Ian Cummings Breaks Down the Eagles' Best Draft Options at Pick 23

# Ian Cummings Breaks Down the Eagles' Best Draft Options at Pick 23

**Slug:** eagles-draft-pick-23-tackles-edge-combine-march-2026

**Excerpt:** The NFL combine reshuffled the Eagles' draft board at pick 23. Monroe Freeling's breakout, Spencer Fano's arm length concerns, and the edge insurance plan if Jaelan Phillips walks.

**Category:** analysis

**YouTube:** https://youtu.be/NorBp68iE5Y

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The 2026 NFL combine changed things for the Eagles at pick 23. Prospects who looked like sure-fire first rounders now have question marks. Players who were borderline top-20 talents tested their way into the conversation. And the Eagles' draft strategy depends entirely on what happens in free agency over the next two weeks.

Pro Football Network's Ian Cummings — one of the most thorough draft analysts in the business — broke down every scenario for Philadelphia on Birds 365 this week. The takeaways should reshape how Eagles fans think about April 23.

The Lane Johnson Question

Lane Johnson is coming back in 2026. But he's a future Hall of Famer on the back nine of his career, and the Eagles need to plan for life after him. The offensive tackle class gives them real options — but the combine may have reshuffled the pecking order in a significant way.

Monroe Freeling from Georgia was the biggest winner of the combine. A 4.93-second 40-yard dash, a 33.5-inch vertical, and a 9-foot-7 broad jump — all at prototypical tackle size. He was already a first-round talent on tape. After those numbers, he's probably off the board well before the Eagles pick at 23. That's a loss for Philadelphia, because Freeling's combination of size and athleticism is exactly what you want in a Lane Johnson successor.

Spencer Fano was the prospect many had penciled in for the Eagles. But his arm length measured at 32 and 1/8 inches — and for an Eagles offensive line that has historically prioritized length and leverage, that measurement matters more than people think. It could push Fano down Philadelphia's board, even if his tape is excellent. The Eagles are particular about measurables up front, and 32 1/8 is below the threshold they typically target.

Blake Miller from Clemson is the steady option and perhaps the most realistic target at 23. He's not the most explosive athlete in the class, but he's consistent, well-leveraged, and effective in both run blocking and pass protection. Miller shows the kind of operational utility in multiple blocking schemes that the Eagles value. He might not test off the charts, but he shows up every Saturday — and that counts for a lot at the next level.

Edge Insurance at Pick 23

If Jaelan Phillips signs elsewhere, the Eagles' entire draft board flips. Suddenly edge rusher becomes the number one priority at 23 — and while the class has some intriguing options, none of them are clean fits in round one.

TJ Parker profiles as a well-rounded edge defender with good compact mass and a developing pass rush repertoire. But the combine showed he's not an elite physical talent, and he's probably more of an early round two player than a first-round pick. Reaching for him at 23 would be aggressive.

The combine riser is Malachi Lawrence from UCF. Before Indianapolis, he wasn't in the round one conversation. Then he ran a low-4.5 forty, posted over a 40-inch vertical at 6'4" and 250-plus pounds with over 33-inch arms. That physical profile is exactly what teams look for in a premier edge rusher. Whether his tape matches the testing is the question — but the athleticism is undeniable and it has teams re-evaluating his draft stock significantly.

The QB Wild Card

The quarterback class is thin at the top. Cam Ward is the consensus number one overall pick, and after him, there's a significant drop. Fernando Mendoza profiles as a franchise-caliber quarterback — not at the Drake Maye level, but worthy of a first-round selection. Jackson Dart has the talent but the word "frenetic" keeps coming up, and that's not what you want to hear about a quarterback.

The Eagles aren't in the market for a QB. But the quarterback class affects their pick because it determines who else is available. If teams reach for quarterbacks in the top 20, better non-QB prospects fall to 23. That's a win for Philadelphia.

What This All Means

The Eagles' draft strategy is simple and smart: let free agency play out completely, then take the best player available at a position of need. If Phillips re-signs, offensive tackle becomes the clear priority. If Phillips walks, edge jumps to the top of the board.