The Eagles are focusing on 'passion projects' in the NFL draft, targeting players with unique athletic abilities or untapped skills. This strategy has previously led to successful picks like Jordan Mailata and Moro Ojomo.
Key points
Eagles focus on 'passion projects' in NFL draft
Players may be new to football or recovering from injuries
Past successes include Jordan Mailata and Moro Ojomo
Strategy aims to uncover hidden talent
Eagles
How Eagles 'passion projects' led to Nigerian player, QB factory addition
PHILADELPHIA ā Before the start of the third and final day of the NFL draft, Eagles general manager Howie Roseman and his staff have a meeting to discuss "passion projects."
These are players who might be new to football, but have unique athletic abilities. Or players who had unusual skills untapped in college. Or a talented player who's recovering from an injury.
In past years, these "passion project" players led to seventh-round gems like left tackle Jordan Mailata, a rugby player from Australia who had never played organized football; or a brilliant minded defensive tackle like Moro Ojomo; or a starting defensive back like Jalen Mills; or an undrafted free agent like safety Reed Blankenship.
So there was Roseman during the three-day draft trading twice to stockpile seventh-round picks.
Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon poses with his parents Mike and Brandy Lemon on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Point State Park in Pittsburgh.
Q&A
What are the Eagles' 'passion projects' in the NFL draft?
The Eagles' 'passion projects' refer to players with unique athletic abilities or untapped skills, often new to football or recovering from injuries.
Who are some successful players the Eagles drafted as 'passion projects'?
Successful players include Jordan Mailata, Moro Ojomo, Jalen Mills, and Reed Blankenship, all of whom had unique backgrounds or circumstances.
How does the Eagles' strategy of selecting 'passion projects' impact their team?
This strategy allows the Eagles to discover hidden talent and develop players who may not fit the traditional mold, potentially leading to valuable contributions on the field.
What positions do the Eagles typically target for their 'passion projects'?
The Eagles have targeted various positions, including left tackle, defensive tackle, defensive back, and safety, reflecting a diverse approach to player selection.
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Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon poses on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Point State Park in Pittsburgh.
Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is introduced before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Acrisure Stadium.
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number 20 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Acrisure Stadium.
Makai Lemon (R) of USC poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) after being selected twentieth overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Makai Lemon of USC celebrates after being selected twentieth overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Makai Lemon #6 of the USC Trojans catches a pass against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 02, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.
Makai Lemon #6 of the USC Trojans makes a catch over Jaydon Hill #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies during second half of the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on December 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Trojans defeated the Aggies 35-31.
Makai Lemon #6 of the USC Trojans walks out of the tunnel before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 20, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs for a first down before he is stopped by Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder (30), defensive back Rod Moore (19) and defensive end Cameron Brandt (9) on Oct. 11 at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) scores a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the second half on Nov. 22 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon is brought down by a pack of Oregon defenders as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) catches a 32-yard touchdown pass against UCLA Bruins defensive back Kanye Clark (1) in the second half on Nov. 29 at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) catches a 32-yard touchdown pass against UCLA Bruins defensive back Kanye Clark (1) in the second half on Nov. 20 at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) hurdles UCLA Bruins punter Will Karoll (49) as linebacker Scott Taylor (20) watches in the second half Nov. 20 at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon poses with his parents Mike and Brandy Lemon on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Point State Park in Pittsburgh.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon poses with his parents Mike and Brandy Lemon on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Point State Park in Pittsburgh.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon poses on the red carpet before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Point State Park in Pittsburgh.
3 / 15
Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is introduced before the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Acrisure Stadium.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Apr 23, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Southern California Trojans receiver Makai Lemon is selected by the Philadelphia Eagles as the number 20 pick during the 2026 NFL Draft on April 23 at Acrisure Stadium.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Makai Lemon (R) of USC poses with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) after being selected twentieth overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Makai Lemon of USC celebrates after being selected twentieth overall pick by the Philadelphia Eagles during Round One of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrisure Stadium on April 23, 2026 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Makai Lemon #6 of the USC Trojans catches a pass against the Washington Huskies at Husky Stadium on November 02, 2024 in Seattle, Washington.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Makai Lemon #6 of the USC Trojans makes a catch over Jaydon Hill #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies during second half of the SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl at Allegiant Stadium on December 27, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Trojans defeated the Aggies 35-31.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Makai Lemon #6 of the USC Trojans walks out of the tunnel before the game against the Michigan State Spartans at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on September 20, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) runs for a first down before he is stopped by Michigan linebacker Jimmy Rolder (30), defensive back Rod Moore (19) and defensive end Cameron Brandt (9) on Oct. 11 at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) scores a touchdown against the Oregon Ducks during the second half on Nov. 22 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
USC wide receiver Makai Lemon is brought down by a pack of Oregon defenders as the Oregon Ducks host the USC Trojans on Nov. 22, 2025, at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) catches a 32-yard touchdown pass against UCLA Bruins defensive back Kanye Clark (1) in the second half on Nov. 29 at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) catches a 32-yard touchdown pass against UCLA Bruins defensive back Kanye Clark (1) in the second half on Nov. 20 at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
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Meet Makai Lemon, Eagles newest draft pick in photos
Southern California Trojans wide receiver Makai Lemon (6) hurdles UCLA Bruins punter Will Karoll (49) as linebacker Scott Taylor (20) watches in the second half Nov. 20 at United Airlines Field at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Before the draft, the Eagles had zero seventh-round picks. By the time the Eagles were done, they drafted three players in the seventh round including Nigerian defensive tackle Uar Bernard, who had never played football until he was scouted through the International Pathways Program.
Truth be told, Roseman said he wanted even more seventh-round picks.
"We had a bunch of guys we wanted to take," Roseman said. "Even at the end, we were sitting there going, āCan we try to get a couple more picks?ā"
Bernard is 6-foot-4, 306 pounds with 6% body fat. Sure, he might take a few years to develop. But so did another IPP player the Eagles took a chance on in Mailata, the 6-8, 368-pound former rugby player from Australia.
"It was a passion project," Roseman said. "Obviously, (Bernard) has got a lot of tools in his body. We understand itās gonna take time. Itās gonna take a lot ofĀ time here, but itās pretty cool. We spend a lot of time talking about unusual, and certainlyĀ unusual withĀ that guy."
It was like this throughout the Eagles' draft, beginning with first-round pick Makai Lemon, a wide receiver who's neither big nor exceptionally fast but catches practically every pass thrown his way. There was second-round pick Eli Stowers, a tight end who came to college as a quarterback. There was third-round pick Markel Bell, a mountainous offensive tackle at 6-9, 346 pounds.
It went on to the Eagles' Day 3 picks, beginning with North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton. Yes, it's the same school that produced Eagles draftee Carson Wentz, the No. 2 pick in the 2016 draft. The Eagles took Payton in the fifth round at No. 178.
Payton waited four years to become the Bison's full-time starter. When Payton finally got the chance, the 6-3, 233-pound left-handed QB completed 72% of his passes, threw for 2,719 yards with 16 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. He also ran for 777 yards.
"It was tough. It wasnāt easy, for sure," Payton said about waiting. "Being the competitor I am, I just love football. People asked why didnāt you transfer? Itās because I believed in NDSU. The pro-style offense, the fact that they have sent so many guys to the NFL. I felt like, looking ahead, I have one year and I was going to make the most of that one year.
"And here I am."
There was a purpose to every pick the Eagles made in the draft, and to every pick they didn't make.
They traded a fifth-round pick this year and sixth-rounder to get Packers wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks, a third wide receiver behind DeVonta Smith and Lemon (assuming A.J. Brown is traded after June 1). The Eagles also traded third-round picks this year and next to get Vikings edge rusher Jonathan Greenard, who had 12.5 sacks in 2023 and 12 in 2024.
Greenard and Wicks are better than any edge rusher or receiver the Eagles could have drafted in the middle rounds.
Then the Eagles turned to their "passion projects." No, they don't always work out. But in a draft that wasn't very deep, sometimes it's those hidden traits that determine whether a late-round pick can become the next Mailata or Ojomo.
So the Eagles tried stockpiling as many as those picks as possible. They got Georgia guard Micah Morris in the sixth round, and seventh rounders in Texas Tech safety Cole Wisniewski, Bernard and New Mexico edge rusher Keyshawn James-Newby.
Morris' claim to fame came as a freshman at Georgia in 2021, when he was lining up on the scout team opposite future Eagles star defensive tackles Jalen Carter and Jordan Davis and edge rusher Nolan Smith.
"For starters, it was not fun at first, I can tell you that much," Morris said with a laugh. "But it prepared me for this moment. It just provided me with the chance to learn from the best and develop. Obviously, Iām just giving them a look being on the scout team.
"But Iām also perfecting my craft, working against top, first-round draft picks, elite NFL players and All-Pro players ... So whenever it is my time, I know that Iāve been through the hardest there is to offer."
Again, there's no guarantee that any of these late-round picks will work out. But it all fits the Eagles' desire to find gems throughout the draft.
"There are really two kinds of players that hit late when we study it," Roseman said. "There are guys that have unique traits. I think when you talk about Jordan (Mailata) and Moro (Ojomo), those are those guys. And then there are guys that are just really good players. And you see that through production. You see that through instincts. Everything in life revolves around instincts.
"I think that you see that in a player like Reed (Blankenship). I think you see that in a seventh-round pick like Jalen Mills. Those guys, they just have a great football sense, football IQ."
