The 2026 NFL Draft is four weeks away and there is so much that needs to get resolved there by the Philadelphia Eagles.
They have glaring needs at edge rusher, offensive line, wide receiver, and safety. ESPN's Matt Miller released his latest mock draft that included all seven rounds as he took Miami defensive end Akheem Mesidor with the 23rd overall pick for the Eagles.
"With Jaelan Phillips departing in free agency, the Eagles have to prioritize adding capable rushers early in this draft. At 25 years old, Mesidor is an older prospect, but he's a pro-ready pass rusher with the tools to beat offensive tackles with his powerful hands, technique and moves. Mesidor broke out last season with 12.5 sacks and 58 pressures under the tutelage of Hall of Famer Jason Taylor."
Eagles take defensive end with the first round pick in latest mock draft
Mesidor is less about replacing Phillips and more about the Eagles' lack of trust in Nolan Smith and Jalyx Hunt. While Hunt showed great potential after leading the team in sacks (six) and interceptions (three) last season, the Eagles struggled in the first half of the season with pressuring the quarterback until Phillips came along, so Mesidor will be able to give them another edge rusher to help out.
With the 54th overall pick in the second round of the draft, Miller predicts the Eagles will be finding wide receiver A.J. Brown's potential replacement with Clemson's Antonio Williams.
"Given the uncertainty surrounding A.J. Brown's future with the team, it would be smart for the Eagles to draft a wide receiver somewhat early. The worst-case scenario has Williams working as the WR3 in 2026. He had 208 catches over four seasons with 21 touchdowns and is NFL-ready."
In the third round, the Eagles have two picks they will be selecting from. Miller has Philly taking Ohio State tight end Max Klare with the 68th pick and Dametrious Crownover with the 98th pick.
"It's time to think about future life after Dallas Goedert. Klare is a classic in-line tight end with the quickness to win up the seam."
"The Eagles have made a living off drafting offensive linemen before there's a need at the position. Crownover could maybe be their future right tackle once Lane Johnson retires."
Here is how Miller thinks the rest of the picks will go for the Eagles:
- Round 4, Pick 114: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State
- Round 4, Pick 137: Jake Slaughter, C, Florida
- Round 5, Pick 153: Michael Taaffe, S, Texas
- Round 5, Pick 178: Dontay Corleone, DT, Cincinnati
- Round 6, Pick 197: Ceyair Wright, CB, Nebraska
The one that sticks out the most is Payton going in the fourth round. This could indicate that Tanner McKee might end up being traded from the Eagles, as the team won't carry four quarterbacks and just traded for Andy Dalton, so Philly wouldn't ditch him right away.
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If this is the draft haul the Eagles end up with, Philly fans would be okay with the selections made.