Editor’s note: With the 91st annual NFL Draft set to take place in Pittsburgh from April 23-25, our own Maurio Damiano examines storylines of the draft, with a focus on Pennsylvania’s teams and their roster needs. His column will appear every Monday.

A Different Mindset in Philadelphia 

While some franchises head into the NFL Draft hoping it will save them, the Philadelphia Eagles enter every April with a very different mindset. They are not drafting out of desperation. They are drafting to stay exactly where they have been for the better part of this decade: relevant, competitive and in the Super Bowl conversation. 

The distinction is very significant. 

Building to Sustain Success 

The Eagles have become the gold standard for roster construction in today’s NFL, not because they never make mistakes, but because they rarely panic. Year after year, whether they are coming off a Super Bowl appearance or an early playoff exit, Philadelphia sticks to the same blueprint. Build through the trenches, prioritize long-term value and trust development over impulse. 

The Eagles have taken defensive players in the first round in each of the last four seasons, and that philosophy has put them in the playoff hunt year in and year out. 

The Quarterback Advantage 

Another key advantage Philadelphia has is stability at quarterback. When a team believes in its quarterback, the draft becomes much simpler. There have been questions about Jalen Hurts in the past from some media members. However, the young man is a Super Bowl champion and Super Bowl MVP, something no one can take away from him. 

When you have a guy like that in the most important position, you are not drafting scared. Instead, you can focus on strengthening the roster around that position, which is exactly what the Eagles have done. 

Teams without answers at quarterback often spend April chasing one. Teams with answers can afford patience. 

Where the Eagles Invest 

That is why Philadelphia can afford to prioritize offensive line depth, defensive line rotation, and secondary reinforcements rather than flashy skill players. It’s not that the Eagles don’t value playmakers — it’s that they only take them when the value aligns. 

The Eagles have spent most of their day one and day two draft capital on defensive players in recent memory – only two offensive players selected out of 12. However, these investments have bred inconsistent results. Since 2022, in order, Philadelphia has ranked 8th, 30th, 2nd, and 13th in total defense. In the years they were in the top eight, they went to the Super Bowl.  

Maybe they will continue that trend in 2026, or maybe they will make a big trade. AJ Brown has caused turmoil for years, so it may be time for him to go and leave a vacuum that the Eagles can fill. On the offensive side of the ball, Lane Johnson is getting older, so the offensive line may be somewhere they want to look as well. 

At the 23rd pick, the higher profile names will be off the board, but some solid players from the trenches will be available. Alabama offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor will be someone to keep an eye on as time goes on. Proctor is six feet seven inches tall and over 300 pounds, certainly a solid replacement for Johnson when his time comes. 

What It Means for the 2026 Draft 

Philadelphia may not make the loudest move. They may not dominate headlines. But they will almost certainly walk away with players who contribute sooner than expected and stick longer than most. 

That doesn’t mean this draft isn’t important for the Eagles. It is. Sustaining success is harder than achieving it, and the margin for error shrinks when expectations are high. Depth, youth, and cost-controlled talent become even more critical when a team expects to be playing in February every year. That is why they treat the draft not as a reset, but as maintenance. 

While other teams hope the draft will change their future, the Eagles view it as a continuation of theirs.