey’s the only guy who’s like, `OK, that’s how Jordan is.’ A lot of guys may think, `OK, he’s a rookie, he trying to impress us.’ But I tell people all the time, that’s just who I am.”

It might annoy some veteran players, who don’t care for showy rookies. But with Matthews, it’s hard to get upset because it seems to come from such a natural desire to do his best.

“Everybody works hard,” Matthews said. “People just have different ways of showing it. If I don’t catch the ball and run out the play, then I can’t rest easy at night. I can’t lay my head on my pillow and know that I gave my best. That’s just who I am. That’s the standard I have for myself, that’s the way I‘m going to continue to practice and play each day.

“It’s practice. I’m supposed to be coming out here and giving my all.”

Matthews has been working in the slot with the second team so far in camp. That means he catches a lot of passes from Mark Sanchez, who clearly enjoys having a big target who is able to get open. That is what Matthews is focusing on, the techniques necessary to beat press coverage in the NFL.

“He can play anywhere,” Shurmur said. “He can play outside or inside. He’s good against bump-and-run coverage. His spatial awareness is good. You’ve seen throughout camp, he’s been able to get open and make plays. He’s young. He’s got courage. He can run around and catch the ball with people around him.”

Matthews said he watches veterans like Jeremy Maclin, who uses speed to get off the line of scrimmage, and Riley Cooper, who relies more on his size and strength. At 6-foot-3, 212 pounds, Matthews has elements of both size and speed in his game.

“God has blessed me with a lot of height and a lot of weight,” Matthews said. “So the first thing I’m always trying to work on is making sure I come out here and play big.”

So far, so good.