There are going to be plenty of mock drafts that will be coming out in the upcoming weeks, and many are going to wonder what the Philadelphia Eagles are going to do in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Most mock drafts either have the Eagles taking an edge rusher, wide receiver, or offensive tackle in the first round. While there have been a lot of names, one new one has come up that might have fans talking, and it might not be in the best way.
Bleacher Report writer Brent Sobleski went through some trade scenarios and delivered his new mock draft. Interestingly enough, the Eagles took UCF edge rusher Malachi Lawrence with the 23rd overall pick.
Would the Eagles be reaching on Malachi Lawrence at 23?
Last season with UCF, Lawrence had 28 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, seven sacks, three pass deflections, and two forced fumbles. He was named as a first-team All-Big 12 selection
Lawrence impressed at the NFL Combine as he had a 4.52-second run and a 10-yard split of 1.59. He also had the second-highest vertical, 40", and the second-best broad jump, 10'10".
To be clear, the talent level is there with Lawrence, and in fact, many experts like him for the Eagles. He's a perfect fit for Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio's defense as he's a speedy, athletic edge rusher who can thrive in that system.
The problem is that Lawrence has been seen as more of a Day 2 selection with the second-round being the most likely scenario. If the Eagles indeed used a first-round pick on Lawrence when they could have waited until the second round, there might be some questions.
Philly might be able to use a first-round pick on an offensive tackle in the first round to secure their potential future successor to Lane Johnson and then use the second round on Lawrence. There could be concerns that Lawrence won't fall to the Eagles in the second round, so they might have to trade up to get him.
Read more: Eagles can't afford to wait on drafting for position that no fan is thinking about
It's a tough situation for the Eagles, so they will need to figure out how to avoid reaching on Lawrence without losing him. Eagles fans hope this mock draft won't be an accurate depiction of what's to come for the team in the NFL Draft.