February 19, 2026
Jeff Blake/Imagn Images
The Eagles aren't likely to select a cornerback in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, but Clemson's Avieon Terrell is a popular projection to them nevertheless.
On Tuesday morning, we published our second Philadelphia Eagles-only mock draft of the offseason. Here we'll also take a peek around at some of the national guys and see who they have going to the Birds at 23rd overall.
Terrell teams up with Cooper DeJean and Quinyon Mitchell to give the Eagles the best young secondary in the NFL. The former Clemson Tiger can play inside or outside.
#JimmySays: It's really hard for me to see the Eagles selecting a corner in the first round.
The Eagles have a pair of All-Pros in Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean at corner, as Jeremiah notes. They both start in base. In nickel, DeJean moves inside to the slot, and a third corner comes in and plays outside. So, whoever that third corner is doesn't play in the base defense. The Eagles are in nickel on roughly 80 percent of the snaps, so, that's a fair amount. Still, if you're selecting a corner in the first round, they would ideally never come off the field.
Also, there's the financial aspect. The Eagles are almost certainly going to eventually pay Mitchell and DeJean bigtime money. If they draft a third corner with a high pick and he pans out, great! You know, until it's time to pay that guy, too. Can they pay three corners top of the market money, not to mention all the other star players on defense who will also need to be paid? Probably not.
But also...
• The offense has far more long-term needs, notably along the offensive line, where they build first and foremost.
• The other star players on defense — not to mention Vic Fangio — can make up for a hole here or there. The team will more likely seek to find cheap, competent vets for their scattered defensive holes.
I should note that I have all kinds of respect for Jeremiah — and Mel Kiper had the Eagles picking Terrell in his first mock, too — but I'd pay more attention to his final mock than his initial ones.
Considering Jalyx Hunt led Philadelphia with just 6.5 sacks this season, the Eagles need to bring more heat from the outside. Howell is a splashy edge rusher with limited impact on the run at this juncture.
#JimmySays: I'm a big fan of Howell's game, but...
That's a pretty good threesome of edge defenders, assuming they're all healthy.
If Phillips leaves in free agency, then yes, I can see the Eagles addressing the edge early in the draft. But otherwise, probably not.
After a brief pause in 2024, Howie Roseman got back to trading first-round picks last year. He sticks to that habit by sending a late third- and fourth-round pick to the Vikings so he can snag another big-play machine for an Eagles offense that disappointed in 2025. Tyson dealt with multiple injuries at the college level but could prove to be a steal here, thanks to his ability to win downfield.
#JimmySays: I had Tyson as the Eagles' pick in our Mock 2.0. I do think that a small move up to go get him also makes sense.
Reuter had Clemson's T.J. Parker going to the Eagles at pick 54. I'd be stunned if he's available there, but that would be a steal. In Round 3 Reuter had the Eagles selecting ASU CB Keith Abney II. I can't say that I've watched him.
The Eagles tried multiple players opposite Quinyon Mitchell without success, and the ascending Hood could be a good option for them. If he can run well at the NFL Scouting Combine, a first-round landing spot would make sense.
#JimmySays: Adoree' Jackson entered the season as one of the Eagles' biggest concerns. By the time it was over, he was pretty far down the list of concerns. Honestly, he was fine. Is Adoree' Jackson good? Nah, probably not, but again, as noted above, the Eagles have so many other good pieces in their defense — and a coordinator who can mask deficiencies — that drafting a third luxury corner doesn't feel worth it to me in Round 1.
Even if Lane Johnson does return, the Eagles should prepare for life after the six-time Pro Bowler. After all, he turns 36 in May and is coming off an injury. Miller, who made 54 consecutive starts at Clemson, can serve as understudy until his day comes.
#JimmySays: Though I agree that the Eagles could certainly select a player to eventually succeed Lane Johnson, they also don't have to force it by reaching for that guy. Miller is a good player, but there should be better players available at pick 23.
The Eagles have work to do along the offensive line this offseason, especially with the injury issues that 35-year-old right tackle Lane Johnson had in 2025. Iheanachor had a great week at the Senior Bowl that fortified his status as one of the highest-upside players in this class. He has terrific size at 6-foot-6 and 330 pounds, plus his nifty footwork allows him to hold up in pass protection.
Iheanachor will need time to develop, as he did not play high school football and must refine his technique. (He took nine penalties in 2025, too.) Philly would be an ideal landing spot since he can sit and learn behind a future Hall of Famer for at least a year.
#JimmySays: I like Iheanachor, but like Miller above, this is a reach, in my opinion. Round 2.
Even if the Eagles re-sign Dallas Goedert, Sadiq makes sense with the rise of two-tight-end sets leaguewide. He's the perfect complementary tight end with elite athleticism and the ability to block in space. His run-game impact could be as valuable as what he provides as a receiver.
#JimmySays: Sadiq was a popular projection to the Eagles in our mock draft roundup 1.0. And certainly, he does make sense for the Eagles' needs. But, is the value of a tight end worth taking in Round 1?
This feels too perfect, so it probably won’t happen. It wouldn’t be a surprise to see a team in the top 20 — maybe even the top 15 — pull the trigger on Sadiq, whose potential as a three-down, scheme-proof, playmaking tight end is elite. He could become Jalen Hurts’ (and Saquon Barkley’s) new best friend.
#JimmySays: Another vote for Sadiq.
The Philadelphia Eagles are undergoing a massive overhaul along their offensive line, with the need to add more talent and overcome Jeff Stoutland's unexpected departure.
Alabama's Kadyn Proctor was viewed as a potential top-10 draft pick entering the 2025 campaign. A slow start caused concern, though the 20-year-old prospect played much better during the second half of the season. Still, the massive blocker remains a work-in-progress with immense upside if placed in the right situation to properly develop.
#JimmySays: Proctor is a size/athleticism freak of nature who is as clear of an Eagles target as it gets.
The rapidly crumbling infrastructure of Philadelphia's once-formidable offensive front warrants addressing early on in the draft. Howie Roseman could return to the Bulldog pipeline for a possible Lane Johnson successor − in either the short or long term − in Freeling, an ascendant blocker with an impressive frame and solid functional athleticism.
#JimmySays: If you're drafting a guy to sit for a year, he better be an athletic freak with some serious upside, as opposed to a guy with "solid functional athleticism."
MORE: Jimmy's Eagles-only mock draft, 2.0
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