The Philadelphia Eagles made eight picks within the 2026 NFL Draft! Let’s speak about them.
Makai Lemon, Broad Receiver, USC
Signature Stat: Compelled 21 Missed Tackles on solely 79 receptions in 2025
The Participant: Makai Lemon was among the best gamers in school soccer in 2025. He was the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner for prime receiver within the nation and was a unanimous All-American. With 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns, the Trojan offense ran via Lemon’s arms. Lemon shouldn’t be a standout athlete like a few of his friends. At 5’11” and 196 kilos, Lemon has a muscular construct however lacks the peak, size, or hand dimension of prime tier receivers. On paper, Lemon doesn’t appear like he’d be an issue for defenses, however he was. He actually, actually was. Lemon is a extremely superior route runner with a fantastic sense of attacking each man and zone coverages. He can use eye fakes, nice footwork, and physicality to separate from man protection and he’s nice at discovering the tender spot in zones to assist his quarterback. Lemon was deployed everywhere in the discipline, however noticed nearly all of his manufacturing within the slot. With the ball in his arms, he’s aggressive preventing for further yards and has a operating back-like imaginative and prescient.
Outlook: The Eagles are all however sure to ship A.J. Brown out this summer time, leaving a large hole of their passing recreation. This choose was made with that consideration. DeVonta Smith will take over because the staff’s prime receiver, stretching the sphere on the perimeter. With Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown within the fold, these two will rotate out as the opposite perimeter receiver. This may go away room for Makai Lemon to begin as a slot receiver. Lemon ought to eat early on within the quick passing recreation. Whereas the Eagles offense nonetheless figures to be run heavy, anticipate Lemon to see 60-80 targets as a rookie and take advantage of them.
Eli Stowers, Tight Finish, Vanderbilt
Signature Stat: Ranked prime 10 within the nation final yr in Deep Catches (tenth), Deep Yards (sixth), and Contested Catches (ninth) amongst tight ends.
The Participant: Eli Stowers was a drive within the SEC for 2 years since transferring from New Mexico. At 6 ‘4”, 239 pounds, Stowers was often the most athletic skill player on the field. At the NFL Combine, Stowers set the record for broad jump (11’3”) and vertical bounce (45.5”) for a good finish. The athleticism confirmed up in the way in which he’d run by SEC defenders with ease, or physique smaller ones in protection. He was a deadly vertical menace from the slot or lined up in-line. Diego Pavia wouldn’t have been a Heisman finalist with out Eli Stowers being a mismatch nightmare. Stowers shouldn’t be a standard tight finish. He was an inconsistent in-line blocker, which meant that he was largely lined up within the slot and even typically within the backfield on operating performs. His athleticism made him blocker in area, however within the field he’d battle with the physicality of larger defensive linemen.
Outlook: It was nearly a certainty that the Eagles have been going to draft a good finish excessive on this class. Dallas Goedert is again on a one-year deal and it’s unlikely he’s an Eagle after 2026. His presence this yr means Stowers could be introduced alongside slowly, studying all of the aspects of being a good finish from Goedert whereas being utilized in a extra restricted capability. I wouldn’t be stunned to see Stowers deployed as a slot receiver and even lined up broad in some packages. Sean Mannion will wish to get his greatest gamers on the sphere. Which suggests Smith, Lemon, Goedert, and Stowers all being movable chess items, particularly down within the crimson zone. If Stowers may even get a bit higher as a blocker after his rookie yr, the Eagles might need a brand new playmaking tight finish for the foreseeable future.
Markel Bell, Offensive Sort out, Miami
Signature Stat: Allowed 0 Sacks on 558 Go Blocking Reps in 2025
The Participant: Markel Bell is a large man. Standing at 6’9” and 346 kilos with a wingspan of over 87 inches … not many individuals on the planet are constructed just like the 21-year-old left sort out out of Miami. Bell’s dimension envelops most defenders, making him a stalwart move blocker on the school stage. His mixture of size and shocking lateral quickness makes him fairly pure on the perimeter on the sting of an offensive line. Bell’s downhill pace and steadiness want work. His pad stage is of course so excessive that he can get outleveraged pretty simply as a run blocker. When he can come behind his pads, nonetheless, its fairly spectacular.
Outlook: The Eagles completely drafted Bell as an inheritor to Lane Johnson. Bell will hopefully get to sit down for his rookie yr and study from the long run Corridor of Famer. Within the meantime, it will not be shocking if Bell slimmed down to realize some extra quickness. The expertise with him is kind of apparent and with the fitting teaching, Bell could possibly be an excellent starter.
Cole Payton, Quarterback, North Dakota State
Signature Stat: 13 Speeding Touchdowns in 2025
The Participant: North Dakota State is a quarterback manufacturing unit. I imply that severely. For an FCS college to have 5 quarterbacks drafted within the final decade is absolutely, actually spectacular. Cole Payton solely began for a single season after Cam Miller was drafted final yr, however the 6 ‘3”, 235 pounder was a weapon for the Bison offense. Payton has a good arm with very good accuracy, and he thrived behind the Bisons’ elite offensive line. Most spectacular is his athleticism. He’s quick. Interval. He ran a 4.53 forty on the NFL Mix. That, mixed along with his nice dimension, made him a reasonably nasty operating menace.
Outlook: Payton’s transition to the NFL is hard to mission. He by no means actually handled strain on the FCS stage and his means to deal with that may dictate his success at quarterback. The Eagles could possibly be delivery off Tanner McKee this offseason, leaving an open spot within the backup quarterback competitors. It’s attainable the Eagles see Payton as a Taysom Hill-type, one thing that was thrown round fairly a bit within the draft course of. With the urgent have to preserve Jalen Hurts wholesome, the Eagles might pivot to utilizing Payton as a short-yardage quarterback.
Micah Morris, Guard, Georgia
Signature Stat: 0 Sacks Allowed in 426 move blocking snaps
The Participant: Micah Morris is a giant, robust, athletic guard. At 6’5”, 334 kilos, Morris had a dominant efficiency on the NFL Mix that put him on NFL groups’ radars. As a participant, he’s uncooked, however the expertise is kind of apparent. He did his greatest work on passing downs, however was insulated by a gifted offensive line and a scheme that hardly ever allowed defensive linemen to pin their ears again.
Outlook: Morris has a right away shot at beginning as a rookie. The Eagles proper guard spot is principally up for grabs and their left guard spot finally is perhaps too relying on the long-term outlook of Landon Dickerson. Morris has a methods to go, however he has the flexibility to be an impression starter within the NFL.
Cole Wisniewski, Security, Texas Tech
Signature Stat: Recorded 8 Interceptions in 2023
The Participant: Cole Wisniewski was a forceful defender at North Dakota State earlier than transferring to Texas Tech. In a single yr with the Purple Raiders, he was a significant a part of a protection that carried them to a playoff berth. Wisniewski was a flexible participant in school, lining up everywhere in the discipline at Texas Tech and North Dakota State. On the FBS stage, he did his greatest work nearer to the road of scrimmage the place he might come up and assault the run whereas overlaying the quick areas of the sphere. He’s a nice athlete, however performs with good instincts and a excessive stage of physicality.
Outlook: The Eagles security state of affairs is tough sufficient that Cole Wisniewski will get some critical reps this offseason. It’s not essentially the most excellent state of affairs for the staff, however it can give Wisniewski an opportunity to show he can run with NFL caliber move catchers. There’s a world the place he can get significant snaps as a rookie on protection. In spite of everything, Reed Blankenship was an UDFA and he began late in 2022 as a rookie.
Uar Bernard, Defensive Sort out
Signature Stat: Ran a 4.63 Second Forty Yard Sprint at 305 kilos.
The Participant: Uar Bernard has by no means performed organized soccer earlier than. He performed basketball as a highschool pupil in Nigeria earlier than being scouted by the NFL Worldwide Participant Pathway program. His athletic traits are onerous to fathom and that makes him so interesting as a possible NFL participant.
Outlook: The Eagles’ defensive workers is keen to get to work with Bernard. Whereas it is going to be a protracted street to any form of NFL viability, there’s clearly tons to be enthusiastic about when it comes to potential.
Keyshawn James-Newby, Edge Defender, New Mexico
Signature Stat: Recorded 168 complete pressures over the past three years.
The Participant: Keyshawn James-Newby performed soccer at Montana Tech, Idaho, after which New Mexico. At every cease, he turned increasingly more productive. He’s a smaller, however quick move rusher who has nice burst and a greater motor. He struggles as a run defender and has his tackles damaged excess of is appropriate on the professional stage.
Outlook: The Eagles are taking one other swing right here at a bodily gifted move rusher. With Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and now Jonathan Greenard within the fold; James-Newby has the posh of studying behind some fairly wonderful gamers. He’ll seemingly be a particular teamer at greatest early on however he’ll have possibilities this summer time to show himself as a rotational move rusher.
Grade the Eagles’ 2026 draft class
The Eagles drafted eight rookies and traded for veteran edge rusher Jonathan Greenard within the 2026 NFL Draft.
How would you grade Howie Roseman’s efficiency this weekend? Vote within the ballot and provides us your rationalization within the feedback under!
1 (20) – Makai Lemon, WR, USC
2 (54) – Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt
3 (68) – Markel Bell, OT, Miami
5 (178) – Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
6 (207) – Micah Morris, OG, Georgia
7 (244) – Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech
7 (251) – Uar Bernard, DT
7 (252) – Keyshawn James-Newby, EDGE, New Mexico
Closed • 414 complete votes
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“Signature Stats” come by way of Professional Soccer Focus.
