Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Sunday Draft Talk

Posted April 12th, 2026 | 3 Comments »

The draft is getting closer. Less than two weeks until we finally get to see Howie Roseman’s plan for the future. And that is the key word. The draft is about the future. The Eagles could go play a game next week with the players already in place. The draft is about finding the guys for 2027 and beyond. That isn’t to say the rookies won’t contribute. They absolutely need to. But the real focus is how they fit into future plans rather than this season.

That’s why OT is the likely first round pick. The Eagles are set for now, but need someone ready to take over for Lane Johnson in a year or two. You draft that guy now to get him ready. Lane was up and down as a rookie because he was forced to play right away. He developed into an elite player.

That is a great story from the esteemed Mr. Berman. The Eagles saw Lane’s long term potential and went with that. It worked out better than anyone could have hoped. Keep that in mind as we talk about this draft. OT Blake Miller has 54 starts and is a better player right now that Monroe Freeling or Max Iheanachor. But those guys have potential that he doesn’t. That’s why I think Howie would prefer one of them over the more polished Miller. All three could be good OTs. Miller just doesn’t have as high of a ceiling.

*****

Let’s talk about visits and player interest for a minute. They give us some overall hints, not just player specific. One of the keys is that the Eagles are preparing for different contingencies. We know they are heavily interested in an OT at 23. The team has also shown interest in Day 2 guys. If a player falls to 23 that the Eagles covet, they want the flexibility to grab him and then go find the OT later.

Who might that player be? Vega Ioane could be someone they love. He’s an absolute stud. Maybe edge rusher Keldric Faulk would be a guy they like. They could covet TE Kenyon Sadiq. None of us saw Jihaad Campbell falling the way he did and certainly none of us thought he would be a likely Eagles target. If someone of interest does fall, Howie wants to be prepared.

Howie could also trade back if a good enough offer comes up. I don’t see this as likely, but again…prepare for the unexpected. Maybe someone does fall in love with Ty Simpson. If you move back, you might not have your ideal OT choices so you need to know where you can still find help later on. Here are some of the other guys in consideration that we know of.

Travis Burke – 2nd/3rd
Caleb Tiernan – 2nd/3rd
Markel Bell – 3rd
Jude Lowry – 3rd

Those are my rankings. I’m sure others will have them different.

Buke is the meanest, nastiest OL in the draft. He is relentless and loves to finish his blocks. He puts a lot of guys on the ground.

Tiernan is big, like both Burke and Bell. He started for 3.5 years so he’s got a ton of experience. He isn’t Burke, but will finish guys when he’s got the chance. He doesn’t have ideal length so teams will have to decide if that is something they can live with.

Bell is probably the biggest OT in the class. He has great length and knows how to use his massive size.

Bowry is the little dude, at only 6-5, 314. He’s the most polished pass blocker of the bunch. He also will finish his blocks.

The Eagles should have good options at 23. If something changes, they can still find an OT on Day 2.

*****

Let’s shift gears and talk about WRs. The Eagles have shown real interest in Omar Cooper (first rounder) and Chris Bell (second rounder). After them, they are focused on speed.

Ted Hurts – 2nd/3rd round – 4.42
De’Zhaun Stribling – 3rd round – 4.36
Brenen Thompson – 3rd/4th round – 4.26
Caleb Douglas – 6th rounder – 4.39

The team signed Hollywood Brown to be their field stretcher for now. Jimmy Bama wrote a good piece on him and how he fits in this season. The Eagles want a speedster for the future. As with the OTs, they are checking out guys in different areas of the draft.

*****

Keep this in mind during the draft.

The Eagles have a good DL, but could still add to it.

They will add to the edge rusher group, unless they make a trade before the draft.

_

3 Comments on “Sunday Draft Talk”

  1. 1 Examining the Eagles’ new-look wide receiving corps – USA NEWS said at 7:33 AM on April 13th, 2026:

    […] will almost certainly select a wide receiver in the 2026 draft. It’s just a matter of where. My friend Tommy noted that the Eagles have paid some attention to guys like Indiana’s Omar Cooper (projected […]

  2. 2 Eagles News: Dontayvion Wicks has untapped potential - SportSourcio said at 2:01 PM on April 13th, 2026:

    […] Sunday Draft Talk – Iggles Blitz […]

  3. 3 Eagles News: Dontayvion Wicks has untapped potential - Philly Fan Radio said at 12:12 AM on April 14th, 2026:

    […] Sunday Draft Talk – Iggles BlitzThe draft is getting closer. Less than two weeks until we finally get to see Howie Roseman’s plan for the future. And that is the key word. The draft is about the future. The Eagles could go play a game next week with the players already in place. The draft is about finding the guys for 2027 and beyond. That isn’t to say the rookies won’t contribute. They absolutely need to. But the real focus is how they fit into future plans rather than this season. That’s why OT is the likely first round pick. The Eagles are set for now, but need someone ready to take over for Lane Johnson in a year or two. You draft that guy now to get him ready. Lane was up and down as a rookie because he was forced to play right away. He developed into an elite player. […]