Eagles Day 3 Recap: Howie Roseman takes big swings late in the NFL Draft
Eagles fans had to wait a while for the Birds to get moving on Day 3 of the NFL Draft, but Howie Roseman still found a way to make it interesting.
After trading away picks earlier in the weekend to land Makai Lemon and Jonathan Greenard, the Eagles entered Saturday with limited ammo. Then Howie moved down, added two more seventh-round picks, and ended up making five picks on Day 3.
The Eagles took North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton in the fifth round, Georgia guard Micah Morris in the sixth, Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski in the seventh, then closed the draft with defensive tackle Uar Bernard and edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby.
That is a very Howie Day 3.
A developmental quarterback. A big SEC offensive lineman. A safety who can hit. A complete freak from the International Player Pathway program. And a late-round edge rusher who has spent his entire college career getting after quarterbacks.
Eagles Draft Cole Payton In Round 5
The Eagles used their first Day 3 pick on North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton at No. 178.
Yes, another North Dakota State quarterback. Everyone can relax.
Payton is not Carson Wentz 2.0. He is a late-round developmental quarterback with real athletic tools and some interesting upside. He is 6-foot-3, 232 pounds, ran a 4.56, and gives the Eagles another big mobile quarterback to develop behind Jalen Hurts, Tanner McKee, and Andy Dalton.
Payton only had one season as a full-time college starter, so this is not some ready-made backup. He needs time. He has to speed up his processing, trust what he sees, and clean up some mechanics.
But there is stuff to like. He is accurate. He can move. He has experience with pro-style concepts. He can throw on the run. He gives the offense another quarterback who can be part of the run game if needed.
For a fifth-round pick, that is fine. Let him marinate and see what happens.
Eagles Add Micah Morris In Round 6
The Eagles then traded down from No. 197 to No. 207 and picked up two extra seventh-round picks. That move ended up giving them Uar Bernard and Keyshawn James-Newby later.
At No. 207, they took Georgia guard Micah Morris.
This one is pretty easy to understand. Morris is 6-foot-5, 334 pounds, and tested like a much smaller man. He ran a 5.09, jumped well, and brings the kind of raw power the Eagles usually love along the offensive line.
He only started 19 games at Georgia, so there is development needed here. He can overset in pass protection. He still has to clean up his technique and become more consistent against pressure.
But as a sixth-round guard, he has tools worth betting on. He has heavy hands, real power in the run game, and enough athletic ability to think there might be something there if the coaching staff can get him right.
This is the type of pick where you take the body, take the traits, and let the offensive line room do its thing.
Eagles Finally Address Safety With Cole Wisniewski
The Eagles came into the draft thin at safety, and they finally added one in the seventh round with Cole Wisniewski at No. 244.
Wisniewski is a big safety at 6-foot-3 and 219 pounds. He started his college career at North Dakota State, moved from linebacker to safety, then transferred to Texas Tech after missing the 2024 season with a foot injury.
His best trait is pretty clear. He can come downhill and tackle.
That matters for a team that needs more safety depth and special teams help. Wisniewski has linebacker instincts, which show up in the run game. He is physical, responsible, and should have a real chance to make his early impact on special teams.
Coverage is the question. He can struggle in man coverage, does not have great recovery speed, and probably is not someone you want living deep as a true center-field safety.
But in the seventh round, you are looking for players who can give you something. Wisniewski can tackle and play teams. That gives him a path.
Eagles Take A Jordan Mailata Style Swing On Uar Bernard
Then came the fun one.
The Eagles took defensive tackle Uar Bernard at No. 251, and this is where the draft got weird in the best way.
Bernard is from Nigeria and came through the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. He has never played organized football. That alone sounds insane until you remember the Eagles once drafted Jordan Mailata in the seventh round, and that worked out pretty damn well.
Bernard is 6-foot-4, 306 pounds, ran a 4.63, jumped 39 inches, and reportedly has just 6% body fat.
That is ridiculous.
The Eagles are not drafting what he is right now. They are drafting what he could become if the football part catches up to the athletic part. Howie Roseman already called it a passion project, and that is exactly what it is.
This pick might go nowhere. That is the honest version.
But if you are taking a swing at No. 251, swing on the freak athlete with rare tools. The Eagles have earned the benefit of the doubt on this kind of gamble.
Eagles Close The Draft With Keyshawn James-Newby
The Eagles ended their draft by taking New Mexico edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby at No. 252.
James-Newby is undersized at 6-foot-2 and around 238 to 245 pounds, depending on the listing, but the production is hard to ignore. He had 33.5 career sacks, including 10.5 in 2024 and 9 in 2025.
That is not nothing.
He started at Montana Tech, went to Idaho, then finished at New Mexico. At every stop, he produced. He plays with a high motor, has good get-off, and knows how to corner tightly to the pocket.
He is probably not going to overpower NFL tackles. He needs more variety as a pass rusher. But late on Day 3, the Eagles love taking productive edge rushers and seeing if something sticks.
James-Newby will get a chance to fight for a roster spot, add some juice in camp, and help on special teams.
Eagles Made Day 3 Weird In The Best Way
The Eagles did not have a ton to work with on Day 3, but they still came away with a handful of interesting bets.
Cole Payton gives them a developmental quarterback with athletic upside. Micah Morris gives them another big body for the offensive line room. Cole Wisniewski gives them a physical safety with special teams value. Uar Bernard is the lottery ticket. Keyshawn James-Newby is the productive edge rusher you take late and see what happens.
After three days, the Eagles added Makai Lemon, Eli Stowers, Markel Bell, Jonathan Greenard, Cole Payton, Micah Morris, Cole Wisniewski, Uar Bernard, and Keyshawn James-Newby.
That is a lot of size, speed, and weird athletic bets.
Some of these Day 3 picks probably will not turn into anything. That is how Day 3 works. But Howie Roseman still found a way to make it interesting, and at this point, nobody should be shocked by that.
Read More
NFL set to investigate Eagles, Steelers over Makai Lemon phone call debacle
During the first-round of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Eagles…
The Eagles’ 2026 NFL Draft Recap: Eight Picks, a Blockbuster Trade, and a Bunch of Freaks
The Eagles made eight picks in the 2026 NFL Draft…
Eagles 2026 Undrafted Free Agent Class: Deontae Lawson headlines the reported group of eight signings
The draft is over and the Eagles made eight picks…
I’m loving the Bernard pick, football isn’t rocket science and the risk to reward ratio is off the charts. The kid will learn under a solid organization and will become something special in football.