The NFL Draft is right around the corner and for Philadelphia Eagles fans, it’s always an important week. Howie Roseman has long been renowned as one of the league’s most shrewd GM’s, and with an asset of future draft picks at his disposal, one can only imagine what he has up his sleeve from the #32 spot.
Here’s a quick guide to what promises to be a very busy weekend!
NFL Draft schedule
Round 1: Thursday April 24th, 8PM EST
Round 2-3: Friday April 25th, 6PM EST
Round 4-7: Saturday April 26th 12PM EST
The coverage will be streamed on NFL Network, but we’ll have daily Philadelphia Eagles recap streams over on our YouTube channel, for those wanting analysis with some Philly flavor!
Philadelphia Eagles Draft picks
Round 1, Pick 32
Round 2, Pick 64
Round 3, Pick 96
Round 4, Pick 134
Round 5, Pick 161 (via Texans)
Round 5, Pick 164 (via Browns)
Round 5, Pick 168
The Eagles have 7 picks for the upcoming NFL Draft, but notably none after round 5. That feels almost sure to change with Howie at the helm.
Of course, the Eagles are picking last of all 32 NFL teams following their euphoric Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. It will be interesting to see how this impacts Roseman’s strategy.
Last time the Eagles picked 32nd, they ended up moving back to pick #49 after two trades, to select Dallas Goedert. That class was actually stacked when looking back. Goedert was joined by the likes of Josh Sweat, Avonte Maddox, Matt Pryor, and of course, Jordan Mailata.
Philadelphia Eagles team needs
Defensive line
The Eagles lost some heavy-hitters this past offseason. Brandon Graham retired following his second Super Bowl, and the team lost both Milton Williams and Josh Sweat to free agency. While they did sign two rotational edge rushers to negate the loss, the group is light on depth behind breakout star, Nolan Smith.
Bryce Huff still has huge question marks over him on the exterior, and while Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter provide a lethal one-two punch in the middle, they could do with some more developmental depth to replace Milton Williams. Moro Ojomo looked great in spurts last year and the Birds have had a real knack for finding late-bloomers in the trenches.
Look for a few wildly athletic defensive linemen to be selected this weekend. The focus on the interior is likely to be paramount, but if an opportunity comes up to snatch an intriguing EDGE prospect, don’t write it off.
Secondary
The Eagles are loaded with young talent here, but losing Darius Slay and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson as well as both Isaiah Rodgers and Avonte Maddox leaves them without much in the way of insurance policies. They did sign Adoree Jackson as a backup corner, and while names like Kelee Ringo look bound to step up, finding some more hidden gems will certainly be a focal point for the Philadelphia brass.
Linebacker
It’s pressure time for Nakobe Dean. The Georgia product exploded in 2024 behind Zack Baun, who has signed a new contract this past offseason. But with Dean’s durability concerns conflicting with a contract year, the Eagles would be wise to try and find a longer-term plan if they’re not fully bought in.
Jeremiah Trotter Jr. is bound to play a role in this thought process, but the Eagles would also be wise to find special teamers and potentially a vet or two who can be plugged into Fangio’s defense in a pinch.
Offense?
Are there really any needs offensively? After Cam Jurgens signed a monster extension this past week, the Eagles have secured just about every spot along their dominant offensive front for the long-term, as well as having previously locked down Jalen Hurts, A.J Brown, and DeVonta Smith to bigger deals. Oh, and Saquon Barkley is coming off of one of the most remarkable rushing seasons we have ever seen.
Perhaps a lot receiver wouldn’t go amiss, but there are still some under-the-radar options on the roster, such as Johnny Wilson and Ainias Smith, both of whom were drafted by the team last year.
Philadelphia Eagles mock draft
Here’s a compilation of some great mock drafts from the Philly Sports Network team. Wild trades, huge moves, and some stunning sleepers to keep an eye on:
What should we expect?
With Howie Roseman, you just never know. But trades have been a part of his game for a long time. The Eagles GM has completed 41 total draft day trades during his career with the team, and that number looks primed to increase as his plans of building a core of high-upside players on rookie deals continues to unfurl.
The Draft class is also a little lighter than years past, so don’t be surprised to see Howie throw the ball out of bounds and reload with some more assets to go all-in on next years’ crop and beyond.
Eagle potentially on the move
Dallas Goedert seems to be the most likely player to be moved during draft week. The veteran tight end has enjoyed a stunning career in Philly, but with his age not slowing down and durability concerns still prominent, the Eagles would be wise to at least try and find a long-term TE2.
As things stand, Grant Calcaterra would be the next man up, highlighting a need for sustainable depth from both a blocking and receiving perspective. Whether or not Howie will move on from Goedert or instead let him ride out the remainder of his contract, is a mystery.
REUTERS/Mike Segar
