Overall Grade: A-
I do have some concerns. The Eagles gave up picks No. 114 and No. 13
7 to move from 23 to 20 for Lemon, so he needs to be more than just a solid receiver. Markel Bell has rare size, but he was more of
a developmental projection than a clean third-round value. Cole Payton is athletic and productive, but he is a one-year FCS starter with questions about whether his arm talent is good enough to ever be more than a backup. Still, the late picks make sense because they mostly have either production, athleticism, or both.
The theme of this draft is upside. The Eagles bet on players who either produced at a high level or have some unusual athletic trait. I would rather take swings like that than draft players who clearly do not have the athletic ability to make it.
Round 1: No. 20 — Makai Lemon, WR, USC, 5’11”, 192 lbs
Grade: B+
Makai Lemon was one of the most productive receivers in college football last year. He had 79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 receiving touchdowns, which is a 14.6 yard average. He also had 13 total scrimmage touchdowns and won the Biletnikoff Award as the top receiver in college football. For his career, he had 137 catches for 2,008 yards, 14 touchdowns, and a 14.7 yard average.
Those are good numbers. I especially like the 14.6 yard average because he was not just catching short passes. He also reportedly created over 500 yards after the catch and had only a couple of drops, so he looks like a pretty reliable player with the ball in his hands. He is not a huge receiver and he is not an elite burner, but he is productive, competitive, and good after the catch.
Athletically, I am not completely blown away. He ran around a 4.47 to 4.50 in the 40, which is fine, but not special for a 5’11” receiver. I also would have liked to see a vertical, broad jump, shuttle, and three-cone because those numbers help confirm explosiveness and short-area quickness. Since he is not an elite size-speed prospect, the missing athletic testing matters a little more.
That being said, Lemon wins with route running, hands, toughness, instincts, and yards after the catch. He can line up outside or in the slot, and he should help the Eagles get more easy completions. The Eagles have had too many stretches where the passing game feels like it depends on low-percentage throws, so adding a receiver who can separate underneath and create after the catch makes sense.
The only reason this is not an A is the value. The Eagles traded up from 23 to 20 and gave up two fourth-round picks. If Lemon becomes a high-end number two receiver or eventually replaces some of what A.J. Brown gives them, then the pick will look very good. But if he is just a solid slot receiver, that is a lot to give up.
Overall, I like Lemon a lot as a prospect. I just would have preferred either keeping the extra picks or getting a more elite athletic profile before trading up.
Round 2: No. 54 — Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt, 6’3”, 239 lbs
Grade: A
That is really good production for a tight end. The 12.4 and 13.0 yard averages stand out to me because a lot of tight ends are basically just short-area possession players. Stowers was getting more chunk plays than that. He also won the Mackey Award and earned first-team All-American honors, so this is not just an athletic projection.
His combine numbers are ridiculous. He ran a 4.51 in the 40, had a 45.5-inch vertical, and an 11’3” broad jump. The vertical and broad jump were tight end combine records. That is the kind of athleticism I love to see, especially because he also produced. A lot of workout warriors do not have the stats to match, but Stowers does.
The concern is that he is more of a receiving tight end or big slot right now than a complete in-line tight end. He is not a dominant blocker yet, and at 239 pounds he is not built like an old-school tight end. But in today’s NFL, that is okay if the Eagles use him correctly. He can create mismatches against linebackers and safeties, and he gives the offense another weapon in the middle of the field.
With Dallas Goedert getting older, this pick makes a lot of sense. Stowers may need time to become a complete tight end, but he has the athleticism and receiving production to become a major piece of the offense. I love the upside here.
Round 3: No. 68 — Markel Bell, OT, Miami, 6’9”, 346 lbs
Grade: B
Bell is a very interesting pick, but I am lowering the grade a little. He is huge at 6’9”, 346 pounds, with 36 3/8-inch arms and an 87 1/8-inch wingspan. That is rare size even for the NFL. He also started 16 games at left tackle last season and reportedly did not allow a sack in 558 pass-blocking snaps, which is impressive.
But I do not want to overstate his athleticism. His 5.36 40 is not really good statistically for an offensive tackle. It is better than it would be for a 300-pound lineman because he is 346 pounds, but relative to offensive tackles it is still below average. His 10-yard split was also not great. So this is not a case where he is 6’9” and also a freak mover. He is more of a giant tackle with rare length and pass-protection upside.
The height is both a strength and a concern. You cannot teach 6’9” with those arms. He can swallow up pass rushers once he gets his hands on them. But tall tackles can struggle with leverage, pad level, bending, and redirecting against speed or inside counters. If a rusher gets underneath him or makes him change direction quickly, that could be a problem.
There is also some value concern. Some pre-draft boards seemed to view him more like a third- or fourth-round prospect, and the Eagles took him at 68. That does not mean it is automatically a reach because offensive tackles get pushed up, but I do think it keeps the grade from being higher.
I still like the upside. Bell had strong pass-blocking production, rare length, and a big improvement arc from junior college to Miami. The Eagles have usually been good at developing offensive linemen, and if he becomes a starting tackle this pick will look great. But he is a project, and without great athletic testing, I have to be a little more careful here.
This is a B for me. Good upside, useful position, but more risk and less clean value than I originally gave it credit for.
Round 5: No. 178 — Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State, 6’3”, 232 lbs
Grade: B-
I do not usually love taking a quarterback when the Eagles already have Jalen Hurts, but in the fifth round I understand the logic. Payton had a very productive final season at North Dakota State. He completed 161 of 224 passes, which is about 72 percent, for 2,719 yards, 16 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions. He also ran 136 times for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns, which is a 5.7 yard average.
Athletically, he is very impressive. He ran a 4.56 40, had a 40-inch vertical, and reportedly had a 130-inch broad jump. For a 6’3”, 232-pound quarterback, those are excellent numbers. He is not just a quarterback who can move a little. He is a real running threat.
The problem is that I am not sure he has the passing profile to become anything more than a backup. Some reports like his short and intermediate arm strength, but other evaluations questioned his overall arm talent and drive velocity. That matters. In the NFL, you have to throw into tight windows, beat zone coverage with timing, and drive the ball outside the numbers. If his arm is only okay, then the upside is limited.
There are also competition and experience concerns. North Dakota State is a great FCS program and has produced NFL quarterbacks, but it is still not the same as playing in the SEC or Big Ten every week. Payton was also mostly a backup for four years and only became the full-time starter for one season. That does not mean he cannot develop, but it makes him more of a projection.
The fit does make some sense. Because he is athletic, the Eagles could keep some of the same run-game concepts if he ever had to play. Maybe he could survive in a short-passing, screen, RPO, and designed-run offense as a backup. But I do not think the Eagles drafted him expecting him to become a starter.
In the fifth round, I am okay with the pick because backup quarterback is valuable and he has athletic upside. But I am lowering this to a B-. He is interesting, but there are real passing questions.
Round 6: No. 207 — Micah Morris, G, Georgia, 6’5”, 334 lbs
Grade: A-
This is one of my favorite value picks in the draft. Morris has great size at 6’5”, 334 pounds, and his athletic testing was strong for a guard. He ran a 5.09 40, had a 29.5-inch vertical, a 9’4” broad jump, and 29 bench reps. Those are good numbers for someone that big.
He also played at Georgia, which matters because he practiced and played against NFL-caliber defensive linemen. He started all 14 games at left guard last season and did not allow a sack. Georgia also averaged 32.1 points, 182.1 rushing yards, and 220.3 passing yards per game, so he was part of a very good offense.
The only reason this is not an A or A+ is that he was not a multi-year dominant starter. He is more of a late-developing player who finally got his chance. But in the sixth round, that is completely fine. You are not usually getting clean starting prospects there.
I like this pick a lot. He has size, strength, athleticism, SEC experience, and good pass-protection production. He has a real chance to make the roster and eventually become a starter or at least a very good backup guard.
Round 7: No. 244 — Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech, 6’3”, 219 lbs
Grade: B+
Wisniewski is a big safety with some real production in his background. Last year at Texas Tech, he started 14 games and had 78 tackles. He did not have an interception, but he was credited with 3 pass breakups. For a seventh-round safety, that is decent.
The better year to look at is his 2023 season at North Dakota State. That year he had 92 tackles, 8 interceptions, 5 pass breakups, 2 tackles for loss, and 1 forced fumble. Eight interceptions is a great number. I always like to see passes broken up and interceptions because it gives you some evidence that the player can actually make plays on the ball. He was not just a box safety piling up tackles.
He missed the 2024 season with a foot injury before transferring to Texas Tech, so that is part of the story too. He is older and has an injury history, but he also has size and production. At 6’3”, 219 pounds, he has the build to be a box safety, big nickel, or special teams player.
Athletically, I would have liked to see more complete testing. His vertical and broad jump were solid, and he had 20 bench reps, but I would really want a confirmed 40, shuttle, and three-cone for a safety. Coverage ability matters, and without those numbers it is harder to know how well he can handle NFL space.
Still, in the seventh round, I like this pick. He has size, tackling production, past ball production, and a path to making the team on special teams. I am moving him up to a B+ because the 2023 interception season is pretty impressive.
Round 7: No. 251 — Uar Bernard, DT, International Player Pathway Program, 6’4”, 306 lbs
Grade: A
This is the biggest boom-or-bust pick in the draft, but I love the swing in the seventh round. Bernard has never played a down of organized football, so obviously there is a huge risk. He could easily never become a real NFL player.
But the athletic profile is insane. He is 6’4”, 306 pounds, reportedly around six percent body fat, and he ran a 4.63 40 with a 39-inch vertical. He also reportedly had a 10’10” broad jump. Those are ridiculous numbers for a defensive tackle. There are first-round defensive tackles who cannot move like that.
Of course, athletic testing is not football. He has to learn everything: stance, hand usage, leverage, gap discipline, how to read blocks, how to rush the passer, and how to survive against NFL offensive linemen. That could take years. There is also a real chance it never happens.
But in the seventh round, this is exactly the type of gamble I like. Most seventh-round picks do not become major contributors anyway. If Bernard misses, it does not cost much. If he hits, the Eagles could have a rare athlete on the defensive line. The Eagles already developed Jordan Mailata from the International Player Pathway program, so they have at least shown they are willing to be patient with this kind of long-term project.
This is an A pick for me because of the upside versus cost. I would rather take a crazy athlete who needs to learn football than a low-upside player who is unlikely to make the roster.
Round 7: No. 252 — Keyshawn James-Newby, Edge, New Mexico, 6’1”, 240 lbs
Grade: A-
James-Newby is undersized for an edge rusher, but I like the production. He had 9 sacks and 15 tackles for loss last season at New Mexico. The year before at Idaho, he had 10.5 sacks. For his career, he had 23.5 sacks.
That matters to me. Late in the draft, I would rather take a pass rusher who has actually gotten to the quarterback than a bigger player who looks the part but never produced. James-Newby may not have ideal size, but he has shown that he can rush the passer.
The concern is obvious. At 6’1”, 240 pounds, he may not be big enough to hold up as a full-time edge rusher in the NFL. Tackles will be much bigger and stronger, and he may struggle against the run. He might have to become more of a situational pass rusher or special teams player.
But that is fine in the seventh round. If he becomes a rotational pass rusher, this is a great pick. If he only makes the practice squad, it is still a reasonable swing. He has production, some burst, and a clear role if he makes it.
I like this pick. For the last pick in the Eagles’ draft, this is exactly the kind of player I want.
Final Thoughts
This draft is not perfect, but I like it. Lemon and Stowers give the Eagles two productive pass catchers with different skill sets. Stowers is my favorite pick because the production and athletic testing both check out. A 4.51 40, 45.5-inch vertical, and 11’3” broad jump for a tight end is crazy, especially with his receiving numbers.
Lemon is probably the most important pick because of the trade-up cost. If he becomes a reliable high-volume receiver who can separate, catch everything, and create after the catch, then the move makes sense. If he is just okay, it will feel like they gave up too much.
Bell is the pick I am most cautious about now. I still see the upside, but the 5.36 40 is not good enough to call him a great athlete, and 6’9” can create leverage issues. I like the player, but I think B is fair.
Payton is also more of a backup projection than a future starter to me. He is athletic and productive, but one year as an FCS starter with questions about arm talent makes him a risky developmental quarterback.
The late picks are fun though. Morris could be a real steal. Wisniewski has ball production in his past. Bernard is an insane athlete with no football experience. James-Newby has actual pass-rush production.
Overall, I give the Eagles an A-. The class is carried by Lemon and Stowers, helped by Morris, and boosted by smart late-round upside swings. There is some risk, especially with Bell and Payton, but I like the philosophy of drafting production early and athletic upside late.
