Draft Thoughts

Posted: April 20th, 2025 | Author: | Filed under: Philadelphia Eagles | Comments Off on Draft Thoughts

The draft is only a few days away. A lot of teams are trying to figure out which QB to take and when to take them. The Eagles have that under control. They just have to sit back and wait to see who is going to be available toward the end of the first round. I don’t have a good feel for what the Eagles are going to do. This is going to be an odd first round because of the way some positions are so stacked and others are so lean. The Eagles just have to be patient and see what their options are. Thursday will be a long night with the Eagles at 32, but it will be interestinig to see how things play out in front of them.

Here are some random draft thoughts.

I’m not in love with any player at 32. The guy I would probably want more than any other is OL Gray Zabel from North Dakota State. He was the LT for the Bison, but played G and C at the Senior Bowl. He is a terrific blocker and could challenge for the RG spot immediately. He also would be a great cultural fit. Zabel had NIL offers to leave NDSU, but chose to stay out of loyalty. I can see Nick Sirianni loving this guy.

Most people think he’ll be gone by 32. If he is available, I could see Howie Roseman taking him. Heck, I could see Howie considering a trade-up to get him if the price is reasonable.

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One of the key things in regard to the first round is focusing on players over positions. Which players do you covet? You are looking for someone who can be a difference-maker on the field and a strong fit off the field. The first round pick will hopefully be with the team for 5 to 10 years. Don’t obsess on what the 2025 Eagles need. Think about how the player can help the Eagles from 2025-2034. Is that the kind of player you’re getting?

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One player I’m hoping the Eagles don’t draft is edge rusher James Pearce from Tennessee. He is 6-5, 245 and a talented pass rusher. He had 17.5 sacks over the past two seasons. Pearce ran 4.47 at the Combine. There is a lot to like. I just didn’t love Pearce on tape. He isn’t as physical as I think edge rushers need to be, especially in Vic Fangio’s scheme. He wasn’t as consistently disruptive as it felt like he should have been based on his talent. There are also some reports of character concerns. Pearce might turn out to be a great pro, but he doesn’t feel like an Eagles player to me.

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The Eagles need to add a safety in the draft. Most of the focus is them going for Malaki Starks in the first round. If they take him, I’m fine with that. He is a good player. The Eagles don’t need to force things. There are other options.

Billy Bowman from Oklahoma will go on Day 2. He’s not the biggest guy, but is a good playmaker and solid tackler. I love the way he flies around the field. He might remind you of a more polished Sydney Brown.

Penn State has a pair of prospects. Kevin Winston is the better player, but he’s coming off a knee injury. I really enjoyed watching him in 2023. He only had 1 career INT so that’s not ideal. Jaylen Reed was an excellent playmaker for the Nittany Lions in 2024. He is a high energy, athletic player. Reed is fiery and might remind you at times of CJGJ. Reed’s biggest issue is that he can be a sloppy tackler. He grabs too often instead of wrapping up his targets.

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I don’t think the Eagles should take a WR early, but would be fine with them taking one on Day 3. Isaac TeSlaa from Arkansas is an interesting guy. He is 6-4, 214 and ran 4.43. TeSlaa was good at the Senior Bowl and the Combine. He only played at Arkansas for two years after transferring from Hillsdale. TeSlaa only caught 62 passes for Arkansas, but that is a selling point for me. The Eagles need receivers that can handle minimal targets. Most guys come in after being a workhorse receiver in college. TeSlaa has NFL ability. He could develop into a part of a good WR corps.

TeSlaa is a great athlete. He feels like the kind of WR you take a chance on when Day 3 rolls around.

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Harold Fannin is a TE prospect from Bowling Green. He caught 117 passes last season and played like a star TE. Fannin is only 6-3, 241 so he’s a guy that you flex out and play in space. He did some good things at the Senior Bowl and Combine. Most people think Fannin could go in the second round.

I’m not a fan of him as an Eagles target. I love the player, just not the fit. The Eagles have a couple of smaller TEs in Grant Calcaterra and Kylen Granson. They don’t need to add a similar player. And Fannin is a volume receiver. He is used to getting 8 to 10 targets a game. That just wouldn’t happen in Philly.

The Eagles might feel different and draft him. I would prefer a TE who is bigger and can contribute more as a blocker. The Eagles did hire Scott Loeffler as QBs coach. He was the head coach at Bowling Green the past few years so there is a strong connection to Fannin.

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