One thing that Philadelphia Eagles general manager Howie Roseman loves to do is select defensive linemen or edge rushers in the NFL Draft.
In the past few years, he has selected players like Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Moro Ojomo, who have all become instant contributors on defense. FanSided's Cody Williams believes Roseman continues this trend in his latest mock draft as he has the Eagles picking Oklahoma edge rusher R Mason Thomas.
"Not to say that the Eagles are starved for a pass rush, but it's telling that Howie Roseman was sniffing around for big swings on the likes of Myles Garrett at the deadline and Micah Parsons before the Packers deal. That's why they could reasonably look to add someone like R Mason Thomas to the fold. A star for the Oklahoma defense, Thomas has a ton of versatility that all hinges on his explosiveness and ability to convert that into power. He's a beast that feels so truly like another draft steal for Philly waiting to happen."
Thomas would be a massive steal for the Eagles
Through his first nine games of the season with the Sooners, Thomas has racked up 23 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss, 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery for a touchdown. Thomas is electric off the edge and has had two straight seasons of consistent play after having nine sacks in 2024.
There is a strong possibility that Brandon Graham retires again (and this time could be for good), leaving Philly in an interesting situation at edge rusher. They still need to determine whether to extend their newest acquisition, Jaelan Phillips, to a long-term deal. Josh Uche and Azeez Ojulari will be free agents after signing just one-year deals in the offseason.
The good news is that they still will have Smith and Hunt under contract and appear to be the future at EDGE. Thomas would be a good fit for Fangio's defense, but he will need to develop his pass coverage skills the way Hunt had to.
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Philly has a band-aid solution at EDGE for 2025 for the time being, but Thomas would be a long-term solution they need.