Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Draft Talk

Posted March 22nd, 2026 | 3 Comments »

This is going to be an important draft for the Eagles. With so many high priced stars in the lineup there is a real need to find cheap talent. They will need some of these picks to be ready to contribute right away.

One of the keys remains the AJ Brown situation. If he is going to be dealt, the team needs to add WR. The top options left in free agency are Jauan Jennings, Stefon Diggs and Deebo Samuel. Not exactly ideal choices.

Jennings isn’t speedy and doesn’t create much separation. He does have good size and is a physical player. He’s an outstanding blocker and should have a good feel for the new scheme. He makes some sense, but only if the price is right. It seems like he and his agent want more money than anyone is willing to pay. Diggs is coming off a really productive season. He is 33 and has some legal issues that could result in a suspension. As for Deebo, he’s just slow. He averaged just 10.1 yards per reception last season. Part of that is due to the way Washington used him, but that is still a bad number.

If the Eagles sign a free agent to start alongside DeVonta Smith, they don’t need to take a WR early. They can take someone in the third or fourth round, where there will still be some good options. If they don’t add a WR before the draft, they may feel the need to get a receiver in the first or second round. Omar Cooper from Indiana is the player that makes the most sense. He has a medium build at 6-0, 199. He ran 4.42 at the Combine so he’s got good speed. He can play in the slot or outside. Cooper has really good hands (see the end of the Penn State game…ugh). He’s tough to tackle and has good RAC ability. The big question is whether he gets to pick 23.

Cooper isn’t dynamic, but would be a good fit in the new offense.

If the Eagles prefer a bigger receiver, Denzel Boston from Washington could make sense. He’s 6-4, 210. He isn’t a speed guy. Didn’t run at the Combine or his Pro
Day, likely because he knew he’d post a 4.60 or something in that range. The lack of top speed isn’t a huge concern because of his size and the way he plays.

You can see he’s able to get open and create separation with quickness and good route-running. He has great hands and makes some impressive catches. He would be a good replacement for AJ in terms of size and the ability to make contested catches. He would also be a good red zone threat.

There is a wild card to consider. Jordyn Tyson from Arizona State was projected to go Top 15, possibly in the Top 10. He had a great season and his tape is very impressive. The problem with Tyson is that he’s got an injury history to factor in. Compounding matters, Tyson didn’t work out at the Combine or his Pro Day. He said he’s still dealing with a hamstring injury that goes back a while. This is causing teams to wonder if he’s worth taking early. The talent is there, but can you rely on him? No idea what Howie thinks of Tyson, but if he’s available at 23 you at least need to have a discussion about him.

This is a good receiver class so there will be good options in the second and even the third round. I’d be shocked if the team didn’t take a WR in the first four rounds.

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30 Visits

OG Vega Ioane – Penn State
OT Drew Shelton- Penn State
WR Omar Cooper – Indiana

ED Dani Dennis-Sutton – Penn State
S Jalen Kilgore – South Carolina

Ioane is a special player so it is no surprise the Eagles have interest in him. It is doubtful he falls to 23. Daniel Jeremiah said recently that the GMs he’s talking to in the 15 to 20 range would love to trade back. Howie could swing a deal if that’s a player he really covets.

Dani Dennis-Sutton is the visit that got me excited. If the Eagles want an edge rusher with size to replace Jaelan Phillips, DDS is your guy. He is 6-6, 256 and an explosive athlete. He can line up outside or over the guard. He can drop into coverage. I think DDS would be a great fit in this scheme. He is considered a second or third round prospect. I would have no problem with the Eagles grabbing him in the second.

I would love to see that guy wearing midnight green.

I won’t get into all the Combine meetings. It can be hard to tell how important they are. Here are some misc notes on meetings and player interest.

OT Kadyn Proctor from Alabama said the Eagles showed a lot of interest in him when he met them at the Combine. Players can be a bad source of information, but it does make sense. He has special potential. Procotor is 6-7, 352. He moved around like a dancing bear at the Combine. He got in good shape and was really impressive. His game tape is inconsistent, but he’s got the potential to be a dominant OL. I could easily see Howie coveting him.

Guys that big aren’t supposed to move like that.

The Eagles had a zoom meeting with CB Keith Abney from Arizona State. He is likely to be a second round pick. Abney is a good corner who excels at breaking on the ball. He had 5 INTs and 21 PDs over the past two seasons. He would be a good fit in Vic Fangio’s scheme.

Oklahoma WR Deion Burks met with the team at the Combine. He said they had a great conversation and that he met several people from the organization. I don’t know if that qualifies as anything special, but figured I would mention it.

Not all meetings are created equal.

Hausmann has an interesting story. He was diagnosed as bipolar during his senior year. He didn’t always follow the routine his doctors had laid out and that led to a wild couple of months. He quit the UM football team. He flew to Uganda wanting to help his home country. He came back shortly after that and decided that joining the air force was a good idea. He was traveling to Oregon to pursue that idea and got into a car accident. His parents were finally told about his bipolar disorder. Between them and the doctors they were able to finally get him to deal with the situation. He’s now been following a good routine for about 3 months and wants to play in the NFL.

Hausman has legit talent. He is a tough, physical LB. He is a good tackler. He takes good angles to the ball and has some real pop when he hits. He was a team captain at Michigan (after transferring from Nebraska). If you want a physical LB with leadership skills to replace Nakobe Dean, Hausmann would make a lot of sense. Teams just have to decide if they are comfortable with his situation. Here is a long story breaking down everything. Very interesting and highly frustrating. Hopefully the young man is able to have a pro career and good life.

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Safety Dance

Posted March 20th, 2026 | 2 Comments »

The Eagles had a busy Friday afternoon. Interestingly it was all at one position. They finally addressed the safety position.

That’s not much of a surprise. Brown has been good on STs, but he’s been disappointing on defense. He is too aggressive, which ties in to him being good on STs. That’s one unit where you want guys who will run through a brick wall. He still has potential. Maybe Atlanta will bring out the best in him,

That was just one move.

I’m glad Epps is back. I though he played pretty well last year when he filled in for Drew Mukuba. Epps know the scheme and the team. He’s a guy you wanted back. I’m surprised it took this long. Vic Fangio seems to trust him and that’s critical in this defense. I would pencil him in as the starter beside Mukuba, depending on what goes on with Michael Carter, There has been some talk that Carter could move to safety, but I think they’ll leave him at corner for now.

Who is JT Gray? He will be listed as a safety, but he’s really a STs player. And a darn good one. He has been an all pro on STs three different times. He will fill the void left by Brown. The Eagles found out how good he was in 2024 when Gray blocked a punt against them.

The Eagles got better on Friday.

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One thing to keep in mind when the team signs guys to one-year deals is that this isn’t just about the 53-man roster. There is also the practice squad. Think about RB Dameon Pierce. He was really impressive in 2022, but has struggled since then. The Texans OL struggled as well so factor that in. Pierce is insurance in case Tank Bigsby or Will Shipley gets hurt. If he has a great Training Camp, maybe he pushes for a roster spot. He also could be a good fit on the practice squad.

The same could be true for TE Stone Smartt. He has a chance to win a roster spot because he’s a good STer nad that has real value with you backups.

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Chuck Norris died on Friday. I didn’t like Norris when I was a kid. He fought Bruce Lee in Way of the Dragon and I couldn’t like anyone who went up against Bruce. I changed my mind in 1983 when I saw Lone Wolf McQuade. I’m not saying it is the greatest movie of all time, but it makes Citizen Kane look like a student film.

I’ve shared this clip before, but it is a must as we honor Chuck.

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