Scouts weigh in on the Eagles’ 2026 NFL Draft picks and UDFA signings

Another long-time evaluator labeled [Carnell] Tate the lone legitimate first-round player at the position. “These Denzel Boston’s and KC Concepcion’s and Antonio Williams’s of the world, they’re just guys,” he said. “Even Makai Lemon, he’s a little guy, a tough guy, but he’s not a No. 1 (receiver). I like Tate the best of all of them but he’s good, he’s not great. After Tate, in other years they would be second-, third- and fourth-rounders. There’s nothing out there.”

More scouts on Lemon — who was ranked as WR2 — via McGinn:

“I think he’s a first-round pick. Got a little bit of Jaxon Smith-Njigba to him. The body control and natural ball instincts are similar. He’s just real smooth. He’ll probably start out in the slot.”

“He’s an overachieving type. Got to give him credit for the production, and he’s tough as hell. He’s strictly a slot guy. I don’t think he’s really a top athlete with his movement, flexibility. Similar to like an Amon-Ra St. Brown. Same school, kind of plays the same position, moves a little bit like him. I didn’t think Amon-Ra would have the career he’s had. He might be a top pick but he’s just kind of a scrappy guy. Not in any way is he some sort of elite talent.”

“Very effective in and out of breaks. He can do all the short-to-intermediate stuff and then he’s got enough juice to go down the seam and to the corner. Just makes a lot of catches. Has very good hands. He’s more of a slot-Z kind of receiver who can do some dirty work. He had kind of a wonky combine interview thing but I think people will overlook that. He just was kind of spaced out.”

“He’s a really good player but first round seems (high). He ended up running better than I thought. Just kind of average size, average speed. You don’t see those guys typically going in the first round.”

Feldman also shared some mixed views on Lemon:

“Just push play on the film,” said WR coach No. 1. “He goes to work. I can see the comps to Amon-Ra (St. Brown), but they’re different. They’re both really good.”

WR coach No. 2 wasn’t as much of a believer: “I’m not a big Makai guy. Not sure his game translates as well to the NFL, but I do think he’s got that St. Brown in him. Love his heart, toughness and tenacity, but can he win in the NFL like he did in college? I don’t know if he can play outside at an elite level. I know a lot of people think he can. I think he can be damn good as an exclusive slot.”

Sticking on this theme, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler published an article titled: “NFL execs, scouts on 2026 draft’s most polarizing players.” Lemon is one of two prospects who appeared on that list:

Scouts say Lemon’s tape is excellent, but his measurables and predraft process raise questions.

“What are you getting?” a personnel executive with an NFL team asked. “I love that dude, watching him last year, but evaluating him through the spring, which version of this player will show up in my building? He didn’t test great, had a couple of rough interviews from what I’ve been told. Seems like something is missing, or maybe I’m missing something.”

Another NFL personnel source said Lemon’s recall and detail of USC’s offense was not the strongest during a team interview. If teams love his intensity and competitive demeanor, they could overlook that. Lemon’s strengths are route running, running after the catch and contact balance. And, to be sure, plenty of star NFL players did not conduct great predraft interviews.

Lemon’s 40-yard dash time ranged from 4.46 to 4.53 seconds at USC’s pro day, according to reports. One AFC scout considers him “too small and too slow. Maybe he can overcome that, but it’s an issue.”

That scout said his best-case scenario is Amon-Ra St. Brown, who at 6-foot and 202 pounds has a similar build to Lemon (5-11, 192 pounds) and is also a former USC star.

Zierlein shared lines from an AFC scouting director who is bullish on Lemon:

“He could come in and be one of the top 10 slots in the league on Day 1 of camp, in my opinion. Great hands and fiercely competitive.“

Even more insight via The Athletic’s Mike Sando:

“He can do all the underneath stuff, he’s a good route runner, stays grounded, runs through the catch, has a feel for the game,” a third exec said. “He catches all the choice routes, knows how to curve routes and catch in traffic. He’s got a good, solid, all-around mature game, and plays with some urgency.”

And The Athletic’s Dane Brugler:

NFL scout: “He’s one of the most competitive guys in my area … almost to a fault, but I think it comes from a good place.”

And finally via Jason La Canfora:

“He’s a polished receiver,” one longtime personnel executive told me. “There’s always a learning curve, but I don’t think it’s a steep one for this kid. (General manager) Howie (Roseman) pounced on him for a reason. They have big plans for him.”

By trading up from No. 23 to No. 20, the Eagles demonstrated that they feel convicted in their Lemon evaluation.

The feeling here is cautious optimism. I really like that Lemon has Got That Dog In Him. I don’t like that he’s small and slow, relatively speaking. Having watched more of him since he was drafted, I’m among those who have questions about how his game translates to the NFL. I think a large part of his appeal isn’t so much flash as it is appreciating his ability to handle volume (hence the ARSB comparisons). With the Eagles expected to trade A.J. Brown, there are going to be a lot of targets up for grabs. The team is expecting Lemon to be able to handle a big workload as a rookie. I’ll be quick to fully buy in on Lemon if he has early success. Just need to see him prove it first.

ELI STOWERS

Stowers was ranked as TE2 in McGinn’s article on tight ends:

“He crushed the drills and ran crazy fast. He’s a better receiver than [Kenyon] Sadiq as far as movement and hands. He just has a better catch radius and hands than Sadiq. Neither one will give you much blocking. Stowers’ catching is what caught my eye. He’s got long-ass arms (32 5/8 inches) and he’s tall. He can catch. If somebody’s covering him he can still just go out fast and get the ball. I don’t see that in Sadiq.”

“He was super hungry in 2024. He almost beat Alabama singlehandedly. I think he saw it as a chance to play in the SEC and show people what he had. This year he didn’t show that hunger until later on in the year. They got away from using him as a blocker and I don’t think it helped his game necessarily. He got out of the flow a little bit. There’s not a whole lot he can’t do. He definitely can block in space. He has shown he’s more than tough enough. He has really skilled eyes and hands. He can run after the catch. I think everybody feels he’s too small to play tight end but I don’t see that. I see a guy maturing into a role. I mean, he was a quarterback. I’d say he’s a top-50 player, for sure. To me, he’s a top 25.”

“He’s intriguing. He’s more of a glorified wide receiver disguised as a tight end. I think he’ll make it somewhere. He could go second or third round because he tested well but he’s not going to be much of a blocker.”

“Really, really athletic. That’s kind of his calling card. He’s a smooth athlete, runs well, has good receiving skills. Pretty poor blocker. He’s a quarterback converted to tight end so that kind of tells you where the blocking’s going to be. I thought third round but he may go higher than that.”

Stowers’ struggles as a blocker has been a big talking point. The problem isn’t that he’s not the best blocking tight end who ever lived. The problem is that, as mentioned here, Vanderbilt was taking him off the field because they did not trust him to play in that role. That’s alarming.

It’s not like the Eagles are necessarily expecting Stowers to be a major contributor as a rookie. It’s possible he’ll get better as a blocker and it’s possible he’ll eventually be such a weapon as a pass-catcher that he’ll be a pretty good starter. He has potential. But the downside can’t be ignored.

Via The Athletic’s Dane Brugler:

NFL scouts say he logs “countless hours” at the facility and wants to be coached “harder than the rest of the team.”

MARKELL BELL

Bell is the 10th-ranked offensive tackle in McGinn’s article on the position:

“He reminds me a little bit of Trent Brown (6-8 ½, 380, 5.26), who went in the seventh round (in 2015). He had a lot of negatives but he was so damn big and he’s still in the league playing. Bell’s so damn big and he’s got decent enough feet. As soon as he gets his hands on people he wins. He’s so massive. He’s an intriguing guy. He’s more of a pass pro guy with upside. The run blocking … kind of lazy at times. He gets high and lumbers around. But when he wants to he can cave in a side. His thing is, you just stick him at right tackle and he’s got the pass pro and he’s massive. He’s got to go early. You can’t find guys like this. Tackle is the hardest position to find. That’s why the good ones fly off the board. He’s a piece of clay you can coach up.”

“Some gap teams might like him. He is a giant. But he’s raw. But he can get in the way.”

“This guy is a monster. He is gigantic, and that’s his whole game. He can smother people in the run game. When he gets his arm extended he does everything really well but he’s so inconsistent at it. He slides good enough but if you redirect with quick stuff on him he’s gonna miss you. If he gets those damn arms on you, at his length, you can’t beat him. If the work ethic and mental are there he can play with the limitations he has. The hand size is weird.”

“He’s barely draftable.”

“He’s my eighth tackle and he’s more of a third-round pick. I think he can start in the league.”

Via Brugler:

Accountable; took advantage of resources at Miami (NFL scout: “[Head coach Mario] Cristobal’s structure was great for him. … He’s still ascending.”)

I don’t know that I buy Bell as Lane Johnson’s successor as much as I believe he might be Fred Johnson’s successor. Bell’s massive frame is certainly intriguing. Would like to see him play with more nastiness. Curious to see if the Eagles can effectively develop him now that Jeff Stoutland is gone.

COLE PAYTON

Payton was ranked as QB6 behind Fernando Mendoza, Ty Simpson, Taylen Green, Drew Allar, and Garrett Nussmeier in McGinn’s article on quarterbacks:

“He played in multiple games throughout his career as like a running quarterback or lined up at running back like a gadget guy. He’s lefthanded, which some people might not like as much. But the kid has size, he’s really athletic for his size and has excellent speed. He can turn like a 3- or 4-yard run into a 30-yard run. He has a little bit longer windup and a three-quarter release, but he does have elasticity in his arm to get it out quick. He’s got a really strong arm. His accuracy is unreal on deep balls and layering the ball. He has touch. The school has a history of producing draftable quarterbacks. You might let him sit for a year. Maybe use him in a Taysom Hill role as a rookie. This kid could be a really good starter by Year 2. I don’t think he gets out of the second or third round. He has too much ability to work with.”

“He can make sideline throws, do fades, put it in the middle. When he runs he makes people miss. He can do short-yardage.”

“Overall, he had a pretty good Senior Bowl. I think there’s something to him but it’s probably going to take a couple years. You better have a quarterback and let him develop his skills. I’d absolutely take Cole Payton over Cade Klubnik.”

“One-year starter at North Dakota State – no thank you. He’s got a slow left-handed windup. Got a really weak arm. Terrible against pressure. Kind of a one-read guy. Decent enough athlete when it’s a designed run, but doesn’t really escape pressure well. He’ll make it but I don’t think he’ll be a decent backup even.”

I’d be surprised to see Payton playing in a Taysom Hill role as a rookie because I don’t see the path to him being active on game day. Could be fun if it eventually happens, though. Guessing it’s more likely he’ll be on the practice squad or the emergency third quarterback if Tanner McKee gets traded.

La Canfora shared some insight from someone who’s really bullish on Payton:

“You know I believe in that kid,” said one longtime personnel executive. “That was my No. 2 quarterback in the draft. And Howie takes him? Come on. He sees it too. Cole Payton, if you bring him along the right way, can start in this league.”

“All the stuff you hear about (Eagles starter Jalen) Hurts, all the drama and where he is in his contract. You can call me crazy, but I think this kid could take over from him in a few years. They did this stuff before with (Kevin) Kolb, when they still had (Pro Bowl quarterback Donovan) McNabb. I know how Howie thinks. This kid had a chance.”

Another longtime personnel executive said: “That’s such a great spot for him to land. He’s better off there in the fifth-round then Arizona in the third, really. I love the fit. I think he can play in the league, but he’s still really raw.”

Payton taking over for Hurts seems pretty far-fetched at this moment in time.

MICAH MORRIS

Morris appears alongside Lemon in the aforementioned ESPN “NFL execs, scouts on 2026 draft’s most polarizing players“ article. Here’s what was said:

You won’t find Morris very high on many mock drafts or positional big boards floating around the internet right now. That’s not because of ability.

“He’s probably a first-round talent who goes late Day 2 or early Day 3,” a veteran NFL scout said. “He should be a first-rounder based on the flashes on tape. But he’s not.”

Morris, a multiyear starter at Georgia who weighs 334 pounds, ran a 5.09-second 40-yard dash and posted a 9-foot-4 broad jump.

Some teams have questions about his work ethic.

“I’ll be curious where he goes because there are not many guards and he’s got a lot of ability,” the scout said. “But people are afraid of him.”

It’s safe to say teams were indeed worried about Morris, hence why he fell to the Eagles at No. 207 in the sixth round. Morris has the physical tools to be a good player but we’ll see if the Birds can develop him into one.

COLE WISNIEWSKI

Brugler shared a brief line from an NFL scout:

“He’s already a pro.”

There’s some thought that Wisniewski could push for playing time as a rookie since the Eagles aren’t exactly loaded at safety. Howie Roseman comparing Wis to Reed Blankenship did nothing to pour cold water on that idea. The 24-year-old could be more of a low-ceiling, high-floor bet.

UAR BERNARD

Nothing from scouts on Bernard since, you know, he’s never actually played football.

Instead, let’s just take another moment to appreciate this comparison:

Pure upside, baby.

KEYSHAWN JAMES-NEWBY

Couldn’t find anything on KJN.

BONUS: JONATHAN GREENARD

The Eagles traded for Greenard during the 2026 NFL Draft and Sando included this paragraph about him in The Athletic’s draft confidential story:

Trading Jonathan Greenard to Philadelphia might have been an exception. It was curious to see the Vikings cite salary-cap concerns while trading Greenard to the Eagles, whose cap concerns dwarf those of any team in the league. Cash seemed to be the obvious consideration after Minnesota led the NFL in spending last season and had nothing to show for it. The Vikings have also committed millions to new deals for Flores and coach Kevin O’Connell, with a GM hire on the horizon. “Greenard is too good of a player at a premium position to let go,” a fourth exec said. “You gotta figure out a way to make that one work.”

UNDRAFTED ROOKIE FREE AGENT SIGNINGS

LB DEONTAE LAWSON

There were 23 players at Lawson’s position selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Lawson was LB12 in McGinn’s article on off-ball linebackers:

“Great guy. He’s no CJ Mosley or Reuben Foster. He’s not explosive. I don’t see him going that high. He’ll be a fourth- or fifth-rounder. I don’t think he’s gonna run. His medical’s not gonna be great.”

“He’s a classic Alabama guy that’s been really beat up. He’s a solid player but more of a backup than a potential starter.”

More insight via Brugler:

NFL scout: With no [Nick] Saban, the new staff really leaned on him to be the alpha of the defense.

Lawson’s medical concerns likely prevented him from getting drafted but he seems like a good flier for the Eagles as an undrafted signing. Only thing is, the Birds already seem to have a lot of good inside linebacker depth. Could work against him making the roster.

OG JAEDAN ROBERTS

Via Brugler:

NFL scouts are emphatic about his coachability and how hard he works.

Could push for a spot on the practice squad.

LS ROCCO UNDERWOOD

Underwood was the fourth LS ranked in McGinn’s article on specialists:

Said one coach: “He’s the best-looking athlete but probably the least accurate. He’s had a couple of unplayable snaps, and in some critical spots. An unplayable field-goal snap this year and an unplayable punt snap over the guy’s head the year before. NFL snappers just don’t have that. You don’t ever see that. But it happened to him a couple times and that really, really bothers me.”

Yikes. Might not want to bank on Underwood definitely being the Eagles’ long snapper moving forward, even though he’s currently the only one on the roster.