Is the 2024 Eagles Draft Class the Best in Franchise History? It's Not Even Close.

Let's not dance around this. The Philadelphia Eagles' 2024 draft class isn't just good. It isn't just "one of the best." It's the greatest single draft class in the 92-year history of this franchise. And the argument against it? There isn't one.

A Draft Class That Won a Super Bowl

Five of the Eagles' top six picks from 2024 made meaningful contributions to the Super Bowl LIX championship run. That alone would make it a historic class. But it's not just that they contributed — it's how they dominated.

Quinyon Mitchell, the 22nd overall pick out of Toledo, walked into the NFL and immediately became one of the best corners in football. Not one of the best rookie corners. One of the best corners, period. Opposing quarterbacks completed just 51.9% of their passes when targeting Mitchell during the regular season with a 66.5 passer rating. In the playoffs? He was even better — two interceptions and a ridiculous 22.6 passer rating allowed in coverage. Offenses simply stopped throwing his way.

Then there's Cooper DeJean, the second-round pick who led all cornerbacks as a rookie with an 86.3 PFF grade. DeJean didn't allow a single touchdown the entire season — regular season and playoffs combined. Let that sink in. Zero touchdowns allowed. And his first career interception? Off Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl, returned for a touchdown. He literally scored more touchdowns than he gave up all year. You can't script that.

Depth That Actually Delivered

A great draft class isn't just about the top picks. It's about finding guys who contribute throughout the roster. And the 2024 class delivered at every level.

Jalyx Hunt, the third-round edge rusher, became a crucial part of the pass rush rotation in the playoffs. Nine pressures, 1.5 sacks, three quarterback hits, and a 14.5% pressure rate in the postseason. For a rotational rookie? That's elite production when it mattered most.

Will Shipley carved out a role as a change-of-pace back and dynamic kick returner. Four carries for 77 yards and a touchdown in the postseason, plus a 28.3-yard kick return average. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. — the fifth-round pick carrying his father's legendary name — recovered a fumble on the opening kickoff in the wild-card win over Green Bay. Special teams plays that swing games.

The Competition for 'Greatest' Isn't Close

Every Eagles fan has their candidates. The 2022 class — Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, Cam Jurgens — was solid but hasn't produced a single first-team All-Pro yet. The 2021 class gave us DeVonta Smith and Landon Dickerson, which is a great haul, but two impact starters from one class is the expectation, not the exception.

Go further back. The 2017 class had Derek Barnett, Sidney Jones, and Rasul Douglas — a whole lot of "meh" outside of Barnett's first couple years. The legendary 1991 class gave us Jesse Small, Antone Davis, and Rob Selby. Solid, not spectacular.

You know what the 2024 class has that none of those do? Two potential franchise-altering cornerbacks in their first year, a rotational edge rusher already producing in the playoffs, and role players filling critical needs across the roster. All while directly contributing to a championship. Name another Eagles draft class that won a Super Bowl in Year One with five rookies making playoff contributions. You can't, because it's never happened.

The Howie Renaissance

Let's give credit where it's due. Howie Roseman took a lot of heat during the stretch when no Howie-drafted player made a Pro Bowl. Fair criticism at the time. But the recent run of drafts — DeVonta Smith, Landon Dickerson, Cam Jurgens, Jalen Carter, and now Mitchell, DeJean, and the rest of the 2024 class — represents one of the best stretches of drafting in the entire NFL.

The secondary transformation alone tells the story. Philadelphia went from the 31st-ranked pass defense in 2023 to the number one pass defense in 2024. That doesn't happen because of scheme alone. That happens because you drafted two generational defensive backs who played like five-year veterans from Day One.

What Makes It Even Scarier

Here's the part that should terrify the rest of the NFC East: these guys are only getting better. Mitchell and DeJean are entering Year Two with a championship under their belt and a full NFL offseason of development ahead of them. Hunt is going to get more snaps in Year Two. Shipley's role could expand.

Pair that with the 2025 class — Jihaad Campbell already earning PFWA All-Rookie honors and Andrew Mukuba waiting to return from injury — and the Eagles' young defensive core is arguably the deepest in football for the next half-decade.