![\"Philadelphia](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Eagles-Lane-Johnson-sb.jpg\")
Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson addresses the media on June 10, 2025, in Philadelphia. (Kyle Ross\/Getty Images)\nRight tackle<\/p>\n
PHILADELPHIA \u2014 The Eagles are built to win now, which makes their draft philosophy all the more interesting.<\/p>\n
Even with an experienced roster, they\u2019re one of the younger teams in the league, particularly on defense. And defense is where most of their current needs are.<\/p>\n
But general manager Howie Roseman still approaches the draft with a longer view \u2014 trusting his board, prioritizing premium positions and often drafting for what the team might need two or three years down the road.<\/p>\n
That tension is what makes Roseman\u2019s draft philosophy worth studying. Even with a roster capable of contending, the GM rarely talks about the draft like a one-weekend repair job. He talks about tiers, value and projection \u2014 about what a player might become, not just what hole he might fill in September.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the biggest mistake we can make is assuming we know what the team\u2019s going to look like a year from now, two years from now and missing out on a player because we have a perceived need,\u201d Roseman said.<\/p>\n
That is the theory. The Eagles\u2019 recent draft history offers the fuller picture.<\/p>\n
Roseman does not ignore need so much as filter it through a broader lens. He has repeatedly invested in premium positions, especially along the lines and in the secondary, while also planning a step ahead. The Eagles drafted Cam Jurgens in 2022 while Jason Kelce was still in place. Two years ago, they doubled up in the defensive backfield with Quinyon Mitchell in the first round and Cooper DeJean in the second, giving the defense a younger, faster backbone.<\/p>\n
In other words, the Eagles don\u2019t draft like a team chasing one last run. They draft like a contender trying to keep its window open.<\/p>\n
Roseman said projection is central to that.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of times in the draft we\u2019ll talk about what could this player be in year three,\u201d he said. \u201cTo come in and expect 21-, 22-, 23-year-old players to be the best version of themselves \u2014 it\u2019s probably a little naive.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nick Sirianni sees the other side of that equation. Once the Eagles make the pick, the burden shifts to the coaches.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur job is to develop them, put them in the right positions to succeed, help them get better fundamentally, help them learn the game better,\u201d Sirianni said.<\/p>\n
He also made clear what the Eagles are hunting for before the card is turned in.<\/p>\n
\u201cA guy that loves football, a guy who is tough and a guy who has a high football IQ \u2014 God willing, he\u2019s going to reach his ceiling,\u201d Sirianni said.<\/p>\n
That combined philosophy frames the Eagles\u2019 approach entering Thursday night, when the Eagles hold the No. 23 overall pick in the NFL draft.<\/p>\n
Even with Roseman\u2019s best-player-available mindset, four positions stand out as the most logical places to look.<\/p>\n
Edge rusher<\/p>\n
This remains classic Eagles territory. Roseman has long treated pass rush as a premium investment, and the roster always seems to have room for one more disruptive front-seven piece. That is especially true for a team that prefers to roll waves of defensive linemen rather than lean too heavily on one or two stars.<\/p>\n
Among the top edge prospects in this class are Ohio State\u2019s Arvell Reese, Texas Tech\u2019s David Bailey, Miami\u2019s Rueben Bain Jr. and Miami\u2019s Akheem Mesidor.<\/p>\n
Auburn\u2019s Keldric Faulk and Clemson\u2019s T.J. Parker are also highly regarded. Some of those names will be gone well before No. 23, but the position\u2019s depth should keep edge in play for Philadelphia.<\/p>\n
Philadelphia Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson addresses the media on June 10, 2025, in Philadelphia. (Kyle Ross\/Getty Images)
\nRight tackle<\/p>\n
Lane Johnson, who turns 36 next month, is still playing at a high level when healthy, but the Eagles have shown before that they would rather draft a successor a year early than a year late.<\/p>\n
Roseman all but said as much when discussing how the team has handled succession plans up front.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s so hard to find elite players at any position that you certainly wouldn\u2019t want to turn down the opportunity at an important position,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s tackle class gives the Eagles options if they want to think ahead. Miami\u2019s Francis Mauigoa, Utah\u2019s Spencer Fano, Georgia\u2019s Monroe Freeling and Alabama\u2019s Kadyn Proctor headline the group.<\/p>\n
Arizona State\u2019s Max Iheanachor and Clemson\u2019s Blake Miller are also among the better tackle prospects. If Roseman wants a player who could learn behind Johnson before eventually taking the job, this draft offers that sort of pathway.<\/p>\n
Cornerback<\/p>\n
The second outside corner spot remains an issue \u2014 dating back to last summer. The recent signings of Riq Woolen and Jonathan Jones don\u2019t necessarily solve the problem. And corner remains one of the league\u2019s hardest spots to fill (especially for a decent price).<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s class is strong at the top. LSU\u2019s Mansoor Delane, Tennessee\u2019s Jermod McCoy, San Diego State\u2019s Chris Johnson and Tennessee\u2019s Colton Hood are among the highest-ranked corners.<\/p>\n
Clemson\u2019s Avieon Terrell and South Carolina\u2019s Brandon Cisse are also part of a deep group, with Washington\u2019s Tacario Davis and Ohio State\u2019s Davison Igbinosun among the other notable names.<\/p>\n
Safety<\/p>\n
Safety is a clear need after letting Reed Blankenship walk. The team re-signed Marcus Epps as insurance and hopes Andrew Mukuba will return from injury and develop, but Roseman acknowledged the position is unsettled.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we go to camp, we\u2019re definitely not full at the safety position,\u201d he said. \u201cWe\u2019ll add players there just like we\u2019ll add players at other positions.\u201d<\/p>\n
That makes this one of the more direct matches between Roseman\u2019s public comments and the roster. If the Eagles attack the spot early or in the middle rounds, there will be no mystery why.<\/p>\n
Ohio State\u2019s Caleb Downs is widely viewed as the best safety in the class and one of the premier defenders in the draft. Oregon\u2019s Dillon Thieneman and Toledo\u2019s Emmanuel McNeil-Warren also sit near the top of the group.<\/p>\n
After that come players such as Pitt\u2019s Kyle Louis, LSU\u2019s A.J. Haulcy, Penn State\u2019s Zakee Wheatley and USC\u2019s Kamari Ramsey. It is a position with both top-end talent and useful depth.<\/p>\n
![\"Philadelphia](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Eagles-AJ-Brown-2025.jpg\")
Philadelphia Eagles receiver A.J. Brown walks off the field after a win over the Minnesota Vikings on Oct. 19, 2025, in Minneapolis. (Abby Parr\/AP)
\nA.J. Brown likely gone<\/p>\n
It isn\u2019t news that A.J. Brown will probably be traded after June 1 (most likely to the New England Patriots). Waiting until June cuts the Eagles\u2019 cap hit by $10 million. National insiders expect a future first-round pick to be included in return.<\/p>\n
When Roseman was asked directly, again, about Brown\u2019s future here, his response last week was telling:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat do you think the odds are that I\u2019m answering this question any differently than I\u2019ve answered anywhere else?\u201d he said. \u201cLike, really? Do you think that\u2019s 50 percent? Do you think that\u2019s 75 percent? \u2026 A.J. Brown is an Eagle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Would Roseman answer the same way about Jalen Hurts or Saquon Barkley?<\/p>\n
The Eagles may draft a receiver, but it would be surprising if they spend a high pick on one unless a prospect they highly value falls within reach. They\u2019ve already added Hollywood Brown, Elijah Moore and Dontayvion Wicks this offseason.<\/p>\n
Plus they have DeVonta Smith and they re-signed receiving tight end Dallas Goedert to another year. Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq would make an immediate impact this season and replace Goedert in the future, but he may be scooped up before the Eagles get a chance to draft him.<\/p>\n
The QB question<\/p>\n
The Eagles don\u2019t need a quarterback. Hurts is their starter, their leader and the face of the offense.<\/p>\n
But because this is Roseman, the question never fully dies.<\/p>\n
His history says not to dismiss the possibility out of hand. The clearest example, of course, came in 2020, when the Eagles drafted Hurts in the second round while Carson Wentz was the entrenched starter. Roseman has spent years arguing that strong depth charts should not keep a team from taking a player it truly believes in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf there\u2019s a player available at a position that we\u2019re strong at right now and we think he\u2019s going to be an elite player in the NFL, we\u2019re going to take that player,\u201d Roseman said.<\/p>\n
That does not make drafting a quarterback likely. It just makes it very Howie.<\/p>\n
\u2014<\/p>\n
Follow Christiaan DeFranco on X and Threads at @the_defranc.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PHILADELPHIA \u2014 The Eagles are built to win now, which makes their draft philosophy all the more interesting.…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":871921,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2068],"tags":[25,7,6,242,109,2476,9,5367],"class_list":{"0":"post-871920","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","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-top-stories-tmc"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/channels.im\/@nfl\/116448677585793282","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871920","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=871920"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/871920\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/871921"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=871920"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=871920"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=871920"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}