Iggles Blitz

by Tommy Lawlor

Freeling a Draft

Posted April 18th, 2026 | 1 Comment »

Howie Roseman isn’t afraid to trade up in the draft. He focuses on finding the best players he can and is willing to pay the price to get them. He’s aggressive, but isn’t reckless. Don’t risk losing a player you covet. Do make sure the price is right.

He wasn’t willing to pay the price in 2020 when the team had interest in CeeDee Lamb. They settled for Jalen Reagor. Ugh. He did move up to secure Jalen Carter, Cooper DeJean and several other key Eagles. If you feel strongly about a player, be aggressive. Howie has also traded down quite a bit. If the board doesn’t fall your way, move back. Be smart with your resources.

Let’s talk about some guys he could move up for on Thursday night. I only see three players who are likely trade up targets.

OT Monroe Freeling
OT Kadyn Proctor
OG Vega Ioane

All three have very high ceilings and could be special players.

Monroe Freeling is 6-7, 315. He ran 4.93 at the Combine. More importantly his 10-yard split was 1.71. That is exceptional for a man his size. Lane Johnson was 6-6, 308 and had a 10-yard split of 1.68. That hopefully provides some context for Freeling as a special athlete. I think he has the best footwork in the draft. He moves with an ease you just don’t see very often. Footwork is key to OT success. Freeling isn’t just an athlete. Put on the tape and you see a tough, physical blocker. He has long arms and big hands and knows how to use them. I think Freeling has the highest ceiling of any OL in the draft. He could be special.

There are some questions people bring up so let’s go over them.

He played LT in college. The Eagles want him at RT. Is that an issue? Guess what position Lane Johnson played in college. LT. He made the transition just fine. Guys with special talent can usually handle things like this. Andre Dillard was totally lost when the Eagles put him at RT. But he was also kinda lost at LT, where he had a ton of experience. Freeling moves with such ease that I think switching sides wouldn’t be an issue.

Are you worried about his lack of experience? No. He went to UGA, a football factory. He sat behind good players and waited for his time. Freeling started the final 5 games in 2024 and then 13 games in 2025. That’s not ideal, but it is very different that a one-year starter from Boise State or Toledo. Freeling got good coaching for three years. He practiced against NFL talent for three years. He also played against elite talent on the field and played at a high-level.

He lacks ideal strength. Is that something to worry about? No. Brian Baldinger talked to Lane Johnson a few years back and asked him when he thought he had the core strength he needed for the NFL. Lane said that came in his second season. He was young when drafted and so is Freeling (only 21). It can take some time to get your complete body ready for life in the NFL.

He struggled in his Combine workout. What about that? Freeling was slipping and sliding. I don’t know if he had an issue with his shoes or was simply trying to do too much. When you see something at the Combine that is different than what’s on tape, you go back to the tape to see if you missed something. Game tape is always the key. That’s football, not a workout in shorts. Freeling’s game tape still shows me an incredibly talented player who could develop into something special.

Trading up means losing a pick or picks. Is that a good idea? The Eagles aren’t jumping up to #6 overall or anything crazy. The situation has to be right. We know there will be a run on OTs at some point, but there are quite a few of them. Spencer Fano and Francis Mauigoa are expected to be the first two to go. Things open up after that. A team that is trying to win right now may be scared of Freeling as having to start right away. They could prefer Caleb Lomu or even Blake Miller. Proctor is the biggest wild card. He could sneak into the Top 10 or still be on the board at 23. This is going to be a weird first round due to all the uncertainty. Teams in the teens are looking to move back according to most insiders. The thinking is that it won’t cost as much as usual to move up because of that. If the price is right, make the deal. I certainly wouldn’t give up a king’s ransom for Freeling. The deal has to make sense.

Is he a boom or bust type? I don’t see that at all. He absolutely has Pro Bowl potential. He could become something even more than that. I think the low side for him would be like Kolton Miller, an OT who struggled for a few years before settling in and becoming good. I can’t stress enough that Freeling does things with an ease that makes them look natural. Guys like that don’t tend to bust. I also think facing top athletes in college (practice and games) will help him be ready for the guys he’ll face in the NFL. He shouldn’t be overwhelmed.

Here is Freeling in action.

Some of you aren’t going to like Freeling. You won’t see the same things I do. Some will just hate the idea of trading up. That’s absolutely fine. The beauty of the draft is that we all have opinions but won’t know who is right for a few years.

Howie loves to target young players who have critical traits and high end potential. I think Freeling checks all those boxes. Go get him if he lasts long enough that the price is reasonable.

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OT Kadyn Proctor could also be a target. He’s 6-7, 352 and has good feet. The knock on Proctor is that he got up in the 380 to 390 range this season and didn’t play to his full potential. Put on his tape against little R Mason Thomas and you’ll see some issues. Proctor got in shape for the Combine and looked great. If his NFL team can keep the weight down, he could be a very good OT. I don’t think he’s got the same ceiling as Freeling, but he is unique due to his combination of size and footwork.

Some think Proctor could be a dominant OG. If the Eagles took him, they could have him compete for the RG job as a rookie and then move to RT whenver Lane retires.

Proctor will likely go in the teens. A month ago there was some thought he might make it to 23, but that seems less likely. If Freeling goes first, Proctor could become the apple of Howie’s eye.

Wow.

Proctor is the unicorn in this OL class because of his size and skills. Bama used him on trick plays as a runner/receiver. That’s nuts. He can get good movement in the run game. He’s a good pass protector. If you can keep him locked in, Proctor could become a stud OL and dominant type of player.

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Vega Ioane is the highest graded OL in the draft. He will go somewhere in the 11-23 range because he’s a guard and not a tackle. Ioane is 6-4, 320. He’s strong, powerful and athletic. Penn State used him creatively to take advantage of his skill set. He can move guys off the ball in the run game or lock them up in pass pro. Daniel Jeremiah talks about how discouraged DL look when Ioane gets his hands on them cleanly. DL just give up. They aren’t going to win. Ioane has heavy hands. When he hits guys, they feel it. He has quick feet. He anchors well in pass pro. He can pull and block on the move. He is a complete OG.

Ioane is also a high character guy. He is the type of player you absolutely love, on and off the field. The Eagles could take him and go get an OT on Day 2. Ioane would compete for the RG job right away. He’s a plug ‘n play type of prospect.

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The only other players who make possible sense could be a pair of pass rushers.

Keldric Faulk has great size at 6-6, 276. He is a really good athlete and disruptive player. But he only had 2 sacks last year. Some of his best production in the past came when he slid inside and rushed up the middle. Still, his combination of size and athleticism is intriguing. He is a plus run defender and has untapped potential as a pass rusher. He has 35-inch arms so he can keep blockers off him.

Faulk hasn’t even turned 21 so there is a lot of upside with him. Lots of mixed opinions on Faulk, but his size/speed combo is impressive and gives him a chance to develop into a disruptive NFL pass rusher.

Ahkeem Mesidor is another polarizing player. He is 6-3, 259 and a productive, disruptive pass rusher. He’s also 25 years old. Mesidor doesn’t have a lot of upside because of that. But he feels like a guy you could put on the field right away and get good results. He is fast, physical and relentless in pursuit of the ball. His tape is a fun watch because he plays so hard and always seems to be making something happen. He can rush off the edge or as a DT. He is a good run defender. Mesidor can even drop into coverage. He missed most of 2023 with some foot issues so the medical reports will be key. He played 28 games over the next two seasons so he might be fine.

DL coach Clint Hurtt was at his Pro Day so the Eagles have shown some interest. Because of his size and play style the guy he reminds me of is…Brandon Graham.

I think the Eagles are really focused on adding offense in the first round so I don’t think moving up for a defender is likely. Howie has been know to surprise us so I went ahead and covered them. Some will wonder about TE Kenyon Sadiq. I am sure the Eagles like him. I struggle with the idea of them trading up in the first round to draft a TE. You can argue he’s more of an offensive weapon than just a TE. I can see the Eagles taking him at 23, but a move up feels highly unlikely to me.

Howie could throw us a curve ball and go get someone we didn’t expect. As I look at the Top 20 or so guys I just don’t see a lot of realistic targets. Then again, no one expected Jihaad Campbell to fall as far as he did last year. The mysterious nature of the draft is part of the fun.

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Finding An Edge

Posted April 17th, 2026 | Comments Off on Finding An Edge

Yesterday we talked about QBs. Today let’s focus on the guys who are supposed to go kill the QB, the pass rushers. When the Panthers overpaid for Jaelan Phillips it left the Eagles with a big hole in their defense. Maybe Jalyx Hunt is ready to step up and fill that spot. Nolan Smith should be healthy this year and his play should improve. Arnold Ebiketie and Joe Tryon-Shoyinka could be good role players. Still, you can never have enough pass rushers. The Eagles will take on in the draft. We just don’t know who and how early.

You would think they want a big guy to replace Phillips (6-5, 265), but those guys can be hard to find so the team is looking at a variety of rushers. Let’s talk about some players they have shown interest in.

TJ Parker could go in the first or early second round. DL coach Clint Hurtt went to his Pro Day. He has good size at 6-4, 263. Clemson used him in a variety of alignments, not all favorable to Parker. He lined up more directly over the OT or even OG than most edge guys. Parker is physical enough to do that, but you aren’t going to be as disruptive there. When they let him align wide, he showed he could fly off the edge and dip by OTs to pressure the QB. He did drop into coverage at times and looked okay. I’m sure the Eagles love his physicality. He has a good speed-to-power move that knocks OTs back. He can set the edge and is a good run defender.

If there is an insane run on OTs before 23, Parker is an option. The Eagles could also move back and see if he’s available a few picks later. I’m sure they love his versatility, physicality and athleticism.

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Dani Dennis-Sutton is a tough evaluation. His raw tools tell you he should go in the first round. His game tape is inconsistent and will make him a Day 2 pick. He has terrific size at 6-6, 256 and he’s got long arms. He runs 4.63 and had a vertical of 39.5 inches. His 3-cone time was an insane 6.90. That’s a rare combination of size and athleticism. You see that at times on the tape and can fall in love with the guy. But then he’ll disappear for a while. He gets stuck on blocks more than he should. One of my biggest issues is that I don’t think he consistently plays with a sense of urgency. The best pass rushers normally have that. He will hustle and chase the ball, so he’s not taking plays off. DDS just isn’t relentless. He has good competitive spirit. He worked out at the Combine, went to the Senior Bowl and played in Penn State’s bowl game when plenty of other prospects around the nation opted out. He’s good on STs, leading the nation with 3 blocked kicks. His versatility is a plus. He lined up at DE, DT and was good when dropping into coverage. He had an INT last year. There is a lot to like.

The Eagles brought him in for a visit so we know they have some interest. If they think Hurtt and Jeremiah Washburn can unlock his potential, you take DDS at 54. If you feel less certain, you see if he’s available in the third round. I do think he’s got tremendous upside.

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R Mason Thomas is undersized at 6-2, 241. His arms are just over 31.5 inches, which isn’t ideal. He’s not special athletically. But he’s got a real chance to be a second round pick. Why? He is a relentless pass rusher who plays with a chip on his shoulder. He’s convinced he’s the biggest, badded MF’er on the field. Watch him go against Kadyn Proctor. RMT won that battle. 241 vs 380 should favor the big dude. It didn’t. He is way more physical than you expect. He plays with legit power. I can’t recall a guy his size knocking OTs backward this much. Really impressive. He is a good run defender. He racked up 15.5 sacks and 4 FFs over the past two seasons. He also had 22 TFLs. He is disruptive. RMT might get blocked, but he won’t stay blocked. Chases the ball all over the field. Ran down a RB in the Auburn game 45 yards down the field. That kind of effort is what you want in an edge rusher.

The RT for Auburn is still probably having nightmares about RMT. Will he last to pick 54? If he does, I’d be just fine with the Eagles taking him. The Eagles had a zoom meeting with him. He’s not even 22 so there is still room for him to develop physically and as a player.

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Derrick Moore is a bigger edge at 6-4, 255. He is a tough, physical player. He loves to power rush and drive OTs into the backfield. Moore is athletic enough to get by OTs as well. He had 10.5 TFLs, 10 sacks and 2 FF last year. You love that kind of production. Team captain. Good run defender, disruptive pass rusher. Has a good motor. Moore had a good showing at the Senior Bowl, which is something the Eagles value.

The Eagles met with Moore at the Combine. They are bound to love his size, physicality and motor. His pass rush game needs to be refined, but there is definite potential. Would be good value in the third round.

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Romello Height was part of Texas Tech’s highly productive and disruptive DL. They were the best in the country. Height had 10 sacks and 2 FFs last year so he can get to the QB and make plays. He is smaller at just 6-2, 239. He’s got the Nolan Smith build. Height is a really good athlete. He can win with a variety of moves. He can fire off the edge. He’s got a wicked spin move. He’ll used speed to power. If the OT oversets he can shoot inside. Plenty of guys have these moves, but Height can win with them. That’s a big difference. Solid run defender who doesn’t play small.

He’s another player the Eagles brought to Philly.. He doesn’t have the size they prefer, but Height can get to the QB and that’s ultimately what matters. I have him rated as a third round pick. Height is already 25 and that is part of the reason he’s this low.

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This is just a small sample size of guys the Eagles are looking at. This is a deep class of edge rushers. There will be options on all three days of the draft. The Eagles could still make a deal for Jonathan Greenard. Things have been quiet, but there is some expectation he could be dealt next week (no idea of what team is most likely). You have to give up a pick for him and then redo his contract so this is far from a no-brainer, but it is a legit option for a proven pass rusher.

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