{"id":863934,"date":"2026-04-11T12:24:24","date_gmt":"2026-04-11T12:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/863934\/"},"modified":"2026-04-11T12:24:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-11T12:24:24","slug":"using-the-beast-to-dive-into-prospects-to-fit-the-eagles-defensive-needs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/863934\/","title":{"rendered":"Using \u2018The Beast\u2019 to dive into prospects to fit the Eagles\u2019 defensive needs"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cThe Beast\u201d has arrived.<\/a> Every year, The Athletic\u2019s Dane Brugler delivers the NFL\u2019s definitive draft preview. It contains 629 pages of absolute must-read information. While consuming it myself, I kept in mind the Philadelphia Eagles\u2019 positional needs and compiled a contextualized list of prospects to keep an eye on. There is plenty to get to. So, we won\u2019t waste more time on introductions. Friday, we focused on the Eagles\u2019 offensive needs. Today, we focus on their defensive needs.<\/p>\n

Edge rusherKeldric Faulk, Auburn (No. 15 prospect, 1st-2nd-round grade)<\/p>\n

Faulk could fall<\/a> to the Eagles at No. 23 if other teams have higher priorities on their draft boards. General manager Howie Roseman has a history of seizing value in the 20s: think Quinyon Mitchell in 2024. Edge rusher is arguably the Eagles\u2019 biggest positional need.<\/a> They lack the large-framed edge-setter that Jaelan Phillips and Josh Sweat embodied in DC Vic Fangio\u2019s system the last two seasons.<\/p>\n

Faulk (6-foot-6, 274 pounds) fits the bill. He\u2019s long used his size as an advantage. A nice detail in \u201cThe Beast\u201d: Faulk first signed up for football in the first grade and often played up a level during youth football because of his size. His 10 sacks in three college seasons don\u2019t distinguish him. Here\u2019s what he does: Faulk primarily played a shade inside the offensive tackle or head-up in Auburn\u2019s three-man fronts. Fangio used Brandon Graham that way when dropping Zack Baun along the edge. Faulk\u2019s flexibility, size and tools make him a scheme fit. The chief concern is that the Eagles don\u2019t improve their sack totals by adding him.<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cHe needs better consistency with his pad level and instincts but rarely misses tackles and offers position flex along the line. Overall, Faulk has more \u2018almost\u2019 plays than impact ones on his tape, but you bet on a developing, 20-year-old player with his exciting traits.\u201d<\/p>\n

Akheem Mesidor, Miami (No. 28, 1st-2nd)<\/p>\n

There is a lot to like about Mesidor. He had exceptional production across six seasons with 35.5 sacks and 52.5 tackles for loss. He led the Hurricanes with 12.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss in a 2025 season that ended in the CFP national championship. The Eagles do favor college defenders who played in big games and against premier competition. But there are a few things in Brugler\u2019s report that show Mesidor may not be the right fit for the Eagles.<\/p>\n

Playing with discipline does not appear to be Mesidor\u2019s strength. He \u201cplays in overdrive \u2014 finds himself out of position to gear down and make a play.\u201d He \u201claunches as a tackler; needs to keep his feet underneath him and eyes up to finish.\u201d He \u201cplays with his hair on fire.\u201d Those qualities can actually be channeled into strengths within defensive fronts that are more vertically attacking. That\u2019s just not the way Fangio\u2019s defense typically operates. Mesidor (6-3, 259) also just turned 25 and had surgeries on his right foot, left foot and shoulder in his college career.<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cHe is a physical run defender with adequate play strength, although he can get stuck on blocks and needs to continue maturing his escape maneuvers. Overall, Mesidor won\u2019t be universally loved because of his age and injury history, but he is a disruptive force off the edge who is always playing 100 mph.\u201d<\/p>\n

T.J. Parker, Clemson (No. 31, 1st-2nd)<\/p>\n

Some may remember that Parker initially committed to Penn State and former head coach James Franklin before re-opening his recruitment and ultimately signing with Clemson. Parker made an immediate impact. He was a Freshman All-American in 2023 with 5.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss. He leveled up in 2024 by leading the Tigers in sacks (11) and tackles for loss (19.5) and set the school\u2019s single-season record with six forced fumbles. That\u2019s the sort of consistent destruction the Eagles lacked from edge rushers not named Jalyx Hunt last season.<\/p>\n

Parker does not have a history of playing inside, but at 6-4, 263 pounds, he could add flexibility to his game. But even if he remains an edge-only prospect, he\u2019s been notably efficient from that spot (32.4 percent of his career tackles were for loss). The Eagles need more depth behind Hunt, Nolan Smith and Arnold Ebiketie. It\u2019s just worth wondering whether the Eagles would get maximum value out of a first-round pick if the edge rusher can\u2019t play in a flexible role. Parker\u2019s production offers an easy rebuttal, but he will have to answer for a setback season in 2025 when he totaled five sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss in 12 games.<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cParker is at his best when he finds a runway and uses his get-off, forward lean and length to drive blockers backward into the laps of their quarterbacks. Though his speed-to-power attack is formidable, NFL blockers will be expecting it \u2014 how he develops his setup and secondary rush will determine his pro ceiling. There are times when he is worn down by size, but he throws his hands around like anvils and closes quickly on the ball.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zion Young, Missouri (No. 37, 1st-2nd)<\/p>\n

A team captain and first-team All-SEC selection in 2025, Young led Missouri with 16.5 tackles for loss and had a penchant for trash-talking that calls to mind Brandon Graham. Young also had a strong Senior Bowl week and visited with the Eagles in Mobile, Ala. Young (6-6, 267) is \u201cbuilt like an NFL defensive end, with broad shoulders and sculpted definition.\u201d He embodies an edge-setting defensive end. Brugler notes that people should see his run game reps against Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor when their teams played last season. (Young had a sack and tackle for loss in Missouri\u2019s 27-24 loss.)<\/p>\n

However, Young was arrested and charged with suspicion of DWI, speeding and failing to properly affix a license plate to his vehicle in December. When initially playing at Michigan State, Young was one of seven players suspended for the final four games of the 2022 season and charged with assault following a postgame altercation at Michigan. (Young pleaded guilty to misdemeanor aggravated assault and received probation.)<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cOverall, Young doesn\u2019t have the pass-rush quickness or diversity that will scare NFL offensive tackles, but he sets a firm edge in the run game and uses his NFL-caliber measurables and heavy hands to open pathways to the pocket. He has the floor of a quality backup and the ceiling of a starting base end for a physical NFL front.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keyron Crawford, Auburn (No. 54, 2nd-3rd)<\/p>\n

If the Eagles go elsewhere in the first round, Crawford could offer value in the second round. Like his teammate Faulk, Crawford (6-4, 253) is a gifted athlete. Brugler notes Crawford has a \u201cshredded physique, with a six-pack and defined musculature.\u201d Crawford \u201caccelerates through contact to put blockers on their heels,\u201d \u201cflashes burst to close when he has a path to the QB,\u201d and has a motor that\u2019s \u201calways revving.\u201d Crawford \u201cdescribes his play style as a \u2018Rottweiler or bulldog \u2014 something that is going to bite you.’\u201d There are notes that Crawford \u201coften plays too hot,\u201d but they seem in lesser supply or concern than that of other prospects.<\/p>\n

Crawford\u2019s character traits should endear him to the Eagles. Brugler writes that he\u2019s a \u201chigh-character person and player\u201d and quotes an NFL scout saying, \u201cYou always see him working, but the coaches say he does even more when people aren\u2019t watching.\u201d Crawford began his career at Arkansas State, where he compiled 5.5 sacks in 2023. He transferred to Auburn in 2024, but didn\u2019t become a starter until 2025, when he recorded 5 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss. Despite Crawford\u2019s limited SEC play, the Eagles proved by picking Hunt out of Houston Christian in 2024 that playing in a major conference isn\u2019t the end-all, be-all.<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cNFL scouts focused this past fall on the Auburn defensive line to see Keldric Faulk \u2014 and left buzzing about Crawford. He explodes off the ball with purpose and a growing repertoire of pass-rush moves. He lacks ideal length and lower-body power, and he feels undersized at times on tape, especially once bigger bodies latch onto him. But his effort consistently pops as a pass rusher, run defender and dropper.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dani Dennis-Sutton, Penn State (No. 60, 2nd-3rd)<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cOverall, Dennis-Sutton (6-6, 256) will find sack production harder to come by against NFL blocking, but he is a commanding presence and has the size, strength and quickness to be a force player on the edge. He will be more appealing to teams looking for a \u2018high-floor\u2019 role player, as opposed to a \u2018high-ceiling\u2019 pass rusher.\u201d<\/p>\n

LT Overton, Alabama (4th)<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cA starter for one-and-a-half years at Alabama, Overton (6-3, 274) played the \u2018Bandit\u2019 position (70 percent of snaps over, or outside of, the offensive tackle) in defensive coordinator Kane Womack\u2019s multiple scheme. \u2026 Evaluators are split on whether Overton fits in the \u2018versatile\u2019 bucket or the \u2018tweener\u2019 pile \u2014 there is a case to be made on each side. He is a gap-sound, unselfish run defender and uses his long arms to get extension into contact and control blocks. \u2026 He moves well for his size and has inside\/outside rush upside, but his technique and overall plan aren\u2019t there yet.\u201d<\/p>\n

Max Llewellyn, Iowa (4th)<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cA one-year starter at Iowa, Llewellyn (6-6, 258) played left defensive end (three-point and stand-up) in defensive coordinator Phil Parker\u2019s 4-3 base scheme. \u2026 Llewellyn needs to improve as a run defender if he wants to be an every-down NFL defender, but his relentless, high-effort pass rush will give him a chance to find a long-term role. He projects as a subpackage defensive end at the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Anthony Lucas, USC (5th-6th)<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cA starter for one-and-a-half years at USC, Lucas lined up as a five-\/seven-technique defensive end (with some snaps reduced inside) in former defensive coordinator D\u2019Anton Lynn\u2019s scheme. A native of Haiti, he is still young in football years, having not played the sport until high school. \u2026 Lucas has NFL-quality size, with the power profile and quickness to be a firm NFL edge setter and work-in-progress pass rusher.\u201d<\/p>\n

Trey Moore, Texas (5th-6th)<\/p>\n

Key quote from Brugler: \u201cMoore (6-2, 243) is a tweener prospect and doesn\u2019t have a dominant trait that will stand out on a field alongside NFL athletes, but he plays hard to maximize his ability. He projects best as a subpackage rusher at the next level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Safety<\/p>\n

Emmanuel McNeil-Warren, Toledo (No. 23, 1st-2nd)<\/p>\n

A vacancy at safety opposite Andrew Mukuba opened up for the Eagles when Reed Blankenship signed with the Houston Texans in free agency. The Eagles also traded 2023 third-round pick Sydney Brown to the Falcons for a swap of late-round picks. Michael Carter II, a career nickel, is for now the frontrunner after restructuring his contract to stay in Philadelphia. The Eagles also signed Marcus Epps and J.T. Gray to one-year deals to create competition and depth. Expect the Eagles to add to this room, but it\u2019d be somewhat surprising to see them snag a safety in the first round for the first time since the 1970 merger, given the positional needs and talent that should be available.<\/p>\n

Do the Eagles go back to the Toledo well? Sirianni has a documented history with Toledo and its former head coach, Jason Candle, who left for UConn after the 2025 season. Quinyon Mitchell, Philadelphia\u2019s No. 22 pick in 2024, just earned first-team All-Pro and Pro Bowl honors in his second season as the Eagles\u2019 cornerback. It\u2019s also worth noting that safety Maxen Hook, Mitchell\u2019s roommate at Toledo, spent part of the 2025 season with the Eagles as an undrafted rookie. McNeil-Warren was teammates with Mitchell for two seasons before becoming a full-fledged starter in 2024. McNeil-Warren totaled five interceptions in his final three seasons and twice led the Rockets in forced fumbles. He also had a 37-yard pick-six last season.<\/p>\n

Key Brugler quote: \u201cThanks to his footwork and hips, McNeil-Warren is a fluid mover with functional range and improved instincts versus the pass, which allows him to mirror and match tight ends and running backs. He drives on the football in run support and took a master\u2019s class on the \u2018Peanut Punch.\u2019 You\u2019d wish there was more meat on his bones and will want to see him continue to improve his take-on and tackle-finishing skills. Overall, McNeil-Warren is an impressive size\/speed athlete on the back end who is at his best when roaming to read his keys, flow to the ball and quickly close space. He has the rangy tools to push for starting safety reps as an NFL rookie.\u201d<\/p>\n

Keionte Scott, Miami (No. 53, 2nd-3rd)<\/p>\n

Key Brugler quote: \u201cScott plays like a linebacker in a cornerback\u2019s body. His ability to set the edge, avoid blocks and make stops at the line of scrimmage is coaching tape for young nickels. He screams downhill as a blitzer and chases down runners in pursuit, although he comes in hot, which can lead to breakdowns in the open field. He sniffs out passing lanes downhill but doesn\u2019t show the same anticipation when working in reverse.\u201d<\/p>\n

A.J. Haulcy, LSU (No. 70, 2nd-3rd)<\/p>\n

Key Brugler quote: \u201cHaulcy was given the nickname \u2018Mr. Give Me That\u2019 in high school because of his ability to create turnovers, which then translated to the college game. With very little hesitation in his reactions, he displays outstanding instincts to bait throws and get early takeoffs to close on routes. He covers a ton of ground and looks just as comfortable in the deep half as he does near the box. His tackling and block evasion need to be cleaned up, but he is more than willing to stick ball carriers. Overall, Haulcy has some wild tendencies. Given his recognition and range, though, teams will be comfortable betting on him to reach his ceiling as an NFL starter. Teams will also appreciate his coachability and intangibles, which will show on special teams.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jalon Kilgore, South Carolina (No. 88, 3rd)<\/p>\n

Key Brugler quote: \u201cKilgore is an impressive height-weight-speed athlete and consistently made plays on the football from the nickel position. Though his athletic traits are outstanding, he lacks functional control in his pedal and break movements, which allows receivers to uncover on his watch. He wasn\u2019t asked to range over the top in coverage, but that should be his best position at the next level. Can he deploy his athleticism more efficiently from deep coverage? Overall, Kilgore is a tough eval when projecting him at a position other than nickel, but his size, athletic talent and ball-hawking skills should give teams confidence to make that bet. There is a high-risk, high-reward scenario waiting for the team that chases his upside.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michael Taaffe, Texas (5th)<\/p>\n

Key Brugler quote: \u201cA three-year starter at Texas, Taaffe was a versatile safety in former defensive coordinator Pete Kwiatkowski\u2019s 4-2-5 base scheme. \u2026 Taaffe is an easy player to appreciate because of his feel for the game and toughness \u2014 even if his size, strength and athletic traits fall below what most teams desire at the position. He is at his best working from the post, as opposed to near the line of scrimmage (where his lack of size is more noticeable). His anticipation helps him make plays, although a misstep can be a death sentence.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cThe Beast\u201d has arrived. Every year, The Athletic\u2019s Dane Brugler delivers the NFL\u2019s definitive draft preview. It contains…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":863935,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2068],"tags":[25,7,6,242,109,2476],"class_list":{"0":"post-863934","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-philadelphia-eagles","8":"tag-eagles","9":"tag-football","10":"tag-nfl","11":"tag-philadelphia","12":"tag-philadelphia-eagles","13":"tag-philadelphiaeagles"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116386061603783551","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863934","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=863934"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/863934\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/863935"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=863934"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=863934"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=863934"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}