2026 NFL Draft Grades: Philadelphia Eagles

As draft week kicked off, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that A.J. Brown would very likely be in a Patriots uniform for 2026, though any trade would come after June 1, which means $43 million in dead cap money could be split between years. We've heard the Brown trade rumors for months, but this firmed things up a bit. So it was no surprise when Philadelphia moved up three spots to No. 20 to stop Makai Lemon's mini slide. If you have any doubt a trade-up was needed to get him, look no further than the video circulating of Lemon on the phone with the Steelers, who had intended to take him at No. 21 before they learned the Eagles had jumped the line.

Lemon (No. 11 on my board) is a tough, physical receiver despite his 5-11, 192-pound frame. He snags the ball on the run and turns upfield through traffic without fear, helping him to 1,156 yards in the 2025 season. He will match well with DeVonta Smith, Dontayvion Wicks and Hollywood Brown.

Eli Stowers is another playmaker for the Sean Mannion offense, and he can be Dallas Goedert's future replacement. Goedert is back, but he's 31 years old and on a one-year deal. Next up, offensive tackle support with Markel Bell. Remember, general manager Howie Roseman likes to draft for future needs. There's no guarantee that Stowers takes over for Goedert or Bell develops enough to take one of the tackle spots when 35-year-old Lane Johnson retires, but putting resources into those positions on Day 2 is good work by the Eagles front office. Bell is still developing, but he did a good job manning left tackle at Miami. Philly went down the board for him, but the top OTs were gone.

Cole Payton probably won't beat out Tanner McKee or Andy Dalton for QB2 behind Jalen Hurts, but he ran for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns last season. I think Mannion could use him in some packages. Payton runs a 4.56 at 232 pounds, so I'm envisioning some sort of Taysom Hill role in Philadelphia. As a passer, he's very accurate despite a long delivery. The rest of the Day 3 bunch is filled with dart throws: Micah Morris is athletic, Uar Bernard has some intriguing physical traits, and Keyshawn James-Newby was unstoppable at the end of last season (4.5 sacks over the final five games).

To cap it off, remember that the Eagles made a draft-weekend trade for Jonathan Greenard. They sent a pair of third-rounders (one in 2027) to Minnesota for Greenard and a seventh-rounder (used on Cole Wisniewski). Greenard had just three sacks last season after hitting at least 12 in the previous two years, but he's an instant starter for Vic Fangio.

They jumped the Steelers for slot receiver extraordinaire Makai Lemon 20th overall. Second-round TE Eli Stowers projects as quite a weapon, even if he's ultimately a plus-sized receiver. Mammoth fourth-round OT Markel Bell might inherit RT Lane Johnson's job one day − soon. And leave it to EVP/GM Howie Roseman to also acquire a Pro Bowl pass rusher (Jonathan Greenard) at the cost of two third-rounders. WR A.J. Brown is almost certainly soon be a goner, while presumably fetching prized 2027 draft assets, but Philly seems pretty well positioned to evolve effectively without him.

Best Pick: Making the move up to land USC receiver Makai Lemon in the first will pay off big time. He is a good receiver. Bye-bye A.J. Brown?

Worst Pick: I didn't love the pick of tackle Markel Bell in the third, but the Eagles have a great track record of drafting and developing linemen. So they get a little bit of the benefit of the doubt here.

The Skinny: After landing Lemon, this was a draft about the future. Both second-round tight end Eli Stowers and Bell will be second or third on the depth chart next year. But the Eagles do that a lot with their picks.

The popular expression "Fly Eagles Fly" took on new meaning with Philadelphia adding swift pass-catchers Makai Lemon and Eli Stowers with its first two selections. Lemon is a playmaking dynamo whose competitiveness and ability to create before and after the catch should quickly make him a favorite of Jalen Hurts and Philadelphia's fan base. Stowers, similarly, has the explosiveness to project as a big-play threat and provides the Eagles with a young option behind Dallas Goedert.

Speaking of contingency plans, I especially liked the selection of massive right tackle Markel Bell and exciting developmental quarterback Cole Payton.

But as much as I like all of those selections, it was a pair of lottery tickets GM Howie Roseman picked up in the seventh round that made this the best draft class in the NFL, in my opinion. Uar Bernard did not play college football. He is from the International Pathway Program that the Eagles previously used to unearth hidden gem Jordan Mailata, now Philadelphia's starting left tackle. Bernard is sushi-raw but possesses remarkable athleticism, as does twitchy edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby.

Reinforcing a roster as talented as the Eagles' is difficult and Roseman does it creatively and effectively every year, lengthening the team's Super Bowl window.

The Eagles drafted like a team getting ready for life after A.J. Brown.

I think Makai Lemon is a slot-only player in the NFL, but that doesn't mean he won't be an impactful player from there. Stowers is an extremely athletic tight end with the ball in his hands. I like his effort as a blocker, but he doesn't have the size or strength to play in-line at the next level.

Markel Bell is a massive tackle prospect who pass rushers struggle to get around. Philadelphia often has success with this approach, refining this type of player as depth until they get their chance to start.

Howie usually finds more value on day three, but he's set a very high bar. The trade for Jonathan Greenard doesn't factor into this grade, but I thought it was a tremendous move.

Here's why: Bracing for a post-A.J. Brown world (reportedly), the Eagles traded with the Cowboys and moved up to take Makai Lemon out of USC. Lemon's fit is interesting in Philadelphia, mostly because I see him doing his best work out of the slot and Jalen Hurts prefers to do his work to the outside. Having said that, Lemon's yards-after-catch ability is a welcome new element for an Eagles offense that felt stagnant last season.

Eli Stowers might have a ways to go as a blocker, but he is an outright ridiculous athlete who plays that way on the field. He is such a fluid mover in a big frame and he can quickly move forward with the ball in his hands after the catch. Stowers will have to work into a role and might take some time, but he is a potential power slot type who could have one of the highest ceilings at his position in the NFL if his blocking hits just average. I'm a big fan and I'm excited to watch his development, and the Eagles took him in a proper spot.

The Markel Bell selection had me double-checking to see if Jeff Stoutland was still coaching in Philadelphia. Bell has monster size and could (finally) be the Lane Johnson succession plan the Eagles have needed.

Cole Payton is a great athlete who is still unrefined on the real quarterback things at this point. He can create with his legs and has the size to take hits and work between the tackles. There's a chance at a Taysom Hill-like career for him, with maybe more if he continues to get more comfortable as a thrower and progressing from the pocket. His addition makes me very curious about what happens with Tanner McKee.

Most interesting pick: Uar Bernard, DT, Nigeria

Another selection for the Eagles out of the NFL's International Player Pathway Program, Bernard made a statement during his workout for NFL teams when he tested like a truly rare athlete (his clocked 4.63-second 40-yard-dash time was a record for players over 300 pounds). Bernard is a long way away from being a contributor — he has never played a snap of American football — but he's a ball of clay I'm sure Vic Fangio and defensive line coach Clint Hurtt can't wait to work with.

The Eagles seemingly started planning for life after A.J. Brown in this draft, moving up a few spots in the first round to grab USC receiver Makai Lemon before adding an uber-athletic "move" tight end in Eli Stowers in the second. This new duo should help Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense find more efficiency over the middle of the field, where both Lemon and Stowers are at their best. The additions of both Miami tackle Markell Bell and Georgia guard Micah Morris bolster the team's offensive line, and snagging North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton keeps the lights on in their so-called "quarterback factory." Payton's a highly athletic Taysom Hill—type quarterback who not only attacks defenses deep with his arm, but can make them pay with his legs. Add in the team's draft weekend trade for Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard (the Eagles gave up a third-rounder this year and a third-rounder next year) and, once again, I come away impressed with a Howie Roseman haul.

Analysis: The Eagles' draft class is filled with intrigue. After doing dirty business with the hated Cowboys to trade up in the first round, the team finalized its post—A.J. Brown plans by selecting Lemon, the savvy playmaker with reliable hands. It's going to be difficult to replace Brown's production if he is traded after June 1, but the Eagles are in a good spot with the trio of Lemon, DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks. Philadelphia also added Stowers to give Jalen Hurts another playmaker. After GM Howie Roseman delivered in the draft, it's on Hurts (and new OC Sean Mannion) to take this offense to another level, with or without Brown. Adding some drama, Roseman took a flyer on Payton, a dual-threat quarterback with upside.