Eagles 2026 draft class analysis

Eli Stowers, Tight End, Vanderbilt

Signature Stat: Ranked top 10 in the country last year in Deep Catches (10th), Deep Yards (6th), and Contested Catches (9th) among tight ends.

The Player: Eli Stowers was a force in the SEC for two years since transferring from New Mexico. At 6 ‘4”, 239 pounds, Stowers was often the most athletic skill player on the field. At the NFL Combine, Stowers set the record for broad jump (11’3”) and vertical jump (45.5”) for a tight end. The athleticism showed up in the way he’d run by SEC defenders with ease, or body smaller ones in coverage. He was a lethal vertical threat from the slot or lined up in-line. Diego Pavia would not have been a Heisman finalist without Eli Stowers being a mismatch nightmare. Stowers is not a traditional tight end. He was an inconsistent in-line blocker, which meant that he was mostly lined up in the slot or even sometimes in the backfield on running plays. His athleticism made him a good blocker in space, but in the box he’d struggle with the physicality of bigger defensive linemen.

Outlook: It was almost a certainty that the Eagles were going to draft a tight end high in this class. Dallas Goedert is back on a one-year deal and it’s unlikely he is an Eagle after 2026. His presence this year means Stowers can be brought along slowly, learning all the facets of being a tight end from Goedert while being used in a more limited capacity. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Stowers deployed as a slot receiver or even lined up wide in some packages. Sean Mannion will want to get his best players on the field. Which means Smith, Lemon, Goedert, and Stowers all being movable chess pieces, especially down in the red zone. If Stowers can even get a bit better as a blocker after his rookie year, the Eagles might have a new playmaking tight end for the foreseeable future.

Markel Bell, Offensive Tackle, Miami

Signature Stat: Allowed 0 Sacks on 558 Pass Blocking Reps in 2025

The Player: Markel Bell is a huge guy. Standing at 6’9” and 346 pounds with a wingspan of over 87 inches … not many people on the planet are built like the 21-year-old left tackle out of Miami. Bell’s size envelops most defenders, making him a stalwart pass blocker at the college level. His combination of length and surprising lateral quickness makes him pretty natural on the perimeter on the edge of an offensive line. Bell’s downhill speed and balance need work. His pad level is naturally so high that he can get outleveraged fairly easily as a run blocker. When he can come behind his pads, however, its quite impressive.

Outlook: The Eagles absolutely drafted Bell as an heir to Lane Johnson. Bell will hopefully get to sit for his rookie year and learn from the future Hall of Famer. In the meantime, it would not be surprising if Bell slimmed down to gain some more quickness. The talent with him is quite obvious and with the right coaching, Bell could be a very good starter.

Cole Payton, Quarterback, North Dakota State

Signature Stat: 13 Rushing Touchdowns in 2025

The Player: North Dakota State is a quarterback factory. I mean that seriously. For an FCS school to have five quarterbacks drafted in the last decade is really, really impressive. Cole Payton only started for a single season after Cam Miller was drafted last year, but the 6 ‘3”, 235 pounder was a weapon for the Bison offense. Payton has a good arm with very good accuracy, and he thrived behind the Bisons’ elite offensive line. Most impressive is his athleticism. He is fast. Period. He ran a 4.53 forty at the NFL Combine. That, combined with his great size, made him a pretty nasty running threat.

Outlook: Payton’s transition to the NFL is tough to project. He never really dealt with pressure at the FCS level and his ability to handle that will dictate his success at quarterback. The Eagles could be shipping off Tanner McKee this offseason, leaving an open spot in the backup quarterback competition.  It’s possible the Eagles see Payton as a Taysom Hill-type, something that was thrown around quite a bit in the draft process. With the pressing need to keep Jalen Hurts healthy, the Eagles could pivot to using Payton as a short-yardage quarterback.

Micah Morris, Guard, Georgia

Signature Stat: 0 Sacks Allowed in 426 pass blocking snaps

The Player: Micah Morris is a big, strong, athletic guard. At 6’5”, 334 pounds, Morris had a dominant performance at the NFL Combine that put him on NFL teams’ radars. As a player, he is raw, but the talent is quite obvious. He did his best work on passing downs, but was insulated by a talented offensive line and a scheme that rarely allowed defensive linemen to pin their ears back.

Outlook: Morris has an immediate shot at starting as a rookie. The Eagles right guard spot is basically up for grabs and their left guard spot eventually might be too depending on the long-term outlook of Landon Dickerson. Morris has a ways to go, but he has the ability to be an impact starter in the NFL.

Cole Wisniewski, Safety, Texas Tech

Signature Stat: Recorded 8 Interceptions in 2023

The Player: Cole Wisniewski was a forceful defender at North Dakota State before transferring to Texas Tech. In one year with the Red Raiders, he was a vital part of a defense that carried them to a playoff berth. Wisniewski was a versatile player in college, lining up all over the field at Texas Tech and North Dakota State. At the FBS level, he did his best work closer to the line of scrimmage where he could come up and attack the run while covering the short areas of the field.  He is a fine athlete, but plays with good instincts and a high level of physicality.

Outlook: The Eagles safety situation is rough enough that Cole Wisniewski will get some serious reps this offseason. It’s not the most ideal situation for the team, but it will give Wisniewski a chance to prove he can run with NFL caliber pass catchers. There is a world where he can get meaningful snaps as a rookie on defense. After all, Reed Blankenship was an UDFA and he started late in 2022 as a rookie.

Uar Bernard, Defensive Tackle

Signature Stat: Ran a 4.63 Second Forty Yard Dash at 305 pounds.

The Player: Uar Bernard has never played organized football before. He played basketball as a high school student in Nigeria before being scouted by the NFL International Player Pathway program. His athletic traits are hard to fathom and that makes him so appealing as a potential NFL player.

Outlook: The Eagles’ defensive staff is eager to get to work with Bernard. While it will be a long road to any sort of NFL viability, there is obviously lots to be excited about in terms of potential.

Keyshawn James-Newby, Edge Defender, New Mexico

Signature Stat: Recorded 168 total pressures over the last three years.

The Player: Keyshawn James-Newby played football at Montana Tech, Idaho, and then New Mexico. At each stop, he became more and more productive. He is a smaller, but fast pass rusher who has great burst and a better motor. He struggles as a run defender and has his tackles broken far more than is acceptable at the pro level.

Outlook: The Eagles are taking another swing here at a physically gifted pass rusher. With Nolan Smith, Jalyx Hunt, and now Jonathan Greenard in the fold; James-Newby has the luxury of learning behind some pretty excellent players. He will likely be a special teamer at best early on but he’ll have chances this summer to prove himself as a rotational pass rusher.

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“Signature Stats” come via Pro Football Focus.