Eagles 2026 NFL Draft Preview: Edge Rusher, Wide Receiver, and O-Line Targets
The Eagles need edge rush, wide receiver depth, and Lane Johnson's eventual replacement in the 2026 draft. Here are the top targets, sleepers, and how the combine changed Philly's board.
Eagles 2026 NFL Draft Preview: Edge Rusher, Wide Receiver, and O-Line Targets
The 2026 NFL Scouting Combine kicks off this weekend in Indianapolis, and the Eagles are heading into the most important week of the pre-draft process with the No. 23 overall pick and roughly eight total selections. The draft board is about to get reshuffled. Here is where things stand for Philadelphia heading into Combine week.
Mock Draft Consensus: WR, OL, TE Lead the Way
The mock draft landscape is crystallizing around a few key positions for the Eagles at 23. Wide receiver Jordyn Tyson out of Arizona State is the name that keeps surfacing. The 6-2, 200-pound contested-catch specialist is a consensus top-15 talent, but his extensive injury history — torn ACL, MCL, and PCL in 2022, a collarbone injury in 2024, a hamstring issue in 2025 — could push him down the board right into Howie Roseman’s lap. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter even has the Eagles trading up to 18 to grab him.
Alabama offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor is another popular pick. Both NBC Sports and Fox Sports have the 6-7, 366-pound former five-star recruit landing in Philly at 23. With Lane Johnson returning for his 14th season but the clock ticking, Proctor could be the long-term succession plan at right tackle. Every snap of his three-year Alabama career came at left tackle, but scouts are split on whether he projects inside or stays outside at the next level.
Tight end is the sleeper position. The Athletic’s mock has the Eagles taking a tight end in Round 1 for the first time since Keith Jackson in 1988. Oregon’s Kenyon Sadiq is the top name at the position. With Dallas Goedert, Grant Calcaterra, and Kylen Granson all hitting free agency, the Eagles have a massive hole at tight end. Ohio State’s Max Klare is a Day 2 option who draws Zach Ertz comparisons.
Combine Schedule: On-Field Drills Start February 26
The Combine officially opens this weekend with medical evaluations and team interviews, but the real action begins February 26 when 319 invited prospects hit the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. On-field drills run through March 1. This is where Roseman and the Eagles scouting staff will get face time with their targets and where athletic testing can shake up the board. Prospects like Arizona State’s Max Iheanachor — a raw but freakishly athletic offensive tackle from Nigeria who only started playing football in 2021 — could see their stock skyrocket with a strong Combine showing.
The A.J. Brown Question Looms Over Everything
Every Eagles draft conversation starts and ends with A.J. Brown. Roseman was noncommittal at his end-of-year presser, calling Brown a great player while stopping short of declaring him untouchable. If Brown gets moved, wide receiver instantly becomes the top need and someone like Tyson at 23 becomes a no-brainer. Even if Brown stays, the Eagles still need to replace Jahan Dotson, who is a pending free agent. The receiver class is deep, but Philly needs to figure out the Brown situation before the draft picture comes into focus.
Trade Rumors and Roster Moves
Roseman has a history of trading first-round picks, and multiple outlets project him doing it again. One proposed trade scenario involves acquiring a cheap edge rusher to avoid a big free agent deal for Jaelan Phillips, which would then free the Eagles to draft one of the top edge rushers at 23. Clemson’s T.J. Parker is a popular Round 2 target at edge. The Eagles could also shake up the roster with cuts and trades to create additional cap space for free agency, which opens March 12.
The Bottom Line
The Eagles are in a good spot at 23 with multiple paths. The Combine will answer questions about athletic profiles and medicals that could push players up or down the board. The biggest variable is not in Indianapolis — it is whether Roseman decides to move Brown, which would reshape the entire draft strategy. This is the week the draft gets real. Stay locked in.
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