The Philadelphia Eagles' offense is in the midst of what appears to be a youth movement, built the same way the defense has been over the last few years.
Eagles general manager Howie Roseman used the team's first five picks in the 2026 NFL Draft to select offensive players. While first-round pick wide receiver Makai Lemon will get all the attention to start, the others might be just as intriguing.
One rookie Eagles fans have their eyes on is Vanderbilt tight end Eli Stowers, as he appears to be the future starting tight end once the team moves on from Dallas Goedert. The real question is: How likely is it that Stowers actually pushed Goedert for the starting job in training camp?
Eli Stowers' chances of winning starting job and creating a good problem
The buzz around Stowers during the draft process was real, as many scouts were excited about him, naming him as one of the top tight end prospects. He's coming off a great season in college, catching 62 passes for 769 yards and four touchdowns. That led to him winning the John Mackey Award as the nation's best tight end, earning first-team All-SEC selection, and being named a unanimous All-American.
At the NFL Combine, Stowers really solidified his status as one of the top tight ends in the draft with his measurements. He had the second-fastest 40-yard dash time among tight ends, running it in 4.51 seconds.
Stowers is seen as a future starter for the Eagles, bringing a completely new skill set that other team tight ends haven't had. Philly has been known for selecting tight ends in the second round; Zach Ertz and Goedert were also picked in the same round, and they have put together great careers.
OTAs did not start out well for Stowers, but it wasn't because of bad press around him. It was simply because he didn't make any highlight plays and was relatively quiet. His other rookie teammates, like Lemon and Markel Bell, got a lot of attention from teammates and Eagles reporters.
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Training camp will be a good challenge for Stowers, as he has the potential to be a great tight end in the NFL. If he can put it all together and push Goedert for the starting job, the Eagles might have a great situation where two starting tight ends are on the team.
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