Eagles Draft Report Card: Grading Every Pick from the Last Three Years

Three years is an eternity in the NFL. It's enough time to see if draft picks are hits, misses, or somewhere in between. With the Combine approaching and another draft on the horizon, it's worth asking: how has Howie Roseman actually done in the draft since 2023? The answer might surprise you — it's better than the narrative suggests, but there are some ugly spots.

2023 Draft: Two Stars, Two Busts, Some Gems

Jalen Carter (1st round, 9th overall): Push leaning overachieve. His 2024 season was legitimately dominant. His 2025 wasn't as impressive, and the 2023 stretch run left some wanting. But at pick nine? You got a starter, a difference-maker, and a guy who's going to command a massive contract extension. That's worth the pick. Verdict: YES.

Nolan Smith (1st round, 30th overall): Underachieve. Period. This is a first-round pick who has never stayed healthy long enough to develop consistency. The seven-game stretch at the end of the Super Bowl season gave everyone false hope. The Eagles literally traded for Jaelan Phillips because Nolan wasn't getting it done. That's all you need to know. Verdict: NO.

Tyler Steen (3rd round): Overachieve. He's starting. In the third round, you're not drafting All-Pros — you're drafting starters. Steen is one. Could he get beat out? Sure. But right now, he's a contributing starter in year three, and that's a successful Day 2 pick. Verdict: YES.

Sydney Brown (3rd round): Underachieve. A third-round safety who hasn't been able to stay on the field or make a significant impact. Two misses in the first and third rounds from the same class is a red flag. Verdict: NO.

Moro Ojomo (6th round): Way overachieve. You can make the argument he's the second-best player drafted in 2023 after Jalen Carter. A sixth-round defensive tackle who's become a real rotational contributor? That's a home run for a Day 3 pick. Verdict: SMASH YES.

2024 Draft: The Crown Jewel Class

Quinyon Mitchell (1st round): Way over. Already looks like one of the best young corners in football. This pick alone validates the entire 2024 class. Cooper DeJean (2nd round): Way over. Another defensive back who's exceeded expectations immediately. Jalyx Hunt (3rd round): Way over. Led the team in sacks as a third-round pick — and people forget the doubters when he was drafted out of Houston Christian. He proved every skeptic wrong.

Will Shipley (4th round): Under. He's a special teams contributor and not much else. For a fourth-rounder, that's borderline — but the expectation was more. Jeremiah Trotter Jr. (late round): Push. Special teams value and showed some things when given defensive reps. Acceptable for where he was drafted.

The 2024 class is why the Eagles' defense is so good. Mitchell, DeJean, and Hunt are all starters drafted in the same year. That's rare. That's elite drafting. Howie deserves real credit for this one.

2025 Draft: Too Early But Promising

Alueva Campbell looks like a hit. Andrew Mukuba started as a late second-rounder and showed potential. Ty Robinson is a question mark. It's only been one year — too early to grade definitively, but the early returns are encouraging.

The Verdict on Howie the Drafter

Overall? Good. Not perfect, but legitimately good. The Nolan Smith pick stings, and Sydney Brown hasn't panned out. But Jalen Carter, Quinyon Mitchell, Cooper DeJean, Jalyx Hunt, Moro Ojomo, Tyler Steen — that's a strong core built through the draft. The defense is elite specifically because of these picks. Every GM whiffs on some selections. The question is whether your hits outweigh your misses. For Howie Roseman over the last three years, the answer is yes.