Ralph Vacchiano
NFL Reporter
The marching orders for the defending Super Bowl champions would seem to be clear heading into the 2025 NFL Draft. They’ve lost four starters off their top-ranked defense this offseason. They need to plug those holes if they want to go back again.
But that doesn’t mean that Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman will follow that script when the draft begins on Thursday. He often likes to think a few years ahead with his draft picks, especially when it comes to restocking the offensive and defensive lines. And he rarely likes to sit still with the draft picks that he has.
In fact, he made eight trades — eight! — in the seven rounds of the draft last year alone.
Still, while his moves may be unpredictable, he’s not likely to ignore what his championship-caliber team needs, especially after losing two defensive linemen in free agency (Josh Sweat and Milton Williams), trading safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and cutting cornerback Darius Slay. They can plug some of those holes with young players already on the roster.
As for the rest, Roseman has eight draft picks to play with. And here’s one look at how it might go — in the unlikely event that he keeps all of them — in our Eagles 7-Round mock draft:
First round, 32nd overall: DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
Josh Sweat (2.5 sacks) and Milton Williams (2 sacks) were both monsters in the Super Bowl, so if Roseman is going to address needs, that’s clearly his priority. Plus, he loves big men and winning the battle of the trenches, so it feels like a fit all around. And he couldn’t go wrong in selecting a defensive tackle or a defensive end. The Eagles need both.
He does have two DTs in Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis, but there’s an alarming lack of depth behind them. Plus, if Roseman is looking ahead, Davis’ contract — assuming the Eagles pick up his fifth-year option for $12.9 million — ends after the 2026 season. It’s also unclear if they’re willing to trust former seventh-round pick Moro Ojomo in Williams’ spot on the line.
But in a strong draft for DTs, the Eagles can get a good one with the last pick of Round 1. The 6-4, 296-pound Nolen had 6.5 sacks last year and four during his previous season at Texas A&M. He’s an explosive athlete who needs some refinement, which he’d get in a defense where he’s not needed to be an immediate star. He could be a role player at first, which is just how the Eagles usually like it, so there’s no pressure on him to produce right away.
Second round, 64th overall: OT Marcus Mbow, Purdue
The Eagles have the best offensive line in football and if you don’t think they need reinforcements … well, when has that ever stopped Roseman before? He wants his offensive line to be an endless conveyor belt of talent. And he knows his right tackle, Lane Johnson, is about to turn 35 and played through a bunch of injuries last year.
Now, the 6-foot-4, 303-pound Mbow probably doesn’t project as the eventual replacement at right tackle. His size makes him more of a guard. But you never know with the Eagles, and he’s the kind of athletic prospect that super-line coach Jeff Stoutland loves. He was a former basketball player and a reliable three-year starter for the Boilermakers and he’ll have a year or two to learn from the master before he needs to play at whatever position they decide is best.
Third round, 96th overall: TE Gunnar Helm, Texas
Veteran tight end Dallas Goedert is clearly on the trading block in Philly, since he’s 30 and heading into the last year of his contract. Even if the Eagles don’t deal him, they know it’s time to start grooming a replacement. And Grant Calcaterra has been a fine backup, but hardly duplicates Goedert’s receiving abilities when he plays.
The Eagles need a weapon at that position and the 6-foot-5, 241-pound Helm started to become one last season when the Longhorns finally started featuring him in their offense. He caught 60 passes for 786 yards and seven touchdowns. He’s a lot like Goedert in that he’s not super-fast, but he’s got good hands and a knack for getting open, which can take a lot of pressure off the other weapons the Eagles have. He might need to add some bulk and work on his blocking, but if Goedert sticks around he’ll have time.
Fourth round, 134th overall: S Malachi Moore, Alabama
If he was a little bigger, Moore might’ve had a chance to be next in the long line of terrific NFL safeties to come out of Alabama. But at 5-foot-11, 196, he doesn’t quite fit the mold. He’s very good in coverage and could be a playmaker in the defensive backfield. But while he’s willing to take on runners, his size makes him a bit of a liability as a safety in the box. Still, the Eagles need a replacement for Gardner-Johnson and if Moore develops he’ll help fill that void. There are some scouts who think he might make a good nickel corner too, which is something the Eagles could always use.
Fifth round, 161st overall: DL Elijah Roberts, SMU
Sweat lead the Eagles with eight sacks last season and they can probably replace his production with a combination of Nolan Smith and maybe Bryce Huff, assuming he begins to play up to his three-year, $51.1 million contract. But at 6-foot-5, 265, Sweat brought some size to the outside. Roberts (6-foot-4, 285) could restore that element to the Philly defense. He’s not the fastest off the edge, but neither was Sweat. Roberts was productive, though, with 17.5 sacks over the last two seasons after transferring from Miami.
Fifth round, 164th overall: OT Jalen Travis, Iowa State
Another offensive lineman? These are the Eagles, of course. And while they do have some players who could project as a tackle in the future, they don’t really have a young, developmental prospect strictly at that position anymore. So they’re likely to add a few in the next couple of years. The 6-foot-8, 339-pound Travis certainly has the size and he certainly proved he has the ability in his one year for the Cyclones after transferring from Princeton. Whether he has the quickness or technique to succeed on the edge in the NFL remains to be seen, but he’ll certainly be in the right place to learn.
Fifth round, 165th overall: WR Nick Nash, San Jose State
The Eagles are strong at receiver, but not particularly deep. In fact, no WR outside of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith even had 20 catches last season. Jahan Dotson, a former first-round pick Roseman acquired from Washington, has potential to be a bigger part of the offense, but the Eagles still like to bring in bodies there and see if anyone sticks. In the 6-foot-3, 203-pound Nash they’d get a big slot receiver who was remarkably productive in college. He was second in the FBS in catches (104) and receiving yards (1,382) and first in touchdowns (16), and led all three categories based just on regular season numbers. He’s not particularly explosive, but his size and his strength on the ball makes him a difficult matchup for smaller slot corners. That sounds like a weapon the Eagles could use.
Fifth round, 168th overall: Edge Jared Ivey, Ole Miss
As good as the Eagles’ defense was last season, it wasn’t because of their pass rush. They were lacking a bit at times in that area, especially off the edge after they got rid of Haason Reddick and his replacement, Huff, didn’t pan out. With Sweat and his eight sacks gone, their best returning edge rusher is Nolan Smith (6.5 sacks last season). That’s fine, and maybe they’ll get more out of Huff this season, but they know they need more bodies to work in. The 6-foot-6, 274-pound Ivey had 12.5 sacks last season and good compete to be Sweat’s replacement, especially when the Eagles go with four men on the line. He’s a terrific athlete who can fill a situational role at first, which is often the Eagles’ way.
Ralph Vacchiano is an NFL Reporter for FOX Sports. He spent the previous six years covering the Giants and Jets for SNY TV in New York, and before that, 16 years covering the Giants and the NFL for the New York Daily News. Follow him on Twitter at @RalphVacchiano.
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