The Philadelphia Eagles made eight picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. Let's grade each move that the Birds made this weekend, in chronological order.

Round 1, pick 20: Makai Lemon, WR, USC (5'11, 194)

The Eagles selected a player in the first round that nobody was projecting to them in Lemon. There was a lot to unpack right off the bat.

Age and production

To begin, Lemon was a highly productive receiver for USC in 2025. He finished 11th in the nation in receptions (79), 8th in receiving yards (1156), and tied for 9th in receiving yards (11). Here's how that compares with the other receivers who were selected in the first round:

College production isn't everything, but you certainly want to see good production over bad production (#analysis), so that's a box checked. ✔️

His career production at USC:

Lemon entered the draft after his true junior season, the first year he was eligible, which you see less of these days with college players now allowed to make money while still in school. Lemon is still only 21 years old, and he clearly has confidence that he can compete at the next level without playing his senior season.

Unimpressive measurables

Lemon is small. He's 5'11, 192, with short arms and small hands.

He also isn't a blazer by any stretch, as he ran a 4.50 40 at USC's pro day. He does not possess impressive physical measurables.

But he has more than his share of positive traits and intangibles

To begin, Lemon catches everything. He had an outstanding 2.8% drop rate in college, and he has the ability to win contested catches despite his smaller size.

He is also a good receiver against all kinds of coverages, averaging a lofty 3+ yards per route run against both man and zone. You don't do that at Lemon's size and speed unless you know how to run routes.

And despite a lack of blazing speed, Lemon gets a lot of yards after the catch, whether it's in chunks or just squeezing out an extra yard or two when other receivers might otherwise concede the tackle.

But what likely really appealed to the Eagles' coaching staff is that he is considered a fierce competitor. He is also a willing and able blocker, which the Eagles showed they value this offseason when they traded for Dontayvion Wicks.

He also has experience returning kicks and punts.

Lemon was a surprise pick in some ways

The Eagles haven't often prioritized high-volume slot receivers, which is what Lemon projects as in the NFL. They infamously passed on Justin Jefferson because they thought that that's all he was (oops!). Instead they selected Jalen Reagor because they wanted what they thought was a fast outside receiver.

The selection of a player like Lemon is a bit of a departure from what they typically value. 

But he came at good value

In my lone first-round mock draft, I had Lemon going 20th overall, though not to the Eagles. Within my writeup, I noted that I had him going later than most of the other mock drafts out there. Personally, although I profiled Lemon during the season, I didn't bother putting him in my Eagles draft board, (a) because I was certain he'd be gone by pick 23, and (b) I assumed that if the Eagles traded up for a player it would not be for a wide receiver. Oops.

Lemon was regarded as a prospect just outside the top 10 by most draft analysts. Mel Kiper had him rated as the 11th best player in the draft. Daniel Jeremiah had him 12th. Dane Brugler had him 13th.

And as usual, Howie Roseman selected a player at a spot much later in the draft than was originally anticipated.

Trade value

The Eagles traded with a division rival (the Cowboys) to get him. They gave up a pair of fourth-round picks (picks 114 and 137 overall) to move up a mere three spots from 23 to 20. They also got a seventh-round selection in 2027 in return. Here's what that looks like on the draft value chart:

So, they gave up a small amount of value to trade up, as they usually do.

Of course, if they hadn't traded up, the Pittsburgh Steelers would have selected him at pick 21. In fact, those dumbasses called Lemon to tell him they were picking him, when the Eagles came through on call waiting lol. 

Ouch.

Lemon's fit in the Eagles' offense, and the challenge he poses for Jalen Hurts

Though he played outside a little at USC, Lemon was primarily a slot receiver, as noted above. He operates in the middle of the field, which is not where Jalen Hurts has shown he enjoys throwing the football. If Lemon is going to be a productive receiver for the Eagles, Hurts is going to have to embrace throwing over the middle, and to a receiver who does not have a wide catch radius. That's a concern.

What does the selection of a wide receiver mean for A.J. Brown?

I mean, let's just be honest. Anyone who was still holding out hope that A.J. Brown wasn't getting trading was guided by delusion. And, well, I get it. Brown was a great receiver for the Eagles, who in a mere four seasons in Philly made a case that he was the greatest Eagles receiver ever.

But the selection of a receiver in the first round put one last nail in that coffin.

Will there be pressure on Lemon to replace Brown?

Lemon won't be replacing Brown. That will be DeVonta Smith, who will go from WR1b to just WR1. Smith will be the focal point of the Eagles' passing offense, and spoiler, I expect him to put up big numbers in 2026.

The expectation from the team will likely be that Lemon wins a starting slot receiver job, and ideally is the No. 2 option for Hurts in the passing offense.

However, try selling that to some of the morons with radio shows in Philly. (Disclaimer: I have a bunch of friends in Philly radio. I'm not talking about any of you. I love you guys. It's the other ones.)

I do think there will be dopes who will endlessly compare Lemon to Brown, which is wholly unfair to a 21-year-old kid.

Grade

Lemon is a really good football player who will help the Eagles' offense. He'll bring some competitive fire to an offense that lacked exactly that far too often in 2025. But the selection also comes with concerns, notably a lack of physical measurables, easily foreseeable compatibility issues with the quarterback, and potentially unrealistic expectations in a demanding city. B+.

Round 2, Pick 54: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt (6'4, 239)

Stowers was a high school quarterback who moved to tight end in college. He originally enrolled at Texas A&M as a quarterback, transferred to New Mexico where he transitioned to tight end, and then to Vanderbilt. His career stats: 

The game that sort of put Stowers on the map as a potential highly drafted prospect was in 2024, when Vanderbilt upset Alabama in a game that Stowers had 6 catches for 113 yards.

Vanderbilt lined up Stowers all over the place, trying to create mismatches against slower linebackers and smaller defensive backs. Once he has the ball in his hands, Stowers can get yards after the catch using his speed, or by dragging DBs. Highlight reel:

But what Stowers is really known for is the absolute show he put on at the NFL Combine, where he broke records for his vertical leap (45 1/2") and broad jump (135"). He also ran a 4.51 40. He is a little undersized at 6'4, 239, but he is an elite athlete. 

"The guy is super talented," Nick Sirianni said. "Athletically, he can do some things that nobody else can do. Just to be able to create mismatches with him on third downs, and first-and second-down situations, he is a tough cover. Catches everything, good after the catch, speed, quickness, and so we’re really excited to have him."

The downside is that Stowers is probably more of a big receiver at this point. He will have to become a better blocker to become a more well-rounded tight end in the NFL, which Sirianni acknowledged.

"He has to continue to develop as a blocker but we’re really excited about that," Sirianni said. "Again, when you haven’t had a ton of reps at it – I mean, he’s had reps at it – but continuing to develop with that."

Value

Stowers was Daniel Jeremiah's 66th ranked prospect. Dane Brugler had him 63rd. Mel Kiper had him 52nd. At pick 54, Stowers could be viewed as a slight reach, at least based on draft expert consensus.

The Eagles didn't draft a tight end last year, which was unexpected, but they also didn't even sign any undrafted tight ends after the draft concluded. That was puzzling. This year, Stowers was the second tight end to get selected after Kenyon Sadiq, who the Jets picked in Round 1.

Thereafter, there was a run on tight ends on Day 2:

1. Pick 56: Nate Boerkircher (Texas A&M) to the Jaguars
2. Pick 59: Marlin Klein (Michigan) to the Texans
3. Pick 61: Max Klare (Ohio State) to the Rams
4. Pick 69: Sam Roush (Stanford) to the Bears
5. Pick 73: Oscar Delp (Georgia) to the Saints
6. Pick 87: Will Kacmarek (Ohio State) to the Dolphins
7. Pick 95: Eli Raridon (Notre Dame) to the Patriots

I could maybe make an argument for Oscar Delp at the Eagles' 68th overall pick, but if I'm looking at that list of tight ends, I'd take Stowers at 54 over all of the values above because of the upside he possesses.

Will Stowers contribute as a rookie?

Eagles fans were anticipating that the team could draft an offensive tackle in Round 1 who would have to sit as long as Lane Johnson and Jordan Mailata stayed healthy and for as long as Johnson keeps playing. And for the most part, I think they bought in on that.

Well, you may as well go ahead and apply that patience to Stowers at tight end in Round 2. Dallas Goedert will be the TE1 in 2026, and tight end is a position that typically takes a few years for players to develop. Stowers' extreme athleticism should be put to use immediately on special teams, but it's unlikely that he'll have any real impact in the regular offense early in his NFL career. It is likely to take some time.

Need

Goedert was available for trade for the better part of the 2025 offseason, before the Eagles finally got him to take a pay cut and return as the team's top tight end. As such, it felt unlikely that he was going to stick around for the 2026 season, but, he's back.

On the plus side, Goedert is still a good receiver, as he had 60 catches for 591 yards, and he broke the franchise tight end record with 11 regular season TDs while playing in a broken offense in 2025. He was a rare bright spot in the Eagles' passing game, at least in the red zone. He also only missed one game due to injury in 2025 after missing 15 games in the previous three seasons combined.

On the downside, in the past Goedert was considered a complete tight end without any obvious flaws, but he was not a good run blocker in 2025. He is also now 31 years old, and tight ends don't typically age well.

So, yes, it was probably past due that the Eagles finally found a tight end who could be Goedert's successor.

Grade

As long as the Eagles are taking players who might have to sit for a year or so, they may as well take big shots on players with unique traits, like Stowers and his extreme athleticism. B+.

Pick 68: Markel Bell, OT, Miami (6'9, 346)

Bell is a mammoth offensive tackle at 6'9, 346, with massive 36 3/8" arms. 

He's not a guy opposing edge rushers are going to be able to run through, but logically speaking, he will probably struggle with speed guys at his height and weight, although Howie Roseman might disagree.

"Markel Bell was a passion player for us throughout the process," Roseman said. "Obviously, unusual size, unusual length, hard to find. When you watch the tape, he is hard to get around in pass pro. He had zero sacks allowed this year playing for Miami. This is a 21-year-old player who was the No. 1 junior college recruit coming out. Just watching the tape, this is one of those guys where you say, 'What would happen if he went back to school this year?'

"To have an opportunity to for him to learn from the guys that we have on this roster, and we spent a lot of time with him – we spent time with him here, we spent time with him in Miami – we had a lot of eyes on him. He’s a sponge. High character guy. This was a guy who is hard to find. When you watch him in pass pro and you watch his ability, it’s hard to run through him, it’s hard to run around him. He has good feet for a big guy. Unique guy."

Bell does have better movement skills than you would expect of a 6'9, 346-pound human, as shown below: 

And as Roseman also pointed out, he'll have an opportunity to learn from one of the best offensive linemen in NFL history in Johnson.

"Having guys like Lane on this team and the elite level that he plays with, I think watching him and watching how he works, watching how he trains, watching how he dedicates his life to this game during the week, during the season," Roseman said at the NFL owners meetings in March. "I mean that's instrumental in understanding what it takes to be a great pro. And so there's so much value in watching those guys instead of hearing about those guys.

"I said when we talked about [Jason] Kelce at some point he was going to retire and then there'd be this legend of Jason Kelce, but Cam Jurgens got to see it and he got to see what it took to be a Pro Bowl-level player. There's value like that as long as the player in and of himself is worthy of the selection of wherever you're taking him."

Bell played LT at Miami, but Roseman said that he will train at LT and RT, and that he has experience working on a RT stance. 

Value

Bell was Jeremiah's 92nd ranked prospect. Brugler had him 97th. Kiper had him 99th. In other words, they all had him as a late 3. As noted above, Roseman called him a "passion player." Was he perhaps a "red star" player? Whatever you call him, Roseman made clear that the scouting department really liked him.

Grade

It was anticipated that the Eagles could draft a Lane Johnson successor in Round 1, with the hope that he can develop into a starting-caliber player by the time Johnson retires. Instead, they did it in Round 3. Of course, the odds are lower that a Round 3 player will grow into that than a Round 1 guy would, although Bell could conceivably also move inside to guard if he doesn't pan out at tackle.

Again, the selection of Bell followed the theme of long-term building on offense. B.

TRADE: The Eagles send a pair of third-round picks (pick 98 in 2026, plus a 2027 third-round pick) to the Vikings for Jonathan Greenard and a 2026 seventh-round pick

Greenard is also reportedly signing a four-year deal worth $98 million, so it's not just valuable draft capital that the Eagles are spending on Greenard. It's also significant financial resources.

Greenard was a Texans third-round pick in 2020. He will turn 29 years old in May. He had his two best seasons in 2023 and 2024, when he had a combined 24.5 sacks. His career stats:

"He’s one of six guys who have had 12 or more sacks two of the last three years," Roseman said. "Just a really fun guy to watch, a guy we’ve been studying for a long time."

Greenard battled through a shoulder injury in 2025, which eventually ended his season and required surgery. 

"There wasn’t a game of his that we didn’t watch this year, and what you see is a relentless player with physical tools," Roseman said. "He can win in multiple ways. He is hard to block. I know that when we played Minnesota we were worried about where he is at all times. Just a really good player, a captain on that football team. We felt like we already had a very good D-line, but we really wanted to elevate it to another level."

Grade

If Greenard can return to his 2023/2024 form, he could be worth what the Eagles gave up to get him. If he can't, well, then obviously this will have been an ill-advised trade. #Analysis.

If I can relate this move to the likely trade of A.J. Brown for a moment, one of the arguments against trading Brown is that it will make the team worse in 2026. Obviously, the trade-off is that the Eagles will gain valuable draft capital in 2027 and possibly beyond.

This is the opposite. (Insert Nicolas Cage "YOU DON'T SAY" meme here.)

The Eagles got better as a football team in 2026 with the addition of Greenard, except instead of adding a legit pass rusher at the trade deadline they'll have him for the full year, and beyond. He'll join an edge rusher group that includes Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Arnold Ebiketie, which on paper looks pretty good. But certainly, the cost to acquire Greenard was steep. B.

Round 5, pick 178: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State (6'3, 232)

Payton was a one-year starter at NDSU, and against lower level competition. But, he's 6'3, 232, he has a strong arm, and he runs a 4.56 40, so he certainly has size and athletic measurables.

In his one year as a starter, Payton completed 161 of 224 passes (71.9%) for 2719 yards (12.1 YPA!), 16 TDs, and 4 INTs. He ran 136 times for 777 yards and 13 TDs. Payton is a developmental quarterback, but he has talent. Here's a highlight reel, and as you'll see Payton is a lefty: 

The Eagles already have three quarterbacks on the roster in Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, and Andy Dalton. If you're the Eagles, maybe you figure out how to redshirt Payton, or maybe he just makes the team over Dalton if he shows anything special in camp? Or maybe he has some kind of Taysom Hill-like role? Designated Tush Pusher? Interesting pick!

We'd also be remiss not to note three things:

1. This slightly ups the odds that the Eagles could trade McKee.
2. Yes, the Eagles famously drafted another quarterback from NDSU in Carson Wentz.
3. The quarterback factory is always humming away.

Grade

The Eagles' depth at quarterback now looks like this:

They have a bit of a logjam there, which is a good problem to have. They also have options. If, say, a team out there has a quarterback go down Teddy Bridgewater style, McKee could be trade bait. Or perhaps if a team just needs competent depth, maybe an Andy Dalton would interest them. Or maybe the Eagles just keep all four? I actually don't think that would be all that crazy, since McKee and Dalton will likely be gone next season.

But ultimately, I thought the value was too good to pass up late in the fifth round. I had Payton as a fourth-round pick. Jeremiah had him as his 122nd-ranked player. Brugler had him 126th. Kiper had him 131st. At pick 178, Payton was outstanding value, and oh hey, he plays the most important position in team sports. So sure, go get him. A-.

The Eagles traded pick 197 to the Rams for picks 207, 251, and 252

The Eagles moved back a mere 10 spots in the sixth round and were able to add a couple picks at the end of the seventh round. Did Sean McVay just want to go home? What the hell kind of trade was that from the Rams' perspective? They picked Miami WR CJ Daniels, so, I dunno, maybe he'll turn out to be something for them? 

The value in adding a pair of late Round 7 picks from the Eagles' perspective was that they could simply select their top two UDFA targets at the tail end of the draft instead of trying to compete with other teams for them on the open market, while also avoiding having to pay them big signing bonuses.

It should be noted that Howie Roseman acknowledged that he traded back at this spot with the intent of drafting International Pathway Player Uar Bernard with one of those extra picks. We'll get to Bernard shortly. Grade: A.

Round 6, pick 207: Micah Morris, OG, Georgia (6'5, 334)

Morris is unpolished, but he is big (6'5, 334) and athletically gifted.

This guy ran a 5.09 and broad jumped 9'4" at 334 pounds.

A quick taste (video via @BengalsBrews): 

The Eagles have a pair of starters on the interior of the offensive line in C Cam Jurgens and LG Landon Dickerson who are health risks, and RG Tyler Steen is scheduled to be a free agent in 2027, so the Eagles could use more depth there.

Morris is now the seventh Georgia player the Eagles have drafted since 2022.

Grade

I had Morris as a sixth-round pick in our Eagles-only mock draft 3.0, so, you know, I'm biased, but I like when the Eagles make me look smart on my dart throws.

Morris won't be needed to play anytime soon, and yet, they need long-term depth on the interior of their line. Morris is a great fit in terms of long-term need and athletic upside. We'll see if new offensive line coach Chris Kuper can develop offensive linemen anywhere near as well as Jeff Stoutland has over the last decade-plus, but the Eagles gave him a few players with traits to work with. A-.

Round 7, pick 244: Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech

Wisniewski is a big safety at 6'3, 219 whose comfort area is near the line of scrimmage and in run support. In the past, the Eagles have taken safeties with Wisniewski's size and tried to convert them into linebackers. Some recent examples of that include Jacoby Stevens (sixth round, 2021) and Nate Gerry (fifth round, 2017).

As you can see in the following highlight reel, Wisniewski is a physical tackler:

Wisniewski is an older prospect at 24 years of age who was at North Dakota State for five years before transferring to Texas Tech in 2025. In his final season at Texas Tech, Wisniewski started all 14 games, making 78 tackles (6 for loss), with a sack, 2 forced fumbles, and 6 pass breakups.

Grade

If Wisniewski is going to contribute, it will likely have to be on special teams. Maybe he finds a role as a dime linebacker? B-.

Round 7, pick 251: Uar Bernard, iDL, Nigeria

Bernard, an International Player Program propesct from a small village in Nigeria, recently worked out at the HBCU showcase. Here's what The Athletic's Bruce Feldman reported about him:

Bernard measured in earlier this week at the NFL’s HBCU showcase at 6-4 1/2, 306 pounds with 11-inch hands and almost 36-inch arms. Other people who have spent their lifetimes in football say Bernard looks like a Marvel creation. Bernard’s body fat: 6 percent. He vertical-jumped 39 inches and broad-jumped 10-10, which was 14 inches more than any other defensive tackle did at this year’s combine. His 40-yard dash: 4.63.

Here's that 4.63 40:

This guy is jacked.

Here's how Bernard's athletic measurables compare with the best defensive player in the NFL: 

The Eagles took a flier on a freak athlete from Australia in Jordan Mailata who had never played American football, and that worked out. So, why not take another shot with a Day 3 pick?

As for what position Bernard will play, he worked out with defensive tackles at the HBCU showcase. But, if he truly has 11" hands and 36" arms, offensive tackle wouldn't be out the question either, even if he's under 6'5. To be determined. The Eagles did hand the phone to Eagles D-line coach Clint Hurtt to talk to Bernard after making the selection, so we'll assume that he'll play D-line, at least initially.

Grade

Will Bernard ever play any kind of meaningful role for the Eagles? Eh, the odds are probably against it. And yet, this is such an awesome pick anyway. Like, would you rather have this athletic freak of a human, orrrrrr, I dunno, some TE from BYU who had like 24 career catches but is a slightly above average blocker?

These are the types of things Howie Roseman and the Eagles do that have fans of other teams around the league jealous of Philly's front office. A+.

Round 7, pick 252: Keyshawn James-Newby, EDGE, New Mexico (6'2, 238)

James-Newby is an undersized (6'2, 238) edge rusher who ran a 4.53 40 at New Mexico's pro day. He had a highly productive college career, with 33.5 career sacks, including 10.5 in 2024 and 9 in 2025. A highlight reel:

Scouting report, via Lance Zierlein of NFL.com: 

From Montana Tech to Idaho to New Mexico, James-Newby has stayed hungry and productive at every stop. He’s undersized by NFL standards but plays much longer than he measures. He keeps his eyes on the prize instead of getting locked into long battles with the blocks in front of him. Power and length get the best of him, but not as often as I expected. He flashes good get-off, smart angles and efficient cornering that keeps him tight to the pocket as a rusher. James-Newby’s rush lacks diversity but a dangerous stab move is waiting to be unlocked. His high motor and disruptive ability should make him a solid sub-package edge rusher.

The Eagles like taking productive pass rushers late on Day 3. They selected Patrick Johnson (two 10-sack seasons at Tulane) in the seventh round of the 2021 draft, and Antwaun Powell-Ryland (30 career sacks in college) in the sixth round of the 2025 draft.

James-Newby will have a chance to compete for a roster spot and he has enough speed to earn a role on special teams.

Grade

Again, as noted above, the Eagles basically just got their pick of a player they didn't have to compete for with other teams in the undrafted free agency market. A guy like James-Newby would have been unlikely to sign with the Eagles, who have a lot of depth on the edge. B. 

Final Grade 🧑‍🎓

There were several themes in this Eagles draft to point out.

The Eagles are reloading long-term with youth on offense

Back in January, we analyzed how the Eagles' draft and financial resource allocation would shift this offseason. Over the last four or so years, they spent heavy financial resources to the offensive side of the ball, and they used the bulk of their draft capital on the defensive side of the ball.

Well, the offense is getting old, and the defense will soon be expensive, so it felt pretty clear that their allocation of resources would flip. Reloading through the draft on the offensive side of the ball would take precedence as the Eagles' star players on defense will soon have to be paid handsomely.

And sure enough, their first five picks were offensive players.

The drafted players will not provide a lot of immediate gratification

From this class, if we're not including Jonathan Greenard, then Makai Lemon is the only player who will be expected to make any sort of notable contributions as a rookie.

The rest are players who will be developed over time in possible succession roles, most notably at tight end and along their offensive line. Otherwise, on Day 3, they took shot on a quarterback and some other prospects with appealing traits.

In a year or two, if you look back at this draft, it might seem like the Eagles didn't do well. I believe this particular draft will be more fairly evaluated in two or three years because of its long-term themes.

But Greenard and Dontayvion Wicks should also be part of the equation

Greenard will start for the Eagles on the edge, and he's a very good player. The Eagles also traded a 2026 fifth-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick for Wicks, so in a way he's kind of part of this draft class as well. He'll have an immediate role in the Eagles' offense as a dirty work receiver.

They added a bunch of freaks

Six of the eight players the Eagles selected either had great size or were athletic freaks of nature, as shown in my #FreakChart™️ below:

The Eagles hunted for players with traits to work with and develop over time, which isn't abnormal for them, but does make particular sense in what was widely regarded as a weak draft class.

Overall, I thought the Eagles had good process in the themes of this draft, as usual. They added immediate help in Lemon, Greenard, and Wicks, and long-term help (ideally) with the rest of their picks. B+.

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