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 and came away with a class that is clearly built for the future. The first five selections were all offensive players, which tells you exactly where this franchise sees itself heading.
The offense is aging and the defense is about to get expensive. Time to reload through the draft on the offensive side while the defensive stars still have time on their deals.
The only player expected to make a significant immediate impact is first-round pick Makai Lemon. The rest are developmental pieces with traits and upside that will take a year or two to evaluate properly.
Six of the eight picks were either physical freaks or possessed unusual size, which is classic Howie Roseman draft strategy in a class that was widely considered weak.
The Eagles also made a significant trade during the draft, sending a pair of third-round picks to the Vikings for edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who signed a four-year, $98 million extension. Greenard had 24.5 sacks combined in 2023 and 2024 before a shoulder injury derailed his 2025 season.
Round 1, Pick 20: Makai Lemon, WR, USC (5’11, 194)
The Eagles traded up three spots with the Cowboys to grab Lemon, who was widely considered a top-15 prospect by most draft analysts.
He led all first-round receivers in receptions (79), was second in receiving yards (1,156), and had 11 touchdowns in his true junior season.
He’s undersized with a 4.50 40 but catches everything with a 2.8 percent drop rate, wins against man and zone coverage, and is a willing blocker.
Projects as the starting slot receiver. The Steelers were about to take him at 21 and actually called Lemon to tell him they were picking him before the Eagles swooped in on call waiting. Beautiful.
Round 2, Pick 54: Eli Stowers, TE, Vanderbilt (6’4, 239)
Former quarterback turned tight end who broke NFL Combine records with a 45.5-inch vertical and a 135-inch broad jump while running a 4.51 40. Had 62 catches for 769 yards and four touchdowns in his final season at Vanderbilt. Elite athlete who is more of a big receiver at this point and needs to develop as a blocker. Will sit behind Dallas Goedert initially but is the long-term successor at the position.
Round 3, Pick 68: Markel Bell, OT, Miami (6’9, 346)
Mammoth. 6’9, 346 pounds with 36 3/8-inch arms. Allowed zero sacks in 2025 at Miami. Roseman called him a “passion player” and the movement skills are surprisingly good for a human being that large. Will train at both left and right tackle and learn behind Lane Johnson. The long-term Johnson succession plan, done in Round 3 instead of Round 1 which lowers the odds but the upside is enormous.
TRADE: Jonathan Greenard, EDGE, from Minnesota
The Eagles sent picks 98 (2026 third round) and a 2027 third-round pick to the Vikings for Greenard and a 2026 seventh rounder. Greenard signed a four-year, $98 million deal. He’s one of only six players with 12-plus sacks in two of the last three seasons. Battled a shoulder injury in 2025 that ended his season and required surgery.
If he returns to 2023/2024 form, the Eagles just added a legitimate game-wrecker to a defensive line that already includes Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and Arnold Ebiketie. Steep price but immediate impact.
Round 5, Pick 178: Cole Payton, QB, North Dakota State (6’3, 232)
One-year starter against lower-level competition but the physical tools are real. Completed 71.9 percent of his passes for 2,719 yards with 16 touchdowns and four interceptions while also running for 777 yards and 13 touchdowns. Runs a 4.56 40 at 232 pounds. He’s a lefty. He’s from NDSU, same as Carson Wentz.
The quarterback factory keeps humming. Outstanding value in the fifth round where every major draft analyst had him ranked as a fourth-round talent.
Round 6, Pick 207: Micah Morris, OG, Georgia (6’5, 334)
Athletic interior lineman who ran a 5.09 and broad jumped 9’4″ at 334 pounds. Unpolished but has the size and movement skills to develop into a depth piece behind Jurgens, Dickerson, and Steen. The seventh Georgia player the Eagles have drafted since 2022. Long-term interior line depth with real upside.
Round 7, Pick 244: Cole Wisniewski, S, Texas Tech (6’3, 219)
Big safety who plays best near the line of scrimmage and in run support. Physical tackler who started all 14 games at Texas Tech in 2025 with 78 tackles, a sack, two forced fumbles, and six pass breakups. The Eagles have a history of taking safeties this size and converting them to linebacker. Special teams contributor at minimum.
Round 7, Pick 251: Uar Bernard, iDL, Nigeria (6’4, 306)
The freak of the entire class. International Pathway Program prospect from a small village in Nigeria who has never played organized football. Measured at 6’4, 306 with six percent body fat, a 39-inch vertical, a 10’10” broad jump, and a 4.63 40. At 306 pounds. His athletic measurables compare favorably to the best defensive players in the NFL. The Eagles hit on a similar project with Jordan Mailata. Whether Bernard ever contributes is a coin flip at best but the physical tools are unlike anything you’ve ever seen at a Day 3 pick.
Round 7, Pick 252: Keyshawn James-Newby, EDGE, New Mexico (6’2, 238)
Undersized edge rusher with 33.5 career sacks across three college stops. Ran a 4.53 at his pro day. Productive pass rusher with a high motor who plays longer than he measures. The Eagles love taking productive college pass rushers late on Day 3 and seeing if the production translates. Special teams speed gives him a path to the roster.
The Big Picture
The Eagles reloaded on offense with youth through the draft and added an immediate defensive impact player through trade. Lemon, Greenard, and the Dontayvion Wicks trade acquisition (fifth-round pick in 2026 plus a 2027 sixth) are the guys who will contribute right away.
Everyone else is a long-term play. This class will be better evaluated in two or three years when the developmental picks have had time to marinate. Classic Roseman draft. Traits, value, and a plan for the future.
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