The 2024 NFL Draft is here!
Do you want to know who might be the newest Eagle? NFL analysts and draft experts from various national outlets make their final projections for who could be headed to Philadelphia in the first two rounds.
The Eagles have eight picks in this year's draft – here is the order:
Round 1 – No. 22 overall
Round 2 – No. 50 overall (from NO)
Round 2 – No. 53 overall
Round 4 – No. 120 overall (from PIT)
Round 5 – No. 161 overall (from TB)
Round 5 – No. 171 overall (Compensatory Pick)
Round 5 – No. 172 overall (Compensatory Pick)
Round 6 – No. 210 overall (Compensatory Pick)
Here is what the draft experts had to say:
Round 1
Terrion Arnold, CB (Alabama)
Damian Parson (The Draft Network) – "James Bradberry did not have a good 2023 in the Eagles secondary. Darius Slay isn't getting any younger. Despite solid moments from rookie Kelee Ringo, adding talent is a must. Terrion Arnold is a coverage-versatile CB and one of the best, most fluid movers at the position. His twitch and toughness will be welcomed in Philadelphia."
Jordan Reid (ESPN) – "The Eagles are good at forecasting future needs and getting ahead of them. They haven't drafted a cornerback in the first round since 2002 (Lito Sheppard), but after a defensive collapse in the second half of last season, that might change. Darius Slay and James Bradberry are the projected starters, but they will be 33 and 31 years old at the start of next season, respectively. Arnold is an effortless mover with versatility and ball skills; he had five interceptions last season."
Peter Schrager (NFL.com) – "GM Howie Roseman makes his move, sending Seattle one of his two second-rounders to jump up six spots for a corner. Vic Fangio is the Eagles' new defensive coordinator, and he'll mold the rookie to his liking."
Graham Barton, IOL (Duke)
Josh Edwards (CBS Sports) – "Jason Kelce has retired and, although Philadelphia has drafted to absorb that loss in recent years with Tyler Steen, Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens, Philadelphia is always known to over-invest in the trenches. If Steen is incapable of handling the interior assignment, Barton offers the flexibility to get the five best linemen on the field this fall."
Cooper DeJean, CB (Iowa)
Ben Solak (The Ringer) – "The Eagles have not taken a cornerback in the first round since Lito Sheppard in 2002, but they snap that streak for DeJean, and rightfully so. DeJean has an ideal blend of size and explosiveness for the corner position, and while he doesn't have the absurd fluidity of some smaller corners, his frame and athleticism more than make up for it. DeJean can fight James Bradberry for the CB2 job opposite Darius Slay, and if Bradberry fends him off, DeJean could spend some time at safety early on."
Lance Zierlein (NFL.com) – "This is a fairly easy decision for the Eagles, as they add a physical defensive back with good instincts and the toughness to play outside or as an interchangeable safety."
Taliese Fuaga, OT (Oregon State)
Dane Brugler (The Athletic) – "This lined up perfectly for the Eagles to trade up and nab their right tackle of the future. Fuaga could provide immediate competition at guard before kicking over to right tackle, when needed, as the eventual successor to Lane Johnson."
Daniel Jeremiah (NFL.com) – "It seems like everyone is assuming the Eagles will be aggressive to go get a cornerback, which is a need, but they always are willing to invest in big humans in the first round. Fuaga is a perfect fit. He can start at right guard as a rookie and eventually replace Lane Johnsonat right tackle whenever the veteran decides to walk away. Philadelphia hasn't drafted a cornerback in Round 1 since 2002 (Lito Sheppard)."
Tyler Guyton, OT (Oklahoma)
Michael Middlehurst-Schwartz (USA Today) – "After breaking from his ways to sign Saquon Barkley, Howie Roseman gets back to business with his standard approach. Lane Johnson has already mentored Guyton and could pass the torch at right tackle to his Sooner protégé. Philadelphia also has long planned ahead in its investments along the offensive line."
Matt Miller (ESPN) - "Cornerback is definitely in play and a need, but I can't get over the fact that general manager Howie Roseman has never drafted a cornerback in the first round. The Eagles tend to get ahead of needs, drafting for a position before it becomes an issue -- and they like to prioritize the trenches. And adding Lane Johnson's protege -- Johnson and Guyton, two Oklahoma alums, have been working out together in the offseason -- to be his future replacement is savvy team-building. Guyton could also play right guard if Tyler Steen doesn't slide into that starting spot this season."
Laiatu Latu, DE (UCLA)
Adam Caplan (Pro Football Network) – "We're told the Philadelphia Eagles have done their share of work on Laiatu Latu (including a recent pre-draft visit), who likely would have gone off the board near the top 10 had he not had a medical concern (neck).
"If they clear him and still have a first-round grade, Latu's the pick, which would give Philadelphia a really good rotation at OLB this season and a starter for years to come."
Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB (Alabama)
Trevor Sikkema (Pro Football Focus) – "How smart and talented is McKinstry? He started as a true freshman in a Nick Saban defense. At 6-foot-1, he has good size and length to match up on the outside against bigger receivers. He is very comfortable and experienced in press-man coverage and also has a good feel for spacing in zone. He has an uncanny knack for making plays on the ball despite being in trail technique and not having his eyes toward the pocket.
"McKinstry's best attribute is his demeanor. He never seems panicked — in any facet of play. He is a good athlete but not an elite one for the NFL level when it comes to stop-and-start ability. He is not as twitchy as he is smooth."
Amarius Mims, OT (Georgia)
Charles McDonald and Nate Tice (Yahoo Sports) – "There might be a Lane Johnson-sized hole to fill sooner than later, and general manager Howie Roseman loves to attack the lines in the first round. Mims has a sky-high ceiling and will get to have time to be brought along behind Johnson and under offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland, perhaps competing for the right guard spot during his initial campaign."
Quinyon Mitchell, CB (Toledo)
Christian D'Andrea (USA Today) – "The Philly secondary is flush with former five-star recruits from blueblood institutions — see Eli Ricks and Kelee Ringo. Instead, general manager Howie Roseman opts for a former three-star high schooler who only had one Power 5 offer.
"Mitchell was dominant at Toledo and has proven his skills can translate at every opportunity. He starred at the Senior Bowl. He showed out at the combine. Now he gets to add youth, athleticism and lockdown bonafides to a secondary that will have to replace Darius Slay and James Bradberry soon."
Danny Heifetz (The Ringer) – "The Eagles haven't recently gone for a cornerback in Round 1, but I think that's based on circumstance more than policy. Mitchell is the second-best corner on many boards and is too good to pass up here. The Eagles have two starting cornerbacks in their 30s. Being handed Mitchell, a true off-coverage cornerback who was doing more complex coverages in college than many of his contemporaries, is a Philly fever dream."
Sam Monson (Pro Football Focus) – "Many people's top cornerback in the draft, Toledo's Quinyon Mitchell has special click-and-close ability in zone coverage and earned 91.5-plus PFF grades in 2022 and 2023. Philadelphia's cornerbacks are aging fast, and Mitchell would be a much-needed injection of youth."
Field Yates (ESPN) – "The Eagles need to get younger and faster in the secondary -- James Bradberry is turning 31 this summer, and Darius Slay is 33 -- and Mitchell is a perfect target. He broke up 40 passes over the past three seasons at Toledo and then aced his pre-draft process. Mitchell ran a 4.33-second 40-yard dash at the combine, can play standout man-to-man coverage and has good size."
Jared Verse, DE (Florida State)
Danny Kelly (The Ringer) – "The Eagles look once again to the lines with their first pick, grabbing a big, powerful, and highly explosive edge rusher in Verse. A deep and talented pass rush rotation has been a main characteristic for Philly over the past few years and GM Howie Roseman sticks with that tack here. Alongside Josh Sweat, Brandon Graham, the newly signed Bryce Huff, and a couple of others, Verse can help make the Eagles pass rush group one of the league's best."
Chad Reuter (NFL.com) – "One year after moving up a slot to draft Jalen Carter, the Eagles once again climb the board for a top defensive prospect. They swap one of their second-round picks (No. 50) for the first of Seattle's two fourth-rounders (No. 102) to move up six spots for Verse, who has a bright future as a power rusher and stout run defender on the edge."
Nate Wiggins, CB (Clemson)
Joel Klatt (FOX Sports) – "The Eagles could go interior offensive line, though Wiggins also fills a need here at corner."
Ryan Wilson (CBS Sports) – "I know some NFL teams don't think Wiggins will go in Round 1 but he's the best cover corner in this class, he's just slight of frame. And, fair or not, it doesn't help his case that CB Emmanuel Forbes, who weighed 166 last year, struggled as the Commanders 2023 first-rounder. That said, I think Wiggins showed improvement as a tackler last season and he improves an aging Philly secondary."
Round 2
Javon Bullard, S (Georgia)
Ralph Vacchiano (Fox Sports) – "As if Roseman was going to get through this draft without taking another Georgia Bulldog. There's no doubt that safety is as big of a need for the Eagles as cornerback. The position is big in the scheme run by new defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, which is why they reversed course and brought back Gardner-Johnson. They're also high on Sydney Brown, last year's third-round pick, but he tore his ACL in January and it's unclear when he'll be back.
"The 5-11, 198-pound Bullard isn't the ballhawk that Gardner-Johnson is, but he's a smart and tough safety who can cover. He often played the "big nickel" role in Georgia, which could make him a quick fit in three-safety looks for the Eagles."
Junior Colson, LB (Michigan)
Jordan Reid (ESPN) – "Linebacker was a weak spot on the Eagles' defense last season, but Colson would help set the tone for the position group and the defense as a whole. An instinctive and urgent second-level playmaker, he closes up rushing lanes in a flash. Colson had 101 tackles last season."
Edgerrin Cooper, LB (Texas A&M)
Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN) – "Cooper might have been a first-round pick if he were drafted 10 years earlier. Teams just don't value off-ball linebackers these days, but he is my top-ranked player at the position. The Philly defense fell apart last season, and it has to get younger."
Max Melton, CB (Rutgers)
Field Yates (ESPN) – "The Eagles need to get faster on defense and add cornerback depth, both of which Melton would assist with in a major way. He's a four-year starter with excellent ball skills."
Tyler Nubin, S (Minnesota)
Jordan Reid (ESPN) – "Sydney Brown suffered a late-season ACL tear, and the Eagles were already thin on the back end. Nubin's range, tackling and versatility make him an appealing target here for the Eagles. He had 12 interceptions over the past three seasons."
Patrick Paul, OT (Houston)
Mel Kiper Jr. (ESPN) – "Philadelphia is another team that could benefit from this talented offensive tackle class. If it goes defense in Round 1, it might still be able to find a future OT starter here. Paul could serve as a swing tackle as a rookie, as Jordan Mailata and Lane Johnson are entrenched as the starters. Johnson, however, has dealt with nagging injuries in recent years, so acquiring depth is important. Paul started 39 games at left tackle for the Cougars."
Ja'Lynn Polk, WR (Washington)
Trevor Sikkema (Pro Football Focus) – "Polk is a limited route runner, but he is also one of the best "go up and get it" contested catch receivers in this class (and that is really saying something). His knack for making big plays should always get him on an NFL roster in some capacity."
Payton Wilson, LB (NC State)
Matt Miller (ESPN) – "Last season highlighted the Eagles' lack of depth and young talent at linebacker after years of neglect in the draft. Adding veteran Devin White should help, but Wilson has three-down skills that no one in this class can match. He posted 6 sacks, 18.5 tackles for loss and 3 interceptions in 2023. There are durability concerns at 24 years old, but Wilson's tape is that of an NFL starter."
