Eagles News: ESPN says Philadelphia made 2 of the best 27 picks in the 2026 NFL Draft

Q: Who were the Philadelphia Eagles' top picks in the 2026 NFL Draft?

The Eagles' top picks were WR Makai Lemon at No. 20 and TE Eli Stowers at No. 54.

Q: Why is Makai Lemon considered a valuable pick for the Eagles?

Makai Lemon is valued for his exceptional skills as a wide receiver and was projected to be picked earlier, making him a steal at No. 20.

Q: What impact will Eli Stowers have on the Eagles' offense?

Eli Stowers is expected to address both immediate and long-term needs at tight end, potentially replacing Dallas Goedert in the future.

Q: What does the Eagles' draft strategy indicate about their future plans?

The Eagles' selections suggest a commitment to strengthening their offense, especially in light of potential changes to their receiving corps.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - APRIL 25: Eli Stowers attends Game Four of the First Round of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena on April 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Denis Kennedy/NHLI via Getty Images) | NHLI via Getty Images ***Let’s get to the Philadelphia Eagles news and links …*** 2026 NFL draft: Ranking the 100 best picks, steals, fits – ESPN **4) Makai Lemon, WR, Philadelphia Eagles (Pick 1-20).** My final overall ranking: No. 8. Lemon ranked as my top wide receiver in the class and was an exceptional value at No. 20, especially because predraft rumors had him going to the Rams at No. 13 or the Jets at No. 16. An added factor is the shrewd move by the Eagles to trade up and jump the Steelers — who were on the phone with Lemon telling him he would be their pick at No. 21. Draft-day drama involving trades is the best, and Philadelphia played the board brilliantly to secure a future running mate for DeVonta Smith. Even with A.J. Brown destined to be a Patriot once his contract is tradeable after June 1, adding a premier wideout in this class wasn’t expected. But it ended up being one of the best picks of the draft. […] **27) Eli Stowers, TE, Philadelphia Eagles (Pick 2-54).** My final overall ranking: No. 58. At an almost even value, the Eagles made a brilliant pick that addresses both immediate and long-term needs while continuing to build around quarterback . Stowers broke records at the combine in the vertical (45½ inches) and broad jump (11-3) while running a 4.51 40 at 6-4 and 251 pounds. He’s a seam-stretching target who maximizes yards with the ball in his hands. Given ’s age (31) and the fact that his contract expires after this season, Stowers should be seen as his heir apparent. By adding Lemon and Stowers in back-to-back rounds, Philadelphia went all-in on offense, which should pay off. The rookies are in the building, and the day before they were set to take the practice field for the first time, they spoke to reporters to answers some questions. Makai Lemon expressed being eager to get out on the field and get to work, but also said he’s taken some time before he falls asleep at night to appreciate the surreal experience of realizing his dream of playing in the NFL. The Eagles’ first-round pick said that he’s been loving the City of Philadelphia since he got to town, and he definitely felt the love at the Sixers game last weekend. Lemon also said he’s excited to be in an offense like this, and thinks his skillset will mesh really well with what they’re trying to do. Here’s some of what he had to say. Which draft pick was a statement about their new team’s future? RJ: One of the biggest stories of the NFL offseason has been that the Philadelphia Eagles are going to trade AJ Brown. It has reached the point where several outlets refer to it as inevitable and discuss it in that manner. As inevitable as it may be, to date there has been no hard or concrete proof of this becoming a potential reality. This certainly changed during the first round when Philly moved up to draft USC wideout Makai Lemon. It seems like the dawn of a new future for the Eagles offense has officially begun. You can argue that nobody signaled more about their future than the Eagles did in this respect. Maybe the Rams with , but that’s about it. QB Cole Payton: Payton is currently the QB4, so he has very little chance of getting on the field as a quarterback as a rookie. He’s also a 230+ pound guy and a good runner. And so, he was asked if he had ever thought about being used in a non-quarterback role while he develops as a quarterback. “If that’s what the team wants, if that’s what team needs, I’m all for it,” he said. Payton added that he did play in games at NDSU at running back, tight end, and on special teams. Makai Lemon got a lot of attention since he was the star of the team’s draft class. You see quickness, great body control and natural hands. We saw all of that on his college tape, but it is always reassuring to see it from the player once he’s in your uniform and on your practice field. You can see a real difference in him and the guys after him. Lemon makes it look natural, almost easy. That’s what you want from a first round pick. If things are forced, stiff or almost mechanical, that’s not going to work in the NFL. Micah Morris: Morris logged 803 snaps in 2025 and earned a 72.0 PFF grade, driven largely by his pass protection. His 83.7 pass-blocking grade ranked 34th among qualifying interior linemen, and he allowed pressure on just 1.0% of pass-blocking snaps (tied for ninth) with a 2.55% loss rate (27th). His impact was more limited in the run game, where he posted a 67.2 run-blocking grade (tied for 113th) and an 11.9% impact run-block rate (tied for 128th). At 6-foot-4 and 330 pounds, he brings size and stability in pass protection, which aligns with his No. 242 ranking on PFF’s Big Board as a depth interior lineman with pass-game value. It didn’t take long for the Eagles’ rookies to be impressed by Sean Mannion. Just a few days. “I know he’s going to be really good for this program,” second-round pick Eli Stowers said. “He’s a really smart mind. Just learning the offense in the few days that I have, I can tell that it’s going to be a really good scheme and that we’re going to be able to make some really good plays. Our offense is going to be powerful because of him. I’m really excited to work with him.” Mannion, 34, is entering his first season as the Eagles’ offensive coordinator in 2026 and will be vital to the success of the team this season. Despite having plenty of talent last year, the Eagles’ offense woefully underperformed, which led to the ouster of former offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo after one season at the helm. The Eagles went through an exhaustive search to hire Mannion and will now turn over the keys of the offense to a guy with just two years of coaching experience. Uar Bernard needed help with his helmet. It was one of the first drills in the first football practice of Bernard’s life, a baby step in a giant experiment. The Philadelphia Eagles used a seventh-round draft choice on a 6-foot-4, 306-pound mystery from a Nigerian village who has never played football, tantalized by athletic testing at the NFL’s International Player Pathway program that prompted comparisons to NFL star on the NFL Draft broadcast. Before Bernard could swipe at a tackling dummy, he needed his helmet latched. A teammate trying out for the Eagles from Lehigh University helped Bernard with the chinstrap, gave him a friendly slap above the head, and watched Bernard work. Then Bernard waved his hands in preparation, crouched into a three-point stance, swatted away a tackling dummy, swiped at a football and chased another loose ball as part of the defensive line drill. A few minutes later, Eagles defensive line coach Clint Hurtt worked with Bernard on hitting a tackling sled. Eagles owner Jeffrey Lurie and general manager Howie Roseman watched closely on the side, emboldened from the experience eight years earlier when they drafted a mammoth-sized rugby player from Australia named in the seventh round and watched him develop into one of the best offensive tackles in the NFL. was highly touted coming out of East Carolina, but his injury history made him fall to day two of the 2025 NFL draft. In his rookie campaign, it was obvious Revel was still not fully back to his pre-injury self and he hopes to have a full offseason to prepare for year two. But unlike last year, there is a lot more competition in the room this season. Veteran corner was signed to a one-year deal in free agency and has a lot of starting experience on the outside under his belt. The Cowboys also drafted Devin Moore in the fourth-round of the 2026 NFL draft, and hearing Will McClay talk about him on the DLLS Cowboys podcast earlier this week, the team has big plans for the Florida cornerback, if he’s able to stay healthy. There are also players like , , Josh Butler and waiting for their shot. Dan Quinn looked right into a Commanders in-house camera moments after Washington selected linebacker Sonny Styles and said two words we’ll have to paraphrase on this family-friendly site. “Eff yeah.” The Commanders got their guy. Their head coach was pumped. Rightfully so. Styles was one of the best prospects in the 2026 NFL draft, only available at No. 7 overall because he plays a non-premium position. Styles should be a game-changer for a team looking to get younger and faster on defense, with the smarts, savvy and athletic traits to star in the NFL. Doug, first of all let’s remember that having to trade was a late complication that the Giants had hoped would not be necessary. At the beginning of free agency, when most of the top players sign, I’m sure they did not believe they would be trying to replace him. As things have developed, it was clear that D.J. Reader was Plan A. They were pursuing Reader even before trading Lawrence. Let’s remember that Reader is a good player who is a FREE AGENT with options. He can make his own choice about who he wants to play with, and knowing the situation a team like the Giants are in he and his representatives cannot be blamed if they makes interested teams sweat while trying to squeeze every last dollar out of a deal that they can. Do the Giants have enough without Reader? Whether it is Reader or another experienced nose tackle, even someone they pick up when roster cuts are made at the end of August, I would say no. They don’t have someone on the roster who has been a successful nose tackle at the NFL level, and I think they would want to find one before Week 1. … **Social Media Information:** BGN Facebook Page: BGN Twitter: BGN BlueSky: BGN Instagram: BGN Manager: Follow Brandon Lee Gowton on **** | **** | **** BGN Radio Twitter: