Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Misc Draft Talk

Posted April 3rd, 2026 | 1 Comment »

There hasn’t been a whole lot of Eagles related draft news recently so let’s talk about a variety of things. We’ll start with some mock draft thoughts.

I look at mock drafts as thought experiments. What if this happened? What if the Eagles took that player? We know unexpected things happen so it isn’t ideal to shoot down every mock draft that you don’t like. A lot of the mocks I’ve seen have the Eagles taking an OL. That makes total sense. They need someone to be Lane Johnson’s replacement in the future. There is a good group of OTs in this class so this is the time to take one if you get a chance.

I’ve mentioned Georgia LT Monroe Freeling as one guy I could see Howie trading up for if the price was right.

I doubt the Eagles get a shot at him, but he could be a special player in a few years. He needs to get stronger. He needs experience. That stuff will come with time.

Other mocks have the Eagles taking a pass rusher. There is no question the Eagles need to add someone via the draft or a trade. We haven’t heard anything on the Jonathan Greenard front so it looks like the draft for now. While there is a need I don’t expect the Eagles to go for a pass rusher in the first round. This is about resources and economics. The defense has a lot of young talent because the team focused on that side in recent drafts. It feels like they need need to go offense to even things out. They won’t force the issue. The right player has to be available at 23.

The one mock draft that really got my attention had the Eagles going for DT Kayden McDonald. Huh? He’s a big, run-stuffing NT type. The Eagles already have Jordan Davis, who is a big, run-stuffing NT type. I didn’t get this pick at all. Adding a DT who can rush the passer…maybe. That still feels like it would be a poor use of resources.

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There is now a lot of talk about QB Ty Simpson sneaking into the first round. He’s not worth a high pick, but could make sense in the 20’s. If a team like the Browns or Jets wants to go get him, they could talk to the Eagles about a trade. Howie might not want to move back, but if the offer is right it could make a lot of sense.

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A lot of people are critical of this draft class. I don’t get that at all. The top of the class is weak. This isn’t the year you want a Top 10 pick. But the more I watch of the overall class, the more I like it.

The Eagles would like to add a guard at some point. I think Keylan Rutledge from Georgia Tech would be great, but there is now talk that he could be a Top 50 pick. There are some mid-round guys I like. Beau Stephens from Iowa is tenacious. He’s got good size at 6-5, 315. He is a grinder who I think would be a good fit in the new offense.

I really enjoyed watching him play.

Brian Parker played RT for Duke, but doesn’t have the footwork for that spot in the NFL. Teams want him as a center or guard. Parker is 6-5, 309. He went to the Shrine Game and looked right at home playing as a center. He might remind you of a poor man’s Gray Zabel. He moved from OT to RG and helped Seattle win the Super Bowl as a rookie. Zabel went in the first round. Parker isn’t that good, but could be a good starter in the NFL.

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The Eagles brought DB Jalon Kilgore to Philly for a visit. I can see why they like him. Kilgore has safety size at 6-1, 210, but has corner speed. He ran a 4.40 at the Combine. He has played in the slot quite a bit. I think that would just make the Eagles like him more. They value versatile DBs. Drew Mukuba played nickel for a lot of his college career.

I think he could sneak into the second round.

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Another prospect the Eagles brought to Philly is TE Nate Boerkircher. He only caught 38 career passes, but that was due to the teams he played on and not his ability.

Boerkircher can block and catch. He is a good athlete. Boerkircher is the kind of TE that you would want to replace Dallas Goedert long term.

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Jalen Hurts is…Human

Posted April 1st, 2026 | 3 Comments »

Quarterback is the most important position in sports. If you have the right guy, you have a chance to win every year. If you don’t have a good quarterback, you are lost in the wilderness. See the New York Jets for example. Because the position is so important it brings a lot of attention and a lot of scrutiny. Lamar Jackson wins MVP and still has his share of critics. Josh Allen does amazing things and still gets criticism for not winning big games. Terry Bradshaw won four Super Bowls and had people questioning him. As long as there have been QBs, there have been QB critics.

ESPN wrote a story on Jalen Hurts that went into some of his issues over the past two seasons. Some will see this as a hit piece. I wouldn’t go that far. It certainly leans negative, but does point out Hurts success and the challenging circumstances he’s had to deal with.

Here is a key paragraph.

He (Hurts) has pushed back on changes that would diversify the scheme, sources said, including when it comes to him going under center more. He has shown a reluctance to let it rip at times, particularly against zone coverage. He diverts from the game plan and changes playcalls to what some feel is an excessive degree. His strong preferences, coupled with the coaches’ efforts to play to his strengths, which include his deep-ball accuracy and throws to the perimeter, limit the breadth to which the offense can expand — or at least that’s the way it has gone in the past.

All QBs have preferences. They like doing things their way. Hurts calling plays he prefers is hardly groundbreaking news or something that only he does. The results kind of skew the story. If those plays work, Hurts is seen as having a feel for the game and being clutch. When the plays don’t work he’s hard to coach.

Jalen Hurts has played in two Super Bowls and he won one of them. He’s been nothing but a winner since coming to Philly. That doesn’t mean he’s immune to criticism. There are plenty of things he could do differently or better. When the Eagles win big, Hurts can point to that. When the team is less successful, especially the offense, the spotlight is on Hurts. Did he do enough for the team to win? The answer in too many games last season was no.

No one is asking Hurts to suddenly turn into Joe Montana. But he does need to be more consistent. Good Hurts can be really good. Then there are times when his accuracy is off or he bails too quickly from the pocket and throws the ball away. Hurts is good at making big plays. He needs to get better at moving the chains more consistently. The Eagles offense really struggled with 3 & outs last year.

In the past the run game set the offense up with favorable situations. That made things easier on the passing game. Because of the OL struggles last season the run game was a mess. That put pressure on Hurts to deliver as a passer. He didn’t handle that well. If you are going to be one of the best QBs in the league, you need to be able to step up when other parts of the offense aren’t at their best.

This season will be interesting for Hurts and the Eagles. If the OL is healthy and plays better, the run game should thrive. It might not be 2024 good, but should be near the top of the league. That will help Hurts in a big way. He will be learning a new offense and dealing with a new offensive coordinator. A lot of QBs have thrived in this offense. If Hurts fully buys in, it could help to bring out the best in him. If Hurts has issues with Sean Mannion and struggles, it will only add to the negative narratives about him.

Nick Sirianni says Hurts biggest strength is his willingness to do whatever it takes to win. Let’s hope Hurts sees the new staff and new offense as ways to help him and the team get back to the top. We might have some new narratives emerge. Or maybe a third Lombardi Trophy.

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The Eagles signed LB Chandler Martin this week. He was on the Ravens practice squad last season. Martin lacks ideal size at 6-0, 229, but he is a terrific athlete. The Eagles had interest in him coming out of college, but he went to Baltimore. Martin is depth and competition for the LBs.

You can see why the Eagles like Martin. His athleticism really jumps out. Interesting developmental prospect.

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Jeffrey Lurie spoke to the media on Tuesday. I don’t think he said anything too significant.

Lurie was asked about the stadium situation. He said the organization is studying other stadium projects, in the US and abroad. The goal is to come up with the best plan to deliver the best fan experience possible. Lurie said the team had an open mind in regard to everything. They could renovate Lincoln Financial Field. They could build a new stadium.

I thought Lurie’s comments on Nick Sirianni were interesting. He spoke very highly of his coach, focusing on all the success Sirianni has had. At the end of the day, that’s the key for coaches. Just win baby. Nick has the same number of Super Bowl wins as Sean McVay, Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh and other highly regarded coaches. Sirianni isn’t as polished or slick as some others. He wins more games than press conferences. He can be stubborn with his support of his players and coaches, but that means a lot to them and is part of the reason he rates highly on surveys.

In a down season, the Eagles still won 11 games and the NFC East. I can remember the days when that was a great season. Both Sirianni and Hurts have become victims of their own success. The standard is now higher than ever.

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