Exploring scenarios for the Eagles in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft

Six teams, including Eagles NFC East rivals Dallas and New York, have two picks. That’s about one-fifth of the league. Expect a decent number of trades as teams will attempt to package picks.

Also, many of the top prospects in this year’s draft, which is considered short on superstar talent, play positions that most teams don’t traditionally value. 

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love, Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, Ohio State LBs Arvell Reese, Penn State OG Vega Ioane and Ohio State S Caleb Downs are some of the cleanest prospects in this year’s draft, according to several NFL scouts we asked to size up this year’s draft. But they don’t play premier positions, so it’s anyone’s guess where they get selected.

The Eagles are slated to pick 23rd overall. They have hit on their last six first-round picks – LB Jihaad Campbell (2025), CB Quinyon Mitchell (2024), DT Jalen Carter and EDGE Nolan Smith Jr. (2023), DT Jordan Davis (2022) and DeVonta Smith (2021). Five of those six were starters on the 2024 Super Bowl team. Campbell is expected to start this season.

Howie Roseman is known for first-round trades; he has moved up either one or two spots for four of his last picks. 

Let’s preview some of the scenarios that could unfold Thursday night:

Most ideal pick

The most ideal situation would be an elite talent tumbling to 23 – a prospect like Utah G/T Spencer Fano, Oregon TE Kenyon Sadiq, Miami EDGE Rueben Bain Jr. or Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson. But that’s unlikely to happen. I think the Eagles would love to see Georgia OT Monroe Freeling still around at 23, a more realistic scenario. If he’s there, I think Roseman speed-dials in the pick. Freeling would be the successor to Lane Johnson in 2027.

Safest pick

This bottom-half first-round prospects are loaded with question marks. But if one of Oregon S Dillion Thienemen or Toledo S Emmanuel McNeil-Warren are there at 23, either would be a perfect fit for Vic Fangio’s scheme. These prospects are more pro ready and polished than some of the OTs and EDGEs that should also be around at that slot. The Eagles badly need a safety but’s it’s not a position they value, so while it’s the safest pick – no pun intended – it probably wouldn’t be the pick. 

Thienemen can fly, by the way:

Riskiest pick

Texas A&M WR KC Concepcion is explosive as a pass catcher and punt returner. The kid can fly and run any kind of route. He’s not a natural X receiver but he’d still be plenty good enough to help fill the void of an inevitable A.J. Brown trade. But the scouts we spoke to are concerned about his habit of bad drops and some immaturity. The talent isn’t an issue.

Likewise, Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor offers major boom-bust potential. He has ideal size (6-6, 321) and freakish athleticism but played soccer and basketball growing up in high school, not football. He’s about as raw as a first-round prospect can be, but the traits and upside are hard to ignore. 

Most fun pick, unrealistic

There’s just no way Oregon TE Keyon Sadiq falls to 23 – or is there? Not many predicted in 2024 that nobody would take a cornerback until the 22nd pick, where the Eagles took Quinyon Mitchell out of Oregon. Rare is the draft when the first corner is taken outside the top-20. Tight end isn’t nearly as coveted of a position as corner, so maybe there’s a chance? He’d be a boatload of fun to watch in the new Eagles offense.

Most fun pick, realistic 

Indiana WR Omar Cooper Jr. is a bulldog. He just competes his rear end off. The only thing not to love about Cooper Jr. is his 5-foot-9 frame, but as far as being a “Philly guy” that Eagles fans would love, he’s that dude. New OC Sean Mannion could get himself a Deebo Samuel-like moveable piece who can line up all over and maybe even steal a few carries from the RBs. And perhaps he could help the crossover Eagles-Penn State fan get over this:

Most realistic trade up

As noted, Roseman isn’t afraid to move up in the draft. He’s also moved down before. It’s not likely he’d move up more a few spots because the cost would be greater to get above the top 20. The most logical move-up scenario is going up a spot or two for either Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor or Clemson OT Blake Miller. Both have some question marks – Proctor’s weight/conditioning and Miller’s pass pro – but the upside is worth the move. Proctor can dunk a basketball, and while he learns behind Lane Johnson, perhaps he could help revitalize the Tush Push – as a ball carrier?

Most realistic trade down

Picking after the Eagles at 24th are the Browns. It’s always fun to pick one spot ahead of the Browns because the Browns always need a quarterback, so other QB-needy teams look to jump into the spot before the Browns pick. That could be the Eagles this year. If some team wants to trade back into the first round for Ty Simpson, the Eagles could get a future first-round pick to move out. Or the Eagles could drop back a few spots and pick up more ammo for this draft if there’s a team picking at the bottom end of the first round that’s looking to move ahead of Cleveland. The best trade-down options would be San Diego State CB Chris Johnson, Arizona State OT Max Iheanachor, or Clemson EDGE T.J. Parker.  

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Follow Geoff on Twitter/X: @geoffpmosher