5 for 25?
It’s Monday, there are mock drafts to be had.
Mel Kiper, ESPN – DT Walter Nolen, Ole Miss
This would be the third time in four years that the Eagles draft a defensive tackle, and GM Howie Roseman has historically favored the trenches on Day 1 of the draft. We just talked about the Chiefs’ offensive line issues, and it was the Eagles’ defensive line that gave it fits at the Super Bowl. Milton Williams had two sacks in that game. Williams also is now in New England on a big free agent deal, so Roseman could go back to the trenches again to find a replacement.
Nolen is very disruptive thanks to explosive traits and strong hands. He had 6.5 sacks and 15 run stops last season. And while he didn’t go to Georgia, Nolen at least keeps the Eagles’ direct line to SEC defensive tackles alive.
It’s a lock the Eagles will draft a DT. Quite possibly in the 1st. Maybe even Walter Nolen, who is a popular pick for them this week.
A former top recruit (#2 in his class behind Travis Hunter), Nolen disappointed at Texas A&M before moving to Ole Miss for the 2024 season. At Oxford he had a good season, but not a strong one. I am not impressed by Nolen, but then this draft is full of good but unimpressive players. I wouldn’t be excited by a Walter Nolen pick, but he fits the high athletic DL profile that the Eagles have drafted, they’re just usually from Georgia. Ole Miss did beat Georgia this year, so close enough.
The Athletic Beat Writers Mock – S Malaki Starks, Georgia
Trade: Vikings trade No. 24 to Eagles for No. 32, a 2025 fifth-round pick and a 2026 third-round pick.
The Eagles explored multiple trade opportunities before the Vikings revealed themselves to be a reasonable bunch. That the Lions published negotiations on social media remains disappointing. What began as an exercise in market evaluation turned into a pretty fair bargain. The Eagles are likely to have three third-round picks in 2026 and had four 2025 fifth-rounders to sweeten any deal. Not bad for an eight-spot leap. Starks is a sensible choice after trading away C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans. The Eagles add a proven playmaker in Starks to a room in which Reed Blankenship is the only established starter. — Brooks Kubena
Yuck. This pick stinks. First of all, the Eagles are not trading up to draft a safety. And they are not trading up to draft a safety who tested so poorly. Relative Athletic Score isn’t everything, but the last time the Eagles drafted a sub 9.0+ RAS player at any point in the first three rounds was Jalen Reagor. Starks graded as a 5.13, which would be the lowest RAS player the Eagles have drafted since Matt Pryor in the 6th round in 2018.
And Starks isn’t what the Eagles need out of a safety anyway, Georgia played him as a slot defender and he really struggled. His tape this year was rough.
I applaud trading up, as I think the Eagles will move up in the 1st or 2nd round, and give up a 2026 pick as part of the trade. And Starks does fit a profile that the Eagles have drafted of high profile players who had disappointing final seasons, such as Jeremiah Trotter and Kelee Ringo. Like Nolen he is a 5 star 2022 recruit. But you don’t take a player like that in the 1st, and you don’t take a deep safety only who tested poorly in the 1st.
Marcus Mosher, 33rd Team – WR Luther Burden, Missouri
Luther Burden III could easily be the best receiver in this class, but some concerns about his route tree and NFL readiness cause him to fall in this mock.
However, he lands in the perfect situation as he would be the No. 3 receiver in Philadelphia. Burden can play on the outside, but he would primarily be a slot receiver early in his career, which would make Philadelphia’s offense even more dynamic.
I like Luther Burden–another 5 star from 2022 to continue an unintentional theme–that he would be available at 32 is absurd to me. He had a down year but in this draft class, so what, have you seen this draft? But even if he was available, the Eagles just spent two draft picks last year and one for this year on WRs, they have much bigger needs at DT, EDGE, CB, SAF, and TE.
Jeff Risdon, DraftWire – TE Colston Loveland, Michigan
The world champs love to build through the trenches. Loveland is trench-adjacent and falls a little in this set of projections because of the shoulder injury that could keep him out all offseason.
I have difficulty seeing the Eagles draft a TE in the 1st this year for a few reasons, one of them being that this is a good TE draft, there will be some on the board on day two. But Loveland–only a 4 star from 2022, darn–is really, really good. He’s TE1 for me. I would be surprised if he was available at 32 and I wouldn’t be upset if he was the pick. I wouldn’t trade Dallas Goedert but if you’re replacing him with Loveland, okay, I can get behind that.
My turn
For variety’s sake I will use Mock Draft Database’s simulator, even though I hate it. It has the most unrealistic trade offers, if you do a full mock without even trying you can pick up at least four picks for next year. And some of the picks are just insane. Look at this crap from back to back sims I did:
But I shall persevere. Let’s have some fun, even if it’s unrealistic. This time let’s go four rounds.
First round
I trade 32 and a 2026 3rd to the Chargers for 22 and a 2026 4th. I told you their trade values are bad.
At 22 I am taking Georgia EDGE Jalon Walker. This checks so many Howie Roseman boxes. Trade up, check. EDGE rusher, check. Outstanding athlete, check. Georgia Bulldog, check. Like Nolen, Burden, and Starks above, another 5 star 2022 recruit.
Second round
I want to use my mock sim to highlight different players, so at 64, let’s have some more fun. Saquon Barkley just got a huge extension, but the board is not looking good to me and Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson is there. Barkley is going to regress next year, having a quality plan B at RB is going to pay off. Johnson is quick and agile for a RB his size and is getting overlooked in this stacked RB class.
Third round
At 96, I’m going with Nebraska CB Tommi Hill. Travis Hunter is not the only CB/WR in this draft, he played some snaps at WR for the Cornhuskers in 2022! But really, a 6’ CB with ball skills would be a nice addition to the CB room.
Fourth round
At 134, let’s go with Notre Dame TE Mitchell Evans. Good route runner who needs to clean up his blocking. He’s no Colston Loveland but like Kaleb Johnson he may be flying under the radar in a good positional class.