Eagles already projected to draft Tight End in 2026 because time is a flat circle

The Eagles haven’t even kicked off training camp yet, and somehow, we’ve already got mock drafts predicting who Howie Roseman is going to pick in next year’s first round.

According to the latest way-too-early mock from Pro Football Network, the Eagles are slated to select Ohio State tight end Max Klare in 2026 — a player who’s already drawing comparisons to none other than Zach Ertz.

Yes, seriously. It’s July. Of 2025.

Eagles’ Alleged 2026 Pick Is Already Being Compared to Zach Ertz

This whole thing feels familiar, doesn’t it? The Eagles drafted Zach Ertz in 2013. Then they took Dallas Goedert in 2018 to replace Ertz. Now, PFN says Max Klare could be next in line to replace Goedert. And if history tells us anything, some 7th grader out there is already being groomed to replace Klare in 2031.

According to PFN, Klare is “a younger solution” for the Eagles with Dallas Goedert’s future in Philly up in the air. Klare recently transferred from Purdue to Ohio State and is expected to explode in 2025 with a real quarterback and competent coaching staff. At Purdue, he was basically the only bright spot on a miserable 1-11 team, putting up 51 catches, 685 yards, and 4 touchdowns in a completely broken offense.

Now at Ohio State, he’ll actually have a shot to win something, and scouts like Jordan Reid and Matt Miller already have him in their top five tight ends for the 2026 class. He’s listed at 6’4″, 240 pounds — slightly smaller than Ertz or Goedert — but he’s versatile, athletic, and the hype train is leaving the station early.

Eagles Fans Know This Game Already

Let’s be honest: This is classic Eagles football lifecycle. We fall in love with our current tight end, then the front office goes full Bill Belichick and drafts his replacement a year early.

Goedert’s still got game, but if this front office sees a rising star like Klare, they’re not going to wait around. Especially not with the way the position has evolved. Add in the fact that Ertz is now with Washington, and the tight end position is starting to feel like a Philly-to-NFC-East pipeline.

The real wild part is how accurate these comparisons are. Ertz was a technician. Goedert is a bulldozer. Klare? He might be both, and if he hits in Columbus this fall, the Eagles will have their eyes locked on him.

This whole “mock draft in July” stuff is hilarious, but it’s also a reminder of how the Eagles always plan three steps ahead. If Max Klare shows out at Ohio State the way people expect, it’s not far-fetched to imagine him in midnight green a year from now. Still, can we at least get through this season before we start mentally replacing Dallas Goedert?

Or maybe this is just how it works in Philly now. The roster never sleeps. The depth chart is never safe. And the Eagles are always looking for the next great tight end.

Because, as we’re learning, again, time is a flat circle.