Eagles Draft Strategy: Mike Mayock weighs in on Philadelphia’s options at No. 32

When Mike Mayock speaks, NFL front offices — and diehard Eagles fans — listen. The former Raiders GM and longtime draft guru recently sat down with Bleeding Green Nation to break down what the Philadelphia Eagles might do with the 32nd overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. And if there’s one thing that’s clear, it’s this: Howie Roseman is playing chess while most GMs are playing Connect Four.

Eagles in Flux: Holes to Fill on Both Sides of the Ball

The Eagles enter Thursday night with needs at several key positions. Defensive end? Gone is Josh Sweat. Defensive tackle? Milton Williams left in free agency. Cornerback? Darius Slay is out. Safety? C.J. Gardner-Johnson was traded. Oh, and on offense, they might be without Dallas Goedert too — potentially as soon as draft night.

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That means a lot of question marks, and even more pressure on Roseman to hit on this pick. Grant Calcaterra as TE1? Kelee Ringo as CB1? Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown as your starting safeties? That’s not exactly a recipe for locking up the NFC East.

According to Mayock, the Eagles “lost four starters on defense and one big one on offense,” and he’s not wrong. Fortunately, the team has a war chest of draft capital to work with — eight picks this year and 12 more in 2026, thanks to compensatory selections. If Howie wants to move up, he has the ammo.

Mayock: Eagles Could Target Corner or Edge

If the Eagles stay put at 32, cornerback is the position Mayock would target first. “You have Mitchell, but how strongly does Howie feel about Ringo and Eli Ricks?” Mayock asked. He noted that the top-tier corners — Travis Hunter, Jahdae Barron, Will Johnson — will likely be long gone, but names like Max Hairston (Kentucky), Trey Amos (Ole Miss), Azareye’h Thomas (Florida State), and Shavon Revel (East Carolina) could still be on the board.

WATCH: Eagles’ draft strategy at pick 32 may have just been leaked by Daniel Jeremiah

Mayock also pointed out the need for more size on the edge. While the Eagles have a collection of lean, bendy edge rushers, someone like Mykel Williams (Georgia), James Pearce (Tennessee), or South Jersey native Donovan Ezeiruaku (Boston College) could add bulk and versatility to the front line.

The wild card? Safety Malaki Starks out of Georgia. “He’s my guy,” Mayock said, though he doubts Starks lasts until 32. Still, the idea of pairing him with Cooper DeJean has Eagles fans drooling.

And then there’s tight end Mason Taylor out of LSU, who Mayock believes is being criminally undervalued. “First-round pick all day long,” he said. If the defensive board gets wiped out, and Goedert is on the next flight out of Philly, Taylor could be the unexpected play.

The Eagles are in a sweet spot. With so many picks in their back pocket, they don’t need to force anything. They can sit back, watch the board unfold, and pounce on whoever falls. Or they can package some of that draft capital to go get their guy. Either way, Mayock sees a ton of flexibility—and that’s when Howie Roseman is at his most dangerous.

If history is any indicator, don’t be surprised if the Eagles turn No. 32 into a franchise-altering pick… or three.