If Philadelphia Eagles fans learned anything from the 2025 season, it's that they could use all the help at edge rusher they can get.
The first half of the season saw some disappointing results from guys like Jalyx Hunt and Nolan Smith Jr., but once the Eagles traded for Jaelan Phillips midway through the year, everything changed, and they became one of the best pass-rushing units in the NFL. When Phillips signed elsewhere in free agency, Philly decided to trade for Jonathan Greenard to ensure they still had a veteran presence at the position.
Philly's edge rusher room is starting to take form for the future with Greenard's trade and contract extension, as well as Smith getting his fifth-year option picked up. It does leave some to wonder after Smith had a disappointing 11 quarterback hits and three sacks in 2025, if he has another down year, do the Eagles need to look for another young edge rusher in the 2027 NFL Draft?
New 2027 mock draft thinks edge rusher in the first round for Eagles
CBS Sports writer Mike Renner shared his new mock draft, in which he has the Eagles picking 27th overall. Renner likes Philly to select Oklahoma State edge rusher Jaleel Johnson.
"The Eagles love twitched-up edge rushers, and Jaleel Johnson fits that mold. At 6-foot-4 and 270 pounds, he explodes off the edge. While he's a bit of a linear athlete, he can do serious damage as a bull-rusher."
Johnson was off to a good start to the 2025 season for the Cowboys as Pro Football Focus graded him out as the top defensive player on the team through the first four games with 78.2. He would only play 150 snaps before suffering a season-ending injury.
Smith has not played as well over the last year, but he, too, was dealing with an injury, so Eagles fans are just hoping it was a fluke season. In 2024, he was second on the Eagles in sacks with 6.5 during their Super Bowl run.
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The Eagles are sort of banking on Smith to be back to his 2024 form for the upcoming season, hoping he has a career season. If he does, general manager Howie Roseman will make sure they have a backup plan, and Johnson could be the perfect guy.
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